Doncaster East

Population growth drivers in Doncaster East are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Doncaster East is around 33,083, reflecting an increase of 2,157 people since the 2021 Census. The ABS ERP estimate for surrounding areas applied to Doncaster East by AreaSearch in June 2024 indicated a resident population of 32,870, with an additional 308 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this figure. This results in a population density ratio of 2,977 persons per square kilometer, placing Doncaster East in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, ending in 2021, Doncaster East demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.3%, outpacing the SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 99.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area as released in 2024, using 2022 as the base year.

For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends project an above median growth for the suburb, with Doncaster East expected to grow by 7,284 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 21.3% in total over these 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Doncaster East among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers for Doncaster East shows approximately 202 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 1,013 homes. As of FY-26, 48 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.3 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were recorded between FY-21 and FY-25. This suggests a balanced supply and demand market with stable conditions.

The average construction value of new homes is $705,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment. In FY-26, $12.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development. Doncaster East maintains similar construction rates per person compared to Greater Melbourne, supporting regional market stability. New developments consist of 24.0% detached dwellings and 76.0% medium and high-density housing, creating more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This marks a considerable change from the current housing mix of 63.0% houses.

Doncaster East has approximately 177 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. Population forecasts estimate Doncaster East will gain 7,058 residents by 2041. Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, though increased competition among buyers may arise as the population grows.

Doncaster East has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 25 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include The Pines Retirement Living, Arden Residences Doncaster East, 1-15 Andersons Creek Road Mixed Use Development, and 1026-1030 Doncaster Road Luxury Apartments. The following list details those most 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.

Doncaster East has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Doncaster East has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 4.2% as of June 2025, which is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.2%. Workforce participation in Doncaster East is lower than Greater Melbourne's, at 59.1% compared to 64.1%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade.

However, construction is under-represented, with only 7.1% of the workforce compared to 9.7% in Greater Melbourne. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 3.2%, while labour force grew by 3.0%, causing a fall in unemployment rate by 0.1 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with unemployment rising by 0.5 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in Sep-22, suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 14.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Doncaster East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by approximately 7.0% over five years and 15.0% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows median income in Doncaster East was $45,493 and average income was $64,181. This is comparable to national averages but lower than Greater Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $51,025 (median) and $71,985 (average), based on a 12.16% increase from the Wage Price Index since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census reports Doncaster East's household income at the 52nd percentile ($1,792 weekly) and personal income at the 28th percentile. Income distribution shows 30.5% (10,090 individuals) earning between $1,500 - 2,999, similar to the region's 32.8%. High housing costs consume 16.4% of income, but disposable income ranks at the 53rd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Doncaster East displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The latest Census evaluated Doncaster East's dwelling structures as 63.1% houses and 36.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Melbourne metro had 67.1% houses and 32.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Doncaster East was 42.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.8% and rented ones at 24.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,400, aligning with Melbourne metro's average. Median weekly rent was $462, matching Melbourne metro's figure. Nationally, Doncaster East's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,400 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Doncaster East features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 78.7 percent of all households, including 41.5 percent couples with children, 25.2 percent couples without children, and 10.9 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 21.3 percent, with lone person households at 19.5 percent and group households comprising 1.7 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Doncaster East places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

In Doncaster East, the proportion of residents aged 15 and above with university qualifications is significantly higher than national and state averages. Specifically, 43.9% of residents in the area have such qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. This educational advantage is driven by a high proportion of residents holding bachelor degrees (28.0%), postgraduate qualifications (12.7%), and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational pathways are also well-represented, with 22.5% of residents aged 15 and above having advanced diplomas (11.2%) or certificates (11.3%).

Educational participation is high in the area, with 29.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 6.3% pursuing tertiary education. Doncaster East operates a robust network of six schools, educating approximately 4,996 students. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1133. Education provision is balanced, with five primary schools and one secondary school serving distinct age groups.

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

The analysis of public transport in Doncaster East indicates that there are currently 134 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops primarily serve buses, with a total of 24 individual routes in operation. Together, these routes facilitate 12,938 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transportation is rated as excellent, with residents typically situated approximately 190 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, service frequency across all routes amounts to 1,848 trips per day, which equates to roughly 96 weekly trips per individual stop.

Doncaster East's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis shows strong health metrics in Doncaster East, with very low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Private health cover stands at approximately 52%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 55%.

The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (6.6%) and asthma (5.3%), while 76.1% report no medical ailments. This compares to 74.0% in Greater Melbourne. Doncaster East has 21.7% of residents aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Melbourne's 22.8%. Senior health outcomes align with the general population's profile.

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

Doncaster East has high cultural diversity, with 59.2% speaking a language other than English at home and 53.5% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion, at 43.4%. Buddhism is more prevalent here than in Greater Melbourne, comprising 6.0% versus 5.3%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (32.4%), Other (13.2%), and English (12.5%). Notably, Greek (5.8%) and Korean (1.1%) are overrepresented compared to regional averages, while Italian (6.0%) is slightly underrepresented.

Doncaster East hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Doncaster East's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than the Greater Melbourne average of 37 and somewhat older than the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Greater Melbourne average, the 75-84 age cohort is notably over-represented at 7.8% in Doncaster East, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 10.0%. According to the 2021 Census, the 5-14 age group has increased from 13.3% to 13.9% of the population. Conversely, the 25-34 age cohort has decreased from 10.9% to 10.0%. Demographic modeling indicates that Doncaster East's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow the strongest at 34%, adding 1,413 residents to reach 5,516. The 0-4 age group shows more modest growth at 2%, adding only 30 residents.