Belgrave South
At a median household income in the 90.3rd percentile nationally, Belgrave South punches well above its modest 1,670-person population. The suburb sits 12.7 square kilometres in Melbourne's Dandenong Ranges fringe, yet only 6% of residents rent, far below the national average, signalling a deeply owner-occupier base. Separate houses make up 99.4% of all dwellings, and 58.5% have four or more bedrooms, pointing to a large-family lifestyle rather than a downsizer market. Median age of 44 is 4 years above the national figure, consistent with an established, long-staying community where 85% of residents had not moved in the five years prior.
Population
1,670
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,382/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Prices reached $1,090,000 in 2024, down slightly from a peak of $1,125,000 in 2023, representing a 3.1% correction from the top. Over 12 years from 2013, median prices doubled from $548,000, a compound annual growth rate of 5.9%. The stock is almost entirely detached houses at 99.4%, with 4-plus bedroom configurations dominating at 58.5% of dwellings. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, and mortgage-to-income sits at 19.4%, well below the 30% stress threshold compared to many metro markets. That affordability relative to income, combined with large lot sizes and low renter share of only 6%, makes this a buy-and-hold suburb rather than a transactional one.
For Buyers
Prices reached $1,090,000 in 2024, down slightly from a peak of $1,125,000 in 2023, representing a 3.1% correction from the top. Over 12 years from 2013, median prices doubled from $548,000, a compound annual growth rate of 5.9%. The stock is almost entirely detached houses at 99.4%, with 4-plus bedroom configurations dominating at 58.5% of dwellings. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, and mortgage-to-income sits at 19.4%, well below the 30% stress threshold compared to many metro markets. That affordability relative to income, combined with large lot sizes and low renter share of only 6%, makes this a buy-and-hold suburb rather than a transactional one.
For Investors
With only 6% of dwellings rented, the investor pool in Belgrave South is shallow by design. Weekly rent of $450 against a $1,090,000 median implies a gross yield around 2.1%, below what most investors seek compared to higher-density markets. The vacancy rate is 4.0%, moderately elevated, suggesting limited rental demand. No development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a near-term risk, but neither is it driving growth. The 12-year price CAGR of 5.9% is the strongest case for investors, as capital growth has outpaced most regional benchmarks. Long tenure among residents (85% stayed over 5 years) means low churn and limited forced-sale pressure.
Schools in Belgrave South iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Belgrave South Primary School
Prep-6 · 375 students
Demographics
Belgrave South's median age of 44 is 4.0 years above the national figure, placing it firmly in the older-household cohort. The overseas-born share of 16.8% sits 4.8 percentage points below the national average, and ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (785), Irish (200) and Scottish (172). University qualifications reach 30.6%, marginally above the national rate by 0.5 percentage points. Average household size is 3.0, half a person above the national average, which aligns with the prevalence of large 4-bedroom family homes. Volunteering runs at 22.1%, higher than most suburban areas, and couples with children (604 families) outnumber couples without children (364), confirming the family-formation profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.4%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
0.6%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing profile is among the most homogeneous in the Yarra Ranges corridor. Separate houses account for 99.4% of all stock, with 4-plus bedroom dwellings at 58.5% and 3-bedroom at 34.9%, leaving almost no small-format supply. Tenure splits between outright owners (42.3%) and mortgage holders (51.7%), while renters are just 6.0%. The 42.3% outright ownership rate is notably high compared to metro Melbourne averages, suggesting a long-established, equity-rich base. Prices have grown from $548,000 in 2013 to $1,090,000 in 2024, a 98.9% total gain. Mortgage-to-income at 19.4% remains well below the 30% stress level despite the seven-figure median, because household incomes are in the 90.3rd percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$843
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.0%
Unoccupied
23
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.5%
Couples, no children
1,488
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction leads the local employment mix at 17.4% (108 workers), narrowly ahead of Healthcare at 17.0% (105), with Education at 11.1% and Professional/Tech at 10.0% rounding out the top four. Professionals (192) and Managers (149) are the two largest occupation groups, reflecting a workforce above the national skills baseline. The full-time employment rate is 55.8%, with 359 residents working part-time, a split common in households where one partner takes a flexible role. Unemployment is 4.5% and the participation rate is 61.5%, below the national benchmark because 418 residents are not in the labour force, likely reflecting the older median age of 44. Household income of $2,382 per week places this suburb in the 90.3rd percentile nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.8%
Part-time
39.7%
Participation
61.5%
Employed
812
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.6%
Postgraduate
6.4%
Born Overseas
16.8%
Dwellings
541
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high in Belgrave South, with 88.8% of residents driving to work and only 1.2% using public transport, lower than the state average and consistent with a low-density outer suburb without train-line access. Crime is low at 20.4 incidents per 1,000 residents, and 28 of 34 total offences in the recorded period were property and deception matters rather than crimes against the person. Mortgage stress at 19.4% and rent-to-income at 18.9% both sit comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, making day-to-day costs manageable relative to incomes in the 90.3rd percentile nationally. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on neighbouring catchments. The 22.1% volunteering rate signals strong community participation for a suburb of only 1,670 residents.
Drive
88.8%
Public Transport
1.2%
Walk / Cycle
4.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
34
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
20.4
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 Belgrave South compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Belgrave South a good suburb to live in?
Belgrave South suits owner-occupier families well. Household income sits in the 90.3rd percentile nationally, mortgage-to-income is only 19.4% and crime runs at 20.4 incidents per 1,000 residents, a low rate. The suburb's 88.8% car-commuter share and lack of recorded schools within the boundary are the main trade-offs.
What is the median house price in Belgrave South?
The median house price was $1,090,000 in 2024, down 3.1% from a peak of $1,125,000 in 2023. Since 2013 the median has risen from $548,000, a 98.9% gain at a compound annual rate of 5.9% over 12 years. Weekly rent averages $450 and monthly mortgage repayments are approximately $2,000.
What schools are in Belgrave South?
No schools are recorded within the Belgrave South suburb boundary in this dataset. Residents send children to schools in neighbouring suburbs. Despite this, 30.6% of adults hold university qualifications, marginally above the national average, suggesting families prioritise education and manage the commute to local schools.
Is Belgrave South safe?
Belgrave South recorded 34 total offences in the most recent period, a rate of 20.4 per 1,000 residents. Of those, 28 were property and deception offences and only 6 were crimes against the person. This is a low crime rate compared to metropolitan suburbs and consistent with the suburb's identity as an established, low-turnover community.
Is Belgrave South good for property investment?
Capital growth is the primary case: a 12-year CAGR of 5.9% from $548,000 to $1,090,000 is a solid track record. However, the renter share is only 6% and weekly rent of $450 against a $1,090,000 median gives a gross yield of about 2.1%, below most investor benchmarks. The 4.0% vacancy rate also indicates limited rental demand. Zero development approvals in 12 months supports price floors.
How is Belgrave South's population changing?
Belgrave South has a population of 1,670 with a median age of 44, which is 4 years above the national figure. The suburb shows low churn: 85% of residents had not moved in the five years prior, and the annual turnover rate is 15%. No population forecast data is available, but the stable tenure profile and family-household composition suggest gradual, organic change rather than rapid growth.
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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