Wantirna
Detached housing defines Wantirna more than density: 90.2% of dwellings are separate houses and just 0.1% are apartments. Between Ringwood and Bayswater, it reads as a quieter family and owner occupier pocket, with a median house price of $1,090,000 and 40.5% of homes owned outright. The population of 14,237 is older than the national norm by 1.0 years, while 41.0% born overseas sits 19.4 percentage points above national. Growth is slow, so value is tied less to rapid expansion and more to stable schools, larger homes and established amenity.
Population
14,237
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,886/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
21
Median House
$1.1M
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers are paying for land and bedroom count rather than apartment choice. The median house price is $1,090,000, sitting 11.0% below the Apr-Jun 2023 peak of $1,225,000, so recent buyers face less heat than at the top of the cycle. Separate houses make up 90.2% of stock, and 49.5% of homes have 4 plus bedrooms, which suits larger households because the average household size is 2.8. Mortgage costs are measured at 26.5% of income, below a stress flag, while apartments at 0.1% leave few lower-maintenance options.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are paying for land and bedroom count rather than apartment choice. The median house price is $1,090,000, sitting 11.0% below the Apr-Jun 2023 peak of $1,225,000, so recent buyers face less heat than at the top of the cycle. Separate houses make up 90.2% of stock, and 49.5% of homes have 4 plus bedrooms, which suits larger households because the average household size is 2.8. Mortgage costs are measured at 26.5% of income, below a stress flag, while apartments at 0.1% leave few lower-maintenance options.
For Investors
Wantirna is more an owner occupier market than a high-turnover rental play: 20.5% of homes rent, compared with 79.5% owned outright or with a mortgage. The median rent is $428 a week, while vacancy is 5.2%, so income certainty depends on pricing and presentation rather than scarcity alone. Development is modest, with 8 applications over 12 months, limiting sudden new supply. Overseas migration averages +240 people a year vs internal movement of -169, which helps rental demand because new arrivals partly offset local outflow.
Development Activity
Total DAs
45
Last 12 Months
21
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+90.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Wantirna iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Templeton Primary School
Prep-6 · 720 students
St Luke's School
Prep-6 · 165 students
Regency Park Primary School
Prep-6 · 537 students
Wantirna Primary School
Prep-6 · 53 students
Wantirna College
7-12 · 1458 students
Demographics
Wantirna has an older, educated and internationally connected profile. The median age is 41, which is 1.0 year above the national comparison, and 44.8% of residents hold a university qualification, 14.7 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents make up 41.0%, or 19.4 points above national, with large English ancestry at 3,431 and Chinese ancestry at 3,334. Mandarin speakers number 855 and Cantonese 440, which supports Asian grocery, tutoring and service demand across a suburb of 14,237 people.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.2%
Houses
9.7%
Townhouse
0.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is dominated by established family homes. Prices have risen from $576,000 in 2013 to $1,090,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, an 89.2% gain over 14 years and a 4.7% CAGR, but the latest median remains 11.0% below the $1,225,000 peak. Tenure is stable: 40.5% owned outright and 39.0% mortgaged vs 20.5% renting. The dwelling mix explains the price floor, because 90.2% are separate houses and 49.5% have 4 plus bedrooms, compared with only 7.7% having 2 bedrooms.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$428
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$762
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.2%
Unoccupied
270
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.1%
Couples, no children
12,281
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce leans professional and service-based, with Healthcare the largest industry at 18.5% and 884 workers, followed by Education at 11.1%, Professional/Tech at 9.6%, Construction at 8.4% and Retail at 8.1%. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 1,849, above clerical/admin at 935 and managers at 860. Labour conditions are steady, with 4.9% unemployment and 61.9% full-time work. SEIFA is consistently above average: IEO decile 7, IER decile 8, IRSD decile 7 and IRSAD decile 7, with resources stronger than education and occupation scores.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
7,702
Unemployed
294
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.9%
Part-time
33.2%
Participation
57.3%
Employed
6,321
Occupations
Top Industries
University
44.8%
Postgraduate
12.4%
Born Overseas
41.0%
Dwellings
4,910
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented: 89.0% drive to work, compared with 2.9% using public transport and 2.2% walking or cycling. School access is a clear strength, with 5 local schools across Government and Catholic sectors and an ICSEA range from 1031 to 1136. Templeton Primary leads at 1136 with 720 enrolments, followed by St Luke's School at 1098 and Regency Park Primary at 1068. Safety is middle-ground for an established suburb, with 717 recorded offences and a crime rate of 50.4 per 1,000, while IRSAD decile 7 points to above-average advantage.
Drive
89.0%
Public Transport
2.9%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.05%/yr
(+7 people/yr)
EstablishedWantirna is forecast to grow very slowly, at 0.05% a year or about 7 people, lower than a typical growth-corridor profile. The medium population path moves from 14,578 in 2026 to 14,614 in 2031. Migration is doing the heavy lifting: Overseas migration is the primary driver at +240 people a year, offsetting internal outflow of -169. The trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 6.8 and working share down 6.1, while gentrification is only Early signs with a score of 20, so change is gradual rather than redevelopment-led.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+240
Net Internal / yr
-169
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Net internal outflow -169/yr, Strong overseas inflow +240/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
717
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
50.4
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 Wantirna compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wantirna a good suburb to live in?
Yes, Wantirna suits households wanting larger homes, established schools and a quieter eastern suburbs setting. It has 90.2% separate houses, 5 local schools and an IRSAD decile of 7, though 89.0% car commuting means it works best for drivers.
What is the median house price in Wantirna?
The median house price in Wantirna is $1,090,000 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 11.0% below the Apr-Jun 2023 peak of $1,225,000, but still 89.2% higher than the 2013 median of $576,000.
What schools are in Wantirna?
Wantirna has 5 local schools. Templeton Primary has an ICSEA of 1136 and 720 enrolments, St Luke's School has 1098 and 165 enrolments, and Wantirna College provides secondary schooling with 1,458 enrolments.
Is Wantirna safe?
Wantirna recorded 717 offences, equal to 50.4 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 349, followed by 124 crimes against the person, so buyers should compare streets and property security.
Is Wantirna good for property investment?
Wantirna can suit investors seeking established-family demand rather than high renter concentration. Renting is 20.5%, median rent is $428 a week, vacancy is 5.2%, and only 8 development applications were recorded over 12 months.
How is Wantirna's population changing?
Wantirna is changing slowly. Forecast growth is 0.05% a year, or about 7 people, with the medium path reaching 14,614 by 2031. Overseas migration adds +240 people a year, while internal migration removes -169.
What languages are spoken in Wantirna?
Wantirna has a substantial multilingual population, with 41.0% born overseas. Mandarin is spoken by 855 residents and Cantonese by 440, followed by Sinhala at 106, Hindi at 102 and Greek at 100.
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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