VIC 3216 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Belmont

Belmont's standout trait is how settled it remains inside the Geelong urban area: 78.0% of dwellings are separate houses, apartments are only 0.9%, and the population is 15,066 across 9.0 sq km. Compared with nearby Highton and Grovedale, Belmont reads less as a new growth front and more as an established, detached-house market with a $678,800 median house price. Education levels are a strength, with 39.6% university qualified, 9.5 points above nationally, while the 17.7% overseas-born share sits 3.9 points below national.

Belmont urban fabric map

Population

15,066

Median Age

37.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,517/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

20

Median House

$679K

Apr-Jun 2024

9.0 km²· 1,674.3 people/km²· Family income $2,080/wk

For buyers, Belmont is a house-first market: the median house price is $678,800 and 78.0% of dwellings are separate houses, so families seeking yards have more relevant stock than apartment hunters, with apartments only 0.9%. The 3-bedroom segment dominates at 52.6%, while 4-plus bedrooms make up 18.2%, making upgraders more selective. Mortgage costs average $1,703 per month and mortgage-to-income is 25.9%, while household income sits at the 47.4 percentile, below the national midpoint, so affordability depends on buying well rather than stretching.

For Buyers

For buyers, Belmont is a house-first market: the median house price is $678,800 and 78.0% of dwellings are separate houses, so families seeking yards have more relevant stock than apartment hunters, with apartments only 0.9%. The 3-bedroom segment dominates at 52.6%, while 4-plus bedrooms make up 18.2%, making upgraders more selective. Mortgage costs average $1,703 per month and mortgage-to-income is 25.9%, while household income sits at the 47.4 percentile, below the national midpoint, so affordability depends on buying well rather than stretching.

For Investors

Belmont has a usable rental base because renters make up 35.9% of households, compared with 32.3% owned outright and 31.8% with a mortgage. The median rent is $350 per week, and rent-to-income is 23.1%, which helps explain why rent stress is not flagged. The caution is vacancy: 6.8% is high enough to weaken near-term pricing power, especially with only 14 development applications in 12 months. Rent growth of 44.6% in the shift period points to stronger income uplift than the current vacancy rate suggests.

Development Activity

Total DAs

35

Last 12 Months

20

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+150.0%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

$476K

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Other
14
Subdivision
6
New Dwelling
4
Childcare / Education
1
Renovation / Extension
1
Hospitality / Food Premises
1
Prop Tech
1

Schools in Belmont iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Belmont Primary School

ICSEA 1112 Primary Government

Prep-6 · 301 students

Clairvaux Catholic School

ICSEA 1095 Primary Catholic

Prep-6 · 631 students

Roslyn Primary School

ICSEA 1082 Primary Government

Prep-6 · 249 students

Belmont High School

ICSEA 1053 Secondary Government

7-12 · 1291 students

Oberon Primary School

ICSEA 1024 Primary Government

Prep-6 · 224 students

Demographics

Belmont skews younger and more educated than the national pattern, with a median age of 37, 3.0 years below national, and 39.6% university qualified, 9.5 points above nationally. It is less migrant-heavy than many urban suburbs: 17.7% were born overseas, 3.9 points below national, and the leading ancestries are English 6,064, Irish 2,274 and Scottish 1,894. Household size is 2.3, or 0.2 below national, which fits the mix of couples without children at 28.3%, singles and smaller established households.

Age Distribution

0-14
17.2%
15-24
12.0%
25-44
30.5%
45-64
21.5%
65+
18.8%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
5.4%
2 bed
23.8%
3 bed
52.6%
4+ bed
18.2%

Dwelling Structure

78.0%

Houses

18.2%

Townhouse

0.9%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 32.3% Mortgage 31.8% Rent 35.9%

Belmont's housing market has softened modestly rather than reset. The median house price was $700,000 in Apr-Jun 2023, fell to a $670,000 trough in Oct-Dec 2023, and sat at $678,800 in Apr-Jun 2024, 3.0% below the peak and earliest price. Housing choice is still low-rise: 78.0% separate houses and 18.2% semi-detached, far higher than apartments at 0.9%. Tenure is balanced, with 32.3% owned outright, 31.8% mortgaged and 35.9% renting, so the market is not dominated by one buyer type.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$1,703

Rent / wk

$350

HH Size

2.3

Personal Income / wk

$802

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

6.8%

Unoccupied

455

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

23.1%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

25.9%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
82
Hindi
61
Malayalam
58
Urdu
50
Italian
41
Punjabi
38

Ancestry

English
6,064
Irish
2,274
Scottish
1,894
Other
1,329
German
744
Ancestry NS
723

Household Composition

28.3%

Couples, no children

10,692

Total families

Economy & Employment

Belmont's economy leans strongly into public and service work, with Healthcare at 23.4% of local workers, Education 14.8%, Construction 11.3%, Public Admin 7.6% and Professional/Tech 7.1%. Occupations reinforce that pattern: Professionals number 2,054, ahead of Community/Personal at 1,010 and Clerical/Admin at 828. Unemployment is 5.0% and full-time work is 59.6% of employed people. SEIFA is mixed, with IEO decile 7 but IER decile 3, while IRSD is 6 and IRSAD is 5, meaning education is higher than economic resources.

Unemployment

4.2%

Labour Force

8,396

Unemployed

351

Quarterly Trend

Mar-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

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

Overall advantage
5
Disadvantage
6
Economic resources
3
Education & occupation
7

Full-time

59.6%

Part-time

35.4%

Participation

58.7%

Employed

6,964

Occupations

Professionals 2,054
Community/Personal 1,010
Clerical/Admin 828
Managers 763
Labourers 660
Sales 603
Machinery/Drivers 381

Top Industries

Healthcare 23.4%
Education 14.8%
Construction 11.3%
Public Admin 7.6%
Professional/Tech 7.1%

University

39.6%

Postgraduate

11.3%

Born Overseas

17.7%

Dwellings

6,177

Transport to Work

Belmont is practical rather than transit led. Car drivers account for 87.3% of commuting, well above public transport at 2.4% and walking or cycling at 4.4%, so daily convenience depends heavily on road access. School depth is a major strength, with 7 local schools spanning ICSEA 884 to 1112. Belmont Primary leads at 1112, followed by Clairvaux Catholic School at 1095 and Roslyn Primary at 1082, giving government and Catholic options. Safety is more mixed: the crime rate is 82.6 per 1,000, with 1,245 offences, including 682 property and deception offences. IRSAD decile 5 is around the national middle.

Drive

87.3%

Public Transport

2.4%

Walk / Cycle

4.4%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

+0.5%/yr

(+76 people/yr)

Established

Growth is steady rather than fast: the trend forecast is 0.5% a year, or about 76 people annually, with the medium path rising from 15,267 in 2026 to 15,645 in 2031. Migration is finely balanced because average net overseas migration is +146 a year while average net internal migration is -146, even though the primary driver is listed as Overseas migration. The shift trajectory is Stable, with 10.2% population change over 10 years and 23.0% real income growth. The gentrification score is 0 and stage is Not gentrifying, below an active renewal reading.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+146

Net Internal / yr

-146

0

Gentrification Signal

Not gentrifying

Net internal outflow -146/yr

Safety & Crime

Total Offences

1,245

Year ending June 2024

Rate per 1,000 People

82.6

Offence Categories

Property and deception offences
682
Justice procedures offences
284
Crimes against the person
168
Drug offences
69

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Belmont compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 2%
Household Income
Bottom 47%
Rent Level
Top 28%
Apartments
Bottom 19%
Renters
Top 20%
Uni Educated
Top 19%
Public Transport
Bottom 39%
Born Overseas
Top 36%
Density
Top 10%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Belmont a good suburb to live in?

Belmont suits buyers wanting an established Geelong suburb with 15,066 residents, a median age of 37 and strong school access. It is more car dependent than transit oriented, with 87.3% driving to work, but 7 schools and mostly detached housing support family living.

What is the median house price in Belmont?

The median house price in Belmont is $678,800 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 3.0% below the $700,000 peak in Apr-Jun 2023 and above the recent $670,000 trough recorded in Oct-Dec 2023.

What schools are in Belmont?

Belmont has 7 local schools, with ICSEA values ranging from 884 to 1112. Key options include Belmont Primary School, Clairvaux Catholic School, Roslyn Primary School and Belmont High School, which has 1,291 enrolments.

Is Belmont safe?

Belmont recorded 1,245 offences and a crime rate of 82.6 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 682, compared with 168 crimes against the person, so safety varies by offence type.

Is Belmont good for property investment?

Belmont has investor appeal because 35.9% of households rent and the median rent is $350 per week. The vacancy rate of 6.8% is the main caution, while 14 development applications and 0.5% annual population growth suggest measured rather than rapid expansion.

How is Belmont's population changing?

Belmont is growing slowly, with a trend forecast of 0.5% a year, or 76 people annually. The medium scenario reaches 15,645 residents by 2031, while overseas migration of +146 a year is offset by internal migration of -146 a year.

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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