Thornbury, VIC: suburb profile

The population of Thornbury VIC is 19,005 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Thornbury is $1,042 per week ($54,184 per year). Median rent in Thornbury is $391 per week ($1,694 per month). Thornbury has a median age of 37 years, younger than the national median of 38. Thornbury has a population density of 3,703 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Thornbury is Greece. The most common religion is No religion (53.3% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Greek. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Thornbury is $2,200.

There were 1,695 recorded offences in Thornbury in 2025-25, a rate of 89 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (926 offences).

Population
19,005
Census 2021
Median income
$1,042/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$391/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
37years
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.

Thornbury vs the typical VIC suburb

The median personal income in Thornbury is $1,042 a week, 36% above the typical VIC suburb ($767). That ranks 99th of 1,274 VIC suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $391 a week, $75 more than the typical VIC suburb. Rent takes 19.8% of the median household income here, against 19.1% in the typical VIC suburb. The median resident is 37, 6 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.
MeasureThornburyTypical VICDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,042/wk$767/wk +36%$766/wk
Household income$1,971/wk$1,687/wk +17%$1,637/wk
Rent$391/wk$316/wk +24%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,200/mo$1,723/mo +28%$1,733/mo
Median age3743 −6 yrs42
Rent share of household income19.8%19.1% +0.7 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 Thornbury, the typical VIC suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Thornbury Population

19,005 residents at the 2021 Census.

Thornbury Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,042/wk
$54,184 per year
Ranked 970 of 14,663
Median Rent
$391/wk
$1,694 per month
Ranked 2,246 of 14,663
Median Age
37years
1 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$2,200/mo
Avg household size: 2.3 · 0.9 per bedroom

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

Thornbury Rent Prices & Affordability

20% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,971/wk
Median rent $391/wk
Rent to income 19.8%

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

Median rent in Thornbury against your income

About $8,541 a month
Median rent $391/wk
Left after rent $1,580/wk
Rent share 19.8%

Thornbury Schools

46
schools nearby
29
government
1110
avg ICSEA score
21,898
total students
Westgarth Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 550 students
1204
ICSEA
Merri Creek Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 442 students
1186
ICSEA
Deutsche Schule Melbourne Independent
Primary · Prep-6 · 165 students
1186
ICSEA
Alphington Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 365 students
1173
ICSEA
Fairfield Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 556 students
1170
ICSEA
Spensley Street Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 261 students
1170
ICSEA
Northcote Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 303 students
1166
ICSEA
Bell Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 440 students
1165
ICSEA
Brunswick East Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 279 students
1162
ICSEA
Northcote High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,668 students
1153
ICSEA
Fitzroy North Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 363 students
1150
ICSEA
St Bernadette's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 191 students
1149
ICSEA
Newlands Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 437 students
1146
ICSEA
St Anthony's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 92 students
1141
ICSEA
Wales Street Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 616 students
1140
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 46 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 Thornbury, with a map

Thornbury Map

Thornbury, Victoria Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Thornbury, Victoria: 37.7584°S, 145.0058°E

Thornbury Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (46)

People in Thornbury

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 47.7% (9,070) Female 52.3% (9,934)

Population Density

3,703
people per km²
19,005 people · 5.1 km²

Households

2.3
Avg household size
0.9
Persons per bedroom
$2,713
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

Greece
4.2%
England
2.9%
Italy
2.9%
New Zealand
2.2%
India
1.2%
Vietnam
1.0%
China
0.9%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Greek
8.0%
Italian
4.2%
Arabic
1.7%
Vietnamese
1.1%
Mandarin
1.1%
Spanish
0.9%
Cantonese
0.8%

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

Ancestry

English
29.7%
Australian
24.8%
Irish
14.4%
Italian
12.6%
Greek
10.9%
Scottish
10.8%
German
3.8%
Chinese
3.6%
Lebanese
1.9%
Dutch
1.8%
Indian
1.6%

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
53.3%
Catholic
17.8%
Eastern Orthodox
10.4%
Not stated
4.8%
Anglican
2.5%
Islam
2.1%
Buddhism
1.7%
Christian (other)
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.8%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
33.4% 5,406
Separated
2.6% 424
Divorced
7.1% 1,143
Widowed
4.7% 756
Never married
52.3% 8,469

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
42.9%
Couple: no children
29.6%
Couple: no children under 15
15.7%
One parent: no children under 15
6.8%
One parent: children under 15
5.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
33.7%
2 persons
32.0%
3 persons
15.5%
4 persons
14.2%
5 persons
3.7%
6+ persons
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Thornbury

Housing Tenure

Of the 7,996 occupied private dwellings in Thornbury at the 2021 Census, 41.9% were rented, 27.1% owned outright and 28.8% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.1% 91 dwellings
Owned outright
27.1% 2,165 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
28.8% 2,306 dwellings
Rented
41.9% 3,347 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.1% 91 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
68.7%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
19.1%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
12.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
14.8%
2 bedrooms
35.6%
3 bedrooms
36.0%
4 bedrooms
11.3%
5 bedrooms
1.8%
6+ bedrooms
0.5%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
6.8%
$300-$449/mo
1.9%
$450-$599/mo
1.5%
$600-$799/mo
2.5%
$800-$999/mo
3.8%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
11.3%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
13.5%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
23.2%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
14.8%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
20.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
14.5%
1 vehicle
47.6%
2 vehicles
28.8%
3 vehicles
6.4%
4+ vehicles
2.6%

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

Work, income and education in Thornbury

Employment

Employed full-time
44.3% 6,560 people
Employed part-time
25.3% 3,749 people
Unemployed
3.6% 537 people
Not in labour force
26.8% 3,978 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
46.6%
Managers
17.0%
Clerical & Administrative
10.5%
Technicians & Trade Workers
8.8%
Community & Personal Service
8.6%
Sales Workers
3.9%
Labourers
2.8%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
1.8%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.6%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$150-$299/wk
1.2%
$300-$399/wk
2.9%
$400-$499/wk
5.5%
$500-$649/wk
3.9%
$650-$799/wk
4.8%
$800-$999/wk
4.9%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
6.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.8%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
11.6%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
7.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.4%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
5.0%
$4,000+/wk
18.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.8%
$1-$149/wk
3.4%
$150-$299/wk
4.8%
$300-$399/wk
3.7%
$400-$499/wk
2.9%
$500-$649/wk
3.1%
$650-$799/wk
7.4%
$800-$999/wk
8.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.4%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.2%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
9.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
7.3%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
13.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.5%
$3,500+/wk
5.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
54.5%
Did not go to work
22.5%
Bicycle
6.2%
Tram/Light Rail
3.9%
Walked only
3.5%
Train
3.4%
Car (passenger)
2.9%
Bus
1.1%
Other
0.7%
Truck
0.5%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.4%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.4%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
85.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
6.4%
Year 10 or equivalent
5.9%
Year 9 or equivalent
2.1%

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

Bachelor Degree
44.3%
Postgraduate Degree
19.9%
Certificate III/IV
13.4%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
12.9%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
8.6%
Certificate I/II
0.9%

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

Field of Study

Society & Culture
20.0%
Management & Commerce
18.7%
Creative Arts
14.7%
Health
11.9%
Education
8.2%
Engineering
7.7%
Architecture & Building
5.2%
Natural & Physical Sciences
5.1%
Information Technology
3.7%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
2.8%
Agriculture & Environment
2.0%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
30.3%
Secondary: Government
20.3%
Vocational Education
14.0%
Pre-school
12.8%
Primary: Catholic
9.0%
Secondary: Catholic
7.6%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
3.9%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
2.0%

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
90.2%
Has need for assistance
6.5%
Need for assistance not stated
3.4%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
2,442
Asthma
785
Arthritis
371
Diabetes
346
Heart disease
323
Lung condition
189
Cancer
174
Kidney disease
127
Stroke
120
Dementia
108

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
13.7% 2,116
Did not provide
86.3% 13,314

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
15.5% 2,391
Not a volunteer
84.5% 13,047

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.0% 4
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 10
Previously served
0.8% 124
Never served
99.1% 15,359

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
54.0%
1 child
13.3%
2 children
21.3%
3 children
8.5%
4 children
2.2%
5+ children
0.7%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
36
1951: 1960
363
1961: 1970
847
1971: 1980
506
1981: 1990
545
1991: 2000
491
2001: 2010
810
2011: 2015
561
2016
145
2017
134
2018
145
2019
133
2020
45
2021
8

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

Population Mobility

17.7%
moved in the last year
44.6%
moved in the last 5 years
4.6%
unemployment rate (Census)
71.2%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
14,987
Moved from VIC
2,473
Moved: same area (SA2)
448
Moved from overseas
121
Moved from NSW
61
Moved from QLD
31
Moved from TAS
11
Moved from WA
10
Moved from SA
8
Moved from NT
7
Moved from ACT
4

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
25.0%
5: 14 hours
36.2%
15: 29 hours
12.3%
30+ hours
6.8%
Did not do domestic work
19.8%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
94.5%
Step family: no other children
3.7%
Blended family: no other children
1.4%
Intact family: other children present
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Thornbury Crime Statistics

1,695 reported offences in 2025-25, by category.

Theft
926
Assault
157
Property Damage
155
Justice Procedures
154
Break & Enter
136
Fraud
55
Drug Offences
44
Weapons
30
Public Order
27
Robbery
7
Traffic
2
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

South Geelong
Income: $937/wk Rent: $350/wk $41/wk less rent
Baranduda
Income: $942/wk Rent: $355/wk $36/wk less rent
Kingsville
Income: $1,202/wk Rent: $355/wk $36/wk less rent
Seville
Income: $900/wk Rent: $369/wk $22/wk less rent
Fairfield (Vic.)
Income: $1,093/wk Rent: $369/wk $22/wk less rent
Ascot Vale
Income: $1,080/wk Rent: $370/wk $21/wk less rent
Lara
Income: $834/wk Rent: $370/wk $21/wk less rent
Maiden Gully
Income: $897/wk Rent: $380/wk $11/wk less rent

Suburbs near Thornbury

The closest suburb to Thornbury is Northcote, 1.6 km away.

Northcote
1.6 km away · income $1,166/wk · rent $475/wk
Preston (Vic.)
1.9 km away · income $872/wk · rent $392/wk
Brunswick East
2.7 km away · income $1,252/wk · rent $421/wk
Bellfield (Banyule - Vic.)
2.9 km away · income $722/wk · rent $375/wk
Fairfield (Vic.)
3.0 km away · income $1,093/wk · rent $369/wk
Alphington
3.2 km away · income $1,199/wk · rent $451/wk

Compare Thornbury

Frequently Asked Questions About Thornbury

What is the population of Thornbury VIC?

The population of Thornbury VIC is 19,005 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 3,703 people per km². Thornbury is ranked #160 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Thornbury?

The median personal income in Thornbury VIC is $1,042 per week, or $54,184 per year. The median household income is $1,971 per week. Family income is $2,713 per week. Thornbury is ranked #970 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Thornbury?

Median rent in Thornbury VIC is $391 per week ($1,694 per month). Rent represents 19.8% of household income, which is considered affordable. Thornbury ranks #2,246 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Thornbury?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Thornbury VIC is $2,200. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Thornbury?

The median age in Thornbury VIC is 37 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Thornbury a good suburb to live in?

Thornbury is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 19,005. The median income is $1,042/wk, which is above the typical VIC suburb ($767/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (19.8% 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: 22508. All dollar figures in AUD.