Altona
With a $1.14 million median house price and 61.1% separate houses, Altona reads as a higher value bayside market with more detached stock than many inner waterfront areas. Compared with Williamstown and Altona North, it has a quieter residential profile because 37.2% of homes are owned outright and the median age is 42. Its IRSAD decile 8 position and household income percentile of 65.9 point to above average advantage, while 29.6% born overseas and 43.1% university education show a well qualified, moderately global population rather than a transient renter base.
Population
11,490
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,826/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
37
Median House
$1.1M
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers face a $1.14 million median house price, down 5.0% from the $1.2 million peak in Jul-Sep 2023 but still 99.1% above the 2013 level. The mix is practical for families because 61.1% of dwellings are separate houses, 30.1% are semi-detached and only 8.6% are apartments. Three bedroom homes dominate at 46.9%, with 20.7% offering 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage repayments sit at 27.8% of income, below a stress flag, so the market is expensive but not uniformly stretched.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a $1.14 million median house price, down 5.0% from the $1.2 million peak in Jul-Sep 2023 but still 99.1% above the 2013 level. The mix is practical for families because 61.1% of dwellings are separate houses, 30.1% are semi-detached and only 8.6% are apartments. Three bedroom homes dominate at 46.9%, with 20.7% offering 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage repayments sit at 27.8% of income, below a stress flag, so the market is expensive but not uniformly stretched.
For Investors
Altona has a clear tenant pool, with 31.8% of households renting and median rent at $385 per week. The 8.6% vacancy rate is higher than a tight rental market, so investors need to price leasing risk rather than assume instant demand. Development activity is notable, with 28 applications in 12 months, mostly subdivision style work, because larger established lots can be reworked. Forecast migration is supportive: overseas migration averages 188 people annually, compared with net internal movement of -66.
Development Activity
Total DAs
55
Last 12 Months
37
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+270.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
$981K
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Altona iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Altona Primary School
Prep-6 · 512 students
Mount St Joseph Girls' College
7-12 · 1216 students
St Mary's School
Prep-6 · 259 students
Altona College
Prep-12 · 796 students
Demographics
Altona skews older and more educated than the national profile: the median age of 42 is 2.0 years above national, while 43.1% hold university qualifications, 13.0 percentage points above national. Overseas born residents are 29.6%, 8.0 points above national, led by English ancestry at 3,691 people, Irish at 1,373 and Italian at 847. Household size is 2.3, 0.2 below national, which fits the 29.6% share of couples without children and the substantial owned outright base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
61.1%
Houses
30.1%
Townhouse
8.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing values have nearly doubled over the long run, rising from a $572,500 median in 2013 to $1.14 million in Apr-Jun 2024, a 99.1% lift and 5.0% CAGR over 14 years. The latest median is 5.0% below the $1.2 million peak, creating a small reset rather than a major correction. Tenure is balanced: 37.2% owned outright, 30.9% mortgaged and 31.8% renting. Price pressure is high compared with income, but 21.1% rent to income and 27.8% mortgage to income remain below stress thresholds.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,197
Rent / wk
$385
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$947
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.6%
Unoccupied
451
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.6%
Couples, no children
8,923
Total families
Economy & Employment
Altona's workforce leans into stable service and knowledge sectors, with Education and Healthcare each at 13.0%, Professional/Tech at 12.0%, Public Admin at 10.6% and Construction at 9.9%. Professionals number 1,658, ahead of 909 Managers and 809 Clerical/Admin workers, which helps explain the higher IEO decile 8 score. Unemployment is 4.4%, participation is 58.7% and 68.5% of employed residents work full time. The IER decile 6 is lower than IRSAD decile 8, suggesting some income spread despite strong education advantage.
Unemployment
2.4%
Labour Force
8,416
Unemployed
203
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.5%
Part-time
27.1%
Participation
58.7%
Employed
5,323
Occupations
Top Industries
University
43.1%
Postgraduate
11.7%
Born Overseas
29.6%
Dwellings
4,800
Transport to Work
Daily life is car oriented, with 83.6% driving to work compared with 6.5% using public transport and 5.0% walking or cycling. Education access is a strength because 4 local schools cover government and Catholic options, led by Altona Primary School with ICSEA 1111, Mount St Joseph Girls' College at 1100 and St Mary's School at 1060; the ICSEA range is 1044 to 1111. Safety needs context: 748 offences equal 65.1 per 1,000 people, with property and deception offences at 413. IRSAD decile 8 supports above average local amenity.
Drive
83.6%
Public Transport
6.5%
Walk / Cycle
5.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.82%/yr
(+119 people/yr)
EstablishedForecast growth is steady rather than explosive, with the trend adding 0.82% a year, about 119 people annually. The medium scenario moves from 14,390 residents in 2026 to 14,984 in 2031, so infrastructure pressure should build gradually. Overseas migration is the primary driver, averaging 188 net people a year compared with -66 net internal movement, which means local affordability and lifestyle outflows are being backfilled from abroad. The gentrification score is 6 and stage is Not gentrifying, while the broader shift trajectory is Mixed.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+188
Net Internal / yr
-66
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +18% since 2011
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
748
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
65.1
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Altona compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Altona a good suburb to live in?
Yes, for buyers who want bayside living with established housing. Altona has a $1.14 million median house price, IRSAD decile 8, 4 local schools and a median age of 42, making it more settled than many faster turnover suburbs.
What is the median house price in Altona?
The median house price in Altona is $1,140,000 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 5.0% below the $1,200,000 peak recorded in Jul-Sep 2023, but still 99.1% higher than the 2013 median of $572,500.
What schools are in Altona?
Altona has 4 listed local schools: Altona Primary School, Mount St Joseph Girls' College, St Mary's School and Altona College. ICSEA scores range from 1044 to 1111, with government and Catholic sectors both represented.
Is Altona safe?
Altona recorded 748 offences, equal to 65.1 per 1,000 people. Property and deception offences are the largest category at 413, followed by 144 crimes against the person, so buyers should compare street level conditions as well as suburb totals.
Is Altona good for property investment?
Altona can suit patient investors because 31.8% of households rent and median rent is $385 per week. However, the 8.6% vacancy rate is higher than a tight market, so rental pricing and property quality matter.
How is Altona's population changing?
Altona is forecast to grow gradually, adding about 119 people a year at 0.82% annual growth. The medium scenario rises from 14,390 residents in 2026 to 14,984 in 2031, driven mainly by overseas migration.
What development is happening in Altona?
Development is active but generally incremental, with 28 applications in the past 12 months. Recent examples include 2 lot subdivisions and small dwelling changes, reflecting pressure to reuse established land rather than large estate style growth.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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