Deer Park

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 was 18,004 as of November 2021. By June 2024, it had increased to 18,447, a rise of 443 people (2.5%). This growth is attributed to an estimated resident population increase and 30 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was 2,283 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Deer Park's compound annual growth rate was 0.1%, outperforming its SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 67.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 adjusted employing weighted aggregation for areas not covered by ABS data. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, Deer Park is projected to grow by 3,326 persons to 2041, reflecting an 18.0% increase over the 17-year period.

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 annually over the past five financial years, totalling 119 homes. As of FY-26, 4 approvals have been recorded. Despite population decline in the area, development activity has been relatively adequate, which is positive for buyers. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $268,000, below regional norms, reflecting more affordable housing options.

In FY-26, $1.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Deer Park shows substantially reduced construction activity, at 56.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties. Recent construction comprises 32.0% standalone homes and 68.0% townhouses or apartments, a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition of 87.0% houses. The location has approximately 1046 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market. Population forecasts indicate Deer Park will gain 3,326 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Population forecasts indicate Deer Park will gain 3,326 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 strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 25 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Residential Development Derrimut Gardens Estate, Deer Park Dome Redevelopment, Deer Park Estate, and Avondale Heights Former TAFE Campus Redevelopment. Below is a list of 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.

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

Deer Park has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate was 7.6% as of September 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.8%. As of that date, 8,874 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 3.0% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation in Deer Park lagged significantly 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.

Transport, postal & warehousing showed particularly strong specialization with an employment share of 2.1 times the regional level. Meanwhile, professional & technical had a limited presence with 5.0% employment compared to 10.1% regionally. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 4.8% while the labour force increased by 5.4%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.6 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.0% with an unemployment rate increase of 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov showed Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, while the state unemployment rate was at 4.7%, compared to the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Deer Park's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.7% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Deer Park SA2's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2022 was $51,179. The average income stood at $60,111 during the same period. For Greater Melbourne, these figures were $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. Based on a 12.16% growth in wages between financial year 2022 and September 2025, estimated median income is approximately $57,402, with average income around $67,420 by that date. Census data shows household income ranks at the 33rd percentile ($1,459 weekly), while personal income sits at the 14th percentile. Income brackets indicate that 34.2% of Deer Park residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week (6,308 individuals). This is consistent with broader trends across Melbourne's metropolitan region, where 32.8% fall into the same income category. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Deer Park, with only 82.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 31st percentile.

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

The latest Census showed that Deer Park had 87.1% houses and 12.9% other dwellings, compared to Melbourne metro's 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 ones at 30.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,690, lower than Melbourne metro's $1,700 and the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Deer Park was $350, higher than Melbourne metro's $346 but still below 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 comprise the remaining 24.0%, with lone person households at 20.5% and group households making up 3.5%. The median household size is 2.9 people, which aligns 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, including advanced diplomas (10.3%) and certificates (18.4%). Educational participation is high, with 32.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 11.5% in primary, 7.7% in secondary, and 5.1% in tertiary education.

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

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

Service frequency across all routes averages 1,060 trips per day, equating 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. About half of Deer Park's total population (~9,131 people) has private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (6.8%) and diabetes (6.3%), with 74.4% of residents reporting no medical ailments, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 73.5%. Deer Park has a smaller 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 require more attention 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 a high level of cultural diversity, with 54.4% of its population 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 stands out as overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 10.8% versus 12.5%.

The top three ancestry groups in Deer Park are Other (25.8%), Vietnamese (12.1%), and Australian (10.3%). Notably, Filipino (5.0%) and Maltese (4.4%) are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 3.7% and 4.6%, respectively, while Croatian is underrepresented at 1.5% versus the regional average of 2.2%.

Deer Park's population is younger than the national pattern

Deer Park's median age is nearly 36 years, closely matching Greater Melbourne's average of approximately 37 years, which is slightly below the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Deer Park has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (9.2%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (12.1%). Between the 2021 Census and present day, the population aged 75-84 has increased from 4.4% to 5.6%, while the 5-14 age group has decreased from 13.7% to 12.3%, and the 25-34 age group has dropped from 17.1% to 16.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Deer Park's age profile. The 55-64 age cohort is expected to grow by 48%, adding 881 residents to reach a total of 2,723. Conversely, both the 35-44 and 0-4 age groups are projected to decrease in number.