Donvale VIC 3111
Donvale is a suburb in Victoria, 24 km from Melbourne CBD, around 30 minutes by car. Population is 12,644; the median age is 45 and the median household income is $109,200 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the top 20% nationally. The suburb grew 2.4% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $450 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,500. Donvale is characterised by high bushfire risk. 7 schools sit within the suburb boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Donvale a good suburb?
Donvale scores a C (46/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on community, weaker on schools, prices, and safety.
Below the state average
7 schools · Bottom 3% in VIC
Somewhat walkable
Walkability 37/100 · 24.3 km · 30 min drive to Melbourne
Above the state median
Median $1.67M · Less affordable than 88% of VIC
High bushfire risk
Fire 87/100 · Crime 33/100 · Flood 46/100
Very advantaged
SEIFA decile 10/10 · median age 45 · 12,644 residents
Liveability Rating
46 / 100 · Ranked #477 in VICEach bar is Donvale's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Donvale?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
46 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataDonvale's house market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $1.67 million, about 4% below where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$1,665,500
39% above its 8 neighbours (median $1,201,500)
Based on 164 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 26 days — median across 112 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 32 sales $1.23M
- 4 bed 73 sales $1.66M
- 5 bed 43 sales $1.91M
- 6 bed 12 sales $2.28M
Units
$792,500
25% above its 6 neighbours (median $633,000)
Based on 50 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 25 days — median across 26 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 27 sales $738K
- 3 bed 18 sales $972K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Donvale are currently listed at around $1.55 million on average. Based on 94 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$1.55M
94 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$730K
8 units listed in the last 6 months.
102 of the suburb's 4,321 dwellings (2.4%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Donvale rent for around $955 a week on average, based on 22 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$955/wk
32% above its 6 neighbours (median $725/wk)
22 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$650/wk
5 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
27 rentals advertised against an estimated 696 rented homes (3.9%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 202588 Unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 34% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3111.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$955/week ($50,000 a year) on a $1.55 million median
$650/week ($34,000 a year) on a $730,000 median
Based on a small sample (5 listings) — indicative only.
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Short-Stay Rentals
8 active Airbnb listings: 8 whole homes and 0 rooms. Whole homes are about 0.2% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Donvale safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Donvale sits in the low band, with 295 incidents recorded in 2026 — up roughly 14% on the prior year.
295 offences
13.9% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202523 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Seven schools serve Donvale, and the cohort is trailing peer-suburb performance.
- • 3,585 students across 5 schools (avg 717)
- • Sectors: 3 Government, 2 Independent, 2 Catholic
- • ICSEA 991-1158, median 1112 (well above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Donvale Christian College (1,623 students)
Primary
Secondary
Combined
Universities nearby
3.8% of residents here are full-time university students aged 15–24.
Distance is measured to the suburb centre. A campus nearby does not by itself mean a student rental market — most suburbs within a few kilometres of one have a student share close to the national norm, and the figure above is what tells them apart.
Walkability
Donvale is car-dependent on foot — at 37/100, most errands require a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Donvale.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 235.2 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 161.2 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 107.2 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 19.6 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Donvale.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 6%
- Premises covered
- 5,073
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Manningham: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 31 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 5 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Donvale is home to about 12,600 residents, with a median age of 45, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $109,000 a year, with unemployment at 5.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
12,644
Median Age
45
Median Household Income
$109,200/yr
Census Median Rent
$450/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,500/mo
Avg Household Size
2.7
Median Personal Income
$39,988/yr
Unemployment Rate
5.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
7.0%
Total Dwellings
4,321
Owner-Occupier Rate
83.9%
Houses
86.8%
Rental Stress
21.4%
Mortgage Stress
27.5%
Work From Home
40.4%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
20 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 0 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 666 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 60.4%
- English Spoken at Home
- 62.0%
- Employment Rate
- 56.4%
- Completed Year 12
- 56.4%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
528 residents (4.2%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 12,117 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
16% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (963 of 5,957).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 2,083 people work here; 5,957 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.3 jobs per working resident. At least 63% of employed residents must work outside the suburb.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $2,000 a year through Manningham based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 78%
- Parks and recreation 10%
- Infrastructure and transport 6%
- Environmental 4%
- Other and special use 1%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Manningham
In the year to August 2026, 486 new dwellings were approved across Manningham. That mix is 241 houses and 245 units. Approvals are down 2.1% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 45 homes
- Projects firmly planned 35 homes
- Projects likely to go ahead 10 homes
From the Victorian Government's Urban Development Program: growth-area land and approved lots (metropolitan 2025, regional June 2024) and projects of 10 or more homes in Melbourne (2025), by stage. Lots and homes are counted as published; a lot usually becomes one home.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2008).
Registered Aboriginal Parties are appointed by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 as the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Aboriginal cultural heritage for their area. They are the body to contact about cultural heritage here.
Air Quality
CLEANPM2.5 averaged 4.3 µg/m³ in 2025 — below the WHO 2021 annual guideline (5 µg/m³).
From the Box Hill monitoring station, 6.7 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Scoresby Research Institute, 10.7 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 106 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 21.0 km
- Near high-voltage lines
- 2.3% of addresses
- 133 within 100 m of an overhead line of 110 kV or more
- Annual rainfall
- 777 mm
- 105 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 26.9°C
- 10 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 6.3°C
- 2 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
1 facility within 5 km- 4.8 kmOther Ceramic Product ManufacturingTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Hydrochloric acid · Oxides of Nitrogen
EV adoption
In postcode 3111, 233 of 9,663 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.3% (320 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 5.7%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3111, 1,618 rooftop-solar systems totalling 10.9 MW have been installed since 2001, against 4,621 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 128 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
The separate First Home Buyer Duty Reduction (stamp-duty concession) runs alongside this grant.
1 first-home grant was paid in postcode 3111 in 2025-26, rank 213 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 68, in 2005-06.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
16 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb.
Land transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with State Revenue Office Victoria
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with State Revenue Office Victoria.
At $1,665,500 this is $915,500 above the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with State Revenue Office Victoria.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-26 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Matt Gregg Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Matt Gregg | 52.8% | 47.2% | +2.8 |
| 2022 | Michael Sukkar | 49.8% | 50.2% | -4.5 |
| 2019 | Michael Sukkar | 45.2% | 54.8% | -1.7 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Nicole Werner Liberal — elected at the Aug 2023 by-election, after the results below
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Ryan Smith LP | 51.3% | 45.9% | 54.1% |
| 2018 | Ryan Smith LP | 50.8% | 46.1% | 53.9% |
| 2014 | Ryan Smith LP | 56.9% | 38.4% | 61.6% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Donvale?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 12,644 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Featured in
Checking the whole city?
Suburbs to avoid in Melbourne There is no list of bad suburbs, but there are hazards the state measures and publishes — recorded crime, bushfire exposure, flood overlays and aircraft noise. Melbourne suburbs ranked on them, with what the numbers do and don't mean.Nearby suburbs
Doncaster East VIC 3109
Ringwood VIC 3134
Mitcham VIC 3132
Nunawading VIC 3131
Ringwood North VIC 3134
Blackburn North VIC 3130
Compare Donvale to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other VIC suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Donvale
Is Donvale a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Donvale is low (33/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Donvale?
Donvale has a high recorded bushfire history (87/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (46/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Donvale a good place to live?
Donvale has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (46/100), ranked against other VIC suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Donvale?
Donvale, VIC had a population of 12,644 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Donvale, VIC?
The postcode for Donvale, VIC is 3111.
How far is Donvale from Melbourne?
Donvale is 24 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 30 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Donvale?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Donvale was $109,200 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Donvale?
The median advertised rent in Donvale is $955 a week for houses (22 listings) and $650 a week for units (5 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Donvale?
The median age of residents in Donvale was 45 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Donvale at risk of bushfire?
Donvale has a high recorded bushfire history (87/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the suburb relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Donvale?
There are 7 schools inside the Donvale boundary: 3 at and 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Donvale walkable?
Donvale scores 37/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it car-dependent. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the air quality in Donvale?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Donvale (Box Hill) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 4.3 µg/m³. That puts Donvale below the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Donvale?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Donvale, Scoresby Research Institute (10.7 km away), summer days average 26.9°C, winter nights 6.3°C, 777 mm of rain a year over 105 rainy days, and 10 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Donvale?
First-home buyers in VIC may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by State Revenue Office Victoria; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Donvale belong to?
Donvale sits within the Manningham local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Donvale?
The average residential rates bill through Manningham is $2,000 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Donvale?
Across Manningham, 486 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 2.1% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Donvale in?
Donvale sits within the federal Division of Deakin, currently held by Matt Gregg (Australian Labor Party).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- State electorate · 2022
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.