Balwyn North
At 44.4% overseas-born, Balwyn North has a substantially more international profile than the national average, while 63.3% of residents hold a university qualification, 33.2 percentage points above the national figure. Its 21,302 residents have a median age of 42 and household income at the 89.2 percentile. Growth is measured rather than rapid, with a forecast trend of 0.41% annually.
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
234
Median House
$2.4M
October to December 2025
The typical monthly mortgage is $3,078, and mortgage costs equal 30.3% of household income, so rate changes can materially affect budgets. Buyer choice is shaped by the housing mix: 83.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 53.2% have 4 or more bedrooms. That concentration suits established families seeking space, but it limits lower-cost apartment alternatives.
For Buyers
The typical monthly mortgage is $3,078, and mortgage costs equal 30.3% of household income, so rate changes can materially affect budgets. Buyer choice is shaped by the housing mix: 83.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 53.2% have 4 or more bedrooms. That concentration suits established families seeking space, but it limits lower-cost apartment alternatives.
For Investors
The investment case rests more on land value and affluent tenant demand than on high rental yield. Weekly rent is $554, while only 19.7% of households rent, indicating a smaller tenant pool than in a typical inner-urban market. The 8.9% vacancy rate also warrants caution because extended vacancies can dilute returns. Rent absorbs 23.6% of household income, below the 30.3% mortgage burden, which supports tenant capacity but does not remove price risk. Development activity is substantial at 220 records over 12 months, potentially adding subdivision and redevelopment competition. Compared with lower-priced markets, Balwyn North requires a larger capital base and careful assessment of yield, vacancy and holding costs.
Development Activity
Total DAs
262
Last 12 Months
234
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+1200.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Balwyn North
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Balwyn North Primary School
Belle Vue Primary School
Boroondara Park Primary School
Greythorn Primary School
St Bede's School
Demographics
Balwyn North has a median age of 42, which is 2.0 years above the national figure, and an average household size of 2.9, or 0.4 people above the national average. Families are prominent because 57.3% of families are couples with children, while couples without children represent 27.6% and one-parent families 14.0%. The overseas-born share is 44.4%, 22.8 percentage points above national levels, with Chinese ancestry recorded for 6,810 people, followed by English at 3,871, Italian at 1,936 and Greek at 1,724. Mandarin is spoken by 1,878 residents and Cantonese by 693. Compared with many older established suburbs, this creates a strong Asian and southern European cultural presence alongside a highly educated population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.0%
Houses
13.5%
Townhouse
3.2%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is strongly detached and family-sized: separate houses represent 83.0%, semi-detached dwellings 13.5% and apartments 3.2%. Four or more bedrooms account for 53.2% of homes, while 3-bedroom properties represent 36.0%, reinforcing demand from established families rather than small renter households. Tenure is also more secure than in many rental-oriented suburbs, with 46.2% owned outright, 32.6% mortgaged and 19.7% rented. This premium land market can protect scarcity value, although the 30.3% mortgage-to-income ratio raises affordability pressure.
Mortgage / mo
$3,078
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$554
Census 2021
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
57.3%
Couples with children
27.6%
Couples, no children
14.0%
Single parent
5,931
Total families
Economy & Employment
Balwyn North has a high-income, professional economic profile. Household income is $2,346 per week, placing it at the 89.2 percentile and above the national norm. Healthcare is the largest industry at 19.1%, or 1,457 workers, followed by Professional and Technical services at 15.7% with 1,198, Education at 10.7% with 819, Retail at 8.3% with 632 and Finance at 7.6% with 578. The leading occupations are Professionals at 3,591 and Managers at 1,970, which helps explain the suburb's strong purchasing power and premium housing prices. Of a labour force of 10,671, unemployment is 5.1% and participation is 61.0%. SEIFA results reinforce the advantage: IEO, IER and IRSD all rank in decile 9, while IRSAD reaches the top decile 10.
Unemployment
5.1%
Labour Force
10,671
Unemployed
540
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.3%
Part-time
37.2%
Participation
61.0%
Employed
10,131
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
63.3%
Postgraduate
18.7%
Born Overseas
44.4%
Dwellings
7,089
Transport to Work
Daily life is oriented towards cars and home-based work: 48.6% drive to work, compared with 3.5% using public transport and 1.4% walking or cycling, while 42.4% work from home. This pattern fits a low-density suburb dominated by 83.0% separate houses, although it makes exact transport access important when comparing properties. Education access includes 6 local schools, comprising 5 government schools and 1 Catholic school, with 5 primary campuses and 1 secondary campus. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cut across suburb lines. Recorded crime totals 590 offences, or 27.7 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences the largest category at 393. Social advantage is strong, with IRSAD in the top decile 10, supporting household resources and local amenity access.
Drive
48.6%
Public Transport
3.5%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
42.4%
Population Forecast
+0.41%/yr
(+93 people/yr)
EstablishedBalwyn North follows an established, slow-growth trajectory rather than a rapid expansion pattern. The forecast annual trend is 0.41%, with Overseas migration identified as the primary driver and the wider-area trajectory described as Stable. Population change across the wider area is 5.9% over 10 years, while rent growth has reached 30.4%, showing stronger housing-cost movement than resident growth. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a score of 20, so redevelopment and demographic change are present but not yet dominant. Compared with rapid-growth areas, the modest annual trend points to a market where scarcity, overseas migration and gradual renewal matter more than large-scale population expansion. The earlier COVID dip of 2.4% was followed by a 4.1% recovery.
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
What schools are in Balwyn North?
There are 6 listed local schools: 5 government schools and 1 Catholic school, covering 5 primary schools and 1 secondary school. Examples include Balwyn High School and St Bede's School, alongside Balwyn North Primary School, Belle Vue Primary School, Boroondara Park Primary School and Greythorn Primary School. Check the relevant zone for any address.
Is Balwyn North safe?
Recorded crime was 590 offences, equal to 27.7 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 393 cases, followed by 86 crimes against the person and 71 justice procedures offences. Crime conditions can vary by street and time, so buyers and renters should review current local reports before deciding.
How is Balwyn North's population changing?
Balwyn North has 21,302 residents today. The forecast annual trend is 0.41%, the wider-area 10-year population change is 5.9% and the trajectory is Stable. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while the gentrification score is 20 at the Early signs stage. This points to gradual change rather than rapid expansion.
What languages are spoken in Balwyn North?
Mandarin is spoken by 1,878 residents, followed by Cantonese at 693, Greek at 527, Italian at 236 and Hindi at 125. The overseas-born share is 44.4%, which is 22.8 percentage points above the national figure. Language needs may therefore be relevant when choosing services, schools and local businesses.
What development is happening in Balwyn North?
There were 220 development records in the 12 months covered. The examples include a subdivision into 2 lots, a tree removal application and a planning permit. Activity suggests ongoing small-scale renewal and site changes rather than evidence of a single large project, so buyers should check the current permit status of nearby properties.
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.
Explore Balwyn North on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map