Deer Park
Statistical Area - sa2

Deer Park has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Deer Park's population is 18,447 as of August 2025. This figure reflects a growth of 443 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,004. The increase was inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses between June 2024 and the Census date. Deer Park's population density is 2,283 persons per square kilometer, higher than national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Between 2021 and 2025, Deer Park grew by 2.5%, outpacing the SA3 area's growth of 2.2%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 67.9% of this population gain.

AreaSearch uses 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 employs VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods. These trends indicate an above-median population growth for Deer Park, with projections expecting the area to grow by 3,326 persons by 2041, representing an 18% increase over 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Deer Park is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Deer Park has seen approximately 23 new homes approved each year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Between the financial years 2021 to 2025, there were a total of 119 approvals. As of FY-26, there is 1 recorded approval so far.

Despite population decline over this period, new supply has likely kept pace with demand, offering buyers good choice. The average expected construction cost value for new dwellings in Deer Park is $438,000, consistent with regional patterns. In FY-26, there have been $1.8 million in commercial approvals, indicating a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Deer Park shows substantially reduced construction activity, being 56.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties. This level is also lower than nationally, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. Recent construction comprises 32.0% detached houses and 68.0% medium and high-density housing.

This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This marks a significant shift from existing housing patterns, which are currently 87.0% houses, suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 1046 people per dwelling approval, Deer Park reflects a highly mature market. Future projections show Deer Park adding approximately 3,326 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Deer Park has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 26 projects likely influencing this region. Notable projects include Residential Development - Derrimut Gardens Estate, Deer Park Dome Redevelopment, Residential Development - 48 Station Street, Deer Park, and Cairnlea Final Stage Development. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment performance in Deer Park has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Deer Park's workforce is skilled with manufacturing and industrial sectors well-represented. The unemployment rate was 7.2% in June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 5.8% over the preceding year.

As of this date, 9,023 residents were employed, while the unemployment rate stood at 2.6% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation in Deer Park was significantly lower at 54.8%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. The dominant employment sectors among residents included health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and transport, postal & warehousing. Notably, the area showed strong specialization in transport, postal & warehousing with an employment share of 2.1 times the regional level.

Conversely, professional & technical services had limited presence with only 5.0% employment compared to the regional average of 10.1%. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 5.8%, while labour force grew by 5.7%, keeping unemployment relatively stable. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5% and a slight rise in unemployment. State-level data from Sep-25 showed Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia projected total employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Deer Park's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.0%% over five years and 12.7% over ten years, although these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Deer Park's median income among taxpayers was $51,179 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $60,111 during the same period. These figures compare to Greater Melbourne's median and average incomes of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, estimated current median income is approximately $56,353 as of March 2025, with the average being around $66,188. According to census data, household income ranks at the 33rd percentile ($1,459 weekly), while personal income sits at the 14th percentile. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 34.2% of Deer Park's community (6,308 individuals), similar to the metropolitan region's 32.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 32nd percentile.

Deer Park is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Deer Park, as evaluated at the latest Census conducted on 27th August 2016, comprised 87.1% houses and 12.9% other dwellings. In comparison, Melbourne metropolitan area had 81.3% houses and 18.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Deer Park was at 31.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.6% and rented dwellings at 30.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,690, lower than Melbourne metropolitan average of $1,700. Median weekly rent figure for Deer Park was recorded at $350, compared to Melbourne metropolitan's $346. Nationally, Deer Park's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Deer Park has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 76.0% of all households, including 36.9% couples with children, 21.5% couples without children, and 15.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 24.0%, with lone person households at 20.5% and group households comprising 3.5%. The median household size is 2.9 people, aligning with the Greater Melbourne average.

Educational outcomes in Deer Park fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

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 17.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.9%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 28.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.3% and certificates at 18.4%. Educational participation is high, with 32.9% currently enrolled in formal education: 11.5% in primary, 7.7% in secondary, and 5.1% in tertiary education.

The four schools in Deer Park have a combined enrollment of 1,227 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 975) offering balanced educational opportunities. Education provision is balanced with three primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. Local school capacity is limited at 6.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.3, leading many families to travel for schooling. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Deer Park has 69 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 24 routes that collectively facilitate 7,423 weekly passenger trips. The town's transport accessibility is rated good, with residents located an average of 295 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 1,060 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 107 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Deer Park is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Deer Park shows better-than-average health outcomes, with fewer common health conditions among its general population compared to national averages for older and at-risk groups. Approximately half (around 9,131 people) of Deer Park's residents have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (6.8%) and diabetes (6.3%). About 74.4% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 73.5%. Deer Park has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.4% (3,023 people) compared to Greater Melbourne's 17.9%. However, health outcomes among seniors in Deer Park require more attention than the broader population due to being above average.

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

Deer Park has one of the highest levels of cultural diversity in Australia, with 54.4% of its residents born overseas and 63.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Deer Park, accounting for 51.6% of the population. However, Buddhism is notably overrepresented, comprising 10.8% compared to the Greater Melbourne average of 12.5%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Other (25.8%), Vietnamese (12.1%), and Australian (10.3%). Additionally, Maltese (4.4%), Filipino (5.0%), and Croatian (1.5%) ethnicities are notably more prevalent in Deer Park than in Greater Melbourne regionally.

Deer Park's population is younger than the national pattern

Deer Park's median age is nearly matching Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years, slightly below the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Deer Park has a higher concentration of residents aged 65-74 (9.2%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (12.1%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the population aged 75-84 has grown from 4.4% to 5.6%. Conversely, the age group of 5-14 has declined from 13.7% to 12.3%, and the 25-34 group has dropped from 17.1% to 16.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Deer Park's age profile will significantly evolve. The 55-64 cohort is projected to grow by 48%, adding 881 residents to reach a total of 2,723. Meanwhile, both the 35-44 and 0-4 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.