Beaconsfield Upper
Household income in the 95.8th percentile nationally defines Beaconsfield Upper before any other metric. This outer-southeast Melbourne suburb of 2,997 people sits on 28.5 square kilometres at just 105 residents per km2, one of the most land-rich pockets in greater Melbourne. Every dwelling is a separate house, and 63.4% have 4 or more bedrooms, drawing established families seeking space. The median age of 42 is 2 years above the national average, and 84.9% of residents stayed at the same address over the census period, reflecting the low turnover of a settled owner-occupier community.
Population
2,997
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,755/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
4
Median House
$980K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price is $980,000 as of Apr-Jun 2024, down 27.9% from the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $1,359,000. Since 2013, prices have risen 108.5% from $470,000, a CAGR of 5.4% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,252, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Every home is a separate house, and 63.4% have 4 or more bedrooms. At 56.3% mortgage-held and 39.8% owned outright, the suburb skews toward long-term owners rather than recent entrants.
For Buyers
The median house price is $980,000 as of Apr-Jun 2024, down 27.9% from the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $1,359,000. Since 2013, prices have risen 108.5% from $470,000, a CAGR of 5.4% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,252, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Every home is a separate house, and 63.4% have 4 or more bedrooms. At 56.3% mortgage-held and 39.8% owned outright, the suburb skews toward long-term owners rather than recent entrants.
For Investors
Only 4.0% of dwellings are rented, far below the national average of around 30%, making this an owner-occupier suburb rather than a rental market. Weekly rent is $368 and the vacancy rate is 5.5%. With just 4 development applications in the past 12 months, new supply is minimal. The 95.8th percentile household income means residents can afford to buy rather than rent, which structurally limits the tenant pool. The investment case rests on the long-run price CAGR of 5.4% over 14 years, not yield, given that gross returns on a $980,000 median with $368 weekly rent are thin.
Development Activity
Total DAs
6
Last 12 Months
4
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Beaconsfield Upper iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Beaconsfield Upper Primary School
Prep-6 · 317 students
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2 years above the national figure. Overseas-born residents at 13.5% are 8.1 percentage points below national, making the suburb strongly Anglo-Australian, with English (1,160), Irish (301) and Scottish (291) as the leading ancestries. University qualifications at 30.6% are 0.5 points above national. Average household size of 3.2 is 0.7 above the national average, because the large-bedroom stock attracts families with children: 1,269 households are couples with children versus 526 couples without. The volunteering rate of 18% signals community engagement, and 84.9% of residents stayed at the same address over the census period.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
100% separate houses and 63.4% of them with 4 or more bedrooms is unusual even by outer Melbourne standards, where apartment construction has grown. Tenure is 39.8% owned outright and 56.3% on a mortgage, with just 4.0% renting, far below the national renter share. The median house price is $980,000 as of Apr-Jun 2024, a 27.9% pullback from the $1,359,000 Oct-Dec 2023 peak. Prices have risen 108.5% from $470,000 in 2013. Mortgage-to-income at 18.9% and rent-to-income at 13.4% are both below stress thresholds because incomes in the 95.8th percentile nationally keep debt service manageable.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,252
Rent / wk
$368
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,001
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.5%
Unoccupied
51
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
13.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
20.4%
Couples, no children
2,581
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction leads at 21.0% of employed residents (223 workers), above the national sector share, reflecting the suburb's fringe location where housing development remains active. Education (13.6%, 144) and Healthcare (12.6%, 134) follow, with Professional/Tech at 8.5% and Manufacturing at 8.2%. By occupation, Managers (309) and Professionals (300) lead, which aligns with the 95.8th percentile household income nationally. Unemployment is 3.0% and the full-time rate is 60.2%. With 905 full-time and 598 part-time workers, the labour force is broadly engaged and income is high relative to state and national averages.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.2%
Part-time
36.8%
Participation
65.0%
Employed
1,503
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.6%
Postgraduate
6.7%
Born Overseas
13.5%
Dwellings
880
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total: 92.2% of residents drive to work versus the national average where public transport and active travel take a larger combined share. Public transport use is 0.5%, which follows from the low density of 105 residents per km2 and limited rail access. The crime rate is 30.4 per 1,000 residents, with 91 total recorded offences, low by outer-Melbourne standards. Property and deception offences account for 48 of those. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on Beaconsfield and Berwick schools nearby. The need-for-assistance rate of 4.3% (122 residents) is modest, and housing stress ratios of 18.9% mortgage-to-income and 13.4% rent-to-income are well below stress thresholds.
Drive
92.2%
Public Transport
0.5%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
91
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
30.4
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 Beaconsfield Upper compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beaconsfield Upper a good suburb to live in?
Beaconsfield Upper suits established families seeking space and low density. Household income sits in the 95.8th percentile nationally, every home is a separate house, and 63.4% have 4 or more bedrooms. The main trade-offs are near-total car dependence (92.2% drive to work) and no recorded schools within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Beaconsfield Upper?
The median house price is $980,000 as of Apr-Jun 2024, down 27.9% from the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $1,359,000. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,252. Since 2013, prices have risen 108.5% from $470,000, a compound annual growth rate of 5.4% over 14 years.
What schools are in Beaconsfield Upper?
No schools are recorded within the Beaconsfield Upper suburb boundary in this dataset. Families typically rely on schools in neighbouring Beaconsfield and Berwick. Local university qualification rates of 30.6% are 0.5 points above the national average.
Is Beaconsfield Upper safe?
The total recorded crime count is 91 incidents, giving a rate of 30.4 per 1,000 residents, which is low by Melbourne outer-suburb standards. Property and deception offences make up 48 of those, and crimes against the person account for 29. The high home ownership rate (96% owner-occupied) is associated with lower neighbourhood crime risk.
Is Beaconsfield Upper good for property investment?
Long-run capital growth is the primary argument: prices rose 108.5% over 14 years from $470,000 to $980,000, a CAGR of 5.4%. However, only 4.0% of dwellings are rented, vacancy is 5.5%, and weekly rent is $368, so rental yield against a $980,000 median is thin. Investors should expect capital growth rather than income returns.
How is Beaconsfield Upper's population changing?
The suburb has a population of 2,997 across 28.5 square kilometres. With a residential stability rate of 84.9% and a turnover rate of only 15.1%, the community is largely settled and not growing rapidly. No population forecast data is available, but the low development activity of 4 applications in 12 months suggests limited new supply.
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.
Explore Beaconsfield Upper on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map