Black Rock
Its 6,389 residents sit in a high-income setting: household income ranks at the 90.9th percentile, while 54.3% of adults have a university qualification, 24.2 percentage points above the national comparison. The 82.8% resident-stability rate helps explain its settled feel, while buyers also compare it with nearby Beaumaris and Sandringham. Housing is not uniformly detached, with 34.2% semi-detached dwellings, so the suburb suits downsizers and established households as well as families.
Population
6,389
Median Age
49.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,416/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
7
Median House
$2.3M
October to December 2025
A 27.7% mortgage-to-income ratio is below 30%, and 50.3% of residents own outright compared with 31.1% paying a mortgage, indicating substantial existing equity. Buyers can choose among 56.1% separate houses, 34.2% semi-detached homes and 8.0% apartments. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 41.1%, while 34.1% have 4 or more bedrooms. Compared with nearby Beaumaris and Sandringham, address-level dwelling format and school-zone checks remain important because the suburb-wide median masks street-by-street variation.
For Buyers
A 27.7% mortgage-to-income ratio is below 30%, and 50.3% of residents own outright compared with 31.1% paying a mortgage, indicating substantial existing equity. Buyers can choose among 56.1% separate houses, 34.2% semi-detached homes and 8.0% apartments. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 41.1%, while 34.1% have 4 or more bedrooms. Compared with nearby Beaumaris and Sandringham, address-level dwelling format and school-zone checks remain important because the suburb-wide median masks street-by-street variation.
For Investors
Black Rock presents a premium, low-rental-share investment profile rather than a high-yield proposition. The $541 weekly rent sits alongside a 17.6% rental share, much lower than the 50.3% outright ownership share, so the tenant pool is smaller and the market is dominated by established owners. Seven development applications were recorded over 12 months, including 2-lot subdivision examples, suggesting incremental rather than large-scale supply additions. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while the annual trend is 0.75%. Investors should compare achievable rent, maintenance and vacancy risk against owner-occupier demand because the premium price can limit income returns.
Development Activity
Total DAs
14
Last 12 Months
7
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+250.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Black Rock
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Black Rock Primary School
Demographics
Black Rock has an older demographic profile: its median age of 49 is 9 years above the national comparison, and the wider shift is reinforced by a 4.3 percentage point rise in the senior share and a 3.4 point fall in the young share. University attainment is 54.3%, 24.2 percentage points above the national figure, while overseas-born residents account for 25.5%, 3.9 points above the national comparison. English ancestry is recorded for 2,609 people, followed by Irish at 883 and Scottish at 854. No religion accounts for 2,951 people and Christianity for 2,897. Household size is 2.5 people, with couples without children at 43.6% and couples with children at 45.1%. Resident stability is high, with 82.8% staying and turnover at 17.2%, helping explain the suburb's established social profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
56.1%
Houses
34.2%
Townhouse
8.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Black Rock's housing market has delivered long-term growth but remains below its recent peak. Tenure is more secure than rental-oriented: 50.3% own outright, 31.1% have a mortgage and 17.6% rent. The dwelling mix is broader than a detached-house market, with 56.1% separate houses, 34.2% semi-detached homes and 8.0% apartments. Three-bedroom homes represent 41.1% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 34.1%, supporting both family demand and downsizer options. Compared with the 2013 base, current prices are substantially higher because land and established housing remain scarce.
Mortgage / mo
$2,897
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$541
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$1,067
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.7%
Unoccupied
209
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.1%
Couples with children
43.6%
Couples, no children
10.4%
Single parent
1,872
Total families
Economy & Employment
Black Rock's economy is weighted towards professional and service work, consistent with household income at the 90.9th percentile. Professional and technical industries account for 17.4% of workers, followed by healthcare at 14.6%, education at 12.1%, construction at 8.4% and finance at 7.6%. The largest occupations are professionals at 1,052 people and managers at 768, ahead of clerical and administrative work at 390, sales at 290 and community or personal services at 252. Labour-force participation is 61.0%, unemployment is 3.0% and 57.0% of workers are full time, supporting relatively strong local purchasing capacity. Socioeconomic measures place the suburb in the top decile for education and occupation, with IEO and IRSD at decile 10, IRSAD at decile 10 and IER at decile 9. The one-decile gap in economic resources is small compared with the other measures, while the concentration of professionals and managers helps explain the elevated income position.
Unemployment
3.0%
Labour Force
3,289
Unemployed
99
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.0%
Part-time
36.4%
Participation
61.0%
Employed
3,190
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
54.3%
Postgraduate
14.0%
Born Overseas
25.5%
Dwellings
2,485
Transport to Work
Black Rock's daily lifestyle is likely to be shaped by working from home and car travel: 49.5% work from home, 44.5% drive as car passengers or drivers, 3.0% walk or cycle and 0.9% use public transport. Public transport use is below car use because local travel is more car-oriented, while the high work-from-home share may reduce weekday commuting. One named local school is Black Rock Primary School, a government primary school; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Recorded crime totals 249 offences, including 180 property and deception offences, 43 crimes against the person and a rate of 39.0 per 1,000 residents. Socioeconomic advantage is in the top decile, with IRSAD at decile 10. Volunteering is 20.2% and need for assistance is 3.7%, adding useful context for community services and local participation.
Drive
44.5%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
3.0%
Work from Home
49.5%
Population Forecast
+0.75%/yr
(+136 people/yr)
EstablishedBlack Rock is tracking as an established suburb with an aging trajectory rather than a rapid expansion market. The annual growth trend is 0.75%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver, so demand is likely to be shaped more by replacement and selective inflows than by a major construction cycle. Population change across the wider area is 13.8% over 10 years, while the gentrification score is 25 and remains at the Early signs stage. The shift profile records rent growth of 22.7%, a 4.3 point increase in the senior share and a 3.4 point decline in the young share. Growth recovered after a 2.6% COVID dip, including a 2.6% recovery. Compared with a faster-growth corridor, the 0.75% annual trend points to measured change, with aging households and premium prices likely to influence future turnover.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+240
Net Internal / yr
-48
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +14% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +240/yr, COVID recovered (-3% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
249
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
39.0
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 Black Rock compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Black Rock?
Black Rock has 1 named local school: Black Rock Primary School, a government primary school. Families should confirm the current enrolment zone for the exact address because school boundaries can differ from suburb boundaries.
Is Black Rock safe?
Black Rock recorded 249 offences at a rate of 39.0 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 180 incidents, while crimes against the person accounted for 43, so buyers should review current street-level conditions before choosing an address.
Is Black Rock good for property investment?
Black Rock may suit investors prioritising premium owner-occupier demand and long-term scarcity over high rental yield. Weekly rent is $541, vacancy is 7.7%, renting represents 17.6% of households and 7 development applications were recorded over 12 months.
How is Black Rock's population changing?
Black Rock is following an aging trajectory, with population change across the wider area at 13.8% over 10 years and annual growth forecast at 0.75%. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the senior share rose 4.3 points and the young share fell 3.4 points.
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), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), 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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