Vermont South
Detached ownership, older households and overseas-born residents define Vermont South more than high-rise redevelopment. Compared with nearby Glen Waverley and Forest Hill, its local signal is strongly low-density: 88.3% separate houses, only 2.4% apartments and 50.9% owned outright. The median age is 46, 6 years above the national benchmark, while 47.3% of residents were born overseas and 52.8% hold university qualifications, 22.7 percentage points above national.
Population
11,954
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,944/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$1.5M
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers are buying space and stability rather than entry-level affordability. The median house price is $1,480,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, lower than the $1,561,000 peak in Jan-Mar 2024 by 5.2%, but still 104.8% above the 2013 level. Large homes dominate because 63.0% have 4 or more bedrooms and 88.3% are separate houses. Mortgage costs sit at 28.3% of income, below a stress flag, so the main hurdle is deposit size rather than weekly repayment pressure.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are buying space and stability rather than entry-level affordability. The median house price is $1,480,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, lower than the $1,561,000 peak in Jan-Mar 2024 by 5.2%, but still 104.8% above the 2013 level. Large homes dominate because 63.0% have 4 or more bedrooms and 88.3% are separate houses. Mortgage costs sit at 28.3% of income, below a stress flag, so the main hurdle is deposit size rather than weekly repayment pressure.
For Investors
Investors face a defensive, low-rental-share market. Only 14.6% of dwellings are rented, while the median rent is $496 per week and vacancy is 6.4%, so leasing assumptions need more caution than in tighter inner markets. Demand is supported by overseas migration at a net 216 people a year, but local churn is limited by 50.9% outright ownership. With just 2 development applications in 12 months, supply growth is modest and capital performance will likely matter more than rapid dwelling uplift.
Development Activity
Total DAs
8
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+50.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Vermont South iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Livingstone Primary School
Prep-6 · 612 students
Weeden Heights Primary School
Prep-6 · 154 students
Emmaus College
7-12 · 1479 students
Demographics
Vermont South skews older, educated and internationally connected. The median age of 46 is 6 years above the national benchmark, while 47.3% born overseas is 25.7 percentage points above national. University attainment is 52.8%, 22.7 points higher than national, which helps explain the strong professional workforce. Chinese ancestry is the largest group at 3,596 residents, ahead of English at 2,527, and Mandarin is spoken by 1,040 people, with Cantonese at 362.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.3%
Houses
9.3%
Townhouse
2.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is dominated by established family dwellings rather than small-format stock. Separate houses make up 88.3% of homes compared with 9.3% semi-detached and 2.4% apartments, while 63.0% have 4 or more bedrooms. Tenure is unusually settled: 50.9% owned outright, 34.6% mortgaged and 14.6% rented. The median house price has risen from $722,500 in 2013 to $1,480,000, a 104.8% gain, although it is 5.2% below the recent peak.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,383
Rent / wk
$496
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$715
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.4%
Unoccupied
281
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.6%
Couples, no children
10,196
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local economy is white-collar and service-heavy. Healthcare leads at 15.8% of workers, followed by Professional/Tech at 13.1%, Education at 12.2%, Retail at 8.2% and Construction at 7.0%. Professionals are the largest occupation group with 1,669 people, ahead of 796 managers and 750 clerical or admin workers. Advantage is broad but not extreme: IEO sits in decile 8, IER in decile 9, IRSD in decile 8 and IRSAD in decile 8, while household income ranks at the 73.0 percentile.
Unemployment
2.4%
Labour Force
5,967
Unemployed
144
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.3%
Part-time
34.1%
Participation
53.1%
Employed
5,107
Occupations
Top Industries
University
52.8%
Postgraduate
17.1%
Born Overseas
47.3%
Dwellings
4,076
Transport to Work
Livability is strongest for households wanting schools, space and car-based access. The 3 local schools span an ICSEA range of 1086 to 1142, led by Livingstone Primary School at 1142 and Weeden Heights Primary School at 1141, with Catholic combined schooling through Emmaus College at 1,479 enrolments. Transport is car-oriented, with 89.0% driving to work vs 3.6% using public transport and 1.3% walking or cycling. Crime is 46.6 offences per 1,000 residents, and IRSAD sits in decile 8.
Drive
89.0%
Public Transport
3.6%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.65%/yr
(+74 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than transformational. The forecast trend is 0.65% a year, equal to about 74 extra residents annually, lifting the medium population path from 11,506 in 2026 to 11,874 in 2031. Migration is the key driver: overseas migration averages +216 people a year, while internal migration is -120 a year. That mix explains a mature suburb refreshing through new arrivals. The gentrification score is 14 and stage is Not gentrifying, lower than a rapid renewal market.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+216
Net Internal / yr
-120
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +11% since 2011, Net internal outflow -120/yr, Strong overseas inflow +216/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
557
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
46.6
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 Vermont South compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vermont South a good suburb to live in?
Yes for buyers prioritising space, schools and stability. The suburb has 88.3% separate houses, 3 local schools and a median age of 46, which is 6 years above the national benchmark. It suits car-based family living more than apartment or nightlife-focused living.
What is the median house price in Vermont South?
The median house price in Vermont South is $1,480,000 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 5.2% below the Jan-Mar 2024 peak of $1,561,000, but still 104.8% higher than the 2013 median of $722,500.
What schools are in Vermont South?
Vermont South has 3 local schools: Livingstone Primary School, Weeden Heights Primary School and Emmaus College. ICSEA scores range from 1086 to 1142, with Livingstone Primary School the highest at 1142 and Emmaus College enrolling 1,479 students.
Is Vermont South safe?
Vermont South records 557 offences, equal to 46.6 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences are the largest category at 327 incidents, followed by 105 justice procedures offences, so safety varies by offence type rather than one simple score.
Is Vermont South good for property investment?
It is better suited to long-term capital-holding strategies than high-yield rental plays. Only 14.6% of homes are rented, the median rent is $496 per week and vacancy is 6.4%. Low development activity, with 2 applications in 12 months, limits new supply pressure.
How is Vermont South's population changing?
Population growth is modest, with a forecast trend of 0.65% a year or about 74 extra residents annually. The medium path reaches 11,874 people by 2031, supported by overseas migration of +216 a year despite internal migration of -120 a year.
What languages are spoken in Vermont South?
Vermont South has a strong multilingual profile because 47.3% of residents were born overseas, 25.7 percentage points above national. Mandarin is spoken by 1,040 people, followed by Cantonese with 362, Greek with 196, Sinhalese with 110 and Italian with 92.
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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