Altona
With 11,490 residents across 16.74 sq km, Altona combines established household wealth with an older-than-national age profile. Median age is 42, or 2 years above the national figure, while household income sits at the 65.9th percentile. University attainment reaches 43.1%, 13 percentage points above national, and 36.6% own their homes outright. Compared with nearby Newport and Williamstown, Altona's profile is defined by 61.1% separate houses and 30.1% semi-detached homes. That established base is reinforced by 78.2% of residents staying at the same address, while education, health and professional services shape the local employment mix.
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
50
Median House
$1.3M
October to December 2025
Separate houses account for 61.1% of dwellings and semi-detached homes for 30.1%, compared with just 8.6% apartments. Three-bedroom properties lead at 46.9%, ahead of four-plus-bedroom homes at 20.7%, so family-sized layouts dominate. Monthly mortgage repayments are listed at $2,197, with mortgage costs equal to 27.8% of household income, below the 31.3% share renting. Prices are 126.3% above the 2013 level, which explains why earlier affordability has not been retained.
For Buyers
Separate houses account for 61.1% of dwellings and semi-detached homes for 30.1%, compared with just 8.6% apartments. Three-bedroom properties lead at 46.9%, ahead of four-plus-bedroom homes at 20.7%, so family-sized layouts dominate. Monthly mortgage repayments are listed at $2,197, with mortgage costs equal to 27.8% of household income, below the 31.3% share renting. Prices are 126.3% above the 2013 level, which explains why earlier affordability has not been retained.
For Investors
Altona presents a mixed investor case because rental demand is meaningful but vacancy is relatively high. Rents average $385 a week and 31.3% of households rent, a share higher than the 1.6% in other tenure categories. The 8.6% vacancy rate gives tenants more choice than in a tightly supplied market, so landlords may need competitive pricing and good property presentation. Development activity is notable, with 49 applications in 12 months, including transport facilitation and subdivision matters. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, which can support rental demand as new arrivals establish themselves.
Development Activity
Total DAs
73
Last 12 Months
50
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+284.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
$642K
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Altona
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Altona College
Altona Primary School
St Mary's School
Mount St Joseph Girls' College
Demographics
Altona is older and more university educated than national patterns. Median age is 42, 2 years above national, while 43.1% of residents hold university qualifications, 13 percentage points above national. The overseas-born share is 29.6%, or 8 points above national, with English, Irish, Scottish and Italian the largest recorded ancestries at 3,691, 1,373, 1,070 and 847 people. Average household size is 2.3, 0.2 below national, consistent with 41.5% of couples having no children and 15.0% of families being one-parent households. Italian, Greek and Mandarin are the leading non-English languages, with 82, 79 and 69 speakers respectively. The 78.2% staying rate points to residential stability, while overseas migration helps refresh the population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
61.1%
Houses
30.1%
Townhouse
8.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Altona's housing market is expensive by its historical baseline and weighted toward low-rise family stock. Separate houses make up 61.1% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 30.1% and apartments 8.6%, while three-bedroom properties lead at 46.9%. Tenure is comparatively balanced between outright ownership at 36.6%, mortgages at 30.5% and renting at 31.3%.
Mortgage / mo
$2,197
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $385.
$550
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $530 · units $475
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
41.9%
Couples with children
41.5%
Couples, no children
15.0%
Single parent
3,200
Total families
Economy & Employment
Altona's employment base is anchored by essential services and knowledge-linked industries rather than a single dominant sector. Education accounts for 13.0% of workers, or 543 people, healthcare 13.0% or 542, professional and technical services 12.0% or 501, public administration 10.6% or 441, and construction 9.9% or 414. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 1,658, followed by managers at 909 and clerical and administrative workers at 809. Household income sits at the 65.9th percentile, above the national midpoint, which is consistent with the concentration of professional and managerial work. Labour-force participation is 62.7%, unemployment is 4.1% and full-time employment is 63.9%, supporting relatively stable local purchasing power.
Unemployment
4.1%
Labour Force
5,945
Unemployed
246
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.9%
Part-time
29.5%
Participation
62.7%
Employed
5,699
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
43.1%
Postgraduate
11.7%
Born Overseas
29.6%
Dwellings
4,800
Transport to Work
Daily life in Altona is shaped by car use and working from home. Car drivers account for 48.5% of travel, compared with 3.8% using public transport and 2.9% walking or cycling, while 42.0% work from home. Families have access to 4 nearby schools across government and Catholic sectors, covering primary, secondary and combined primary/secondary options. Enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address because they can cross local boundaries. Recorded crime totals 748 offences, or 65.1 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences the largest category at 413. Socio-economic conditions are above the national midpoint in some measures: IRSAD and IEO both sit in decile 8, while IRSD is decile 7 and IER decile 6. These factors support established amenity, but transport dependence and crime awareness remain relevant.
Drive
48.5%
Public Transport
3.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.9%
Work from Home
42.0%
Population Forecast
+0.94%/yr
(+155 people/yr)
EstablishedAltona's established forecast profile still points to measured expansion. Annual growth is 0.94%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change runs at 14.8% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Rejuvenating and rent growth has reached 44.4%, well above the 0.94% annual trend. Change is uneven: the shift assessment records an Active gentrification stage with a score of 56, while another indicator places the suburb at Early signs with a score of 30. The population also recovered after a 2.1% COVID dip, followed by 5.1% recovery. Forty-nine development applications in 12 months add a practical watchpoint, particularly around transport and subdivision activity.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+176
Net Internal / yr
+105
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +22% since 2011, Net internal migration +105/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
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?
Altona can suit households seeking established housing, local schools and a stable residential setting. The median age is 42, 36.6% own outright and 42.0% work from home. Buyers should also consider the 65.1 offences per 1,000 residents and high reliance on cars.
What schools are in Altona?
Altona has 4 listed schools: Altona College, Altona Primary School, St Mary's School and Mount St Joseph Girls' College. The mix includes government and Catholic providers, with primary, secondary and combined primary/secondary options. Enrolment zones should be confirmed for each address.
Is Altona safe?
Altona recorded 748 offences at a rate of 65.1 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 413, followed by 144 crimes against the person. Safety can vary by street and time, so buyers and renters should review recent local incidents before deciding.
How is Altona's population changing?
Altona has 11,490 residents today, with annual growth forecast at 0.94%. Population change across the wider area is 14.8% over 10 years, driven primarily by overseas migration. The suburb is labelled Rejuvenating, while gentrification indicators range from Early signs at 30 to Active at 56.
What development is happening in Altona?
There were 49 development applications in the past 12 months. The recorded examples include major transport project facilitation and a 2-lot subdivision, although the available examples do not establish a confirmed number of new dwellings. Buyers should check planning approvals near any property of interest.
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), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), 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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