Doreen - North
Statistical Area - sa2

Doreen - North lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

As of November 2025, Doreen - North's population is approximately 17,234. This figure reflects a growth of 935 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 16,299. The increase is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 17,231 in June 2024 and validation of 29 new addresses after the Census date. This results in a population density of 1,825 persons per square kilometer, higher than national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Doreen - North has shown consistent growth with a compound annual growth rate of 3.5%, outperforming its SA3 area. Natural growth contributed about 56.5% to overall population gains recently, but all growth factors were positive.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 based on 2022 data. For areas not covered by this data, VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 are used with adjustments made via weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Age group growth rates from these aggregations are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Doreen - North is projected to grow by 10,505 persons, reflecting a total increase of 60.9% over the period. This growth places it in the top 10 percent of national statistical areas.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Doreen - North when compared nationally

Doreen - North has seen approximately 55 dwellings granted development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25277 homes were approved, with a further six approved in FY26 as of current records. Each year, an average of 4.2 new residents per dwelling has been recorded during this period.

This supply lags behind demand, indicating heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $245,000, which is below regional norms, suggesting more affordable housing options for purchasers. In FY26, commercial development approvals totalled $367,000, reflecting a predominantly residential focus in the area. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Doreen - North has recorded significantly lower building activity, at 76.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new dwellings typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties.

The development activity in Doreen - North is also lower than national averages, indicating a mature market with potential development constraints. New developments consist primarily of standalone homes (86.0%) and attached dwellings (14.0%), maintaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suitable for buyers seeking space. With approximately 670 people per approval, Doreen - North demonstrates its established nature as an urban area. Future projections estimate an addition of 10,502 residents by 2041. If current development rates persist, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth in the future.

Doreen - North has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Katandra Rise Estate, Laurimar Estate, Bridge Inn Road Development Sites - Mernda Precinct 2A, and Precinct 2A Doreen Development Plan. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Doreen - North ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Doreen - North has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 2.4% as of June 2025. This is lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%.

The area experienced employment growth of 2.2% over the past year. As of June 2025, there are 9,882 residents in work, with a workforce participation rate of 71.7%, higher than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key industries for employment among residents are construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Construction is particularly prominent, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services employ only 5.8% of local workers, lower than Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the difference between the Census working population and resident population counts. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.2%, labour force grew by 1.5%, and unemployment fell by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a rise in unemployment of 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Doreen - North's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, though these figures are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localized population projections.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022. Doreen - North's median income among taxpayers was $56,184, with an average of $64,511. This aligns with national averages and compares to Greater Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Doreen - North would be approximately $63,016 (median) and $72,356 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows household, family and personal incomes in Doreen - North cluster around the 71st percentile nationally. Income distribution reveals that 39.7% of locals (6,841 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 category, reflecting regional patterns where 32.8% similarly occupy this range. High housing costs consume 16.0% of income, yet strong earnings place disposable income at the 76th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Doreen - North is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Doreen - North's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, was 96.5% houses and 3.4% other dwellings. In comparison, Melbourne metro had 87.2% houses and 12.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Doreen - North was 21.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 57.4% and rented ones at 20.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, higher than Melbourne metro's $1,900 and the Australian average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Doreen - North was $400, exceeding Melbourne metro's $371 and the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 84.7% of all households, consisting of 50.6% couples with children, 20.0% couples without children, and 13.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 15.3%, with lone person households at 13.9% and group households comprising 1.3% of the total. The median household size is 3.1 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.9.

Doreen - North shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's university qualification rate is 23.9%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 38.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 12.7% and certificates at 26.2%. Educational participation is high, with 35.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 14.0% in primary, 10.4% in secondary, and 3.9% in tertiary education.

Doreen - North has four schools with a combined enrollment of 3,732 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1046) with balanced educational opportunities. The area functions as an education hub with 21.6 school places per 100 residents, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

The analysis of public transport in Doreen - North shows that there are currently 55 active transport stops operating in the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 4 individual routes providing service to the region. The combined weekly passenger trips across all these routes amount to 2,841.

The accessibility of public transport is rated as good, with residents typically located just 222 meters away from their nearest transport stop. The average frequency of service across all routes is 405 trips per day, which translates to approximately 51 weekly trips per individual stop.

Doreen - North's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Doreen - North, with younger cohorts seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population (~8,944 people), leading that of the average SA2 area and compares to 49.8% across Greater Melbourne.

The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 8.4 and 8.1% of residents respectively. 73.4% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.0% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 11.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,923 people), which is lower than the 13.2% in Greater Melbourne.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Doreen - North was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Doreen-North has a higher than average cultural diversity, with 17.9% of its population born overseas and 15.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Doreen-North, accounting for 49.2% of the population. However, the most notable overrepresentation is seen in the 'Other' category, which comprises 1.4% of the population compared to Greater Melbourne's 4.4%.

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups in Doreen-North are Australian (26.9%, substantially higher than the regional average of 17.3%), English (25.1%, also substantially higher than the regional average of 15.5%), and Other (7.9%, notably lower than the regional average of 17.4%). There are also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Macedonian is notably overrepresented at 1.6% in Doreen-North compared to the regional average of 4.6%, Italian is present at 7.2% (vs 9.6%), and Maltese stands at 1.5%.

Doreen - North hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Doreen's median age of 35 years is slightly younger than Greater Melbourne's 37 and somewhat younger than the national average of 38 years. The 5-14 age group makes up a strong 17.4% of Doreen's population compared to Greater Melbourne, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 10.0%. This 5-14 concentration is well above the national average of 12.2%. Between 2021 and the present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 12.7% to 14.5%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 2.6% to 3.9%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort has declined from 19.2% to 17.4%, and the 25-34 group dropped from 11.4% to 10.0%. Population forecasts for Doreen indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to rise substantially, expanding by 2,053 people (77%) from 2,669 to 4,723.