Balwyn North
Balwyn North sits in Melbourne's premium family-house tier, with 83.0% separate houses, 53.2% of homes having 4 plus bedrooms, and a $2,429,800 median house price. Household income ranks in the 89.2 percentile, while university attainment is 33.2 points above national. Compared with neighbouring Balwyn and Kew East, the suburb reads as a larger, more school-driven residential pocket, with 21,302 residents across 9.09 sq km and a low crime rate of 27.7 per 1,000.
Population
21,302
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,346/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
180
Median House
$2.4M
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers are paying for land, school access and stability more than density, because 83.0% of dwellings are separate houses and only 3.2% are apartments. The median house price is $2,429,800, sitting 3.4% below the Apr-Jun 2023 peak of $2,515,000 after a long rise from $1,240,000 in 2013. Buyers should budget carefully: monthly mortgages of $3,078 put mortgage costs at 30.3% of income, above a stress threshold, even though 47.0% of homes are owned outright.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are paying for land, school access and stability more than density, because 83.0% of dwellings are separate houses and only 3.2% are apartments. The median house price is $2,429,800, sitting 3.4% below the Apr-Jun 2023 peak of $2,515,000 after a long rise from $1,240,000 in 2013. Buyers should budget carefully: monthly mortgages of $3,078 put mortgage costs at 30.3% of income, above a stress threshold, even though 47.0% of homes are owned outright.
For Investors
Balwyn North is a capital-preservation market rather than a high-yield renter market. Only 20.0% of homes rent, below ownership levels of 47.0% outright and 33.1% with a mortgage, while median rent is $554 per week. The 8.9% vacancy rate points to softer tenant urgency, but 42 development applications in 12 months show ongoing renewal. Rent growth of 30.4% and strong overseas migration support demand, although the $2,429,800 median house price keeps yield discipline important.
Development Activity
Total DAs
206
Last 12 Months
180
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+900.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Balwyn North iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Greythorn Primary School
Prep-6 · 434 students
Balwyn High School
7-12 · 2260 students
Balwyn North Primary School
Prep-6 · 554 students
Boroondara Park Primary School
Prep-6 · 278 students
St Bede's School
Prep-6 · 264 students
Demographics
The suburb is older, wealthier and more educated than the national average. Median age is 42, which is 2.0 years above national, and 63.3% hold a university qualification, 33.2 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents make up 44.4%, 22.8 points above national, led by Chinese ancestry at 6,810 people, English at 3,871, Italian at 1,936 and Greek at 1,724. Mandarin is the largest non-English language with 1,878 speakers, reflecting family migration and school-focused settlement.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.0%
Houses
13.5%
Townhouse
3.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing supply is tightly anchored in detached stock, with 83.0% separate houses, 13.5% semi-detached homes and just 3.2% apartments. The $2,429,800 median house price is 96.0% above the 2013 level of $1,240,000, with a 4.9% CAGR over 14 years, although it is 3.4% below the Apr-Jun 2023 peak. Large-family layouts dominate because 53.2% of homes have 4 plus bedrooms and 36.0% have 3 bedrooms, reinforcing why turnover can be limited compared with more apartment-heavy suburbs.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,078
Rent / wk
$554
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$854
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.9%
Unoccupied
696
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.3% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
17.5%
Couples, no children
18,721
Total families
Economy & Employment
Balwyn North's workforce profile sits well above average on education and advantage measures. Healthcare employs 1,457 people, Professional/Tech 1,198, Education 819, Retail 632 and Finance 578, while occupations skew to Professionals at 3,591 and Managers at 1,970. SEIFA confirms the pattern: IEO decile 9, IER decile 9, IRSD decile 9 and IRSAD decile 10. The higher IRSAD decile vs IRSD reflects very strong advantage, even with a 5.3% unemployment rate and 57.8% participation shaped partly by older households.
Unemployment
3.0%
Labour Force
8,959
Unemployed
272
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.6%
Part-time
34.1%
Participation
57.8%
Employed
9,572
Occupations
Top Industries
University
63.3%
Postgraduate
18.7%
Born Overseas
44.4%
Dwellings
7,089
Transport to Work
Livability is led by schools, space and low crime rather than rail-style commuting. Six local schools span ICSEA 1122 to 1152, with Greythorn Primary at 1152, Balwyn High at 1141 with 2,260 enrolments, and Balwyn North Primary at 1139 anchoring the Government sector; St Bede's adds a Catholic option. Crime sits at 27.7 per 1,000, with 590 total offences, while IRSAD decile 10 is higher than most areas nationally. Car use is high at 86.1%, because public transport commuting is only 4.2%.
Drive
86.1%
Public Transport
4.2%
Walk / Cycle
2.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.41%/yr
(+93 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is stable and slow compared with fringe or renewal markets. The trend forecast is 0.41% a year, equal to 93 people annually, with the medium path rising to 22,765 by 2031. Migration is the main engine: overseas migration adds an average 523 people a year while internal migration subtracts 251, so new arrivals offset local outflow. Gentrification is only at score 20 and stage Early signs, because prices are already premium. The earlier COVID dip of 2.4% has been recovered with a 4.1% rebound.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+523
Net Internal / yr
-251
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Net internal outflow -251/yr, Strong overseas inflow +523/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
590
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
27.7
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 Balwyn North compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Balwyn North a good suburb to live in?
Yes, especially for families seeking large homes and strong schools. It has 6 local schools, a low crime rate of 27.7 per 1,000 and IRSAD decile 10, though the $2,429,800 median house price makes entry expensive.
What is the median house price in Balwyn North?
The median house price in Balwyn North is $2,429,800 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 3.4% below the Apr-Jun 2023 peak of $2,515,000, but still 96.0% above the 2013 level of $1,240,000.
What schools are in Balwyn North?
Balwyn North has 6 listed local schools. Leading ICSEA scores include Greythorn Primary School at 1152, Balwyn High School at 1141 with 2,260 enrolments, and Balwyn North Primary School at 1139.
Is Balwyn North safe?
Balwyn North records 590 offences and a crime rate of 27.7 per 1,000 people. Property and deception offences are the largest category at 393 incidents, followed by crimes against the person at 86.
Is Balwyn North good for property investment?
It suits investors focused on long-term capital quality more than high turnover rental demand. Renting is 20.0%, median rent is $554 per week, vacancy is 8.9%, and there were 42 development applications in 12 months.
How is Balwyn North's population changing?
Population growth is slow at 0.41% a year, or about 93 people annually. The medium forecast reaches 22,765 by 2031, supported by average overseas migration of 523 a year despite internal outflow of 251.
What languages are spoken in Balwyn North?
Balwyn North is strongly multilingual, with 44.4% of residents born overseas. Mandarin is spoken by 1,878 people, Canton by 693, Greek by 527, Italian by 236 and Hindi by 125.
Is there much development in Balwyn North?
Yes, renewal activity is notable for an established suburb. There were 42 development applications in 12 months, including permits for 2 dwellings on a lot and another for 1 new dwelling after demolition.
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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