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 is 18,388 as of May 2026. This shows an increase of 384 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,004. The change is inferred from ABS' June 2025 estimate of 18,368 and 40 new addresses validated since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,275 persons per square kilometer, higher than national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 68.6% of recent population gains.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered, it utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made via weighted aggregation to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on demographic trends and latest ERP population numbers, the area is projected to grow by 3,271 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 17.7% over the 16-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, 10 approvals have been recorded. Despite population decline in the area, development activity has been adequate relative to other areas, benefiting buyers with more affordable housing options, as new homes are built at an average cost of $268,000, below regional norms. This financial year, $1.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating a predominantly residential focus.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, Deer Park shows significantly reduced construction activity, with 56.0% fewer approvals per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties in the area. Recent construction comprises 32.0% standalone homes and 68.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a 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. According to AreaSearch quarterly estimates, Deer Park is forecasted to gain 3,251 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth in the area.

Population forecasts indicate Deer Park will gain 3,251 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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 25 projects likely affecting the region. Key initiatives include Residential Development at Derrimut Gardens Estate, Deer Park Dome Redevelopment, Deer Park Estate, and Avondale Heights' Former TAFE Campus Redevelopment. 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.

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

Deer Park's workforce is skilled with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate was 7.8% as of a certain period, with an estimated employment growth of 3.1% over the preceding year. As of December 2025, 8,848 residents were employed while the unemployment rate stood at 3.0%, which is 3.0 percentage points higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation in Deer Park was 64.0%, lagging behind Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 17.4% of residents worked from home, potentially impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns. Dominant employment sectors included health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and transport, postal & warehousing. Deer Park showed strong specialization in transport, postal & warehousing with an employment share 2.1 times the regional level, but professional & technical had limited presence at 5.0% compared to the regional 10.1%.

The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 3.1% while labour force grew by 4.2%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 1.0 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, and an unemployment increase of 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Deer Park's employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.7% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Deer Park SA2's median income among taxpayers was $54,315 in financial year 2023. The average income stood at $63,009 during the same period. These figures are below Greater Melbourne's median and average incomes of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. By March 2026, estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $59,540 and $69,070 based on a 9.62% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. According to census data, household income ranks at the 33rd percentile with weekly earnings of $1,459. Personal income sits at the 14th percentile. Income brackets show that 34.2% of Deer Park residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 (6,288 individuals), which is consistent with metropolitan trends showing 32.8% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, 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 above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Deer Park, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 87.1% houses and 12.9% other dwellings. In comparison, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Deer Park was 31.8%, similar to Melbourne metro's figure. Dwellings were either mortgaged (37.6%) or rented (30.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,690, lower than the Melbourne metro average of $2,000 and the Australian average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Deer Park was $350, compared to Melbourne metro's $390 and the national figure of $375.

Deer Park has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average 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, which 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 has university qualification rates of 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 (10.3%) and certificates (18.4%). Educational participation is 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 68 operational public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 16 unique routes, collectively facilitating 4,445 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents typically residing 294 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 86%, while train usage stands at 8%. On average, each dwelling owns 1.4 vehicles.

According to the 2021 Census, 17.4% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 635 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 65 weekly trips per individual stop.

Deer Park's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Deer Park, based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates were found to be low among the general population. The prevalence of common health conditions was also low and nearer the nation's average across older, at-risk cohorts.

Private health cover was found to be relatively low in Deer Park, with approximately 50% of the total population (~9,267 people) having it, compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions were asthma and diabetes, impacting 6.8 and 6.3% of residents respectively. A total of 74.4% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The under-65 population demonstrated better than average health outcomes. Deer Park has 16.5% of residents aged 65 and over (3,034 people), which is higher than the 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors were above average but ranked lower nationally than those of 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 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, comprising 51.6% of the population. However, Buddhism is significantly overrepresented compared to the Greater Melbourne average, making up 10.8% of Deer Park's population.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Other (25.8%), Vietnamese (12.1%), and Australian (10.3%). The Filipino, Maltese, and Croatian ethnic groups are notably overrepresented in Deer Park compared to regional averages, with 5.0%, 4.4%, and 1.5% respectively.

Deer Park's population is younger than the national pattern

Deer Park's median age is nearly 36 years, close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and slightly below Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Deer Park has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (8.9%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (12.3%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 4.4% to 5.8%, while the 15 to 24 cohort has risen from 11.3% to 12.3%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has decreased from 13.7% to 12.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Deer Park's age profile will change significantly. The 55 to 64 cohort is projected to grow by 44%, adding 791 residents to reach 2,610. Meanwhile, the 5 to 14 group is expected to decrease by 122 residents.