Bella Vista
A high-income, family-oriented pocket of The Hills, Bella Vista combines 8,384 residents with a median age of 40 and household income at the 99th percentile nationally. Its 85.7% share of four-bedroom-plus homes and 61.8% of families being couples with children explain the mortgage-belt feel, while 50.6% born overseas and 63.5% university educated make the suburb more internationally connected and tertiary qualified than the national picture. Compared with nearby Baulkham Hills and Norwest, buyers should focus on the detached-home mix, $740 weekly rent and ageing trajectory rather than assume every pocket has the same market profile.
Population
8,384
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,518/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
79
Homebuyers are choosing a detached-dominant market: 82.5% of dwellings are separate houses, 85.7% have four or more bedrooms and only 1.4% are apartments. That mix suits larger households, which average 3.4 people, but narrows the entry-level pool compared with apartment-heavier centres. Mortgage commitments average $3,400 monthly, equal to 22.3% of household income, while outright owners account for 36.6% and mortgagors 49.3%. The 60.2 affordability reading in 2021 was lower than 71.1 in 2011, so buyers should stress-test repayments even though current mortgage stress is not flagged.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are choosing a detached-dominant market: 82.5% of dwellings are separate houses, 85.7% have four or more bedrooms and only 1.4% are apartments. That mix suits larger households, which average 3.4 people, but narrows the entry-level pool compared with apartment-heavier centres. Mortgage commitments average $3,400 monthly, equal to 22.3% of household income, while outright owners account for 36.6% and mortgagors 49.3%. The 60.2 affordability reading in 2021 was lower than 71.1 in 2011, so buyers should stress-test repayments even though current mortgage stress is not flagged.
For Investors
Investor demand is supported by a 12.7% renting share, $740 weekly rent and a 7.1% vacancy rate, although the small renter base can make tenant depth thinner than in more rental-oriented centres. Development activity is substantial at 85 applications over 12 months, spanning residential alterations and commercial uses such as cafes and offices, which may improve amenity but also change local competition. Rents grew 19.6%, while overseas migration is the primary growth driver. The combination points to an established, higher-income market rather than a high-yield bargain, so investors should compare gross rent with purchase costs and vacancy risk.
Development Activity
Total DAs
484
Last 12 Months
79
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+5.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bella Vista
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Bella Vista's population is evenly split by sex at 50.2% male, with a median age of 40 that matches the national figure but is moving along an ageing trajectory. Overseas-born residents make up 50.6%, 29.0 percentage points above the national level, and university attainment is 63.5%, 33.4 points higher than nationally. Chinese, Indian and English ancestries count 1,682, 1,252 and 1,192 residents, while Mandarin is spoken by 484 and Hindi by 207. Average household size is 3.4, 0.9 above national, because couples with children represent 61.8% of families. This profile is more migrant and highly educated than many established suburban markets.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.5%
Houses
16.1%
Townhouse
1.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached housing dominates Bella Vista, with 82.5% separate houses and 16.1% semi-detached dwellings, while apartments account for only 1.4%. Four-bedroom-plus homes represent 85.7%, making the suburb more family-sized than a compact unit market. Tenure is weighted to owners: 36.6% own outright, 49.3% hold a mortgage and 12.7% rent. The typical mortgage is $3,400 monthly against $3,518 weekly household income, or 22.3% on the mortgage measure, compared with 21.0% of income going to rent. Affordability fell from 71.1 in 2011 to 60.2 in 2021, so housing is less accessible than a decade earlier.
Mortgage / mo
$3,400
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $740.
$850
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $900 · units $750
HH Size
3.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,081
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.1%
Unoccupied
185
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
61.8%
Couples with children
28.9%
Couples, no children
8.3%
Single parent
2,419
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is concentrated in knowledge and service sectors: healthcare accounts for 713 workers or 20.8%, followed by professional and technical work at 440 or 12.8%, finance at 367 or 10.7%, education at 289 or 8.4%, and retail at 221 or 6.4%. Professionals number 1,661 and managers 892, supporting household income of $3,518 weekly, at the 99th percentile. The labour-force participation rate is 67.3%, unemployment is 4.3% and full-time work is 61.7%, indicating a relatively strong employment base. Bella Vista's income position is higher than national norms because its occupational mix is heavily professional and managerial.
Unemployment
4.3%
Labour Force
4,601
Unemployed
196
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.7%
Part-time
29.1%
Participation
67.3%
Employed
4,405
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
63.5%
Postgraduate
22.4%
Born Overseas
50.6%
Dwellings
2,421
Transport to Work
Bella Vista suits households that value space and home-based work: 51.9% work from home, 41.5% drive as a car driver and 2.8% use public transport for the journey to work. The local school mix includes 1 government primary school, Bella Vista Public School; families should check catchments and nearby secondary options against the exact address. Couples with children make up 61.8% of families and the average household size is 3.4, so family logistics shape daily amenity more than apartment convenience. At 1,910.2 people per square kilometre across 4.39 square kilometres, it is denser than a purely semi-rural setting, but its separate-house share is higher than its apartment share. Safety decisions should rely on recent NSW Police or BOCSAR figures rather than a blanket suburb label.
Drive
41.5%
Public Transport
2.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.1%
Work from Home
51.9%
Population Forecast
+1.17%/yr
(+272 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is forecast at 1.17% annually, driven primarily by overseas migration, while population change across the wider area is 16.5% over 10 years. The trajectory is labelled Aging, with the senior share up 6.9 percentage points and the young share down 1.4 points, so future demand may tilt toward established households and downsizer-friendly homes rather than only young families. Gentrification is currently scored 17 and staged Not gentrifying, although a separate shift score of 33 is labelled Early signs. Rent growth of 19.6% and affordability moving from 71.1 to 60.2 show why growth can persist despite rising pressure.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+391
Net Internal / yr
-82
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +20% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +391/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bella Vista compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bella Vista a good suburb to live in?
Bella Vista suits households wanting larger homes and a high-income setting: 85.7% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms, household income sits at the 99th percentile and 51.9% work from home. It is less suited to buyers seeking a low-cost apartment lifestyle, because only 1.4% of dwellings are apartments and the median age is 40.
What is the median house price in Bella Vista?
A current median house price should be confirmed from recent settled sales before making an offer. Bella Vista's 85.7% four-bedroom-plus mix means a suburb-wide median can conceal meaningful differences by dwelling size. Compare recent sales with $740 weekly rent and the $3,400 monthly mortgage context, and benchmark nearby Baulkham Hills and Norwest.
What schools are in Bella Vista?
Bella Vista Public School is the local government primary school identified for Bella Vista. Verify the catchment against the exact address and check nearby secondary options, because enrolment boundaries can differ from suburb boundaries. With 61.8% of families being couples with children and 3.4 people per household, school access is a practical factor for many buyers.
Is Bella Vista safe?
Safety decisions should rely on recent NSW Police or BOCSAR figures rather than a blanket suburb label. Visit at different times, inspect lighting and walking routes, and compare Bella Vista with nearby suburbs. With 8,384 residents across 4.39 square kilometres, local conditions can vary by street, so check the exact address before committing.
Is Bella Vista good for property investment?
Bella Vista can suit a long-term investor seeking established, family-sized housing: 12.7% of homes are rented, weekly rent is $740 and vacancy is 7.1%. However, 85.7% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, so the buy-in profile may be higher than in unit-heavy markets. Compare the 19.6% rent growth with purchase costs, maintenance and vacancy risk.
How is Bella Vista's population changing?
Bella Vista is growing at 1.17% a year, with overseas migration the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change is 16.5% over 10 years, while the trajectory is Aging: the senior share is up 6.9 points and the young share is down 1.4 points. Demand can keep expanding while shifting toward established households rather than only first-home buyers.
What development is happening in Bella Vista?
Development activity is active, with 85 applications recorded over 12 months. Recent examples include alterations to existing buildings, a restaurant or cafe proposal and office premises. This can strengthen local services and employment, but buyers should check individual approvals, construction timing and likely traffic impacts before purchasing.
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 education open registers (school locations), 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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