Bentleigh
At 3,801.9 residents per sq km, Bentleigh fits 17,921 people into 4.71 sq km while still retaining a 59.9% separate house base. Compared with nearby McKinnon and Bentleigh East, it reads as an upper price, family and professional market: household income sits in the 87.2 percentile, university attainment is 56.1%, and the $1,600,000 median house price is well above many middle ring Melbourne options. Its appeal is driven by schools, rail access and established homes, while 37.4% born overseas adds depth without shifting the suburb away from owner occupier patterns.
Population
17,921
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,263/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
79
Median House
$1.6M
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers are paying for scarce established land, with the median house price at $1,600,000 in Apr-Jun 2024 and 59.9% of dwellings still separate houses. The market is 8.2% below its 2021 peak of $1,742,500, which gives buyers more room than the top of the cycle, but values remain 77.8% higher than 2013. Family fit is strong because 36.1% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 31.2% have 4 or more, while the $2,500 monthly mortgage load is 25.5% of income, below the stress flag.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are paying for scarce established land, with the median house price at $1,600,000 in Apr-Jun 2024 and 59.9% of dwellings still separate houses. The market is 8.2% below its 2021 peak of $1,742,500, which gives buyers more room than the top of the cycle, but values remain 77.8% higher than 2013. Family fit is strong because 36.1% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 31.2% have 4 or more, while the $2,500 monthly mortgage load is 25.5% of income, below the stress flag.
For Investors
Bentleigh is more a capital preservation market than a high yield one. Renting accounts for 29.1% of households and the median rent is $480 per week, but an 8.0% vacancy rate means rent assumptions should be lower than in a tighter market. Demand is supported by 37.4% born overseas and forecast overseas migration of 278 people a year, while 51 planning applications in 12 months point to ongoing townhouse and infill supply. That supply can refresh stock, because buyers and renters are priced out of larger $1,600,000 houses.
Development Activity
Total DAs
99
Last 12 Months
79
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+464.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bentleigh iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Bentleigh West Primary School
Prep-6 · 788 students
St Paul's School
Prep-6 · 341 students
Tucker Road Bentleigh Primary School
Prep-6 · 393 students
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College
7-12 · 732 students
Demographics
Bentleigh skews educated, affluent and internationally connected. The median age is 39, which is 1.0 year below the national figure, while university attainment of 56.1% is 26.0 percentage points above national. Overseas born residents make up 37.4%, 15.8 points above national, with English ancestry at 4,747 people and Chinese ancestry at 1,943. Mandarin has 598 speakers, followed by Greek at 312 and Russian at 250, so local retail and services have a broader cultural base than a purely Anglo middle ring suburb.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
59.9%
Houses
20.0%
Townhouse
19.6%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing story is mature, expensive and still house led. Median house prices moved from $900,000 in 2013 to $1,600,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 77.8% gain and 4.2% CAGR over 14 years, but the latest value sits 8.2% below the 2021 peak of $1,742,500. Tenure is stable because 34.7% own outright and 36.2% have a mortgage, compared with 29.1% renting. Apartments are 19.6% and semi detached homes 20.0%, so infill gives entry points below detached family houses without making the suburb apartment dominated.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,500
Rent / wk
$480
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$990
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.0%
Unoccupied
583
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.4%
Couples, no children
14,686
Total families
Economy & Employment
Bentleigh's economy is anchored in skilled service work. Professional and tech roles employ 1,180 people, healthcare 1,145, education 833, finance 575 and construction 536. Occupations reinforce that pattern, with 3,224 professionals and 1,790 managers. Unemployment is 4.6% and participation is 64.5%, while full time workers make up 64.3% of employed residents. SEIFA scores rank high nationally: IEO decile 9, IRSAD decile 9 and IRSD decile 9, with IER decile 8 slightly lower because 4,155 residents are outside the labour force.
Unemployment
3.5%
Labour Force
15,635
Unemployed
555
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.3%
Part-time
31.1%
Participation
64.5%
Employed
9,036
Occupations
Top Industries
University
56.1%
Postgraduate
16.4%
Born Overseas
37.4%
Dwellings
6,706
Transport to Work
Bentleigh scores well on schools, daily access and socio economic stability. There are 4 local schools with ICSEA values from 1093 to 1146; leading options include Bentleigh West Primary at 1146 with 788 enrolments, St Paul's School at 1134 with 341, and Tucker Road Bentleigh Primary at 1120 with 393. The mix spans Government and Catholic sectors. Travel remains car led, with 80.4% driving, 9.1% using public transport and 5.2% walking or cycling. Safety needs context: 893 offences equal 49.8 per 1,000, while IRSAD decile 9 ranks above average nationally.
Drive
80.4%
Public Transport
9.1%
Walk / Cycle
5.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.33%/yr
(+238 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than speculative. The trend forecast adds 1.33% or 238 people a year, taking the medium scenario from 17,972 in 2026 to 19,164 in 2031. Migration is the main engine: overseas migration averages 278 people a year vs net internal movement of -63, so new demand is more externally driven than locally relocational. The gentrification score is 34 with an Early signs stage, while shift indicators show 34.0% rent growth and 21.7% real income growth, explaining why affordability moved from 61.7 in 2011 to 55.3 in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+278
Net Internal / yr
-63
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +26% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +278/yr, Accelerating: 9% → 15%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
893
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
49.8
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 Bentleigh compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bentleigh a good suburb to live in?
Yes. Bentleigh suits households wanting established homes, schools and strong incomes. It has 17,921 residents, a 56.1% university educated population and IRSAD decile 9, above the national average.
What is the median house price in Bentleigh?
The median house price is $1,600,000 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 8.2% below the 2021 peak of $1,742,500, but still 77.8% higher than the 2013 level of $900,000.
What schools are in Bentleigh?
Bentleigh has 4 local schools. Bentleigh West Primary has ICSEA 1146 and 788 enrolments, St Paul's School has 1134 and 341, Tucker Road Bentleigh Primary has 1120 and 393, and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College has 1093 and 732.
Is Bentleigh safe?
Bentleigh recorded 893 offences, equal to 49.8 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category with 608 incidents, so buyers should compare individual streets and building security.
Is Bentleigh good for property investment?
Bentleigh is better for long term capital quality than immediate yield. Renting is 29.1%, median rent is $480 per week and vacancy is 8.0%, while 51 recent planning applications signal more infill competition.
How is Bentleigh's population changing?
Bentleigh is forecast to grow by 1.33% or 238 people a year. The medium scenario reaches 19,164 residents by 2031, driven mainly by overseas migration averaging 278 people a year.
What languages are spoken in Bentleigh?
English is common, but Bentleigh has a broad language mix because 37.4% of residents were born overseas. Mandarin has 598 speakers, Greek 312, Russian 250, Italian 133 and Hindi 115.
Is there much development in Bentleigh?
Yes. There were 51 planning applications in the past 12 months, including double storey dwellings, added dwellings above retail and new residences. That points to steady infill rather than broad greenfield 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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