Dandenong North

Dandenong North is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validations, the suburb of Dandenong North's population was estimated at around 23,446 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 896 people (4.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 22,550 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 23,410 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2025 and an additional 78 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,489 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration primarily drove population growth, contributing approximately 86.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering projected demographic shifts, lower quartile growth is anticipated nationally, with the suburb expected to increase by 706 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 2.9% in total over the 16 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Dandenong North, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates that Dandenong North has seen approximately 50 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 254 homes. As of FY-26, 18 approvals have been recorded. Despite population decline during this period, development activity has been relatively adequate, benefiting buyers while new homes are being built at an average construction cost value of $459,000, slightly above the regional average. This suggests a focus on quality developments.

In FY-26, $4.0 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating limited commercial development focus. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Dandenong North has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 26th percentile nationally, offering more limited housing choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing dwellings. This level reflects market maturity and possible development constraints. New development consists of 69.0% detached dwellings and 31.0% attached dwellings, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments providing options across different price points. This shows a considerable change from the current housing mix (currently 86.0% houses), reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements.

Dandenong North has around 625 people per approval, indicating a mature, established area. Looking ahead, Dandenong North is expected to grow by 670 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Dandenong North has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified five projects that may impact this area. Notable projects include Liege Avenue Childcare Centre, Dandenong Wellbeing Centre, RACV Noble Park Redevelopment, and Silverton Noble Park North. The following list highlights those most likely to be relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment drivers in Dandenong North are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Dandenong North has a skilled workforce with manufacturing and industrial sectors prominently represented. The unemployment rate in the area was 8.6% as of December 2025, while estimated employment growth over the past year was 3.8%. This is based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of December 2025, there were 10,812 residents employed in Dandenong North, with an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation in the area was lower at 60.3% compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. A moderate 17.7% of residents worked from home, according to Census responses, with Covid-19 lockdown impacts considered. Key industries of employment among residents were health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and construction.

The area had a significant employment specialization in manufacturing, with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level. In contrast, professional & technical services employed only 5.9% of local workers compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited, indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. During the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 3.8%, and labour force grew by 4.6%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.7 percentage points in Dandenong North. This contrasted with Greater Melbourne where employment rose by 2.4%, labour force grew by 2.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offered further insight into potential future demand within Dandenong North. These projections estimated national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Dandenong North's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and not accounting for localized population projections.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on 29 June 2023 shows Dandenong North had a median taxpayer income of $45,085 and an average of $51,866 in financial year 2023. These figures are below the national averages of $57,688 and $75,164 for Greater Melbourne respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% from financial year 2023 to March 2026, estimated incomes would be approximately $49,422 (median) and $56,856 (average). Census data indicates household income ranks at the 31st percentile ($1,436 weekly), with personal income at the 12th percentile. Income distribution shows that 32.2% of locals fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to the broader area's 32.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 30th percentile.

Dandenong North is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Dandenong North, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, comprised 85.5% houses and 14.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Dandenong North stood at 36.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.1% and rented dwellings at 28.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, below Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent was recorded at $341, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Dandenong North's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Dandenong North has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 75.0% of all households, including 37.1% couples with children, 22.3% couples without children, and 14.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 25.0%, with lone person households at 21.2% and group households comprising 3.7%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Dandenong North shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's university qualification rate is 23.6%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are held by 30.9% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.7% and certificates at 19.2%. Educational participation is high, with 30.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.1% in primary education, 8.5% in secondary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

The analysis of public transport in Dandenong North indicates that there are 104 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 19 individual routes providing 1,667 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 171 meters from the nearest transport stop. As Dandenong North is primarily residential, most residents commute outward using various modes of transportation. The car remains the dominant mode of transport, used by 89% of residents. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling in the area, which is above the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 17.7% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 238 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 16 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Dandenong North's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Health data for Dandenong North shows positive outcomes overall. Mortality rates and health conditions are broadly inline with national benchmarks, but some common health conditions are more prevalent among older, at-risk cohorts. Only about 47% of residents have private health cover, compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common conditions are arthritis (7.2%) and mental health issues (6.6%), while 72.0% report no medical ailments, similar to Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. Under-65 residents have better-than-average health outcomes. Dandenong North has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over (20.1%, or 4,712 people) compared to Greater Melbourne (15.0%), but this is still lower than the national average.

Dandenong North is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Dandenong North has a high level of cultural diversity, with 54.0% of its residents born overseas and 59.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Dandenong North, accounting for 49.3% of the population. However, Buddhism is particularly prevalent, making up 7.9% compared to the regional average of 4.2%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups are Other (27.9%), Australian (12.0%), and English (11.7%). Notably, Serbian (3.2%) and Sri Lankan (2.7%) populations are overrepresented in Dandenong North compared to regional averages of 0.4% and 0.8%, respectively. Hungarian representation is also higher at 0.5%.

Dandenong North's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Dandenong North was close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years at the time of the census. It was also equivalent to Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Dandenong North had a higher percentage of residents aged 65-74 (10.3%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (14.0%). Between the 2021 Census and the previous census, the population aged 15-24 increased from 11.9% to 13.1%, while the population aged 25-34 decreased from 14.9% to 14.0%. By the year 2041, Dandenong North's age composition is expected to change significantly. The number of residents aged 75-84 is projected to grow by 36%, reaching 2,257 from 1,664. This growth will be led by an aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above comprising 76% of the projected growth. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the age groups 0-4 and 15-24.