Thornhill Park
Half the population of Thornhill Park was born overseas, at 50.5% that is 28.9 percentage points above the national average, making it one of Melbourne's west's most internationally diverse growth corridors. The median age of 29 is 11 years below national, consistent with a suburb still mid-way through its first population cycle. At $599,000 for the median house in Apr-Jun 2024, prices remain accessible compared to metropolitan Melbourne, and 69.4% of households carry mortgages rather than owning outright, a figure that explains the suburb's identity as a mortgage-belt growth area drawing young families.
Population
3,066
Median Age
29.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,005/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
Median House
$599K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price of $599,000, recorded in Apr-Jun 2024, sits below many comparable greenfield suburbs in Melbourne's west. Prices have pulled back 3.8% from the peak of $622,500 in Apr-Jun 2023, offering buyers a slight entry-point improvement. From $441,000 in 2016, the suburb has appreciated 35.8% over 11 years, a CAGR of 2.8%. The dwelling stock is almost entirely separate houses at 97.3%, and 72.2% of those have four or more bedrooms, which suits families rather than downsizers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, and mortgage costs represent 22.5% of income, below the 30% stress threshold, so buyers at median price are not financially stretched relative to local incomes.
For Buyers
The median house price of $599,000, recorded in Apr-Jun 2024, sits below many comparable greenfield suburbs in Melbourne's west. Prices have pulled back 3.8% from the peak of $622,500 in Apr-Jun 2023, offering buyers a slight entry-point improvement. From $441,000 in 2016, the suburb has appreciated 35.8% over 11 years, a CAGR of 2.8%. The dwelling stock is almost entirely separate houses at 97.3%, and 72.2% of those have four or more bedrooms, which suits families rather than downsizers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, and mortgage costs represent 22.5% of income, below the 30% stress threshold, so buyers at median price are not financially stretched relative to local incomes.
For Investors
Renters make up 25.6% of households, paying $380 per week in median rent, which against the $599,000 median house price implies a gross yield around 3.3%. The vacancy rate is 5.9%, higher than the 2-3% range that typically indicates a tight rental market, so landlords may face more competition for tenants than in established suburbs. Development activity shows 7 applications in the past 12 months, mostly subdivision and easement work, consistent with land still being released and carved into residential lots. The suburb's young population base with a median age of 29, compared to national norms, and strong family formation with 60.7% of families being couples with children support steady long-term rental demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
30
Last 12 Months
9
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+12.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Thornhill Park iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Thornhill Park Primary School
Prep-6 · 768 students
Demographics
The median age of 29 is 11 years below the national figure, signalling a suburb dominated by young couples and families in their first decade of homeownership. Overseas-born residents account for 50.5% of the population, 28.9 percentage points above national. Indian and Filipino ancestries are the two largest non-English-speaking groups at 435 and 319 residents respectively, and Punjabi is the most common language other than English with 196 speakers. University qualifications reach 42.1%, which is 12 percentage points above national, an unusually high rate for a working-class growth corridor. Average household size is 3.0, above the national average of 2.5, consistent with the dominance of couples with children who make up 60.7% of all families.
Age Distribution
Dwelling Structure
97.3%
Houses
2.7%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses account for 97.3% of dwellings, one of the highest rates in Melbourne's west, because the suburb was subdivided almost exclusively for detached residential use. Four-plus bedroom homes represent 72.2% of occupied dwellings, reinforcing the family-focused character. Tenure is heavily skewed toward mortgages at 69.4%, while outright ownership is just 5.0%, the lowest common for a suburb still in its first property cycle where few buyers have had enough time to pay down debt. Renters form 25.6% of households. Prices moved from $441,000 in 2016 to a peak of $622,500 in 2023 before easing to $599,000 in mid-2024, representing a cycle that mirrors broader Melbourne growth-area patterns. Rent-to-income sits at 19.0%, below the 30% stress level.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$971
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.9%
Unoccupied
62
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
21.0%
Couples, no children
2,666
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employing industry at 17.8% of the workforce (197 workers), followed by Construction at 12.0% (133) and Transport at 11.7% (129). By occupation, Professionals lead with 297 workers, followed by Clerical/Admin (222) and Machinery/Drivers (183), a mix that reflects both the white-collar aspirations of the university-qualified resident base and the blue-collar roles concentrated in Melbourne's outer west logistics corridor. The unemployment rate is 7.1%, above the national average, and the participation rate is 68.6%. Full-time employment accounts for 70.7% of employed residents. Household income sits at the 75.2nd percentile nationally, higher than the suburb's greenfield profile might suggest, driven by the high proportion of dual-income professional households.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.7%
Part-time
22.2%
Participation
68.6%
Employed
1,429
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.1%
Postgraduate
10.6%
Born Overseas
50.5%
Dwellings
990
Transport to Work
Car dependence is pronounced: 90.8% of residents drive to work, compared to lower rates in established inner Melbourne suburbs, and only 3.4% use public transport. This reflects the suburb's outer-western location where train access to the city is limited. Schools are not recorded inside the suburb boundary in available data, so families rely on nearby institutions in the broader Melton corridor. Crime totals 371 incidents with a rate of 121 per 1,000 residents, driven largely by property and deception offences at 204 incidents, higher than many comparable Melbourne suburbs and worth factoring into liveability assessments. Only 3.0% of residents need daily assistance, a low figure consistent with the young population base. Rent and mortgage costs both remain below stress thresholds at 19.0% and 22.5% of income respectively.
Drive
90.8%
Public Transport
3.4%
Walk / Cycle
N/A
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
371
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
121.0
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 Thornhill Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thornhill Park a good suburb to live in?
Thornhill Park suits young families seeking affordable detached housing in Melbourne's west. At $599,000 median house price, mortgage costs run 22.5% of household income, below the stress threshold, and the suburb's household income sits at the 75.2nd percentile nationally. The main trade-offs are high car dependence at 90.8% and a crime rate of 121 per 1,000 residents.
What is the median house price in Thornhill Park?
The median house price is $599,000, based on Apr-Jun 2024 data. Prices peaked at $622,500 in Apr-Jun 2023 and have eased 3.8% since. From $441,000 in 2016 the suburb has grown 35.8% over 11 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950 and weekly rent averages $380.
What schools are in Thornhill Park?
No schools are recorded inside the Thornhill Park suburb boundary in this dataset. Families in the area rely on schools across the broader Melton corridor. The local resident population is well-educated, with 42.1% holding university qualifications, which is 12 percentage points above the national average.
Is Thornhill Park safe?
Thornhill Park recorded 371 crimes in the latest period, a rate of 121 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 204 incidents, followed by crimes against the person at 67. This rate is higher than many comparable Melbourne suburbs and is worth considering alongside other liveability factors.
Is Thornhill Park good for property investment?
Thornhill Park offers a gross rental yield around 3.3%, based on $380 weekly rent against the $599,000 median. The vacancy rate is 5.9%, above the tight-market range of 2-3%, indicating some rental competition. The suburb's young population with a median age of 29 and ongoing land release suggest steady long-term demand, though the CAGR of 2.8% over 11 years tracks inflation rather than outpacing it.
How is Thornhill Park's population changing?
Thornhill Park has a young and growing population with a median age of 29, which is 11 years below national. The turnover rate of 49.6% indicates a high proportion of recently arrived households. With ongoing subdivision applications and greenfield land release in the Melton corridor, population growth is expected to continue as the area matures.
What languages are spoken in Thornhill Park?
With 50.5% of residents born overseas, 28.9 percentage points above the national average, Thornhill Park has a strongly multicultural character. Punjabi is the most common non-English language with 196 speakers, followed by Gujarati (36), Urdu (35) and Hindi (33). Indian and Filipino ancestries are among the largest groups.
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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