Pakenham VIC 3810
Located in Victoria, Pakenham sits 62 km from Melbourne CBD, around 53 minutes by car. The suburb has 54,118 residents, a median age of 33, and a median household income of $86,528 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the lower-middle tier nationally. The suburb grew 16.6% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $351 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,733. Pakenham is characterised by high flood risk and high crime risk. Of 15 schools within the suburb boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is high.
Is Pakenham a good suburb?
Pakenham scores a C (36/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit, weaker on safety.
Mixed results
15 schools · 1 above peer schools
Very walkable
Walkability 94/100 · 62.4 km · 53 min drive to Melbourne
Around the state median
Median $700K
High crime risk
Fire 56/100 · Crime 74/100 · Flood 78/100
Below-average income
SEIFA decile 4/10 · median age 33 · 54,118 residents
Liveability Rating
36 / 100 · Ranked #631 in VICEach bar is Pakenham's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Pakenham?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
36 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataPakenham's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $700,000, about 5% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$700,000
7% below its 6 neighbours (median $755,000)
Based on 1482 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 28 days — median across 638 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 41 sales $535K
- 3 bed 767 sales $662K
- 4 bed 598 sales $750K
- 5 bed 39 sales $855K
Units
$515,000
Based on 156 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 28 days — median across 61 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 76 sales $493K
- 3 bed 67 sales $550K
- 4 bed 7 sales $668K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Pakenham are currently listed at around $718,000 on average. Based on 569 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$718K
569 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$545K
43 units listed in the last 6 months.
612 of the suburb's 18,448 dwellings (3.3%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Pakenham rent for around $580 a week on average, based on 447 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$580/wk
6% below its 3 neighbours (median $620/wk)
447 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$510/wk
24 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
471 rentals advertised against an estimated 5,940 rented homes (7.9%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025121 Acceptable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 25% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3810.
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$580/week ($30,000 a year) on a $718,000 median
$510/week ($27,000 a year) on a $545,000 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.
Short-Stay Rentals
34 active Airbnb listings: 25 whole homes and 9 rooms. Whole homes are about 0.1% 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 Pakenham safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Pakenham sits in the high band, with 3,693 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 10% on the prior year.
3,693 offences
10.0% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–2025159 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 8 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
15 schools serve Pakenham, and results are mixed — some outperforming peer-suburb schools, some below. Beaconhills College leads the pack.
- • 9,574 students across 12 schools (avg 798)
- • Sectors: 10 Government, 4 Independent, 1 Catholic
- • ICSEA 962-1035, median 1000 (around the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Beaconhills College (2,965 students)
Primary
Secondary
Combined
Walkability
Pakenham is exceptionally walkable on foot — at 94/100, daily errands don't require a car at all. Within the suburb there are 9 supermarkets, 26 parks and 18 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Pakenham.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 229.8 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 220.1 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 196.2 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 21.6 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 46 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 Pakenham.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 59%
- Premises covered
- 21,915
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
Cardinia: 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 118 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 8 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Pakenham is home to about 54,100 residents, with a median age of 33, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $87,000 a year, with unemployment at 5.3%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
54,118
Median Age
33
Median Household Income
$86,528/yr
Census Median Rent
$351/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,733/mo
Avg Household Size
2.8
Median Personal Income
$40,716/yr
Unemployment Rate
5.3%
Unoccupied Dwellings
5.2%
Total Dwellings
18,448
Owner-Occupier Rate
67.8%
Houses
86.4%
Rental Stress
21.1%
Mortgage Stress
24.0%
Work From Home
18.4%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
180 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 47 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 5,679 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 67.3%
- English Spoken at Home
- 71.7%
- Employment Rate
- 61.7%
- Completed Year 12
- 39.4%
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.
2,698 residents (5.0%) 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.
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 49,603 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
5% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (1,337 of 25,361).
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 16,246 people work here; 25,361 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.6 jobs per working resident. At least 36% 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 $1,880 a year through Cardinia based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 45%
- Residential 29%
- Infrastructure and transport 8%
- Other and special use 6%
- Industrial 5%
- Environmental 3%
- Parks and recreation 3%
- Zones under 1% 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: Cardinia
In the year to August 2026, 1,323 new dwellings were approved across Cardinia. That mix is 1,196 houses and 127 units. Approvals are up 12.8% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 5,225 homes
- Apartment and townhouse projects under construction 23 homes
- Lots in approved subdivisions, not yet titled 497 homes
- Projects firmly planned 28 homes
- Land zoned for housing, not yet subdivided 4,581 homes
- Projects likely to go ahead 96 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.
Air Quality
MODERATEPM2.5 averaged 6.3 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³). 1 day exceeded the daily threshold of 25 µg/m³.
PM10 averaged 20.8 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.98 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 3 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 0.
From the Dandenong monitoring station, 26.9 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Dandenong, 25.2 kmModerate rainfall.
- Elevation
- 34 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 16.4 km
- Near high-voltage lines
- 1.2% of addresses
- 315 within 100 m of an overhead line of 110 kV or more
- Annual rainfall
- 781 mm
- 105 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- —
- Winter min (Jul)
- —
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
9 facilities within 5 km- 1.4 km
- 1.4 kmPrepared Animal and Bird Feed ManufacturingTop reported: Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10) · Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide
- 1.9 km
- 2.7 kmOther Petroleum and Coal Product ManufacturingTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10) · Oxides of Nitrogen
- 2.8 km
EV adoption
In postcode 3810, 343 of 43,850 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.4% (1,481 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 4.2%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3810, 8,598 rooftop-solar systems totalling 56.6 MW have been installed since 2001, against 19,893 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 568 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.
90 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3810 in 2025-26, rank 16 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 766, in 2009-10.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
36 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 $700,000 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 2026-10-26 — 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 Jason Wood Liberal
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jason Wood | 47.9% | 52.1% | +6.4 |
| 2022 | Jason Wood | 41.3% | 58.7% | +3.6 |
| 2019 | Jason Wood | 45.5% | 54.5% | +1.3 |
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 Emma Vulin Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Emma Vulin ALP | 50.4% | 50.4% | 49.6% |
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 Pakenham?
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 54,118 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.
Nearby suburbs
Officer VIC 3809
Beaconsfield Upper VIC 3808
Pakenham Upper VIC 3810
Officer South VIC 3809
Nar Nar Goon VIC 3812
Nar Nar Goon North VIC 3812
Compare Pakenham 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 Pakenham
Is Pakenham a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Pakenham is high (74/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Pakenham?
Pakenham has a moderate recorded bushfire history (56/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a high share of it (78/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Pakenham a good place to live?
Pakenham has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (36/100), 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 Pakenham?
Pakenham, VIC had a population of 54,118 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Pakenham, VIC?
The postcode for Pakenham, VIC is 3810.
How far is Pakenham from Melbourne?
Pakenham is 62 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 53 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Pakenham?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Pakenham was $86,528 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 Pakenham?
The median advertised rent in Pakenham is $580 a week for houses (447 listings) and $510 a week for units (24 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Pakenham?
The median age of residents in Pakenham was 33 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Pakenham at risk of bushfire?
Pakenham has a moderate recorded bushfire history (56/100). 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 Pakenham?
There are 15 schools inside the Pakenham boundary: 1 above, 7 at, and 4 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Pakenham walkable?
Pakenham scores 94/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it exceptionally walkable. 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 Pakenham?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Pakenham (Dandenong) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 6.3 µg/m³ and PM10 of 20.8 µg/m³. That puts Pakenham below the Australian NEPM annual standard of 8 µg/m³ but above the stricter WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Pakenham?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Pakenham, Dandenong (25.2 km away), 781 mm of rain a year over 105 rainy days over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Pakenham?
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 Pakenham belong to?
Pakenham sits within the Cardinia local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Pakenham?
The average residential rates bill through Cardinia is $1,880 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Pakenham?
Across Cardinia, 1,323 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 12.8% 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 Pakenham in?
Pakenham sits within the federal Division of La Trobe, currently held by Jason Wood (Liberal).
Search another suburb or address
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.