Whittlesea
A 106.24 sq km township with 6,117 residents, Whittlesea combines a median age of 41 with a strongly detached housing profile: 87.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 45.8% have 4 or more bedrooms. Compared with nearby Mernda and Doreen, Whittlesea reads as a lower-density, established housing market, supported by 73.0% of workers driving to work. Its age is 1 year above the national figure, and household income sits at the 56.4th percentile, giving the suburb a mortgage-belt character with room for family-oriented demand.
Population
6,117
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,628/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
35
Median House
$750K
October to December 2025
Whittlesea suits buyers seeking space, with 87.0% separate houses and 45.8% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms. Owner-occupiers account for 35.8% of households outright and 44.7% with a mortgage, so competition is shaped by established families as well as new purchasers.
For Buyers
Whittlesea suits buyers seeking space, with 87.0% separate houses and 45.8% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms. Owner-occupiers account for 35.8% of households outright and 44.7% with a mortgage, so competition is shaped by established families as well as new purchasers.
For Investors
Whittlesea has a relatively small rental pool, with 18.5% of households renting, but weekly rent is $347 and vacancy is 5.9%, giving tenants more choice than in a tightly constrained market. Rental growth across the wider area has reached 43.7%, while the local development pipeline recorded 36 applications over 12 months. That activity may add supply, although the available examples include outbuildings, extensions and a two-lot subdivision rather than a clearly defined apartment program. Compared with owner-occupier demand, investor appeal rests more on detached family homes, internal migration and a 3.42% annual growth trend than on high rental scarcity.
Development Activity
Total DAs
247
Last 12 Months
35
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-2.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Whittlesea
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
St Mary's School
Whittlesea Primary School
Whittlesea Secondary College
Demographics
Whittlesea has a median age of 41, which is 1 year above the national figure, and an average household size of 2.7, or 0.2 above the national level. Couples with children make up 45.6% of families, while one-parent families account for 19.1%, helping explain the strong demand for 3-bedroom homes and larger properties. University attainment is 18.8%, 11.3 percentage points below the national comparison, and 11.5% of residents were born overseas, 10.1 points below nationally. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 2,480, 704 and 629. Compared with nearby Mernda and Doreen, the suburb has a more established Anglo-Australian demographic profile, alongside Italian, Macedon and Greek language groups.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.0%
Houses
11.4%
Townhouse
1.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is predominantly detached, with 87.0% separate houses, 11.4% semi-detached dwellings and only 1.6% apartments. The bedroom mix is also family weighted: 41.7% have 3 bedrooms and 45.8% have 4 or more. Compared with the 18.5% rental share, ownership is high, with 35.8% owned outright and 44.7% mortgaged.
Mortgage / mo
$1,842
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $347.
$540
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $510 · units $440
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$719
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.9%
Unoccupied
132
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.6%
Couples with children
33.2%
Couples, no children
19.1%
Single parent
1,626
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction is Whittlesea's largest listed industry at 20.6%, followed by healthcare at 17.9%, education at 12.1%, public administration at 7.3% and manufacturing at 6.4%. The occupational mix reinforces that practical employment base, led by trades with 638 workers, clerical and administrative roles with 383, professionals with 375, community and personal service roles with 372, and managers with 304. The labour force totals 2,929 people, participation is 59.0% and unemployment is 3.7%, while full-time employment accounts for 58.8%. Economic resources rank above education and occupation: the IER is in decile 8 versus IEO decile 5, while IRSD and IRSAD both sit in decile 6. Household income is at the 56.4th percentile, broadly above the midpoint but not a top-income market.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
2,929
Unemployed
108
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.8%
Part-time
33.9%
Participation
59.0%
Employed
2,821
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.8%
Postgraduate
3.9%
Born Overseas
11.5%
Dwellings
2,123
Transport to Work
Whittlesea is highly car dependent: 73.0% of residents drive to work, compared with just 1.2% using public transport and 2.3% walking or cycling. A further 19.0% work from home, which can reduce daily commuting pressure but does not replace the need for reliable road access across a 106.24 sq km area. Three local schools span two primary options and one secondary college, with both government and Catholic sectors represented; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Recorded crime totals 355 incidents, or 58.0 per 1,000 residents, led by 126 property and deception offences. IRSAD is in decile 6, above the midpoint, while the area density of 57.6 people per sq km supports a spacious, low-density setting.
Drive
73.0%
Public Transport
1.2%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
19.0%
Population Forecast
+3.42%/yr
(+622 people/yr)
EstablishedThe wider-area forecast points to 3.42% annual growth, driven primarily by Internal migration, while 10-year population change is 43.8%. The trajectory is labelled Mixed because the age profile is shifting in different directions: the senior share has risen 2.2 percentage points, the young share has fallen 1.9 points and the working-age share is almost unchanged at -0.1 points. Affordability has worsened, moving from 44.8 in 2011 to 48.1 in 2021, a higher level than before, while rents have grown 43.7%. Gentrification is marked as Early signs with a score of 39, although another growth label classifies the area as New development with a score of 0. This combination suggests expansion and renewal led more by incoming households than by rapid tenure replacement.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+67
Net Internal / yr
+1,602
Gentrification Signal
New development
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
355
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
58.0
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 Whittlesea compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Whittlesea a good suburb to live in?
Whittlesea suits households wanting larger homes and a quieter, low-density setting. About 87.0% of dwellings are separate houses, 45.8% have 4 or more bedrooms and 73.0% of commuters drive, so it is better suited to car-oriented households than those seeking frequent public transport.
What schools are in Whittlesea?
Whittlesea has 3 listed schools: 2 primary schools and 1 secondary college. The mix includes government options and 1 Catholic primary school. Enrolment zones can vary by address, so families should confirm eligibility before buying or renting.
Is Whittlesea safe?
Whittlesea recorded 355 reported offences, equal to 58.0 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 126 incidents, followed by justice procedures at 91, so buyers should review current street-level conditions as well as suburb-wide figures.
Is Whittlesea good for property investment?
Whittlesea may suit investors targeting detached family housing rather than a high-density rental strategy. Weekly rent is $347, vacancy is 5.9%, the rental share is 18.5% and 36 development applications were recorded over 12 months, creating both demand potential and future supply considerations.
How is Whittlesea's population changing?
The wider-area forecast indicates 43.8% population change over 10 years and a 3.42% annual growth trend, driven by internal migration. The trajectory is Mixed: the senior share has risen 2.2 percentage points while the young share has fallen 1.9 points.
What development is planned in Whittlesea?
There were 36 development applications in the latest 12-month period. Examples include a proposed 300 sq m detached outbuilding, a completion-date extension and a subdivision retaining an existing dwelling while creating 1 vacant lot.
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.
Explore Whittlesea on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map