Bakewell
Bakewell's most telling feature is its compact, young profile: 3,091 residents live across 1.32 square kilometres, producing a density of 2,344.3 people per square kilometre. The median age is 32, which is 8 years below the national comparison, while household income sits at the 73.4th percentile. Housing is split between 54.5% separate houses and 32.0% apartments, with 46.6% renting. Compared with nearby Durack and Gray, Bakewell reads as a settled Palmerston suburb with a strong working-age base, but its 0.32% annual trend points to measured rather than rapid change.
Local council: Palmerston
Population
3,091
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,955/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Buyer decisions in Bakewell should focus on dwelling type and holding costs because prices can vary substantially between houses, apartments and semi-detached homes. Monthly mortgage repayments are $1,742, and mortgage costs equal 20.6% of income, with the mortgage-stress flag recorded as false. The tenure split provides choice: 42.4% of households hold a mortgage, 10.7% own outright and 46.6% rent. Separate houses account for 54.5%, while apartments make up 32.0% and semi-detached homes 13.5%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 54.5%, compared with 25.8% for two-bedroom dwellings, so the suburb may suit households seeking family-sized stock without assuming every property carries the same value.
For Buyers
Buyer decisions in Bakewell should focus on dwelling type and holding costs because prices can vary substantially between houses, apartments and semi-detached homes. Monthly mortgage repayments are $1,742, and mortgage costs equal 20.6% of income, with the mortgage-stress flag recorded as false. The tenure split provides choice: 42.4% of households hold a mortgage, 10.7% own outright and 46.6% rent. Separate houses account for 54.5%, while apartments make up 32.0% and semi-detached homes 13.5%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 54.5%, compared with 25.8% for two-bedroom dwellings, so the suburb may suit households seeking family-sized stock without assuming every property carries the same value.
For Investors
Bakewell has a sizeable rental base, with 46.6% of occupied dwellings rented and a weekly median rent of $380. Vacancy is 8.4%, so investors should allow for more letting competition than in a tightly constrained market, especially when tenant demand changes. The development count is 0 over the past 12 months, pointing to limited near-term new-supply pressure within the suburb. Growth is forecast at 0.32% a year and is driven primarily by overseas migration, while rent growth is -2.6%, below zero. Compared with a high-growth development corridor, this is a steadier income-market proposition, making realistic rent and vacancy assumptions more important than aggressive capital-growth forecasts.
Demographics
Bakewell is younger than the national profile: its median age is 32, or 8 years below the national comparison. University attainment is 21.7%, 8.4 percentage points below the national figure, while the overseas-born share is 25.0%, 3.4 points above it. English is the leading reported ancestry at 938 people, followed by Other at 462, Irish at 254 and Scottish at 248. No religion is recorded for 1,429 residents, compared with 1,152 identifying with Christianity and 68 with Hinduism. Average household size is 2.5, matching the national comparison, and 66.6% stayed at the same address, suggesting more continuity than the 33.4% turnover rate alone might imply.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
54.5%
Houses
13.5%
Townhouse
32.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing in Bakewell is mixed rather than dominated by one format. Separate houses represent 54.5% of dwellings, apartments 32.0% and semi-detached homes 13.5%; three-bedroom properties lead at 54.5%, followed by two-bedroom homes at 25.8% and four-plus-bedroom homes at 17.7%. Tenure is more tilted to renting and mortgages than outright ownership: 46.6% rent, 42.4% carry a mortgage and only 10.7% own outright. Weekly rent is $380, while mortgage costs are $1,742 monthly and equal 20.6% of income. Compared with a detached-house-only suburb, this mix gives renters and smaller households more choice because apartments and semi-detached dwellings are both substantial parts of the market.
Mortgage / mo
$1,742
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$380
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$1,104
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.4%
Unoccupied
105
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.5%
Couples with children
29.0%
Couples, no children
24.6%
Single parent
806
Total families
Economy & Employment
Bakewell's employment base is anchored by public administration, which accounts for 19.5% of workers or 212 people, followed by healthcare at 13.4% and 145, education at 10.0% and 108, construction at 9.7% and 105, and retail at 7.2% and 78. This public-sector and service mix helps explain why 75.8% participate in the labour force and 69.6% of employed residents work full time. Occupations are led by clerical and administrative roles at 317, trades at 286 and professionals at 246. Household income ranks above the midpoint at the 73.4th percentile, yet SEIFA education and occupation sit in decile 4, while disadvantage and advantage measures sit in deciles 5 and 5. Compared with a high-income professional enclave, the pattern is broader and more operational.
Unemployment
4.3%
Labour Force
1,785
Unemployed
77
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.6%
Part-time
23.6%
Participation
75.8%
Employed
1,708
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.7%
Postgraduate
3.8%
Born Overseas
25.0%
Dwellings
1,135
Transport to Work
Bakewell is highly car-oriented: 85.6% travel as car drivers, compared with 2.6% using public transport, 1.7% walking or cycling and 3.5% working from home. That pattern suits households with reliable vehicles, while daily trips may be less convenient without one. The suburb covers 1.32 square kilometres at 2,344.3 people per square kilometre, so homes and services are relatively concentrated. Volunteering is 13.6%, and 4.0% of residents report needing assistance. The IRSAD score sits in decile 5, around the middle of the scale rather than the top or bottom. Families should confirm enrolment zones and nearby school options against the exact address because local access can cross suburb boundaries. Compared with a walkable inner suburb, transport here is more dependent on the car.
Drive
85.6%
Public Transport
2.6%
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
3.5%
Growth Outlook
Bakewell's outlook is steady but not expansionary. The annual growth trend is 0.32%, and population change over 10 years is -3.1%, so the suburb is tracking below a fast-growth profile. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, yet the broader trajectory is labelled Mixed rather than consistently upward. The gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, indicating no current repositioning signal. Affordability improved from 41.9 in 2011 to 34.4 in 2021, but real income growth was -3.6% and rent growth was -2.6%. Compared with rapidly changing parts of Palmerston, Bakewell is more likely to evolve through household turnover and gradual renewal than a major development wave.
Population trend: Palmerston council area
Bakewell sits in the Palmerston council area. These are the council area's residents, not Bakewell's.
Residents 2025
43,193
Growth, 5 yr average
+2.1%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.4%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bakewell compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bakewell a good suburb to live in?
Bakewell can suit households seeking a young, compact suburb with a median age of 32, household income at the 73.4th percentile and a large 54.5% share of separate houses. Compared with a walkable inner suburb, daily travel is more car-dependent, with 85.6% driving and only 2.6% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Bakewell?
No current median house price is published for Bakewell. Buyers should compare recent settled sales by dwelling type, because 54.5% of homes are separate houses, 32.0% are apartments and 13.5% are semi-detached. A property-level comparison is more useful than applying one figure across the whole suburb.
What schools are in Bakewell?
There are 0 schools identified within Bakewell itself in current local listings. Families should check nearby Palmerston schools, enrolment zones and sector options against the exact address, because school boundaries can cross suburb lines and access may differ between streets.
Is Bakewell safe?
For a current safety view, check police incident data for the exact streets and compare the latest 12-month trend with nearby Palmerston suburbs. Bakewell has 3,091 residents, but population size alone cannot establish safety, and conditions can vary between residential pockets and main roads.
Is Bakewell good for property investment?
Bakewell may suit investors seeking an established rental market, with 46.6% renting, weekly rent of $380 and vacancy at 8.4%. However, rent growth is -2.6% and the annual growth trend is 0.32%, so the outlook is slower than a high-growth corridor and relies on disciplined yield and vacancy assumptions.
How is Bakewell's population changing?
Bakewell has 3,091 residents today. The annual trend is 0.32%, while population change over 10 years is -3.1% and the trajectory is Mixed. Overseas migration is the primary driver, so change is more likely to come through household turnover and gradual movement than rapid expansion.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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