Drouin VIC 3818
Drouin sits 97 km from Melbourne CBD in Victoria, around 1 hour 15 minutes by car. Census data records 15,287 residents with a median age of 39 and a median household income of $74,464 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the lower-middle tier nationally. The suburb grew 23.8% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $330 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,647. Drouin is characterised by high bushfire risk and high crime risk. Of 5 schools within the suburb boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is high.
Is Drouin a good suburb?
Drouin scores a C (37/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit, weaker on safety.
Mixed results
5 schools · 1 above peer schools
Very walkable
Walkability 82/100 · 96.8 km · 76 min drive to Melbourne
Around the state median
Median $650K
High bushfire risk
Fire 75/100 · Crime 64/100 · Flood 54/100
Below-average income
SEIFA decile 3/10 · median age 39 · 15,287 residents
Liveability Rating
37 / 100 · Ranked #618 in VICEach bar is Drouin's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Drouin?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
37 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataDrouin's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $650,000, about 10% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$650,000
Based on 486 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 44 days — median across 234 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 27 sales $500K
- 3 bed 201 sales $610K
- 4 bed 225 sales $710K
- 5 bed 19 sales $950K
Land
$650,000
Based on 87 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 77 days — median across 33 sales that recorded a listing period
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Drouin are currently listed at around $715,000 on average. Based on 266 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$715K
266 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$474K
24 units listed in the last 6 months.
290 of the suburb's 5,730 dwellings (5.1%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Drouin rent for around $600 a week on average, based on 67 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$600/wk
67 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$440/wk
15 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
82 rentals advertised against an estimated 1,261 rented homes (6.5%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 202598 Unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 31% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3818.
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$600/week ($31,000 a year) on a $715,000 median
$440/week ($23,000 a year) on a $474,000 median
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.
Is Drouin safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Drouin sits in the moderate band, with 780 incidents recorded in 2026 — down about 10% on the prior year.
780 offences
9.8% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202525 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 3 of them fatal
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
Five schools serve Drouin, and results are mixed — some outperforming peer-suburb schools, some below. St Paul's Anglican Grammar School - Drouin Campus leads the pack.
- • 5,531 students across 5 schools (avg 1,106)
- • Sectors: 2 Independent, 2 Government, 1 Catholic
- • ICSEA 972-1092, median 1011 (around the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: St Paul's Anglican Grammar School - Drouin Campus (1,765 students)
Primary
Secondary
Combined
Walkability
Drouin is very walkable on foot — at 82/100, most daily errands can be done on foot. Within the suburb there are 2 supermarkets, 14 parks and 7 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Drouin.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 59.2 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 59.8 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 50.2 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 20.3 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 40 min wait
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 Drouin.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 54%
- Premises covered
- 7,340
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
Baw Baw: 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 34 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 7 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Drouin is home to about 15,300 residents, with a median age of 39, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $74,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.1%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
15,287
Median Age
39
Median Household Income
$74,464/yr
Census Median Rent
$330/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,647/mo
Avg Household Size
2.5
Median Personal Income
$36,088/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.1%
Unoccupied Dwellings
6.5%
Total Dwellings
5,730
Owner-Occupier Rate
78.0%
Houses
89.8%
Rental Stress
23.0%
Mortgage Stress
26.5%
Work From Home
16.0%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
72 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 7 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 1,225 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 82.1%
- English Spoken at Home
- 90.5%
- Employment Rate
- 55.3%
- Completed Year 12
- 33.6%
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.
146 residents (1.0%) 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.
25.1% of residents (3,573) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (3,498).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 14,221 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
2% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (157 of 6,732).
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 3,249 people work here; 6,732 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.5 jobs per working resident. At least 49% 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 $2,138 a year through Baw Baw based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 46%
- Residential 41%
- Infrastructure and transport 9%
- Parks and recreation 3%
- Industrial 1%
Proposed rezonings
- General Residential Zone → Commercial 1 Zone · C154bawb, exhibited May 2026 1.0 ha
Land in this suburb moved from one zone to another by a planning scheme amendment (Vicmap Planning, CC BY 4.0). Exhibited amendments are proposals and can change or lapse.
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: Baw Baw
In the year to August 2026, 619 new dwellings were approved across Baw Baw. That mix is 604 houses and 15 units. Approvals are up 49.3% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 6,828 homes
- Lots in approved subdivisions, not yet titled 630 homes
- Land zoned for housing, not yet subdivided 6,198 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 Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2017).
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.
Climate & Setting
from Noojee (Slivar), 27.9 kmHigh rainfall — warm summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 104 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 33.4 km
- Annual rainfall
- 1,090 mm
- 133 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 25.1°C
- 7 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 3.7°C
- 12 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- 1.1 kmSewerage and Drainage ServicesTop reported: Ammonia (total) · Total Nitrogen · Total Phosphorus
EV adoption
In postcode 3818, 88 of 15,834 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.5% (234 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 2.0%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3818, 3,395 rooftop-solar systems totalling 21.0 MW have been installed since 2001, against 6,923 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 271 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.
35 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3818 in 2025-26, rank 38 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 176, in 2009-10.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
9 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 $650,000 this is under 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 2026-10-27 — 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 Mary Aldred Liberal
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Mary Aldred | 45.9% | 54.1% | -1.2 |
| 2022 | Russell Broadbent | 47.1% | 52.9% | -4.0 |
| 2019 | Russell Broadbent | 42.6% | 57.4% | -0.1 |
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 Wayne Farnham Liberal
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022* | Wayne Farnham LP | 51.7% | — | — |
| 2018 | Gary Blackwood LP | 51.7% | 42.7% | 57.3% |
| 2014 | Gary Blackwood LP | 55.2% | 38.7% | 61.3% |
* The 2022 poll here was replaced by a supplementary election on 28 January 2023; its result is shown.
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 Drouin?
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 15,287 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
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- #1 in Warragul suburbs where the most residents moved from a capital city
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- #2 in Best Warragul suburbs for good private primary schools
- #2 in Warragul suburbs that grew fastest, 2016-2021
- #2 in Warragul suburbs that added the most residents, 2016-2021
- #2 in Warragul suburbs with the most parkland nearby
- #2 in Warragul suburbs with the deepest rental markets
- #2 in Warragul's most educated suburbs
- #2 in The most liveable suburbs in Warragul
- #2 in Most walkable suburbs in Warragul
- #2 in Warragul suburbs with the best NBN connectivity
- #2 in Warragul suburbs with the largest non-religious population
- #2 in Warragul suburbs where the most homes are owned outright
- #2 in Warragul's most owner-occupied suburbs
- #2 in Warragul suburbs where seniors live
- #2 in Warragul suburbs where young families live
- #3 in Warragul's highest-income suburbs
- #7 in Victoria suburbs where the most residents moved from a capital city
Nearby suburbs
Warragul VIC 3820
Longwarry VIC 3816
Drouin West VIC 3818
Drouin South VIC 3818
Warragul South VIC 3821
Longwarry North VIC 3816
Compare Drouin to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other VIC suburb — type a name and pick one.
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Common questions about Drouin
Is Drouin a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Drouin is moderate (64/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Drouin?
Drouin has a high recorded bushfire history (75/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (54/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Drouin a good place to live?
Drouin has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (37/100), 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 Drouin?
Drouin, VIC had a population of 15,287 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Drouin, VIC?
The postcode for Drouin, VIC is 3818.
How far is Drouin from Melbourne?
Drouin is 97 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 76 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Drouin?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Drouin was $74,464 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 Drouin?
The median advertised rent in Drouin is $600 a week for houses (67 listings) and $440 a week for units (15 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Drouin?
The median age of residents in Drouin was 39 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Drouin at risk of bushfire?
Drouin has a high recorded bushfire history (75/100). 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 Drouin?
There are 5 schools inside the Drouin boundary: 1 above, 3 at, and 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Drouin walkable?
Drouin scores 82/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the weather like in Drouin?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Drouin, Noojee (Slivar) (27.9 km away), summer days average 25.1°C, winter nights 3.7°C, 1,090 mm of rain a year over 133 rainy days, and 7 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Drouin?
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 Drouin belong to?
Drouin sits within the Baw Baw local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Drouin?
The average residential rates bill through Baw Baw is $2,138 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Drouin?
Across Baw Baw, 619 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 49.3% 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 Drouin in?
Drouin sits within the federal Division of Monash, currently held by Mary Aldred (Liberal).
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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
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- 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.