Deer Park
VICDeer Park is a declining suburb in VIC with 18,145 residents.
- SAL code
- 20729
- SA2
- 213011569
- Population
- 18,145
Deer Park, VIC had 18,145 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 3.2% decline over the last five years. The predominant age group is 25-34 years, and the median age sits at 35. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,689 a month. Around 66.5% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned with a mortgage at 35.9%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 87.2% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 22 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Deer Park, VIC at a glance
Deer Park is an established multicultural suburb ~17 km west of Melbourne CBD in the City of Brimbank. The housing stock is a mix of post-war fibro / brick and newer infill on subdivided lots, with the V/Line Melton corridor and Western Freeway carrying most of the commute load. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council context.
For homebuyers
Deer Park is an affordable middle-ring west option with a strong multicultural feel and decent transport bones. The dwelling mix is older single-storey houses on bigger lots alongside newer townhouses and unit packs from ongoing subdivision. Deer Park Plaza and the larger Brimbank Shopping Centre cover most of the day-to-day retail; Highpoint and Watergardens are short drives. The Melton-line train at Deer Park Station puts CBD trips at ~20 minutes (Rome2Rio), and Western Freeway / Western Ring Road access is immediate. Schools include Deer Park West Primary, Deer Park North Primary and Deer Park Secondary College, with Caroline Springs and Sunshine schools within easy reach. Buggy Creek Trail and the original Hunt Club community building anchor green space and local heritage. In short: a practical, affordable foothold in Melbourne's west with the train line, freeway and shops on the doorstep.
For investors
Deer Park is a moderate-yield, capital-growth-leaning play. Median house $694,000 against ~$500/wk rent gives ~3.76% gross yield; units sit at $554,000 and ~$465/wk for ~4.59% yield (htag.com.au, 2026). 12-month house growth ~5.15%, units ~8.63%. ~247 house sales in the past 12 months and just 16 days on market signal a tight, liquid market. Vacancy data isn't published cleanly at suburb level — broader Brimbank vacancy has been low through 2025-26.
Strengths
- Direct Melton-line train and Western Freeway access — ~20 min CBD by rail (Rome2Rio).
- Unit growth running ahead of houses (~+8.6% YoY, htag.com.au 2026) as infill stock rerates.
- Liquid market — ~247 house sales in 12 months and 16 days on market.
- Sub-$700K house entry into middle-ring Melbourne — rare on the western corridor.
Trade-offs
- House yield ~3.76% (htag.com.au 2026) — cashflow-thin compared to outer-growth alternatives.
- Older industrial and freight legacy near parts of the suburb — buyer-by-buyer street-quality varies.
- Ongoing infill subdivision across 3023 adds future unit supply that could cap yield compression.
- Brimbank-wide socio-economic profile is mixed — tenant due diligence matters more than in higher-SEIFA western suburbs.
What's coming
Brimbank Council's 2025/26 Draft Budget allocates $56.7m in capital works, including $12.1m for a new Cairnlea–Deer Park bus route and continued community-facility upgrades (Brimbank City Council 2025/26). Earlier-cycle Deer Park Library redevelopment and Robertson's Homestead works remain in delivery. Watch the Melton-line corridor upgrades and Suburban Rail Loop western planning for medium-term commute impact.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: an affordable middle-ring west entry with the train and freeway already in place. For investors: a moderate-yield, growth-leaning play with strong liquidity but thin cashflow on houses.
Population
?18,145
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
-3.2%
3yr: +2.3% · 10yr: -0.8%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,456/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
35
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?1/10
SA2 · more disadvantaged
Unemployment
?7.8%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
3
3 primary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?12
4 long day, 4 OSHC, 2 family
Parks & green space
?22
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?56
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
No data for this suburb
Median Weekly Rent
Based on rental bond lodgements recorded by the state government.
Median House Sale Price
Source: Valuer-General Victoria (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from VIC police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Deer Park (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Deer Park suburb alone is ~18,145 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 13,303 to 18,368 over 24 years, averaging 1.4% per year.
Schools
3 in suburbSector
2 public · 1 private
Type
3 primary
Total enrolment
1,185
Avg per school
395
Government school catchment
Catchment data is not yet available for VIC.
Source when available: Victorian Department of Education / Vicmap School Zones.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 2.0%Almost entirely detached houses (87.2%), mixed tenure (66.5% own or mortgage), built for families (64% are 3 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
VIC 29%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
Source: VIC DTP Designated Bushfire Prone Area
As of Apr 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Flood risk
Source: VIC DTP Vicmap Planning Overlay (flood codes)
As of Apr 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Planning zones
16 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| NRZ1 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 30.4% | 2.61 km² |
| GRZ1 | General Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 21.4% | 1.83 km² |
| C2Z | Commercial 2 ZoneBusiness | 8.5% | 0.73 km² |
| IN2Z | Industrial 2 ZoneIndustrial | 8.1% | 0.70 km² |
| IN1Z | Industrial 1 ZoneIndustrial | 7.3% | 0.63 km² |
| PPRZ | Public Park and Recreation ZoneRecreation | 6.0% | 0.52 km² |
| RGZ1 | Residential Growth Zone Schedule 1Residential | 4.0% | 0.34 km² |
| TRZ2 | TRZ2Special use | 3.3% | 0.28 km² |
| IN3Z | Industrial 3 ZoneIndustrial | 3.0% | 0.26 km² |
| TRZ1 | TRZ1Special use | 2.0% | 0.17 km² |
| C1Z | Commercial 1 ZoneBusiness | 1.9% | 0.16 km² |
| PUZ2 | Public Use Zone Schedule 2Special use | 1.6% | 0.14 km² |
| PUZ1 | Public Use Zone Schedule 1Special use | 1.4% | 0.12 km² |
| TRZ3 | TRZ3Special use | 0.5% | 0.04 km² |
| GRZ2 | General Residential Zone Schedule 2Residential | 0.5% | 0.04 km² |
| PUZ3 | Public Use Zone Schedule 3Special use | 0.1% | 0.01 km² |
Source: VIC DTP Vicmap Planning Zones (ZONE_VIC/2026-04-29/08783d2926383881) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.