South Morang
Its 24,989 residents live in a predominantly detached-house market, with 84.4% of dwellings separate houses and 51.3% containing four or more bedrooms. Compared with nearby Mill Park, this points to a lower-density, family-oriented housing pattern. Overseas-born residents account for 32.4% of the population, while household income sits at the 78.2nd percentile nationally, supporting ongoing demand despite a median age of 36.
Population
24,989
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,078/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
66
Median House
$810K
October to December 2025
Three-bedroom homes make up another 40.1%, so buyers have more choice in larger formats than in apartment-heavy suburbs. The 53.1% mortgage tenure share indicates strong owner-occupier demand, while mortgage repayments equal 21.1% of household income and do not trigger the recorded stress flag.
For Buyers
Three-bedroom homes make up another 40.1%, so buyers have more choice in larger formats than in apartment-heavy suburbs. The 53.1% mortgage tenure share indicates strong owner-occupier demand, while mortgage repayments equal 21.1% of household income and do not trigger the recorded stress flag.
For Investors
South Morang provides a family rental market, with 20.9% of households renting, a weekly median rent of $390 and a 3.3% vacancy rate. The 67 development applications lodged over 12 months create a sizeable pipeline, which may improve amenity but also add competing stock. Forecast growth of 2.65% annually is driven by overseas migration, so investors should favour well-located family homes and test yields carefully against the purchase price.
Development Activity
Total DAs
427
Last 12 Months
66
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-5.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in South Morang
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Marymede Catholic College
The Lakes South Morang College
Morang South Primary School
Plenty River College
Demographics
South Morang's median age of 36 is 4 years below the national figure, although its trajectory is aging as the senior share has risen 4.0 percentage points and the young share has fallen 5.1 points. Overseas-born residents make up 32.4%, or 10.8 points above national, while university attainment is 37.3%, 7.2 points above national. Average household size is 3.0 people, 0.5 above national, and couples with children account for 58.1% of families. Compared with nearby Mill Park, the combination of larger households and detached housing reinforces South Morang's family-service needs. An 84.3% stay rate also indicates relatively stable local connections.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.4%
Houses
15.2%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
South Morang's housing stock is firmly detached, with 84.4% separate houses, 15.2% semi-detached dwellings and just 0.4% apartments. Tenure is concentrated among mortgagors at 53.1%, followed by outright owners at 24.0% and renters at 20.9%. Because 51.3% of homes have four or more bedrooms, the suburb suits larger households, but the price level makes borrowing capacity important even though the mortgage-to-income ratio is 21.1%.
Mortgage / mo
$1,900
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$390
Census 2021
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$824
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.3%
Unoccupied
272
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
58.1%
Couples with children
25.5%
Couples, no children
15.2%
Single parent
6,813
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is South Morang's largest resident industry at 19.9%, with 1,663 workers, followed by construction at 12.3% and education at 10.4%. Retail accounts for 8.2% and professional or technical work 7.9%, creating a mixed employment base rather than reliance on one sector. Labour-force participation is 69.1% and unemployment is 5.2%, while professionals number 2,534 and clerical or administrative workers 2,009. Household income sits at the 78.2nd percentile nationally. SEIFA results are uneven: economic resources rank in decile 8, IRSD in decile 7, and education and occupation plus overall advantage in deciles 6 and 6, indicating stronger financial capacity than the broader composite rankings suggest.
Unemployment
5.2%
Labour Force
13,655
Unemployed
704
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.7%
Part-time
32.9%
Participation
69.1%
Employed
12,951
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.3%
Postgraduate
10.2%
Born Overseas
32.4%
Dwellings
8,032
Transport to Work
South Morang is practical for households that drive, since 67.7% of residents travel as car drivers, compared with 3.1% using public transport, while 24.5% work from home. Four local schools span government, Catholic and independent sectors, with primary, secondary and combined primary-secondary options; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Recorded crime totals 995 incidents, including 545 property and deception offences, at a rate of 39.8 per 1,000 residents. Socioeconomic conditions sit around the middle to upper-middle range, with IRSAD in decile 6 and IRSD in decile 7. The result is a car-oriented, school-serviced suburb whose appeal depends on household needs and street-level amenity.
Drive
67.7%
Public Transport
3.1%
Walk / Cycle
0.5%
Work from Home
24.5%
Population Forecast
+2.65%/yr
(+351 people/yr)
EstablishedSouth Morang's forecast trend is 2.65% annual growth, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 35.8% over ten years, which helps explain the 67 development applications recorded in 12 months. The demographic trajectory is Aging: the senior share increased 4.0 percentage points while the young share declined 5.1 points. Growth signals are mixed, with a gentrification score of 22 at the Early signs stage, compared with a shift score of 15 labelled Not gentrifying. The area also recovered from a COVID dip of 2.3%, followed by a 2.5% recovery, suggesting resilience rather than a sustained contraction.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+138
Net Internal / yr
-119
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +35% since 2011, Net internal outflow -119/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
995
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
39.8
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How South Morang compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is South Morang a good suburb to live in?
South Morang suits households seeking space, schools and detached housing. The suburb has 24,989 residents, a median age of 36 and 84.4% separate houses. It is more car-oriented than transit-oriented, with 67.7% driving and 3.1% using public transport, so access needs vary by location.
What schools are in South Morang?
South Morang has 4 listed schools spanning government, Catholic and independent sectors. The mix covers primary, secondary and combined primary-secondary education, including Morang South Primary School and Marymede Catholic College. Enrolment zones can vary, so families should confirm eligibility for the exact property address.
Is South Morang safe?
South Morang recorded 995 offences at a rate of 39.8 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 545 incidents, while crimes against the person totalled 172. Safety can vary between streets and times, so buyers and renters should inspect the immediate area and review current local conditions.
How is South Morang's population changing?
Growth across the wider area is forecast at 2.65% annually and is primarily driven by overseas migration. Population change over ten years is 35.8%, while the demographic trajectory is Aging. The senior share has risen 4.0 percentage points and the young share has fallen 5.1 points.
What languages are spoken in South Morang?
South Morang has an overseas-born share of 32.4%, which is 10.8 percentage points above the national figure. Common non-English languages include Macedon with 567 speakers, Italian with 416, Arabic with 348, Punjabi with 316 and Malayalam with 277.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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