Thomastown
More than half of Thomastown residents were born overseas: 54.2%, or 32.6 percentage points above the national share. The suburb has a population of 20,234, a median age of 39 and a detached-house share of 84.4%. Its household income percentile of 26.8 sits below the national midpoint, while the crime rate is 107.7 offences per 1,000 people. Compared with Epping's newer growth-area profile, Thomastown is more established and slower-growing because its housing stock is mature and its forecast trajectory is aging, with annual change of -0.43%.
Population
20,234
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,225/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
151
Median House
$810K
October to December 2025
Thomastown suits buyers seeking conventional family housing, with separate houses accounting for 84.4% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes representing 64.0%. Four-bedroom or larger homes add another 20.4%, so the market is more suitable for established households than for buyers seeking mostly apartments. Ownership is split between 43.5% owned outright and 25.5% with a mortgage, while mortgage stress is flagged at a 31.9% mortgage-to-income ratio. Household income sits at the 26.8th percentile, below the national midpoint, so borrowing capacity is likely to be a more important constraint than dwelling size.
For Buyers
Thomastown suits buyers seeking conventional family housing, with separate houses accounting for 84.4% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes representing 64.0%. Four-bedroom or larger homes add another 20.4%, so the market is more suitable for established households than for buyers seeking mostly apartments. Ownership is split between 43.5% owned outright and 25.5% with a mortgage, while mortgage stress is flagged at a 31.9% mortgage-to-income ratio. Household income sits at the 26.8th percentile, below the national midpoint, so borrowing capacity is likely to be a more important constraint than dwelling size.
For Investors
Thomastown has a 29.2% renting share and a weekly median rent of $350, creating an established tenant base. The 6.9% vacancy rate is higher than the renter share might suggest, so investors should assess individual streets, property condition and leasing performance rather than assume uniformly tight demand. Development activity is substantial at 151 applications in 12 months, which may increase future competition between properties. Rent growth is recorded at 26.4%, but the wider forecast trend is -0.43% annually and the gentrification score is 10 with a stage of Not gentrifying. Compared with a high-growth investment market, returns here depend more on rental management and entry price because overseas migration is the primary growth driver but population momentum remains slow.
Development Activity
Total DAs
821
Last 12 Months
151
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+4.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Thomastown
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Lalor East Primary School
Thomastown East Primary School
Thomastown Meadows Primary School
Thomastown Primary School
Thomastown West Primary School
Demographics
Thomastown has a median age of 39, one year below the national comparison, while 34.2% of residents have a university qualification, 4.1 percentage points above the national figure. The overseas-born share is 54.2%, which is 32.6 points higher than nationally. Italian ancestry counts 2,798 people, followed by Macedonian at 1,899 and Greek at 1,547. Common languages include Arabic at 1,021 speakers, Macedon at 764, Italian at 664, Greek at 628 and Punjabi at 423. Christianity accounts for 9,523 residents, Islam 3,075 and no religion 3,285. This combination reflects both long-established migration and newer arrivals, while 83.7% of residents staying at the same address indicates lower turnover than a highly transient area.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.4%
Houses
9.5%
Townhouse
6.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is strongly detached, with 84.4% separate houses compared with 6.1% apartments and 9.5% semi-detached dwellings. Three-bedroom properties dominate at 64.0%, followed by four-bedroom or larger homes at 20.4%, which helps explain the suburb's family-oriented housing pattern. Compared with apartment stock, detached housing is far higher, while tenure is divided between 43.5% outright ownership, 25.5% mortgage ownership and 29.2% renting.
Mortgage / mo
$1,690
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $350.
$500
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $510 · units $450
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$502
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
545
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.9% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
42.1%
Couples with children
35.4%
Couples, no children
20.1%
Single parent
5,580
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Thomastown's largest industry at 18.4% and 855 workers, followed by construction at 10.2% and 476, manufacturing at 8.7% and 406, retail at 8.6% and 401, and education at 8.1% and 375. Trades account for 1,215 workers and labourers 1,201, ahead of professionals at 1,112, reinforcing the practical and service-based employment mix. The labour force totals 8,518, with a 49.9% participation rate and 8.0% unemployment. Weekly household income is $1,225, at the 26.8th percentile. SEIFA scores are low compared with higher-income areas: IEO and IER are both decile 2, IRSD is decile 1 and IRSAD is decile 2. The lowest IRSD result points to greater disadvantage, while the other measures remain only one decile higher.
Unemployment
8.0%
Labour Force
8,518
Unemployed
681
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.4%
Part-time
36.6%
Participation
49.9%
Employed
7,837
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.2%
Postgraduate
10.7%
Born Overseas
54.2%
Dwellings
7,339
Transport to Work
Daily travel is car-oriented: 70.3% of commuters drive, compared with 5.0% using public transport and 1.7% walking or cycling, while 17.1% work from home. This pattern supports households with cars but creates a higher dependence on private vehicles than on public transport. Local school provision includes 6 government schools, comprising 5 primary schools and 1 secondary college, including Thomastown Primary, Thomastown East, Thomastown Meadows, Thomastown West and Thomastown Secondary College. Enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Recorded crime totals 2,179 offences, or 107.7 per 1,000 people; property and deception offences total 1,279, higher than crimes against the person at 309. Socioeconomic standing is low, with IRSAD at decile 2 and IRSD at decile 1, so street-level due diligence matters.
Drive
70.3%
Public Transport
5.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
17.1%
Population Forecast
-0.43%/yr
(-89 people/yr)
EstablishedThomastown has an established, aging growth profile rather than a rapid expansion pattern. The forecast annual trend is -0.43%, while population change across the wider area is -1.6% over 10 years, both below zero. The trajectory is labelled Aging, with the senior share up 4.4 percentage points and the young share down 0.9 points. Overseas migration is the primary driver, creating a source of population renewal even as the overall direction remains slower than a growth corridor. Gentrification is not currently evident: the forecast gentrification score is 10 and the stage is Not gentrifying. The suburb also experienced a Covid-era dip of -5.5% and has recovered only 1.4%, so growth expectations should remain measured because established housing and demographic aging limit rapid change.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+423
Net Internal / yr
-407
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -407/yr, Strong overseas inflow +423/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
2,179
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
107.7
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 Thomastown compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thomastown a good suburb to live in?
Thomastown can suit households wanting detached housing, with 84.4% of dwellings separate houses and 64.0% containing 3 bedrooms. Trade-offs include a crime rate of 107.7 per 1,000 people, 70.3% car-based commuting and mortgage stress at 31.9%. Its 54.2% overseas-born share and 6 local schools add established local connections.
What schools are in Thomastown?
Thomastown has 6 local government schools: 5 primary schools and 1 secondary college. Primary options include Thomastown Primary, Thomastown East, Thomastown Meadows, Thomastown West and Lalor East, while Thomastown Secondary College provides secondary education. Check the exact enrolment zone before buying or renting.
Is Thomastown safe?
Recorded crime is 2,179 offences, equal to 107.7 offences per 1,000 people. Property and deception offences account for 1,279 incidents, compared with 309 crimes against the person. Safety can vary by street and property type, so buyers and renters should inspect the immediate area and review current local conditions before committing.
Is Thomastown good for property investment?
Thomastown has a 29.2% renting share, $350 weekly median rent and a 6.9% vacancy rate. Rent growth is recorded at 26.4%, but the forecast annual trend is -0.43% and the gentrification score is 10, so investors should not rely on rapid capital growth. Development activity of 151 applications in 12 months also warrants property-specific analysis.
How is Thomastown's population changing?
Thomastown has a current population of 20,234. The wider-area forecast records annual change of -0.43% and population change of -1.6% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 4.4 percentage points and the young share down 0.9 points. Overseas migration remains the primary driver of population renewal.
What languages are spoken in Thomastown?
Thomastown has a migrant-majority population, with 54.2% born overseas. The most recorded languages include Arabic at 1,021 speakers, Macedon at 764, Italian at 664, Greek at 628 and Punjabi at 423. Italian, Macedonian and Greek ancestry counts are also substantial at 2,798, 1,899 and 1,547 respectively.
Is Thomastown experiencing new development?
Development activity is notable, with 151 planning applications recorded over 12 months. The available examples include planning permits and a proposal for motor vehicle sales. This level of activity may change local supply and competition, so investors and buyers should check the status, location and likely impact of nearby applications.
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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