Ferntree Gully, VIC: suburb profile

The population of Ferntree Gully VIC is 27,398 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Ferntree Gully is $791 per week ($41,132 per year). Median rent in Ferntree Gully is $386 per week ($1,673 per month). Ferntree Gully has a median age of 40 years, older than the national median of 38. Ferntree Gully has a population density of 1,957 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Ferntree Gully is England. The most common religion is No religion (46.6% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Ferntree Gully is $1,918.

There were 1,819 recorded offences in Ferntree Gully in 2025-25, a rate of 66 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (655 offences).

Population
27,398
Census 2021
Median income
$791/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$386/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
40years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (crimestatistics.vic.gov.au), 2025-25.

Ferntree Gully vs the typical VIC suburb

The median personal income in Ferntree Gully is $791 a week, 3% above the typical VIC suburb ($767). That ranks 550th of 1,274 VIC suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $386 a week, $70 more than the typical VIC suburb. Rent takes 21.8% of the median household income here, against 19.1% in the typical VIC suburb. The median resident is 40, 3 years younger than in the typical VIC suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureFerntree GullyTypical VICDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$791/wk$767/wk +3%$766/wk
Household income$1,770/wk$1,687/wk +5%$1,637/wk
Rent$386/wk$316/wk +22%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,918/mo$1,723/mo +11%$1,733/mo
Median age4043 −3 yrs42
Rent share of household income21.8%19.1% +2.7 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Ferntree Gully, the typical VIC suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Ferntree Gully Population

27,398 residents at the 2021 Census.

Ferntree Gully Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$791/wk
$41,132 per year
Ranked 3,726 of 14,663
Median Rent
$386/wk
$1,673 per month
Ranked 2,377 of 14,663
Median Age
40years
2 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,918/mo
Avg household size: 2.6 · 0.8 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Ferntree Gully Rent Prices & Affordability

22% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $1,770/wk
Median rent $386/wk
Rent to income 21.8%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Ferntree Gully against your income

About $7,670 a month
Median rent $386/wk
Left after rent $1,384/wk
Rent share 21.8%

Ferntree Gully Schools

18
schools nearby
12
government
1030
avg ICSEA score
5,026
total students
Karoo Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 422 students
1086
ICSEA
St Joseph's Primary School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 129 students
1086
ICSEA
St John the Baptist School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 221 students
1075
ICSEA
Mountain Gate Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 432 students
1072
ICSEA
Lysterfield Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 482 students
1064
ICSEA
Heritage College Knox Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 183 students
1059
ICSEA
Ferntree Gully North Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 289 students
1055
ICSEA
St Joseph's College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 991 students
1052
ICSEA
Eastern Ranges School Government
Combined · U · 200 students
1031
ICSEA
Knox Central Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 75 students
1018
ICSEA
Kent Park Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 197 students
1012
ICSEA
Wattle View Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 247 students
1006
ICSEA
Fairhills Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 104 students
1004
ICSEA
The Avenue School Independent
Secondary · 11 · 21 students
999
ICSEA
Fairhills High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 404 students
994
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 18 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Ferntree Gully, with a map

Ferntree Gully Map

Ferntree Gully, Victoria Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Ferntree Gully, Victoria: 37.8862°S, 145.2821°E

Ferntree Gully Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (18)

People in Ferntree Gully

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.1% (13,455) Female 50.9% (13,942)

Population Density

1,957
people per km²
27,398 people · 14.0 km²

Households

2.6
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,142
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
3.8%
China
2.7%
India
2.3%
Sri Lanka
1.5%
Malaysia
1.3%
New Zealand
1.2%
Philippines
0.8%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
3.7%
Cantonese
1.5%
Sinhalese
1.2%
Italian
0.8%
Gujarati
0.7%
Persian (excluding Dari)
0.7%
Greek
0.7%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
35.7%
Australian
33.9%
Irish
9.9%
Scottish
9.2%
Chinese
7.4%
German
4.7%
Italian
4.5%
Indian
3.1%
Dutch
2.9%
Greek
1.6%
Sri Lankan
1.3%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
46.6%
Catholic
18.7%
Anglican
7.3%
Not stated
5.3%
Christian (other)
3.0%
Buddhism
2.8%
Hinduism
2.4%
Uniting Church
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.9%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
46.8% 10,580
Separated
3.2% 716
Divorced
9.2% 2,078
Widowed
5.1% 1,144
Never married
35.7% 8,068

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
40.6%
Couple: no children
24.3%
Couple: no children under 15
19.7%
One parent: no children under 15
8.7%
One parent: children under 15
6.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
23.9%
2 persons
32.6%
3 persons
17.7%
4 persons
17.4%
5 persons
6.0%
6+ persons
2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Ferntree Gully

Housing Tenure

Of the 10,280 occupied private dwellings in Ferntree Gully at the 2021 Census, 21.2% were rented, 33.7% owned outright and 42.6% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.5% 155 dwellings
Owned outright
33.7% 3,462 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
42.6% 4,384 dwellings
Rented
21.2% 2,176 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.1% 108 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
90.0%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
5.9%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
4.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
2.1%
2 bedrooms
14.7%
3 bedrooms
50.7%
4 bedrooms
25.9%
5 bedrooms
5.6%
6+ bedrooms
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
5.2%
$300-$449/mo
1.7%
$450-$599/mo
1.6%
$600-$799/mo
2.7%
$800-$999/mo
4.3%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
13.5%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
17.8%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
27.5%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
16.3%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
9.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
4.3%
1 vehicle
32.9%
2 vehicles
41.6%
3 vehicles
13.4%
4+ vehicles
7.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Ferntree Gully

Employment

Employed full-time
39.9% 8,350 people
Employed part-time
22.8% 4,764 people
Unemployed
3.2% 664 people
Not in labour force
34.2% 7,156 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
28.4%
Technicians & Trade Workers
18.2%
Managers
13.6%
Clerical & Administrative
12.9%
Community & Personal Service
12.1%
Sales Workers
5.6%
Labourers
5.0%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
4.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.8%
$1-$149/wk
0.8%
$150-$299/wk
0.9%
$300-$399/wk
2.2%
$400-$499/wk
6.0%
$500-$649/wk
3.9%
$650-$799/wk
6.0%
$800-$999/wk
6.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.9%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
13.5%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
9.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.7%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.9%
$4,000+/wk
9.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
11.1%
$1-$149/wk
4.7%
$150-$299/wk
5.9%
$300-$399/wk
4.0%
$400-$499/wk
3.6%
$500-$649/wk
3.3%
$650-$799/wk
9.0%
$800-$999/wk
11.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
12.4%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.9%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
8.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.6%
$3,500+/wk
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
73.9%
Did not go to work
15.9%
Car (passenger)
4.6%
Train
1.7%
Walked only
0.8%
Truck
0.8%
Bus
0.8%
Bicycle
0.5%
Other
0.5%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.2%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.2%
Ferry
0.1%
Tram/Light Rail
0.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
63.8%
Year 10 or equivalent
16.0%
Year 11 or equivalent
14.5%
Year 9 or equivalent
5.7%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
34.3%
Bachelor Degree
29.3%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
20.3%
Postgraduate Degree
9.5%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.5%
Certificate I/II
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
21.0%
Engineering
16.5%
Society & Culture
12.2%
Health
11.2%
Education
8.6%
Architecture & Building
8.1%
Information Technology
6.2%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
5.3%
Creative Arts
4.9%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.6%
Agriculture & Environment
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
33.1%
Secondary: Government
21.5%
Vocational Education
12.7%
Pre-school
12.1%
Secondary: Catholic
8.1%
Primary: Catholic
5.7%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
4.3%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
2.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
90.4%
Has need for assistance
6.0%
Need for assistance not stated
3.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
2,812
Asthma
1,143
Arthritis
903
Diabetes
811
Heart disease
672
Lung condition
487
Cancer
400
Stroke
262
Kidney disease
219
Dementia
65

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
14.5% 3,137
Did not provide
85.5% 18,539

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Not a volunteer
86.7% 18,825
Volunteer
13.3% 2,887

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.0% 5
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 20
Previously served
2.2% 483
Never served
97.7% 21,283

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
32.7%
1 child
13.7%
2 children
31.3%
3 children
15.6%
4 children
5.3%
5+ children
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
86
1951: 1960
475
1961: 1970
744
1971: 1980
595
1981: 1990
836
1991: 2000
652
2001: 2010
1,726
2011: 2015
1,024
2016
158
2017
171
2018
115
2019
176
2020
53
2021
14

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

9.9%
moved in the last year
31.8%
moved in the last 5 years
4.5%
unemployment rate (Census)
64.8%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
23,562
Moved from VIC
2,199
Moved: same area (SA2)
212
Moved from overseas
75
Moved from NSW
26
Moved from QLD
18
Moved from WA
13
Moved from TAS
8
Moved from SA
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
22.3%
5: 14 hours
30.3%
15: 29 hours
13.1%
30+ hours
8.7%
Did not do domestic work
25.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
89.3%
Step family: no other children
6.4%
Blended family: no other children
3.5%
Intact family: other children present
0.5%
Other couple: children only
0.2%
Step family: other children present
0.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Ferntree Gully Crime Statistics

1,819 reported offences in 2025-25, by category.

Theft
655
Assault
299
Justice Procedures
299
Property Damage
141
Break & Enter
139
Drug Offences
106
Fraud
102
Weapons
48
Public Order
23
Robbery
5
Other
2

Total offences by year

2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (crimestatistics.vic.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Nichols Point
Income: $885/wk Rent: $225/wk $161/wk less rent
Yinnar
Income: $749/wk Rent: $245/wk $141/wk less rent
Horsham
Income: $748/wk Rent: $245/wk $141/wk less rent
Irymple (Vic.)
Income: $763/wk Rent: $260/wk $126/wk less rent
Glengarry (Vic.)
Income: $845/wk Rent: $270/wk $116/wk less rent
Longford (Vic.)
Income: $791/wk Rent: $274/wk $112/wk less rent
Black Hill (Vic.)
Income: $805/wk Rent: $290/wk $96/wk less rent
Golden Point (Ballarat - Vic.)
Income: $757/wk Rent: $290/wk $96/wk less rent

Suburbs near Ferntree Gully

The closest suburb to Ferntree Gully is Upper Ferntree Gully, 2.9 km away.

Upper Ferntree Gully
2.9 km away · income $847/wk · rent $369/wk
Knoxfield
3.0 km away · income $764/wk · rent $421/wk
Boronia
3.6 km away · income $800/wk · rent $376/wk
Upwey
4.5 km away · income $895/wk · rent $390/wk
Ferny Creek
4.7 km away · income $875/wk · rent $400/wk
Bayswater (Vic.)
4.7 km away · income $785/wk · rent $375/wk

Compare Ferntree Gully

Frequently Asked Questions About Ferntree Gully

What is the population of Ferntree Gully VIC?

The population of Ferntree Gully VIC is 27,398 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,957 people per km². Ferntree Gully is ranked #58 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Ferntree Gully?

The median personal income in Ferntree Gully VIC is $791 per week, or $41,132 per year. The median household income is $1,770 per week. Family income is $2,142 per week. Ferntree Gully is ranked #3,726 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Ferntree Gully?

Median rent in Ferntree Gully VIC is $386 per week ($1,673 per month). Rent represents 21.8% of household income, which is considered affordable. Ferntree Gully ranks #2,377 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Ferntree Gully?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Ferntree Gully VIC is $1,918. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Ferntree Gully?

The median age in Ferntree Gully VIC is 40 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Ferntree Gully a good suburb to live in?

Ferntree Gully is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 27,398. The median income is $791/wk, which is above the typical VIC suburb ($767/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (21.8% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Melbourne Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 20917. All dollar figures in AUD.