Get a property report and suburb profile for any property in Carrum Downs

Carrum Downs is a south-eastern Melbourne suburb of about 21,976 people with a median age of 36. It combines established residential streets, light-industrial zones and newer family-focused estates, and tends to attract families, tradespeople and commuters seeking practical homes with yards. Families form the core of households, with couple families with children the largest group, and most dwellings are owner-occupied (71.9%).

Everyday life centres on local schools including Carrum Downs Secondary College, sporting clubs and a shopping centre, while pockets of bushland and reserves provide walking trails and native birdlife. Main roads connect the suburb to nearby beachside communities and larger employment precincts, and the mix of standalone houses, townhouses and industrial areas gives it a working residential character rather than a coastal village. Whether Carrum Downs suits you will depend on if you value practical family housing, yards and good road links. There are no significant new infrastructure projects for the suburb at present.

Buying in Carrum Downs sits well above local incomes at the last Census. A median house price of $800,000 is about 9.3 times a typical local annual household income at the last Census (weekly household income $1,658 × 52 = $86,216), while a median unit price of $600,000 is about 7.0 times that annual income.

On the renting side, a house rent of $600 a week is about 36.2% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census, and a unit rent of $515 a week is about 31.0%. On these figures, renting would take a sizeable share of a typical local household's income at the last Census, and buying—especially a house—sits well above what households then earned; whether that feels expensive depends on your own circumstances.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

House values in Carrum Downs climbed a strong 10.7% over the past 12 months. That rise in house values outpaced growth in the rent those houses earn, which rose a modest 3.4% over the same period.

On the unit side, values increased a modest 3.4% and unit rents rose a modest 3.0%. Put simply, capital growth was strongest for houses this year, while rental income rose only modestly for both houses and units. Whether that balance suits your needs depends on your own goals and circumstances.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.