Tecoma
Tecoma’s standout feature is its 95.0% separate-house share, paired with a median age of 42, which is 2.0 years above the national comparison. The suburb has 2,064 residents, household income at the 75.6th percentile, and 34.9% university-qualified adults, 4.8 percentage points above the national figure. That profile supports a settled, professional and mortgage-led market rather than a high-turnover one. Compared with nearby Belgrave and Upwey, Tecoma reads as more strongly detached-residential, with only 15.2% of households renting. Its appeal is strongest for buyers seeking foothills housing and an established setting, while the negative 0.21% annual population trend is a constraint for those wanting rapid expansion.
Local council: Yarra Ranges
Population
2,064
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,022/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$1.1M
October to December 2025
Only a handful of houses sold here in this period, so this median can jump sharply from one quarter to the next for reasons that have nothing to do with the market. Treat it as a rough guide, not a settled price.
The typical monthly mortgage is $1,733, equal to 19.8% of household income. The 19.8% mortgage-to-income ratio is higher than the 17.2% rent-to-income ratio, showing that ownership costs are not automatically lighter than renting. Prices are 163.5% higher than the 2013 level, making entry materially harder than a decade ago. With 52.7% of homes mortgaged and 31.2% owned outright, Tecoma suits buyers prioritising land and family-sized layouts. Compared with nearby Belgrave and Upwey, inspect slope, access and renovation costs carefully because detached foothills homes can vary sharply by site.
For Buyers
The typical monthly mortgage is $1,733, equal to 19.8% of household income. The 19.8% mortgage-to-income ratio is higher than the 17.2% rent-to-income ratio, showing that ownership costs are not automatically lighter than renting. Prices are 163.5% higher than the 2013 level, making entry materially harder than a decade ago. With 52.7% of homes mortgaged and 31.2% owned outright, Tecoma suits buyers prioritising land and family-sized layouts. Compared with nearby Belgrave and Upwey, inspect slope, access and renovation costs carefully because detached foothills homes can vary sharply by site.
For Investors
Investors are entering a low-rental-share market: 15.2% of dwellings are rented, weekly rent is $348, and vacancy is 4.7%. That combination can support tenant competition, but the small renter base also limits the depth of the local investment pool. Rental growth is forecast at 34.4%, while development recorded 0 projects in the past 12 months, so future supply may remain constrained. Overseas migration is the primary migration driver, although the wider growth signal is aging rather than expansionary. The case is more defensive and scarcity-based than high-growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2
Last 12 Months
0
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
Schools in Tecoma
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Tecoma Primary School
Demographics
Tecoma has an older and more settled profile than Australia overall: the median age is 42, or 2.0 years above the national comparison, while 87.5% of residents stayed at the same address and turnover was 12.5%. University qualification is 34.9%, 4.8 percentage points higher than the national figure, despite overseas-born residents accounting for 17.5%, 4.1 points below the national comparison. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 944, 332 and 315, while no religion is recorded for 1,282 people and Christianity for 573. Families remain important, with 47.1% of families being couples with children and 36.9% couples without children. Compared with a faster-changing inner suburb, this is a more stable, Anglo-leaning community, with aging pressure likely to shape services.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.0%
Houses
5.0%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is mortgage-heavy: 52.7% of households are paying off a loan, compared with 31.2% owned outright and 15.2% renting. The stock is 95.0% separate houses, with 43.9% three-bedroom and 35.1% four-plus-bedroom homes. Compared with apartment-oriented markets, Tecoma has less format diversity, so price resilience depends on buyers seeking land, established housing and foothills character.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$348
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$876
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.7%
Unoccupied
39
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.8%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.1%
Couples with children
36.9%
Couples, no children
14.8%
Single parent
586
Total families
Economy & Employment
Tecoma’s economic base is led by Education at 18.3% of jobs, followed by Healthcare at 13.6%, Construction at 9.8%, Professional/Tech at 8.3% and Public Admin at 8.1%. That mix aligns with 291 Professionals, 176 Trades workers and 155 Managers, giving the suburb a broader skills base than a single-industry location. Labour-force participation is 69.8%, unemployment is 4.3%, and 654 people work full time versus 422 part time. Household income is $2,022 a week, at the 75.6th percentile nationally, while SEIFA places education and occupation at deciles 8 and 9, with low disadvantage at IRSD decile 9 and high relative advantage at IRSAD decile 8. Compared with the national midpoint, these results indicate above-average socioeconomic capacity, although 70 employed residents work away from home.
Unemployment
4.3%
Labour Force
1,198
Unemployed
52
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.1%
Part-time
36.8%
Participation
69.8%
Employed
1,146
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.9%
Postgraduate
9.6%
Born Overseas
17.5%
Dwellings
776
Transport to Work
Daily life in Tecoma is car oriented: 57.0% travel as car drivers, compared with 2.9% using public transport, while 35.9% work from home and 1.5% walk or cycle. That pattern matters because errands and commuting are less likely to be completed without a vehicle. Families have 1 local school, Tecoma Primary School, a government primary school; check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb lines. Reported crime totals 84 incidents, including 53 property and deception offences and 19 crimes against the person, equal to 40.7 incidents per 1,000 residents. Socioeconomic settings are above the national midpoint, with IRSAD decile 8 and IRSD decile 9. Compared with a transit-rich suburb, Tecoma suits households comfortable with driving, home-based work and a quieter foothills setting.
Drive
57.0%
Public Transport
2.9%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
35.9%
Growth Outlook
Tecoma’s growth outlook is subdued: the annual trend is negative 0.21%, and population change across the wider area is negative 0.1% over 10 years. The forecast trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 6.6 percentage points and the working share down 1.7 points, so demand is more likely to shift toward established homes and age-friendly services than rapid new household formation. Overseas migration is the primary migration driver, but that does not offset the slower overall trajectory. Gentrification is rated Not gentrifying, with a score of 0, while rent growth is 34.4%. Compared with the 5.2% long-run house-price CAGR, population momentum is lower, suggesting price performance has been driven more by scarcity and market value than by resident expansion. Zero development projects in 12 months reinforces the established-suburb character.
Population trend: Yarra Ranges council area
Tecoma sits in the Yarra Ranges council area. These are the council area's residents, not Tecoma's.
Residents 2025
160,906
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
84
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
40.7
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 Tecoma compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Tecoma?
Tecoma Primary School is the local school listed in the suburb, and it is a government primary school. Families should check the enrolment zone for the exact address, particularly when comparing homes near suburb boundaries. Tecoma has 2,064 residents and 43.9% of homes have 3 bedrooms.
Is Tecoma safe?
Tecoma recorded 84 offences, equal to 40.7 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 53, while crimes against the person totalled 19. These figures provide useful context, but buyers should review current police and council information for the specific street and time period.
How is Tecoma's population changing?
Tecoma is showing an aging, slow-growth trajectory. The annual trend is negative 0.21%, while population change across the wider area is negative 0.1% over 10 years. The senior share has risen 6.6 percentage points, and overseas migration is the primary driver, so age structure may matter more than rapid population expansion.
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).
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