St Andrews
With household income in the 84.2nd percentile nationally and SEIFA scores at decile 10 for both economic resources and relative disadvantage, St Andrews sits well above the average rural town despite having only 1,186 residents spread across 39.79 square kilometres. The median age of 46 runs 6 years above the national figure, and 85.6% of residents stayed at the same address between census years, pointing to deep-rooted settlement rather than transient demand. Every dwelling is a separate house, making this one of the few Victorian suburbs with 100% detached stock.
Population
1,186
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,216/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
No median sale price is recorded for St Andrews, which reflects a thin transaction market common to small rural localities with only 1,186 residents. The stock is exclusively separate houses, and 46.9% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms, higher than the suburban average, because lots in this area support larger footprints. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 22.6%, which is below the 30% stress threshold and indicates that buyers who do enter the market are not overextending. With 47.3% of residents owning outright, established wealth dominates tenure patterns here rather than recent leveraged buyers.
For Buyers
No median sale price is recorded for St Andrews, which reflects a thin transaction market common to small rural localities with only 1,186 residents. The stock is exclusively separate houses, and 46.9% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms, higher than the suburban average, because lots in this area support larger footprints. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 22.6%, which is below the 30% stress threshold and indicates that buyers who do enter the market are not overextending. With 47.3% of residents owning outright, established wealth dominates tenure patterns here rather than recent leveraged buyers.
For Investors
The rental market in St Andrews is thin: only 5.1% of dwellings are rented, compared to the national average of around 30%, so landlord opportunities are limited. Weekly rent of $340 is modest. The 9.7% vacancy rate is elevated relative to metro benchmarks and signals soft rental demand in a community where most households own their homes. Development activity ran to just 3 applications in the past 12 months, well below any high-growth suburb, confirming this is an established, slow-change market. The very low rental penetration means investment returns depend almost entirely on capital growth rather than yield, and thin transaction volumes make price discovery difficult.
Development Activity
Total DAs
3
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in St Andrews iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Andrews Primary School
Prep-6 · 40 students
Demographics
The median age of 46 is 6 years above the national median of 40, consistent with the aging-resident identity signal. The overseas-born share of 13.7% is 7.9 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting a strongly Anglo-Celtic population where English (531), Irish (187) and Scottish (156) ancestry dominate. University qualifications reach 34.6%, which is 4.5 points above the national rate, suggesting professional and managerial households have chosen this rural setting deliberately. Average household size of 2.8 is slightly above the national average. The volunteering rate of 18.6% is notably high, pointing to a cohesive, settled community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Every dwelling in St Andrews is a separate house, a 100% detached rate that sets it apart from most Victorian localities. Stock skews large: 46.9% have 4 or more bedrooms and only 10.9% have 2 bedrooms. Tenure is weighted heavily toward ownership, with 47.3% owning outright and 47.6% paying a mortgage, leaving only 5.1% renting. The rent-to-income ratio of 15.3% is comfortably below the 30% stress level, meaning tenants who do rent here are not financially stretched. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.6% is similarly below the stress threshold. No recorded sale price is available, consistent with the thin transaction volumes expected in a suburb of just 1,186 people.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$340
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$816
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.7%
Unoccupied
43
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.6%
Couples, no children
992
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction dominates local employment at 21.3% of workers, well above the national share, reflecting proximity to outer-Melbourne fringe development corridors. Education and Healthcare each account for 13.3%, and Professional/Technical services add 9.5%. By occupation, Professionals (132) and Managers (84) represent the top two categories, consistent with SEIFA IEO decile 8 for education and occupation advantage. The unemployment rate is low at 3.6% and the full-time employment rate is 59.3%. Household income in the 84.2nd percentile nationally is high for a rural locality and likely reflects residents commuting to Melbourne or working remotely in professional roles.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.3%
Part-time
37.1%
Participation
55.9%
Employed
535
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.6%
Postgraduate
9.4%
Born Overseas
13.7%
Dwellings
398
Transport to Work
Car dependence is pronounced: 94.9% of residents drive to work, above the national average, because no meaningful public transport infrastructure serves this rural setting. Safety data shows a total of 21 recorded offences, giving a crime rate of 17.7 per 1,000 residents, below many urban Victorian suburbs. The IRSAD decile of 9 and IRSD decile of 10 both place St Andrews in the top tier of advantage nationally. Only 3.1% of residents (34 people) need daily assistance despite a median age of 46. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on nearby townships for education, a practical consideration given the rural scale of 39.79 square kilometres.
Drive
94.9%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
2.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
21
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
17.7
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 St Andrews compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is St Andrews a good suburb to live in?
St Andrews scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the top tier nationally, and household income sits in the 84.2nd percentile. The crime rate is low at 17.7 incidents per 1,000 residents, and 85.6% of residents stayed at the same address between censuses, reflecting strong community stability.
What is the median house price in St Andrews?
No median sale price is recorded for St Andrews in the current dataset, which is typical for rural localities with very thin transaction volumes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 22.6%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $340.
What schools are in St Andrews?
No schools are recorded inside the St Andrews boundary in this dataset. The suburb covers 39.79 square kilometres with a population of only 1,186 residents, so families typically access schools in neighbouring townships. Locally, 34.6% of residents hold university qualifications, 4.5 points above the national figure.
Is St Andrews safe?
St Andrews recorded 21 offences in the most recent crime data, giving a rate of 17.7 incidents per 1,000 residents, which is lower than many suburban and regional Victorian areas. The suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest advantage tier nationally.
Is St Andrews good for property investment?
Investment appeal is limited by a 5.1% renter share and a 9.7% vacancy rate, both pointing to weak rental demand. Weekly rent of $340 is modest. With only 3 development applications lodged in 12 months and no median sale price available, the market is illiquid and returns depend on capital growth rather than yield.
How is St Andrews's population changing?
St Andrews has a population of 1,186 with a stable resident base: 85.6% stayed at the same address between censuses, giving a turnover rate of just 14.4%. The median age of 46 is 6 years above the national figure, indicating an aging community. Development activity is minimal with only 3 applications lodged in the past 12 months.
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), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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