Thomastown VIC 3074
Thomastown is a suburb in Victoria, 16 km from Melbourne CBD, around 32 minutes by car. Population is 20,234; the median age is 39 and the median household income is $63,700 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the bottom 20% nationally. Population fell 1.4% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $350 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,690. The area shows high crime risk. Of 8 schools within the suburb boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is high.
Is Thomastown a good suburb?
Thomastown scores a C (39/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit, weaker on prices, safety, and community.
Mixed results
8 schools · 1 above peer schools
Very walkable
Walkability 86/100 · 16.4 km · 32 min drive to Melbourne
Above the state median
Median $760K · Less affordable than 78% of VIC
High crime risk
Fire 37/100 · Crime 83/100 · Flood 47/100
Highly disadvantaged
SEIFA decile 2/10 · median age 39 · 20,234 residents
Liveability Rating
39 / 100 · Ranked #582 in VICEach bar is Thomastown's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Thomastown?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
39 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataThomastown's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $760,000, about 3% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$760,000
13% below its 5 neighbours (median $875,000)
Based on 387 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 28 days — median across 309 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 24 sales $646K
- 3 bed 292 sales $755K
- 4 bed 56 sales $856K
- 5 bed 12 sales $938K
Units
$530,000
10% below its 5 neighbours (median $588,750)
Based on 93 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 26 days — median across 65 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 63 sales $480K
- 3 bed 25 sales $615K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Thomastown are currently listed at around $750,000 on average. Based on 129 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$750K
129 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$504K
32 units listed in the last 6 months.
161 of the suburb's 7,347 dwellings (2.2%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Thomastown rent for around $550 a week on average, based on 80 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$550/wk
15% below its 4 neighbours (median $650/wk)
80 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$460/wk
8% below its 5 neighbours (median $500/wk)
33 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
113 rentals advertised against an estimated 2,182 rented homes (5.2%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025133 Acceptable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 23% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3074.
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$550/week ($29,000 a year) on a $750,000 median
$460/week ($24,000 a year) on a $504,000 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
17 active Airbnb listings: 12 whole homes and 5 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 Thomastown safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Thomastown sits in the high band, with 2,080 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 23% on the prior year.
2,080 offences
22.7% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–2025160 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.
Aircraft Noise
ANEF Contour Details
Noticeable aircraft noise
Schools
Eight schools serve Thomastown, and results are mixed — some outperforming peer-suburb schools, some below. Thomastown East Primary School leads the pack.
- • 2,184 students across 8 schools (avg 273)
- • Sectors: 6 Government, 2 Catholic
- • ICSEA 926-1062, median 968 (below the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Thomastown Secondary College (461 students)
Primary
Secondary
Universities nearby
- 4.8 kmMelbourne (Bundoora) CampusLa Trobe University · 223 courses
- 4.8 kmBundoora Campus, Plenty Road, Bundoora Vic 3083Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology · 111 courses
2.4% 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
Thomastown is very walkable on foot — at 86/100, most daily errands can be done on foot. Within the suburb there are 3 supermarkets, 25 parks and 22 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Thomastown.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 377.5 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 320.8 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 201.4 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 20.4 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 8 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 Thomastown.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 49%
- Premises covered
- 11,579
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
Whittlesea: 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 54 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.
Thomastown is home to about 20,200 residents, with a median age of 39, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $64,000 a year, with unemployment at 8.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
20,234
Median Age
39
Median Household Income
$63,700/yr
Census Median Rent
$350/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,690/mo
Avg Household Size
2.6
Median Personal Income
$26,104/yr
Unemployment Rate
8.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
7.4%
Total Dwellings
7,347
Owner-Occupier Rate
70.3%
Houses
84.3%
Rental Stress
28.6%
Mortgage Stress
31.8%
Work From Home
16.7%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
90 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 25 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 2,105 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 43.6%
- English Spoken at Home
- 29.5%
- Employment Rate
- 45.9%
- Completed Year 12
- 43.0%
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.
1,662 residents (8.2%) 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 19,113 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
13% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (1,021 of 7,836).
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 17,431 people work here; 7,836 employed residents live here.
A jobs hub: 2.2 jobs for every working resident. At least 55% of the people who work here must live elsewhere.
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 $1,899 a year through Whittlesea based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 39%
- Industrial 30%
- Infrastructure and transport 22%
- Parks and recreation 3%
- Commercial 3%
- Other and special use 2%
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: Whittlesea
In the year to August 2026, 2,632 new dwellings were approved across Whittlesea. That mix is 2,157 houses and 475 units. Approvals are down 27.5% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 108 homes
- Apartment and townhouse projects under construction 88 homes
- Projects possible in the longer term 20 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 3.9 µg/m³ in 2025 — below the WHO 2021 annual guideline (5 µg/m³).
From the Macleod monitoring station, 6.1 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Essendon Airport, 10.2 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 105 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 18.7 km
- Near high-voltage lines
- 7.2% of addresses
- 901 within 100 m of an overhead line of 110 kV or more
- Annual rainfall
- 534 mm
- 85 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 26.7°C
- 13 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 6.5°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
26 facilities within 5 km- 0.8 kmPolymer Foam Product ManufacturingTop reported: Dichloromethane · Toluene-2,4-diisocyanate
- 1.0 km
- 1.2 kmPoultry ProcessingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 1.3 kmAdhesive ManufacturingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Methyl ethyl ketone · Toluene (methylbenzene)
- 1.7 kmPoultry ProcessingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
EV adoption
In postcode 3074, 93 of 18,778 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.5% (660 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 4.0%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3074, 2,245 rooftop-solar systems totalling 19.9 MW have been installed since 2001, against 7,890 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 153 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.
16 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3074 in 2025-26, rank 59 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 167, in 2001-02.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
5 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 $760,000 this is $10,000 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 Andrew Giles Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Andrew Giles | 64.3% | 35.7% | -1.1 |
| 2022 | Andrew Giles | 65.6% | 34.4% | +6.1 |
| 2019 | Andrew Giles | 71.7% | 28.3% | -2.1 |
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 Bronwyn Halfpenny Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Bronwyn Halfpenny ALP | 51.8% | 66.0% | 34.0% |
| 2018 | Bronwyn Halfpenny ALP | 61.7% | 77.2% | 22.8% |
| 2014 | Bronwyn Halfpenny ALP | 66.7% | 78.4% | 21.6% |
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 Thomastown?
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 20,234 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
Compare Thomastown 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 Thomastown
Is Thomastown a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Thomastown is high (83/100, 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 Thomastown?
Thomastown has a low recorded bushfire history (37/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (47/100). Part of it sits inside an aircraft noise contour. These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Thomastown a good place to live?
Thomastown has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (39/100), 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 Thomastown?
Thomastown, VIC had a population of 20,234 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Thomastown, VIC?
The postcode for Thomastown, VIC is 3074.
How far is Thomastown from Melbourne?
Thomastown is 16 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 32 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Thomastown?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Thomastown was $63,700 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 Thomastown?
The median advertised rent in Thomastown is $550 a week for houses (80 listings) and $460 a week for units (33 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Thomastown?
The median age of residents in Thomastown was 39 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Thomastown at risk of bushfire?
Thomastown has a low recorded bushfire history (37/100). 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 Thomastown?
There are 8 schools inside the Thomastown boundary: 1 above, 1 at, and 6 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Thomastown walkable?
Thomastown scores 86/100 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 air quality in Thomastown?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Thomastown (Macleod) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 3.9 µg/m³. That puts Thomastown below the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Thomastown?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Thomastown, Essendon Airport (10.2 km away), summer days average 26.7°C, winter nights 6.5°C, 534 mm of rain a year over 85 rainy days, and 13 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Thomastown?
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 Thomastown belong to?
Thomastown sits within the Whittlesea local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Thomastown?
The average residential rates bill through Whittlesea is $1,899 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Thomastown?
Across Whittlesea, 2,632 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 27.5% 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 Thomastown in?
Thomastown sits within the federal Division of Scullin, currently held by Andrew Giles (Australian Labor Party).
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.
Was the information on this page useful to you?
Thanks! Anything we could improve?
We hate spam as much as you do — we'll never use your email for marketing, and we might not be able to reply to everyone.
Thanks for your feedback! 🙏
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.