Doreen - South
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Doreen - South's population was approximately 12,111 as of November 2025. This figure represents a growth of 1,640 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,471. The increase is inferred from ABS estimates of 11,810 in June 2024 and an additional 95 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,412 persons per square kilometer, placing Doreen - South in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. The area's growth rate of 15.7% since the 2021 census exceeded both national (8.9%) and state averages, marking it as a growth leader regionally. Natural growth contributed approximately 43.6% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and overseas migration being positive factors.

AreaSearch is using 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 the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting with weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population projections indicate exceptional growth, placing Doreen - South in the top 10% nationally, with an expected increase of 6,658 persons to 2041 based on latest numbers, reflecting a total increase of 52.5% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Doreen - South among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Doreen - South has seen approximately 83 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 418 homes. As of FY26, 10 approvals have been recorded. On average, around 5.8 new residents arrive per year for each dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25.

This indicates a significant lag in supply compared to demand, which typically results in heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction cost of new properties is $232,000, below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Doreen - South has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person, placing it among the 53rd percentile nationally.

Recent construction comprises 96.0% standalone homes and 4.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's suburban nature and attracting space-seeking buyers with an average of approximately 303 people per dwelling approval. Population forecasts indicate Doreen - South will gain 6,357 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. A single project has been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting this area. Key projects include Mernda Community Hospital, River Run, Aspect Mernda, and Mernda Rise Estate. The following details those projects likely to be most relevant:.

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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.

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

Doreen - South has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.6% as of June 2025, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.6%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.1%. As of June 2025, 6,665 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 2.0%, and workforce participation was 74.7% compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key employment industries include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Construction is particularly strong with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, professional & technical services have lower representation at 6.7% versus the regional average of 10.1%. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 2.1%, labour force by 1.5%, and unemployment fell by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a 0.5 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest potential future demand within Doreen - South. Over five years, national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6%, and over ten years by 13.7%. Applying these projections to Doreen - South's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Doreen - South had a median income among taxpayers of $60,502 and an average of $69,468. This is higher than the national average. Greater Melbourne had a median income of $54,892 and an average of $73,761 during this period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $67,859 (median) and $77,915 (average). The 2021 Census data indicates household, family and personal incomes in Doreen - South cluster around the 74th percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that 45.2% of residents (5,474 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, similar to regional levels where 32.8% occupy this range. High housing costs consume 17.9% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 71st percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Doreen - South's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 91.6% houses and 8.4% other dwellings. This compares to Melbourne metro's 87.2% houses and 12.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Doreen - South was at 14.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 62.5% and rented ones at 23.4%. 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. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $386, compared to Melbourne metro's $371 and the national figure of $375.

Doreen - South features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 83.6% of all households, including 46.5% couples with children, 21.8% couples without children, and 14.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 16.4%, with lone person households at 14.8% and group households at 1.6%. The median household size is 2.9 people, which aligns with the Greater Melbourne average.

The educational profile of Doreen - South exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

In Doreen, South trail regional benchmarks indicate that 28.2% of residents aged 15+ hold university degrees, compared to Greater Melbourne's 37.0%. This gap suggests potential for educational development and skill enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common (18.5%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 38.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (13.4%) and certificates (25.1%).

Educational participation is high, with 33.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 13.2% in primary, 7.3% in secondary, and 4.0% in tertiary education. Educational institutions include Ashley Park Primary School and Ivanhoe Grammar School - Plenty Campus, serving a total of 472 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1037) with balanced educational opportunities. It offers one primary and one K-12 school. Local school capacity is limited at 3.9 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.1, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Transport analysis shows 33 active stops operating in Doreen - South, with a mix of bus services. These are served by three individual routes, offering 2,027 weekly passenger trips combined. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents usually located 241 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 289 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 61 weekly trips per stop.

Doreen - South's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Doreen - South, particularly for younger cohorts with low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 54% (~6,588 people) have private health cover, higher than Greater Melbourne's 49.8%.

Common medical conditions include asthma (8.5%) and mental health issues (8.3%). A total of 75.2% report no medical ailments, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 74.0%. The area has 8.0% (965 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Melbourne's 13.2%. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention compared to the broader population.

Doreen - South was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Doreen-South, as per the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2016 data, exhibited higher cultural diversity than most local markets. Overseas-born residents constituted 24.6%, while those speaking a language other than English at home comprised 24.9%. Christianity was the predominant religion, with 43.5% adherents.

However, the 'Other' religious category showed an overrepresentation of 2.8%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 4.4%. Ancestry-wise, Australian (24.7%), English (22.5%), and Other (11.4%) were the top three groups in Doreen-South, with notable differences from regional averages: Australian was substantially higher, English slightly higher, while Other was notably lower. Specific ethnic group representations showed variations: Macedonian at 1.5% (vs regional 4.6%), Sri Lankan at 0.9% (vs 0.8%), and Italian at 6.7% (vs 9.6%).

Doreen - South hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

The median age of Doreen-South is 33 years, which is younger than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Doreen-South has a higher percentage of residents aged 35-44 (21.6%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (7.3%). This concentration of 35-44 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.2%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the percentage of Doreen-South's population aged 35 to 44 has increased from 20.1% to 21.6%, while the 45 to 54 age group has grown from 10.8% to 12.3%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 age group has decreased from 17.9% to 13.7%, and the 0 to 4 age group has dropped from 10.4% to 9.0%. Population forecasts for Doreen-South indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041, with the 45 to 54 age cohort projected to grow significantly by 99%, adding 1,476 residents to reach a total of 2,961.