Springvale South
Springvale South's 62.4% overseas-born population is the defining feature of a 12,766-person suburb where detached homes make up 85.8% of dwellings. The median age of 38 is 2 years below the national figure, while household size is 3.2 people, 0.7 above the national level, helping explain the family-oriented housing profile. Vietnamese and Chinese ancestry are prominent, and Buddhism is the largest listed religion at 4,197 people. Compared with neighbouring Keysborough, Springvale South reads as a more established, owner-oriented pocket, with 38.7% owning outright and 32.6% paying a mortgage. Its 46.7 income percentile sits below the national midpoint, so price and household capacity remain important.
Population
12,766
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,498/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
11
Median House
$859K
October to December 2025
That history suggests timing matters, although the long-run CAGR is 3.7%. Detached stock dominates at 85.8%, with 53.4% of homes containing 3 bedrooms and 30.3% containing 4 or more, making the suburb more suited to families than compact apartment seekers. Mortgage costs are $1,600 a month and mortgage stress is not flagged, with repayments equal to 24.7% of household income. Compared with Keysborough, purchasers should weigh Springvale South's established streets against its low apartment share of 3.2% and car-oriented daily travel.
For Buyers
That history suggests timing matters, although the long-run CAGR is 3.7%. Detached stock dominates at 85.8%, with 53.4% of homes containing 3 bedrooms and 30.3% containing 4 or more, making the suburb more suited to families than compact apartment seekers. Mortgage costs are $1,600 a month and mortgage stress is not flagged, with repayments equal to 24.7% of household income. Compared with Keysborough, purchasers should weigh Springvale South's established streets against its low apartment share of 3.2% and car-oriented daily travel.
For Investors
Investors get a 27.4% renting share, a $351 weekly median rent and a 3.8% vacancy rate, indicating an established rental market rather than an oversupplied one. Rent growth has reached 36.9% across the shift period, supporting income growth but also reflecting affordability pressure. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, potentially supporting tenant demand because 62.4% of residents were born overseas. Separate houses are far more common than apartments, at 85.8% versus 3.2%, so the likely tenant base is family-oriented. Only 4 subdivision applications were recorded in 12 months, limiting evidence of a major supply surge.
Development Activity
Total DAs
15
Last 12 Months
11
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+450.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Springvale South
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Athol Road Primary School
Hoa Nghiem Primary School
Keysborough Primary School
Keysborough Secondary College
Demographics
Springvale South has a migrant-majority profile: 62.4% of residents were born overseas, 40.8 percentage points above the national comparison. Vietnamese ancestry accounts for 2,978 people and Chinese ancestry 2,573, while Khmer is the most common listed language at 1,052 speakers. Buddhism is recorded for 4,197 residents, ahead of Christianity at 3,832 and no religion at 2,987. The median age of 38 is 2 years below national, but household size is 3.2, or 0.7 above national, because 48.5% of families are couples with children. Compared with nearby Keysborough and Dandenong South, the 85.5% stayed rate points to relatively settled households despite strong international connections.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.8%
Houses
10.2%
Townhouse
3.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly detached: separate houses account for 85.8%, semis 10.2% and apartments 3.2%. The bedroom mix reinforces that pattern, with 53.4% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and 30.3% having 4 or more. Tenure is relatively established, with 38.7% owned outright, 32.6% mortgaged and 27.4% rented. Mortgage costs equal 24.7% of household income and rent costs 23.4%, without flagged stress, because ownership and family occupancy are substantial. Compared with apartment-oriented Springvale, this stock is more land and family focused.
Mortgage / mo
$1,600
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$351
Census 2021
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$559
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.8%
Unoccupied
152
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
48.5%
Couples with children
27.0%
Couples, no children
21.9%
Single parent
3,304
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 17.8% with 465 workers, followed by manufacturing at 14.8% and 386 workers. Retail contributes 9.3%, professional and technical work 7.9%, and education 6.2%, giving the suburb a practical mix of care, production and service jobs. Labourers number 1,256, ahead of machinery and drivers at 808 and trades at 681, which aligns with the manufacturing and logistics influence. The participation rate is 56.0%, unemployment is 7.5% and full-time employment is 60.2%, pointing to softer labour-market engagement than a high-income professional centre. Household income sits at the 46.7 percentile, below the national midpoint, so price sensitivity remains relevant even as real income growth reached 28.9%, because employment is spread across varied skill levels.
Unemployment
7.5%
Labour Force
5,975
Unemployed
449
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.2%
Part-time
34.2%
Participation
56.0%
Employed
5,526
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.6%
Postgraduate
7.1%
Born Overseas
62.4%
Dwellings
3,860
Transport to Work
Daily life is car dependent: 74.0% travel as car drivers, compared with 2.9% using public transport, while 12.6% work from home. That pattern suits households with cars but can make local access more important than rail proximity. Four schools serve the surrounding area, spanning 3 government primary or secondary options and 1 independent primary school; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Safety is a practical consideration, with 611 offences and a rate of 47.9 per 1,000 people, including 321 property and deception offences and 114 crimes against the person. Socioeconomic disadvantage is pronounced, with IRSAD and IRSD both in decile 1, lower than the top decile, so services, commute and school access may matter more than amenity branding. Compared with more transit-oriented parts of Greater Dandenong, Springvale South's detached layout supports space but reduces walkability, with only 0.8% walking or cycling.
Drive
74.0%
Public Transport
2.9%
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
12.6%
Population Forecast
+0.95%/yr
(+233 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than explosive, with the annual trend at 0.95% and population change across the wider area at 12.5% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, consistent with the suburb's 62.4% overseas-born share. The shift is labelled Mixed, while gentrification has a score of 26 and an Early signs stage, so redevelopment pressure is present but below an established transformation. The affordability trend is marked Improving, with figures of 73.9 in 2011 and 63.8 in 2021, even as rents rose 36.9%, creating a more complicated outlook for younger households. Compared with faster-growth corridors, Springvale South's established classification and 4 subdivision applications in 12 months point to incremental change, because family housing remains dominant at 85.8% separate houses.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+902
Net Internal / yr
-508
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +18% since 2011, Net internal outflow -508/yr, Strong overseas inflow +902/yr, COVID recovered (-5% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
611
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
47.9
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 Springvale South compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Springvale South a good suburb to live in?
Springvale South suits households wanting detached housing and established ownership, with 85.8% separate houses, 53.4% three-bedroom dwellings and a median age of 38. Car use is high at 74.0%, while public transport accounts for 2.9%, so the suburb is more practical for drivers than for car-free living. Check the exact street for schools, services and commute times.
What schools are in Springvale South?
Schools serving the area include Athol Road Primary School, Keysborough Primary School, Keysborough Secondary College and Hoa Nghiem Primary School. The mix includes 3 government schools and 1 independent primary school. Confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address, since school boundaries and availability can vary between locations.
Is Springvale South safe?
Reported offences totalled 611, equal to 47.9 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 321, followed by 114 crimes against the person and 98 justice procedures offences. These figures support checking the specific street, lighting, parking and travel conditions rather than relying on a suburb-wide rate alone.
How is Springvale South's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 12.5% over 10 years, while the annual growth trend is 0.95%. Overseas migration is the primary driver, consistent with 62.4% of Springvale South residents being born overseas. The forecast trajectory is Mixed, and gentrification is at an Early signs stage with a score of 26, suggesting gradual change rather than a rapid shift.
What languages are spoken in Springvale South?
The most common listed language is Khmer, with 1,052 speakers, followed by Canton at 358, Mandarin at 178, Punjabi at 152 and Greek at 133. With 62.4% of residents born overseas, language access can matter for health, education, government and community services. Confirm service availability locally rather than assuming every provider offers interpretation.
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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