Deer Park

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Deer Park's population is around 18,490 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 486 people (2.7%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,004 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 18,447 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 37 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,288 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Deer Park's 2.7% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (2.6%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 67.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the 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 also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Moving forward with demographic trends, an above-median population growth of national areas is projected, with the area expected to grow by 3,326 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 17.8% in total over the 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 around 23 new homes approved each year, totalling 119 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 6 approvals have been recorded. As the area has experienced population decline, development activity has been adequate in relative terms, which is a positive for buyers, while new homes are being built at an average value of $268,000—below regional norms—reflecting more affordable housing options for purchasers. Additionally, $1.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, suggesting a predominantly residential focus.

When measured against Greater Melbourne, Deer Park shows substantially reduced construction (56.0% below regional average per person). This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties. This activity is similarly under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. Recent construction comprises 32.0% standalone homes and 68.0% townhouses or apartments. This skew toward compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing (currently 87.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. The location has approximately 1046 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market.

Population forecasts indicate Deer Park will gain 3,283 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Deer Park has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 25 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Residential Development - Derrimut Gardens Estate, Deer Park Dome Redevelopment, Deer Park Estate, and Avondale Heights - Former TAFE Campus Redevelopment, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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 Deer Park are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Deer Park possesses a skilled workforce, with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented, an unemployment rate of 7.8%, and 3.1% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 8,848 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 3.0% above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, showing room for improvement, and workforce participation lags significantly (63.5% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 17.4% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and transport, postal & warehousing. The area shows particularly strong specialization in transport, postal & warehousing, with an employment share of 2.1 times the regional level. Meanwhile, professional & technical services have a limited presence with 5.0% employment compared to 10.1% regionally. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 3.1% and the labour force increased by 4.2%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.0 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Deer Park. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Deer Park's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.7% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The Deer Park SA2's income level is below the national average according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Deer Park SA2's median income among taxpayers is $54,315 and the average income stands at $63,009, compared to Greater Melbourne's figures of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $58,796 (median) and $68,207 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household income ranks at the 33rd percentile ($1,459 weekly), while personal income sits at the 14th percentile. Income brackets indicate the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 34.2% of the community (6,323 individuals), consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region showing 32.8% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 31st percentile.

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

Dwelling structure within Deer Park, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 87.1% houses and 12.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Deer Park was in line with that of Melbourne metro, at 31.8%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (37.6%) or rented (30.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well below the Melbourne metro average at $1,690, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $350, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Deer Park's mortgage repayments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are less than the national figure of $375.

Deer Park has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 76.0% of all households, comprising 36.9% couples with children, 21.5% couples without children, and 15.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 24.0%, with lone person households at 20.5% and group households comprising 3.5% of the total. The median household size of 2.9 people is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (23.6%) substantially below the Greater Melbourne average of 37.0%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 17.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.9%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 28.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (10.3%) and certificates (18.4%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.5% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 5.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 68 active transport stops operating within Deer Park, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 16 individual routes, collectively providing 4,445 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 294 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 86%, with 8% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. Some 17.4% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 635 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 65 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 demonstrates above-average health outcomes, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population and closer to the national average across older, at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~9,318 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and diabetes, impacting 6.8% and 6.3% of residents, respectively, while 74.4% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 17.1% of residents aged 65 and over (3,154 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, though they rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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 is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country, with 54.4% of its population born overseas and 63.4% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Deer Park is Christianity, which makes up 51.6% of the population. However, there is a significant overrepresentation of Buddhism, which comprises 10.8% of the population, substantially higher than the Greater Melbourne average of 4.2%.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Deer Park are Other, comprising 25.8% of the population (substantially higher than the regional average of 14.6%), Vietnamese, comprising 12.1% of the population (substantially higher than the regional average of 1.9%), and Australian, comprising 10.3% of the population (notably lower than the regional average of 18.4%). Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of other ethnic groups: Filipino is notably overrepresented at 5.0% in Deer Park (vs 1.3% regionally), Maltese at 4.4% (vs 1.1%), and Croatian at 1.5% (vs 0.7%).

Deer Park's population is younger than the national pattern

At 36 years, Deer Park's median age is nearly matching the Greater Melbourne average of 37 and is similarly modestly under the Australian median of 38. Relative to Greater Melbourne, Deer Park has a higher concentration of 65 - 74 residents (9.3%) but fewer 35 - 44 year-olds (14.9%). Since the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 4.4% to 5.9% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 13.7% to 12.1% and the 25 to 34 group dropped from 17.1% to 15.6%. Demographic modeling suggests Deer Park's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 55 to 64 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 43%, adding 820 residents to reach 2,723. In contrast, the 5 to 14 group will contract by 128 residents.