Balwyn
Its university-educated share is 32.9 percentage points above the national figure, and household income ranks at the 74.2nd percentile. Compared with nearby Balwyn North and Canterbury, Balwyn combines a compact 4.38 sq km footprint with 3,078 people per sq km and a more mixed dwelling profile. Growth is slow at 0.41% annually because the suburb is established, although overseas migration remains the primary driver.
Population
13,495
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,975/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
159
Median House
$2.7M
October to December 2025
Housing is not exclusively detached: 58.7% of dwellings are separate houses, 26.0% are semi-detached and 15.2% are apartments. Four-plus-bedroom homes account for 38.6%, supporting family demand, while 2-bedroom dwellings make up 25.7%. Mortgage repayments of $3,000 per month sit alongside mortgage-to-income of 35.1%, higher than rent-to-income of 22.8%, so borrowing capacity matters more than headline income.
For Buyers
Housing is not exclusively detached: 58.7% of dwellings are separate houses, 26.0% are semi-detached and 15.2% are apartments. Four-plus-bedroom homes account for 38.6%, supporting family demand, while 2-bedroom dwellings make up 25.7%. Mortgage repayments of $3,000 per month sit alongside mortgage-to-income of 35.1%, higher than rent-to-income of 22.8%, so borrowing capacity matters more than headline income.
For Investors
Balwyn presents a selective investment case rather than a straightforward high-yield market. Rents average $451 per week, while 27.0% of households rent, creating an established tenant base. The 11.5% vacancy rate means leasing conditions can be uneven, particularly when compared with the suburb's slow 0.41% annual growth trend. Rent growth of 30.4% is much higher than that annual trend, suggesting stronger rental movement than capital-growth momentum. Overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver, which may support demand, while 153 planning matters over the latest 12 months indicate ongoing redevelopment activity.
Development Activity
Total DAs
169
Last 12 Months
159
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+3080.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Balwyn
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Fintona Girls' School
Balwyn Primary School
Belmore School
St Paul's College Balwyn
Demographics
Balwyn has an older and highly educated demographic profile: its median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, while 63.0% of residents have university qualifications, 32.9 percentage points above national levels. The overseas-born share is 46.9%, or 25.3 percentage points above the national comparison, with Chinese ancestry recorded for 4,640 people and Mandarin spoken by 1,305 residents. Christianity accounts for 5,258 people and no religion for 5,945. Compared with nearby Balwyn North, Balwyn's demographic story is more visibly shaped by overseas migration and Mandarin-speaking households. Residential stability is also notable, with 78.6% of residents staying at the same address over the relevant period, while average household size is 2.6, just 0.1 above the national figure.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
58.7%
Houses
26.0%
Townhouse
15.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Balwyn's housing market is expensive, established and more varied than its detached-home reputation suggests. Compared with the family-oriented housing profile associated with nearby Balwyn North, Balwyn has 58.7% separate houses, 26.0% semi-detached dwellings and 15.2% apartments. Tenure is split between 42.7% owned outright, 27.4% mortgaged and 27.0% rented. Larger homes dominate, with 38.6% containing four or more bedrooms, while 30.3% have three bedrooms. Weekly household income is $1,975, placing it at the 74.2nd percentile, but the purchase price still creates a substantial affordability gap.
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: $451.
$740
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $750 · units $588
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$850
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.5%
Unoccupied
663
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
35.1% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
49.4%
Couples with children
32.9%
Couples, no children
16.2%
Single parent
3,766
Total families
Economy & Employment
Balwyn's economy is anchored by professional services and knowledge-intensive work. Healthcare is the largest industry at 19.8%, followed by Professional/Tech at 15.9%, Education at 10.8%, Retail at 8.5% and Finance at 7.4%. Occupations are led by 2,385 professionals and 1,197 managers, followed by 730 clerical and administrative workers, 583 sales workers and 451 community and personal service workers. The unemployment rate is 5.0%, with 6,525 people in the labour force and a 57.7% participation rate. Participation is lower than the concentration of professional roles might suggest because 4,430 people are outside the labour force and the median age is 43. Socioeconomic measures remain strong: IEO ranks in decile 10, IER in decile 8, IRSD in decile 8 and IRSAD in decile 9, placing education and occupation advantage above the middle of the national decile scale.
Unemployment
5.0%
Labour Force
6,525
Unemployed
325
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.6%
Part-time
37.1%
Participation
57.7%
Employed
6,200
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
63.0%
Postgraduate
19.6%
Born Overseas
46.9%
Dwellings
5,069
Transport to Work
Balwyn suits households that value established services, larger homes and strong socioeconomic conditions, although daily travel is more car and home based than public-transport oriented. Car driving accounts for 45.3% of journeys, compared with 4.0% using public transport, while 44.4% work from home and only 2.8% walk or cycle. Four local schools span government and independent sectors, including primary, primary/secondary and special education types; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Recorded crime is 45.9 offences per 1,000 residents, with 619 total offences, including 461 property and deception offences and 80 crimes against the person. The 461 property offences are higher than the 80 person offences, so household security deserves attention. IRSAD decile 9 and IEO decile 10 indicate socioeconomic advantage above the middle deciles.
Drive
45.3%
Public Transport
4.0%
Walk / Cycle
2.8%
Work from Home
44.4%
Population Forecast
+0.41%/yr
(+93 people/yr)
EstablishedBalwyn is an established, slow-growth market. The annual forecast trend is 0.41%, below the suburb's 3.0% long-run house-price CAGR, while the shift trajectory is Stable. Population change across the wider area is 5.9% over ten years, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a score of 20 in the main measure and 28 in the broader shift measure. Rent growth of 30.4% is higher than the annual growth trend, showing that rental pressure has moved faster than the population outlook. The suburb also recovered from a 2.4% COVID-related dip, recording 4.1% recovery, which supports resilience without changing the broader established-market pattern.
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
619
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
45.9
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 compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Balwyn a good suburb to live in?
Balwyn suits households seeking established housing, strong socioeconomic conditions and access to 4 schools. The median age is 43, university attainment is 63.0% and 44.4% work from home, although public transport use is only 4.0%, so the suburb may suit car-oriented households best.
What schools are in Balwyn?
Balwyn has 4 listed schools across 2 sectors. They include Balwyn Primary School, Belmore School, Fintona Girls' School and St Paul's College Balwyn, covering government and independent provision as well as primary, primary/secondary and special education types.
Is Balwyn safe?
Balwyn recorded 619 offences at a rate of 45.9 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 461 cases, compared with 80 crimes against the person, so the local safety picture is more affected by property incidents than personal offences.
Is Balwyn good for property investment?
Balwyn may suit investors prioritising an established premium market over high immediate yield. Rents average $451 per week and 27.0% of households rent, but the 11.5% vacancy rate is significant. There were 153 planning matters over 12 months, while overseas migration supports the demand outlook.
How is Balwyn's population changing?
Growth is gradual rather than rapid, with an annual trend of 0.41% and wider-area population change of 5.9% over 10 years. The trajectory is Stable, overseas migration is the primary driver and the gentrification score is 20 at the Early signs stage.
What languages are spoken in Balwyn?
Mandarin is the most prominent non-English language, spoken by 1,305 people, followed by Cantonese at 406. The overseas-born share is 46.9%, or 25.3 percentage points above the national comparison, with Greek, Hindi and Italian also recorded.
What development is occurring in Balwyn?
Balwyn recorded 153 planning matters over the latest 12 months. Examples include applications lodged on 14 and 17 August 2026 for additional dwellings, alterations and additions, and vegetation removal, indicating continued redevelopment activity in an established housing market.
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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