VIC 3808 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

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.

Local council: Cardinia

Beaconsfield Upper urban fabric map

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

0

Median House

$1.3M

October to December 2025

Only a handful of houses sold here in this period, so this median can jump sharply from one quarter to the next for reasons that have nothing to do with the market. Treat it as a rough guide, not a settled price.

28.5 km²· 105.2 people/km²· Family income $2,862/wk

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

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 (2021 Census) 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.

Development Activity

Total DAs

2

Last 12 Months

0

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

Schools in Beaconsfield Upper

Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.

Beaconsfield Upper Primary School

Primary Government

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

0-14
20.5%
15-24
13.5%
25-44
19.7%
45-64
30.3%
65+
15.7%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
0.6%
2 bed
3.4%
3 bed
32.6%
4+ bed
63.4%

Dwelling Structure

100.0%

Houses

0.0%

Townhouse

0.0%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 39.0% Mortgage 55.2% Rent 3.9% Other 1.8%

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. 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.

Mortgage / mo

$2,252

Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.

$368

Census 2021

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

English
1,160
Irish
301
Scottish
291
Other
209
Ancestry NS
154
Italian
147

Household Composition

60.0%

Couples with children

33.1%

Couples, no children

6.1%

Single parent

797

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.

Unemployment

2.8%

Labour Force

1,646

Unemployed

46

Source: ABS Census 2021

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Full-time

56.6%

Part-time

37.4%

Participation

69.1%

Employed

1,600

Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021

Occupations

Managers 309
Professionals 300
Trades 294
Clerical/Admin 219
Sales 138
Community/Personal 125
Labourers 124
Machinery/Drivers 52

Top Industries

Construction 21.0%
Education 13.6%
Healthcare 12.6%
Professional/Tech 8.5%
Manufacturing 8.2%

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

64.6%

Public Transport

0.4%

Walk / Cycle

1.0%

Work from Home

29.9%

Growth Outlook

The 4 development applications in 12 months signal very limited new supply, which supports prices over time by constraining stock. With 84.9% of residents staying at the same address and a turnover rate of 15.1%, churn is low and demand is steady rather than speculative. Construction employs 21% of local workers, so residents contribute to Melbourne's broader growth rather than adding local supply.

Population trend: Cardinia council area

Beaconsfield Upper sits in the Cardinia council area. These are the council area's residents, not Beaconsfield Upper's.

Residents 2025

133,472

Growth, 5 yr average

+2.8%/yr

2020 to 2025

Growth, last year

+2.6%

2024 to 2025

ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb

Safety & Crime

Total Offences

91

Year ending June 2024

Rate per 1,000 People

30.4

Offence Categories

Property and deception offences
48
Crimes against the person
29
Justice procedures offences
9
Drug offences
5

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

Population
Top 17%
Household Income
Top 4%
Rent Level
Top 22%
Apartments
Bottom 0%
Renters
Bottom 23%
Uni Educated
Top 33%
Public Transport
Bottom 4%
Born Overseas
Bottom 47%
Density
Top 26%

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 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?

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), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).

Explore Beaconsfield Upper on the Map

View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.

Open Interactive Map

More Suburbs in VIC