Belgrave
Household income at the 83.7th percentile nationally, yet the suburb sits 34km from Melbourne CBD in the Dandenong Ranges foothills, where 99.2% of dwellings are separate houses on 4.08 km2. The population of 3,894 has an aging trajectory: the senior share grew 6.4 points over the decade while working-age residents declined 1.9 points. University qualifications reach 41.4%, which is 11.3 points above the national average, and only 7.2% of residents rent, placing it firmly in ownership-dominated, higher-income outer-suburban territory. Rent has climbed 42.9% over the measured period despite this low rental share, reflecting Hills-corridor demand.
Population
3,894
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,202/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$861K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price reached $861,000 in April-June 2024, recovering from $790,000 in January-March 2024. Over 14 years since 2013, prices have doubled from $410,000, a compound annual growth rate of 5.4%. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 99.2%, with 4-plus bedroom homes accounting for 40.2% and 3-bedroom dwellings at 46.2%, so families dominate the buyer pool. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,863, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite median house prices above $800K. Outright owners make up 32.4% and mortgage holders 60.3%, higher than typical established suburbs, indicating a market still absorbing buyers rather than long-held wealth.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $861,000 in April-June 2024, recovering from $790,000 in January-March 2024. Over 14 years since 2013, prices have doubled from $410,000, a compound annual growth rate of 5.4%. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 99.2%, with 4-plus bedroom homes accounting for 40.2% and 3-bedroom dwellings at 46.2%, so families dominate the buyer pool. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,863, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite median house prices above $800K. Outright owners make up 32.4% and mortgage holders 60.3%, higher than typical established suburbs, indicating a market still absorbing buyers rather than long-held wealth.
For Investors
Rental demand is thin: only 7.2% of residents rent, and the vacancy rate sits at 5.0%, which is elevated relative to tighter urban markets. Weekly rent averages $401, giving a gross yield of roughly 2.4% against the $861,000 median, low for the risk profile. Development activity in the past 12 months is effectively zero, so supply-side pressure is absent. The population trend is a mild annual decline of 0.4% (around 40 persons per year), and net internal migration runs at negative 158 per year, offset only partially by overseas arrivals of 61. For investors, the 42.9% rent growth over the period signals pricing resilience even as the owner-occupier base dominates, but the 5.0% vacancy and demographic outflow argue for caution on rental returns.
Schools in Belgrave iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Mater Christi College
7-12 · 688 students
St Thomas More's School
Prep-6 · 101 students
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2 years below the national figure, though the trajectory is aging with the senior share up 6.4 points and working-age share down 1.9 points over the decade. University qualifications at 41.4% run 11.3 points above the national average, consistent with professional households relocating to the Hills corridor. Overseas-born residents reach 19.1%, which is 2.5 points below national. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (1,771), Irish (566), Scottish (523) and German (244) lead the list. Average household size of 2.7 is 0.2 above national, reflecting the family-oriented profile, with couples with children (1,497 families) outnumbering couples without children (784). Volunteering at 19.4% is notably high, indicating active community engagement.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.2%
Houses
0.6%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is dominated by mortgage holders at 60.3% and outright owners at 32.4%, with only 7.2% renting, well below typical suburban norms. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 99.2%, with apartments at just 0.2% and semi-detached at 0.6%. Four-plus bedroom homes make up 40.2% and three-bedroom 46.2%, so the suburb is unambiguously family housing. The price record shows $410,000 in 2013 growing to $861,000 in April-June 2024 at a CAGR of 5.4% over 14 years. The mortgage-to-income ratio at 19.5% and rent-to-income at 18.2% both sit below stress thresholds, meaning housing costs are proportionate to the 83.7th-percentile household income despite prices above $800,000.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General (Apr-Jun 2024)
Mortgage / mo
$1,863
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$401
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$959
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.0%
Unoccupied
75
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.8%
Couples, no children
3,293
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 18.4% (292 workers), followed closely by Education at 17.9% (285 workers), which together account for more than a third of all jobs and explain the high university qualification rate of 41.4%. Professional/Tech employs 9.4% and Construction 9.1%, the latter reflecting building activity in the surrounding Hills growth corridor. By occupation, Professionals (651) and Managers (312) are the two largest groups. The unemployment rate is 5.1% against a participation rate of 66.7%, with 1,200 full-time and 774 part-time workers. SEIFA scores are high across all four indexes: IRSD and IEO both at decile 9, IRSAD and IEO at decile 8, placing Belgrave well above the national median on economic resources and educational advantage.
Unemployment
4.0%
Labour Force
5,913
Unemployed
239
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.8%
Part-time
34.1%
Participation
66.7%
Employed
1,974
Occupations
Top Industries
University
41.4%
Postgraduate
12.0%
Born Overseas
19.1%
Dwellings
1,415
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 89.1% of commuters driving, compared to just 4.4% using public transport and 2.2% walking or cycling, reflecting the semi-rural Hills setting where train access to the city exists but frequency limits its appeal. The suburb scores decile 9 on IRSD, placing it in the top 10% nationally for low disadvantage. Only 4.5% of residents (170 people) need daily assistance, low for a community with an aging trajectory. Rent-to-income at 18.2% and mortgage-to-income at 19.5% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, confirming housing affordability relative to local incomes. No schools are recorded within Belgrave's boundary in this dataset, so families rely on nearby Hills corridor schools.
Drive
89.1%
Public Transport
4.4%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.4%/yr
(-40 people/yr)
EstablishedThe SA2 containing Belgrave holds 9,964 residents as of 2025, down from a pre-COVID peak of 10,378, with recovery at negative 1.3% relative to that level. Annual population change is negative 0.4%, losing roughly 40 persons per year. Medium forecasts project a continued decline to around 9,730 by 2031. Net internal migration runs at negative 158 per year, the primary drag, partly offset by overseas arrivals of 61 annually. The gentrification score is low at 24 out of 100 with early signs but no active gentrification, consistent with the established, owner-dominated profile. The 10-year population change is a slight negative 0.6%, classifying Belgrave as a slow-growth, aging suburb rather than a high-demand growth corridor.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+61
Net Internal / yr
-158
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -158/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
271
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
69.6
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 compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Belgrave a good suburb to live in?
Belgrave scores decile 9 on both IRSD and IEO, placing it in the top 10% nationally for low disadvantage and high education-occupation advantage. Household income sits at the 83.7th percentile nationally. The trade-off is high car dependence (89.1% drive to work) and mild population decline of 0.4% per year.
What is the median house price in Belgrave?
The median house price is $861,000 as of April-June 2024. Prices have doubled from $410,000 in 2013, a CAGR of 5.4% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,863, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.5%, below the standard 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Belgrave?
No schools are recorded inside the Belgrave boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Hills corridor suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with 41.4% holding university qualifications, which is 11.3 points above the national average.
Is Belgrave safe?
Belgrave recorded 271 crimes in the measured period, giving a rate of 69.6 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for the largest share at 135 incidents, followed by crimes against the person at 54. The suburb scores decile 9 on IRSD, indicating very low overall disadvantage.
Is Belgrave good for property investment?
The 5.0% vacancy rate and 7.2% renter share indicate thin rental demand, and the gross yield is roughly 2.4% against the $861,000 median. However, 14-year price growth of 110% (CAGR 5.4%) and 42.9% rent growth over the period show solid capital appreciation. Population is declining 0.4% annually, so near-term rental demand growth is limited.
How is Belgrave's population changing?
The SA2 population sits at 9,964 in 2025, down from a pre-COVID peak of 10,378. Annual decline is around 40 persons or 0.4%. Net internal migration is negative 158 per year and the medium forecast projects further decline to about 9,730 by 2031. The age profile is shifting: the senior share rose 6.4 points over the decade.
What is the demographic profile of Belgrave?
Belgrave has 3,894 residents with a median age of 38, 2 years below national. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic led by English (1,771) and Irish (566). University qualifications at 41.4% are 11.3 points above national. Average household size is 2.7, slightly above national, consistent with a family-oriented, owner-occupier community.
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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