Bayswater
Crime is the clearest watchpoint in Bayswater, with 1,121 recorded offences and a rate of 91.4 per 1,000 residents, led by 610 property and deception offences. The suburb sits in the Knox corridor beside Boronia and Wantirna, but its profile is more mixed than a simple family-belt label: 12,262 residents, median age 38, and 36.4% born overseas, 14.8 percentage points above the national level. A median house price of $836,500 and household income at the 52.5 percentile keep it near middle-income territory, because established houses coexist with 27.3% semi-detached stock and a working local economy.
Population
12,262
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,598/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
52
Median House
$836K
Apr-Jun 2024
For homebuyers, Bayswater is mainly a house and townhouse market rather than an apartment market. Separate houses make up 61.7% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 27.3%, and apartments 11.0%, with 3-bedroom homes the core at 48.9%. The $836,500 median house price is 8.0% below the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $909,000, which gives buyers some leverage after the recent pullback. Mortgage costs at $1,820 a month consume 26.3% of income, below common stress settings, because household income sits at $1,598 a week.
For Buyers
For homebuyers, Bayswater is mainly a house and townhouse market rather than an apartment market. Separate houses make up 61.7% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 27.3%, and apartments 11.0%, with 3-bedroom homes the core at 48.9%. The $836,500 median house price is 8.0% below the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $909,000, which gives buyers some leverage after the recent pullback. Mortgage costs at $1,820 a month consume 26.3% of income, below common stress settings, because household income sits at $1,598 a week.
For Investors
Investors face a two-speed signal. Renters are 34.5% of households, compared with 28.3% owned outright and 37.2% under mortgage, so tenant depth is real but not dominant. Weekly rent is $375 and rents have risen 34.3% in the shift measure, helped by overseas migration averaging +203 people a year. The 6.8% vacancy rate is the caution, because it points to higher leasing risk than supply-constrained markets. With 26 development applications in 12 months, new subdivision stock may keep competition elevated.
Development Activity
Total DAs
69
Last 12 Months
52
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+550.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bayswater iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Bayswater South Primary School
Prep-6 · 339 students
Bayswater Primary School
Prep-6 · 155 students
Bayswater West Primary School
Prep-6 · 223 students
Our Lady of Lourdes School
Prep-6 · 85 students
Bayswater Secondary College
7-12 · 256 students
Demographics
Bayswater's population is slightly younger than Australia overall, with a median age of 38, 2.0 years below the national benchmark. The suburb is also more overseas-born than average: 36.4% of residents were born overseas, 14.8 percentage points above national, while university attainment of 38.5% is 8.4 points higher. English ancestry remains the largest group at 3,669 people, alongside Chinese ancestry at 1,579 and Mandarin speakers at 379. Household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below national, which fits a mix of couples, singles and small families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
61.7%
Houses
27.3%
Townhouse
11.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Bayswater's housing market has compounded over the long term but cooled from its latest peak. Across 15 price points, the median moved from $458,500 in 2013 to $836,500 in Apr-Jun 2024, an 82.4% lift and 4.4% CAGR over 14 years. The latest price remains 8.0% below the $909,000 peak in Oct-Dec 2023, so the cycle is softer than its high-water mark. Tenure is balanced: 28.3% owned outright, 37.2% mortgaged and 34.5% renting. Rent-to-income at 23.5% and mortgage-to-income at 26.3% suggest affordability is stretched but not flagged as stress.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,820
Rent / wk
$375
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$785
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.8%
Unoccupied
355
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.9%
Couples, no children
9,516
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local economy is broad for a middle-ring suburb. Healthcare is the largest industry at 19.4% and 824 workers, followed by construction at 10.4%, education at 10.1%, professional and tech at 9.6%, and manufacturing at 8.4%. Professionals are the biggest occupation group at 1,398 people, above clerical and admin at 823. Employment settings are fairly steady, with 4.6% unemployment, 59.2% participation and 65.1% of employed residents full-time. SEIFA is mixed: IEO decile 6 sits higher than IER decile 4, while IRSD and IRSAD are both decile 5, meaning education and occupation run ahead of economic resources.
Unemployment
5.3%
Labour Force
7,556
Unemployed
397
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.1%
Part-time
30.3%
Participation
59.2%
Employed
5,787
Occupations
Top Industries
University
38.5%
Postgraduate
10.6%
Born Overseas
36.4%
Dwellings
4,847
Transport to Work
Livability is practical but car-heavy. Only 4.4% use public transport for commuting, compared with 87.4% who drive and 2.5% who walk or cycle, so daily convenience depends heavily on roads and parking. The school offer is local and mostly Government: 5 schools span ICSEA 972 to 1099, led by Bayswater South Primary at 1099 with 339 students, Bayswater Primary at 1024 with 155, and Catholic option Our Lady of Lourdes at 1003 with 85. Safety is the trade-off, with 91.4 offences per 1,000 and 610 property and deception offences. IRSAD decile 5 is average, matching a useful but not premium amenity base.
Drive
87.4%
Public Transport
4.4%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.81%/yr
(+109 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is moderate rather than rapid. The medium forecast reaches 13,992 residents by 2031, with the trend adding 0.81% a year, or about 109 people annually. Migration explains the pattern: overseas migration averages +203 a year, while internal migration averages -82, so overseas arrivals offset local outflow. The suburb is classed as Not gentrifying on a score of 15, compared with the shift score of 29 showing only early signs. Rent growth of 34.3% and real income growth of 11.5% point to demand pressure, but the mixed trajectory and stable affordability keep the outlook measured.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+203
Net Internal / yr
-82
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +15% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +203/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,121
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
91.4
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 Bayswater compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bayswater a good suburb to live in?
Yes for households wanting established housing under $900,000 and local schools. The median age is 38, university attainment is 38.5%, and 36.4% born overseas is above the national level. The main caution is safety, with 91.4 offences per 1,000 residents.
What is the median house price in Bayswater?
The median house price is $836,500 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 8.0% below the $909,000 peak from Oct-Dec 2023, but still 82.4% higher than the $458,500 level recorded in 2013.
What schools are in Bayswater?
Bayswater has 5 local schools, with an ICSEA range from 972 to 1099. The highest ICSEA is Bayswater South Primary School at 1099, and the mix includes Government, Catholic, Primary and Secondary options.
Is Bayswater safe?
Safety is mixed rather than uniformly low-risk. There were 1,121 recorded offences, equal to 91.4 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences the largest category at 610 incidents.
Is Bayswater good for property investment?
Potential is selective. Renters make up 34.5% of households and weekly rent is $375, while rent growth is 34.3%. The 6.8% vacancy rate is higher than tight rental markets, so pricing and tenant selection matter.
How is Bayswater's population changing?
Population growth is steady, with the trend adding 0.81% or 109 people a year. The medium forecast reaches 13,992 by 2031, driven by +203 overseas migration a year despite -82 internal migration.
What languages are spoken in Bayswater?
English is common, but overseas-born residents are 36.4%, which is 14.8 percentage points above national. Mandarin has 379 speakers, Canton 231, German 81, Sinhal 70 and Punjabi 56.
Is there much development in Bayswater?
Development activity is meaningful, with 26 applications in 12 months. Recent samples include a 7-lot subdivision and a 12-lot subdivision, so infill supply is higher than a no-growth established area.
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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