Moving to Donvale VIC 3111
What the official numbers say about living in Donvale — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $1,514,000 for a median house or $872,500 for a unit (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 80% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $450 a week, against a median household income of $2,100 a week.
Who you'll be living with
Donvale grew 7% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (11,795 → 12,644 people).
Largest overseas birthplaces: China, Hong Kong, Malaysia; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Cantonese, Greek.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Donvale sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (57% of workers), while 41% work from home.
Nearest train station: Mitcham, 3 km south.
Nearest railway halt: Box Hill, 6 km west.
Nearest bus interchange: Ringwood Station/Maroondah Hwy, 4.8 km south-east.
Nearest airport: Moorabbin Airport, 22.1 km south.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 20 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 41 schools · 49 cafes & restaurants · 6 supermarkets · 75 parks — see them all on the Donvale profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Heatherwood School 1.2 km · Donvale Primary School 1.3 km · Whitefriars College 1.4 km · Donburn Primary School 1.6 km · Mullauna Secondary College 1.9 km · Our Lady of the Pines Primary School 2 km · Mitcham Primary School 2.1 km · Carey Baptist Grammar School Donvale Campus 2.1 km
Groceries: Coles 1.1 km · KFL Supermarkets 2.1 km · Woolworths 2.3 km · Woolworths 2.8 km · KT Mart Asian Grocery 2.8 km · Santosh Indian Grocery 3 km
Parks and reserves: Decontra Reserve 50 m · Garden Reserve 550 m · Pine Ridge Reserve 750 m · Donvale Reserve 850 m · Murndal Drive Reserve 950 m · Edward Reserve 950 m · Larne Reserve 1000 m · Daniel Street Reserve 1 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Donvale, most often seen first: Little Raven · Rainbow Lorikeet · Noisy Miner · Australian Magpie · Southern Victoria Australian Magpie · Pacific Black Duck.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Donvale, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donvale here | 12,644 | $1,514,000 | 10/10 | 32% |
| Doncaster East | 30,926 | $1,603,500 | 9/10 | 12% |
| Nunawading | 12,413 | $1,152,500 | 9/10 | 13% |
| Mitcham | 16,795 | $1,180,000 | 10/10 | 20% |
| Blackburn North | 7,627 | $1,273,000 | 9/10 | 14% |
| Park Orchards | 3,835 | $1,936,000 | 10/10 | 49% |
| Blackburn | 14,478 | $1,517,000 | 10/10 | 25% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Manningham — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Menzies — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3111 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Donvale profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in Donvale has a median sale price of $1,514,000 (2024 sales), and a unit $872,500. Renters pay a median $450 a week.
The population grew 7% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 11,795 people to 12,644. It sits about 20 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line, and Mitcham station is roughly 3 km away. Local government is Manningham council, and the federal seat is Menzies.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Donvale vs Doncaster East · Donvale vs Nunawading.
Nearby guides: Doncaster East · Nunawading · Mitcham · Blackburn North · Park Orchards · Blackburn.
Keep an eye on Donvale
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