Pakenham is a town 56 km south-east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, currently growing rapidly and in the process of becoming a suburb of Melbourne. Its population is 19000 (2005 est.)

It is the seat of Local Government for the Shire of Cardinia.

Pakenham is on the main railway line between Melbourne and Gippsland, and its railway station marks the end of the suburban electrified service. Pakenham is also on the Princes Highway, being the largest town between Geelong and Traralgon that has not been bypassed by freeway, although a bypass is planned. The main north-south roads through Pakenham take one north to Healesville and south to Koo Wee Rup. The postcode for Pakenham is 3810.

A new housing development (2003) is Lakeside Estate, built by the property company Delfin.

Pakenham also has a sports centre, and some horse races are conducted there.

The town is named after Sir Edward Pakenham, a British general who fought in the Peninsular War.