Ashburton
Premium owner-occupied housing, high incomes and an older age profile define Ashburton more than rapid expansion. A median age of 41 and 76.3% separate houses reinforce its established-wealth character. Compared with nearby Chadstone, Ashburton is more detached in form, which helps explain its family appeal but also its higher entry cost. Population is 7,952 and annual growth is 0.51%, so scarcity and amenity matter more than scale.
Population
7,952
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,743/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
117
Median House
$2.0M
October to December 2025
Houses dominate at 76.3%, with 41.6% of dwellings containing 4 or more bedrooms and 39.7% containing 3 bedrooms, supporting family demand. The mortgage-to-income ratio is 25.3%, below the rent-to-income share of 16.6%, because household income is $2,743 weekly. Prices remain 13.8% below the Oct-Dec 2023 peak but 99.1% above 2013, so buyers face a high entry point even after the correction. Compared with nearby Chadstone, the detached-house emphasis is stronger, narrowing apartment choice.
For Buyers
Houses dominate at 76.3%, with 41.6% of dwellings containing 4 or more bedrooms and 39.7% containing 3 bedrooms, supporting family demand. The mortgage-to-income ratio is 25.3%, below the rent-to-income share of 16.6%, because household income is $2,743 weekly. Prices remain 13.8% below the Oct-Dec 2023 peak but 99.1% above 2013, so buyers face a high entry point even after the correction. Compared with nearby Chadstone, the detached-house emphasis is stronger, narrowing apartment choice.
For Investors
Investment demand is supported by 25.3% of households renting and weekly rent of $455, but the 8.0% vacancy rate suggests more available stock than a tightly constrained rental market. A total of 110 development applications in 12 months, including approval activity for 2 dwellings on a lot, may add incremental supply because Ashburton is already detached-house dominated at 76.3%. Annual growth is 0.51%, while overseas migration is the primary driver, so investors should prioritise property quality, tenant appeal and holding costs over assuming rapid capital growth. The 16.6% rent-to-income share is lower than the 25.3% mortgage share, pointing to stronger owner wealth than rental yield pressure.
Development Activity
Total DAs
125
Last 12 Months
117
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+1571.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Ashburton
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Ashburton Primary School
Solway Primary School
St Michael's School
Demographics
With a median age of 41, Ashburton is 1 year older than the national comparison and follows an aging trajectory. The senior share has risen 3.2 percentage points while the young share fell 1.5 points, a shift consistent with 81.3% of residents staying at the same address and only 18.7% turnover. University attainment is 61.4%, 31.3 points above national, helping explain the professional and managerial profile. English ancestry counts 2,477 and Chinese ancestry 1,081; Mandarin is spoken by 270 residents. Couples with children account for 57.8% of families, compared with 28.9% couples without children, so household structure remains family-led despite aging. Nearby Glen Iris may share an established setting, but Ashburton's aging pattern is central to future demand.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
76.3%
Houses
20.3%
Townhouse
2.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached housing shapes both price and tenure. Separate houses make up 76.3%, semi-detached homes 20.3% and apartments 2.2%, so redevelopment is more likely to involve townhouse or infill formats rather than large apartment supply. Ownership is substantial: 38.5% own outright and 35.2% hold a mortgage, compared with 25.3% renting. The 2.8-person average household and 41.6% share of 4 or more bedroom homes support family occupancy, while the premium price reflects limited detached stock and established demand.
Mortgage / mo
$3,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $455.
$650
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $650 · units $570
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$1,002
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.0%
Unoccupied
236
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
57.8%
Couples with children
28.9%
Couples, no children
12.4%
Single parent
2,142
Total families
Economy & Employment
Households have strong earning capacity: weekly household income is $2,743, at the 94.9th percentile, while participation is 65.6% and unemployment is 4.9%. The employment base is led by Professional/Tech at 18.0% or 555 workers, Healthcare at 16.4% or 508, and Education at 12.4% or 384, with Finance at 9.6% and Retail at 6.0%. Occupations reinforce that profile, including 1,545 Professionals and 865 Managers. A 51.6% work-from-home rate is well above the 3.6% public-transport share, suggesting local amenity and home office space matter because many residents are not commuting daily. SEIFA places economic resources in decile 10 and disadvantage in decile 9, both above the national midpoint, supporting resilience but also premium housing costs.
Unemployment
4.9%
Labour Force
4,177
Unemployed
203
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.9%
Part-time
35.9%
Participation
65.6%
Employed
3,974
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
61.4%
Postgraduate
18.3%
Born Overseas
28.8%
Dwellings
2,705
Transport to Work
Ashburton suits households that value local services and a residential setting, with 3 nearby primary schools spanning 2 government schools and 1 Catholic school. Public transport use is 3.6%, compared with 37.9% driving, while 51.6% work from home, so daily convenience is likely to depend on proximity to rail, buses, shops and services rather than a single commuting pattern. Recorded crime is 72.7 incidents per 1,000 residents, led by 341 property and deception offences out of 578 total, so home security remains relevant even with strong household stability. SEIFA advantage sits in decile 10 and disadvantage in decile 9, both above the national midpoint, because incomes, education and employment are comparatively strong. Check enrolment zones against the exact address, since boundaries can cut across suburb edges.
Drive
37.9%
Public Transport
3.6%
Walk / Cycle
3.8%
Work from Home
51.6%
Population Forecast
+0.51%/yr
(+43 people/yr)
EstablishedAshburton's established trajectory points to measured rather than explosive change. Annual growth is forecast at 0.51%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 6.1% over 10 years. The shift is labelled Aging: the senior share has increased 3.2 percentage points and the young share has decreased 1.5 points, which can lift demand for renovated, accessible homes more than for high-volume new supply. Gentrification is scored 10 and staged as Not gentrifying, despite a separate shift score of 42 marked Early signs, so the neighbourhood is better read as established than transitional. Prices recovered 4.3% after a COVID dip of 3.3%, reinforcing a resilient base rather than a boom. This pace is lower than a fast-growth corridor, making scarcity and retention more important than population scale.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+116
Net Internal / yr
+4
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
COVID recovered (-3% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
578
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
72.7
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 Ashburton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Ashburton?
Ashburton has 3 listed primary schools: Ashburton Primary School and Solway Primary School, both government, plus St Michael's School, which is Catholic. Families should check the exact enrolment zone because school boundaries can differ from suburb boundaries. The mix is more primary-focused than a full secondary campus offer.
Is Ashburton safe?
Recorded crime was 578 offences, or 72.7 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 341 incidents, substantially above the 88 crimes against the person. That profile suggests residents should pay particular attention to vehicle, parcel and home security, while checking current local trends before making a decision.
Is Ashburton good for property investment?
Ashburton can suit a long-term investor who accepts a premium entry price. Weekly rent is $455, vacancy is 8.0% and 25.3% of households rent. However, annual growth is forecast at 0.51% and 110 development applications were recorded over 12 months, so the case rests more on tenant appeal and asset quality than on assuming fast price gains.
How is Ashburton's population changing?
Ashburton's population is 7,952 today, with the wider area's change measured at 6.1% over 10 years. The forecast trend is 0.51% annually and the primary driver is overseas migration. The trajectory is labelled Aging: the senior share is up 3.2 percentage points while the young share is down 1.5, so demand may tilt toward established homes and age-friendly improvements rather than rapid new supply.
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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