Bell Park
Croatian ancestry runs to 810 residents and 281 Croatian speakers in a suburb of 5,602 people, a concentration that ranks among the highest in regional Victoria and shapes the local character more than any single statistic. The $610,000 median house price sits well below Melbourne metro levels, yet it has compounded at 4.9% a year for 14 years, lifting 94.3% from $314,000 in 2013. Households land in the 26.7th percentile of income nationally, and 81.0% of dwellings are detached houses, so this is an owner-occupier, working-family pocket rather than an apartment market. SEIFA scores hold steady at decile 4 across most indexes, a below-average but stable advantage tier.
Population
5,602
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,224/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
16
Median House
$610K
Apr-Jun 2024
At a $610,000 median, Bell Park is far cheaper than greater Melbourne, and the stock suits families because 81.0% of homes are separate houses and only 4.8% are apartments. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 54.0%, with another 18.1% carrying four or more bedrooms, so buyers find genuine family layouts rather than the two-bed apartments common in pricier suburbs. The price actually eased 4.7% from its 2022 peak of $640,000, giving buyers a softer entry point than the recent high. Monthly mortgage repayments average about $1,500, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.3%, just below the 30% stress threshold despite household income sitting in only the 26.7th percentile nationally. Outright owners (42.2%) outnumber mortgage holders (25.6%), a sign of long-settled families rather than recent leveraged buyers.
For Buyers
At a $610,000 median, Bell Park is far cheaper than greater Melbourne, and the stock suits families because 81.0% of homes are separate houses and only 4.8% are apartments. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 54.0%, with another 18.1% carrying four or more bedrooms, so buyers find genuine family layouts rather than the two-bed apartments common in pricier suburbs. The price actually eased 4.7% from its 2022 peak of $640,000, giving buyers a softer entry point than the recent high. Monthly mortgage repayments average about $1,500, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.3%, just below the 30% stress threshold despite household income sitting in only the 26.7th percentile nationally. Outright owners (42.2%) outnumber mortgage holders (25.6%), a sign of long-settled families rather than recent leveraged buyers.
For Investors
Renters make up 32.3% of households and weekly rent averages $340, which against the $610,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.9%, stronger than the inner-Melbourne norm because the entry price is low. Rent has grown 41.7% over the measured period, the clearest signal of tightening demand, while the vacancy rate of 6.4% leaves some slack in the tenant pool. Demand support is mixed: overseas migration adds about 119 residents a year and is the primary driver, but net internal migration removes roughly 113, leaving thin natural growth at 0.6% annually. Development is quiet at 15 applications in 12 months, mostly small works, so new supply is unlikely to flood the market. The investment case rests on yield and modest rent escalation rather than rapid capital growth, which has slipped 4.7% below the 2022 peak.
Development Activity
Total DAs
27
Last 12 Months
16
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+433.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
$873K
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bell Park iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Holy Family School
Prep-6 · 344 students
Bell Park North Primary School
Prep-6 · 292 students
Demographics
The median age of 41 sits 1.0 year above the national figure, and the profile is gradually aging, with the senior share up 3.0 points and the working-age share down 1.1 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 34.6%, which is 13.0 points above national, and the mix is distinctive: Croatian ancestry (810) trails only English (1,324), with Italian (402) and Irish (406) also prominent. The top non-English languages are Croatian (281), Italian (61) and Punjabi (53). University qualifications sit at 28.4%, which is 1.7 points below national, consistent with a trades and services workforce rather than a professional-heavy one. Average household size is 2.2, which is 0.3 below national, and couples without children (28.5%) sit just behind couples with children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
81.0%
Houses
13.3%
Townhouse
4.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure leans heavily toward ownership: 42.2% own outright, 25.6% carry a mortgage and 32.3% rent, so outright owners outnumber every other group and point to long-held, debt-light family homes. The stock is 81.0% separate houses and just 4.8% apartments, far more detached than typical metro suburbs, which keeps the market family-oriented. Three-bedroom homes account for 54.0% and four-plus bedrooms 18.1%, leaving only 3.3% in the studio or one-bedroom band. The median house price rose from $314,000 in 2013 to $610,000 in 2024, a 94.3% gain at 4.9% compound annually, though it eased 4.7% from the 2022 peak of $640,000. Mortgage-to-income at 28.3% and rent-to-income at 27.8% both stay below the 30% stress line, a reflection of the affordable median relative even to a 26.7th-percentile income base.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,500
Rent / wk
$340
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$638
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.4%
Unoccupied
165
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.5%
Couples, no children
4,173
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the local workforce at 20.4% (329 workers), followed by Construction at 11.4% (184), Education at 10.9% (175), Retail at 8.6% (138) and Manufacturing at 7.8% (126), a blue-collar and care-sector mix rather than a finance or tech base. By occupation, Professionals (441) lead but Labourers (326) and Community and Personal Service workers (313) follow closely, which explains why university attainment of 28.4% runs below the national figure. Unemployment is 6.1% and the full-time employment rate is 61.6%, with participation at 52.3%, held down by 1,859 residents not in the labour force given the older profile. SEIFA reads decile 4 on IRSAD, IEO and IRSD and decile 3 on IER, a consistently below-average advantage tier, with the lower IER reflecting the modest income base in the 26.7th percentile.
Unemployment
6.3%
Labour Force
8,176
Unemployed
514
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.6%
Part-time
32.3%
Participation
52.3%
Employed
2,328
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.4%
Postgraduate
6.3%
Born Overseas
34.6%
Dwellings
2,390
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 87.4% of commuters drive while only 1.8% use public transport and 3.0% walk or cycle, well above the national reliance on cars and typical of a regional Geelong suburb. The crime rate is 83.9 per 1,000 residents, with 470 recorded offences led by property and deception (207) and justice procedures (129), while crimes against the person are lower at 74. SEIFA places the suburb at decile 4 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, a below-average but not bottom tier, and 8.7% of residents (463 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the older median age of 41. Volunteering runs at 11.5%. No schools are recorded inside the 2.74 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Geelong suburbs, a practical trade-off at a density of 2,043 residents per km2.
Drive
87.4%
Public Transport
1.8%
Walk / Cycle
3.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.6%/yr
(+94 people/yr)
EstablishedBell Park is an established, slow-growth suburb with annual population growth of 0.6%, roughly 94 persons a year, and a 10-year change of 12.8%. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver at about 119 residents annually, offset by a net internal outflow near 113, leaving the suburb close to flat on local movement. The gentrification reading is mixed: the standard model scores it not gentrifying given the internal outflow, yet a separate shift index puts it in an active phase with real income up 29.3% and rent up 41.7% over the decade. Affordability improved from 55.2% in 2011 to 49.1% in 2021, an unusual easing for a growing area, driven by incomes rising faster than the 4.9% annual house price trend. The young-resident share slipped 0.5 points, reinforcing the aging trajectory.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+119
Net Internal / yr
-113
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -113/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
470
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
83.9
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 Bell Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bell Park a good suburb to live in?
Bell Park suits owner-occupier families: 81.0% of homes are detached houses and the $610,000 median sits well below Melbourne levels. SEIFA holds at decile 4, a below-average but stable advantage tier. The trade-offs are heavy car reliance, with 87.4% driving to work, and a crime rate of 83.9 per 1,000 residents.
What is the median house price in Bell Park?
The median house price is $610,000 as of the Apr-Jun 2024 quarter, down 4.7% from the 2022 peak of $640,000 but up 94.3% from $314,000 in 2013, a 4.9% compound annual gain. Weekly rent averages $340 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,500.
What schools are in Bell Park?
No schools are recorded inside the 2.74 km2 Bell Park boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Geelong suburbs. University qualifications among residents sit at 28.4%, which is 1.7 points below the national figure, consistent with a trades and services workforce.
Is Bell Park safe?
Bell Park recorded 470 offences, a rate of 83.9 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences (207) and justice procedures (129) dominate, while crimes against the person are lower at 74. The suburb scores decile 4 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, a below-average but mid-range tier.
Is Bell Park good for property investment?
Rent of $340 a week against the $610,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.9%, stronger than inner Melbourne because the entry price is low. Rent grew 41.7% over the period, but the 6.4% vacancy rate and 0.6% annual population growth mean returns lean on yield rather than rapid capital growth.
How is Bell Park's population changing?
Population growth is 0.6% annually, about 94 people a year, with a 12.8% rise over 10 years. Overseas migration adds roughly 119 residents annually while net internal migration removes about 113. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 3.0 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Bell Park?
About 34.6% of residents were born overseas, 13.0 points above the national figure. English dominates, but Croatian is the leading non-English language with 281 speakers, followed by Italian (61), Punjabi (53) and Macedonian (53), reflecting a strong Croatian community of 810 by ancestry.
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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