Ashburton
A median house price of $2,216,000 and household incomes at the 95th percentile nationally put Ashburton firmly in Melbourne's established-wealth tier, yet the 74 development applications lodged in 12 months signal a suburb actively being redeveloped rather than passively appreciating. University education at 61.4% runs 31 percentage points above the national average, the highest in this cohort. SEIFA scores at decile 9-10 across all four indices confirm top-tier socioeconomic standing. What makes the economics interesting: mortgage-to-income sits at just 25.3%, meaning even at $2.2M median, households here carry debt comfortably.
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
78
Median House
$2.2M
Apr-Jun 2024
The median of $2,216,000 (Apr-Jun 2024) has grown 121.6% from $1,000,000 in 2013, a 5.8% CAGR over 14 years. Prices peaked at $2,310,000 (Oct-Dec 2023) and have softened 4.1% since. Detached houses still dominate at 76.3%, but semi-detached at 20.3% reflects active townhouse development. The bedroom mix is balanced: 41.6% have 4-plus bedrooms, 39.7% have 3. Mortgage-to-income at 25.3% is comfortable for the income bracket, and 38.9% own outright, indicating long-term residents sitting on significant equity. Three schools, all with ICSEA above 1,139, anchor the family buyer proposition.
For Buyers
The median of $2,216,000 (Apr-Jun 2024) has grown 121.6% from $1,000,000 in 2013, a 5.8% CAGR over 14 years. Prices peaked at $2,310,000 (Oct-Dec 2023) and have softened 4.1% since. Detached houses still dominate at 76.3%, but semi-detached at 20.3% reflects active townhouse development. The bedroom mix is balanced: 41.6% have 4-plus bedrooms, 39.7% have 3. Mortgage-to-income at 25.3% is comfortable for the income bracket, and 38.9% own outright, indicating long-term residents sitting on significant equity. Three schools, all with ICSEA above 1,139, anchor the family buyer proposition.
For Investors
The 25.5% renter share creates a tenant pool, but the 8.0% vacancy rate is elevated and at odds with the premium pricing. Weekly rent of $455 against a $2,216,000 median gives a gross yield of just 1.1%, among the lowest in Melbourne. The investment case is purely capital appreciation: prices have compounded at 5.8% over 14 years. With 74 development applications in 12 months (including multi-dwelling projects up to 18 units), supply is increasing. Population grows at 0.51% annually (43 persons/year), driven by overseas migration (116 net/year).
Development Activity
Total DAs
83
Last 12 Months
78
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+1850.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Ashburton iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Solway Primary School
Prep-6 · 337 students
Ashburton Primary School
Prep-6 · 444 students
St Michael's School
Prep-6 · 222 students
Demographics
Ashburton's university-educated share of 61.4% is 31 percentage points above the national average, the widest positive gap in this data set. English ancestry leads (2,477), followed by Chinese (1,081) and Irish (1,023). Mandarin (270 speakers) is the top non-English language, with Cantonese (77) and Greek (72) also represented. The median age of 41 is 1 year above the national median. Professionals (1,545) and Managers (865) account for the bulk of occupations, consistent with the suburb's white-collar character. Volunteering at 19.1% is notably higher than the national average.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
76.3%
Houses
20.3%
Townhouse
2.2%
Apartment
Tenure
From $1,000,000 in 2013 to $2,216,000 today, Ashburton has delivered 121.6% cumulative growth (5.8% CAGR over 14 years). The peak of $2,310,000 (Oct-Dec 2023) represents a 4.1% pullback to current levels. Ownership composition: 38.9% outright, 35.6% mortgage, 25.5% renting. The high outright-ownership rate reflects a suburb where many residents bought decades ago at fraction of current values. Semi-detached at 20.3% and apartments at 2.2% show the densification trend. Rent-to-income at 16.6% is well below stress levels, confirming this as a comfortable market for tenants with matching incomes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,000
Rent / wk
$455
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
18.5%
Couples, no children
6,696
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional/Tech services lead employment at 18.0% (555 workers), followed by Healthcare (16.4%, 508) and Education (12.4%, 384). Finance (9.6%) reinforces the white-collar orientation. Professionals (1,545) and Managers (865) together comprise over 60% of employed residents. Unemployment at 5.1% is close to the national average, and the participation rate of 62.3% reflects a mix of working professionals and retirees. SEIFA IEO decile 10 (top education/occupation nationally) and IRSAD decile 10 confirm Ashburton as one of Melbourne's most advantaged suburbs by every economic metric.
Unemployment
4.7%
Labour Force
4,897
Unemployed
230
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.1%
Part-time
32.8%
Participation
62.3%
Employed
3,765
Occupations
Top Industries
University
61.4%
Postgraduate
18.3%
Born Overseas
28.8%
Dwellings
2,705
Transport to Work
All 3 schools score well above the ICSEA 1,000 benchmark: Solway Primary (1,161, 337 students), Ashburton Primary (1,155, 444 students), and St Michael's Catholic (1,139, 222 students). Public transport usage at 7.3% is higher than outer suburbs, and walking/cycling at 7.9% suggests good local walkability. Crime at 72.7 per 1,000 is moderate, with property offences (341) the largest category. The IRSAD decile of 10 reflects top-tier access to services and amenities. Development activity (74 applications/year) indicates ongoing renewal, with heritage overlay constraints shaping what gets built.
Drive
78.6%
Public Transport
7.3%
Walk / Cycle
7.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.51%/yr
(+43 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation is forecast to reach 8,632 by 2031, growing at 0.51% annually (43 persons/year). Overseas migration averages 116 net per year, the primary driver, while internal migration is near-zero (4/year). The suburb fully recovered from a 3.3% COVID dip, now sitting above pre-pandemic levels. The ageing trajectory shows seniors' share rising 3.2 percentage points, slower than many outer suburbs. Gentrification score of 10 (not gentrifying) seems counterintuitive, but reflects that Ashburton was already premium before the measurement period. Real income growth of 22.1% over the decade outpaced most comparable suburbs.
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
Is Ashburton a good suburb to live in?
Ashburton ranks in the top SEIFA decile (10) nationally for advantage. All 3 local schools score above ICSEA 1,139, household incomes sit at the 95th percentile, and crime at 72.7 per 1,000 is moderate. The $2,216,000 median price is the entry cost for this quality of life.
What is the median house price in Ashburton?
The median is $2,216,000 (Apr-Jun 2024), up 121.6% from $1,000,000 in 2013 (5.8% CAGR over 14 years). The peak was $2,310,000 in Oct-Dec 2023, so current pricing sits 4.1% below the high. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,000.
What schools are in Ashburton?
Ashburton has 3 schools, all scoring well above the ICSEA 1,000 benchmark: Solway Primary (Government, ICSEA 1,161, 337 students), Ashburton Primary (Government, ICSEA 1,155, 444 students), and St Michael's (Catholic, ICSEA 1,139, 222 students).
Is Ashburton safe?
The crime rate is 72.7 per 1,000 residents, below the Victorian state average. Property and deception offences (341 incidents) are the largest category. Crimes against the person totalled 88, and drug offences were 46. The SEIFA IRSD decile of 9 correlates with lower crime historically.
Is Ashburton good for property investment?
Capital growth has been strong at 5.8% CAGR over 14 years, but gross yield is very low at approximately 1.1% ($455/week rent on $2,216,000 median). The 8.0% vacancy rate warrants attention. This is a capital appreciation play, not an income investment. 74 development applications in 12 months will add supply.
How is Ashburton's population changing?
Population grows at 0.51% annually (43 persons/year), projected to reach 8,632 by 2031. Overseas migration (116 net/year) is the primary driver. The suburb recovered fully from a 3.3% COVID dip. Seniors' share is rising 3.2 percentage points, slower than Melbourne's average ageing rate.
How active is property development in Ashburton?
With 74 development applications in 12 months, Ashburton has one of the highest DA counts in this cohort. Recent applications include multi-dwelling projects (4 and 18 units) and heritage overlay modifications. This level of activity signals active densification within the established character.
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.
Explore Ashburton on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map