Blackmans Bay
Blackmans Bay stands out for how strongly it remains a detached coastal suburb: 92.9% of dwellings are separate houses and only 2.9% are apartments. With 7688 people across 6.21 sq km, density sits at 1239.0 residents per sq km, so the suburb feels settled rather than high-rise. Compared with nearby Kingston and Taroona, its identity is more house-led and residential. The median age is 42, which is 2.0 years above national, while household income sits in the 64.3 percentile.
Population
7,688
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,806/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
13
Homebuyers are mainly buying into established family housing, because 92.9% of homes are separate houses and 47.6% have 3 bedrooms. Larger households are also well served, with 35.5% having 4 or more bedrooms. Monthly mortgage payments are $1655, and mortgage costs absorb 21.2% of income, below the local stress flag. Tenure is stable: 42.1% are owned outright and 35.3% have a mortgage, compared with 21.7% renting.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are mainly buying into established family housing, because 92.9% of homes are separate houses and 47.6% have 3 bedrooms. Larger households are also well served, with 35.5% having 4 or more bedrooms. Monthly mortgage payments are $1655, and mortgage costs absorb 21.2% of income, below the local stress flag. Tenure is stable: 42.1% are owned outright and 35.3% have a mortgage, compared with 21.7% renting.
For Investors
Investor appeal is moderate rather than yield-heavy. Renters make up 21.7% of households, lower than the 42.1% owned outright share, so the tenant pool is present but not dominant. Median weekly rent is $400 and vacancy is 5.3%, which points to more choice for tenants than in tighter markets. Development activity is limited, with 9 applications over 12 months, so rental supply pressure is not mainly coming from large new apartment stock.
Development Activity
Total DAs
13
Last 12 Months
13
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Blackmans Bay has an older and more educated profile than national benchmarks. The median age is 42, which is 2.0 years above national, and 45.3% of residents have a university qualification, 15.2 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents are 21.5%, almost level with the national comparison at 0.1 points below. English ancestry is prominent at 3480 people, followed by Irish at 961 and Scottish at 892, while Mandarin is the largest listed non-English language at 75 speakers.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.9%
Houses
4.1%
Townhouse
2.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is weighted to long-held family stock: 42.1% of dwellings are owned outright and 35.3% are under mortgage, compared with 21.7% rented. Separate houses dominate at 92.9%, while semi-detached homes are 4.1% and apartments only 2.9%. Bedroom mix reinforces that pattern, with 47.6% having 3 bedrooms and 35.5% having 4 or more. This supports lower turnover because 78.2% stayed at the same address and turnover is 21.8%.
Mortgage / mo
$1,655
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$400
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$887
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.3%
Unoccupied
163
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
42.0%
Couples with children
42.4%
Couples, no children
14.6%
Single parent
2,234
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce is anchored by public-facing and knowledge industries, with Healthcare at 18.5%, Education at 16.4%, Public Admin at 12.9%, Professional/Tech at 9.7% and Construction at 7.4%. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 1120 people, above Managers at 561 and Clerical/Admin at 543. Unemployment is 4.4% and participation is 63.6%. SEIFA is relatively strong: IEO decile 8, IER decile 7, IRSD decile 8 and IRSAD decile 7, showing advantage is high but not top-decile across every measure.
Unemployment
4.4%
Labour Force
4,016
Unemployed
176
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.0%
Part-time
40.5%
Participation
63.6%
Employed
3,840
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
45.3%
Postgraduate
14.0%
Born Overseas
21.5%
Dwellings
2,910
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented because 74.1% of commuters drive, compared with 5.0% using public transport and 1.8% walking or cycling. Work-from-home is meaningful at 12.5%, which helps offset commuting for professional households. There are 0 schools listed within Blackmans Bay itself, so families need to assess nearby options outside the suburb boundary. Socio-economic indicators are supportive, with IRSD decile 8 and IRSAD decile 7, but current crime totals are not available.
Drive
74.1%
Public Transport
5.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
12.5%
Population Forecast
+0.82%/yr
(+93 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than rapid. The annual trend is 0.82%, while the 10 year population change is 13.4%, so the suburb is expanding from an established base. The main migration driver is Overseas migration, but the shift trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 5.9 and young share down 1.9. Gentrification is limited: the forecast gentrification score is 5 and the stage is Not gentrifying, below the separate shift signal of 33 marked as Early signs.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+88
Net Internal / yr
-79
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +14% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Blackmans Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blackmans Bay a good suburb to live in?
Blackmans Bay suits buyers wanting a settled coastal residential area, with 92.9% separate houses, a median age of 42 and household income in the 64.3 percentile. Car access matters because 74.1% drive to work.
What is the median house price in Blackmans Bay?
A current median house price is not available for Blackmans Bay. Cost context comes from a $1655 monthly mortgage figure, 35.3% of homes under mortgage and mortgage costs at 21.2% of income.
What schools are in Blackmans Bay?
There are 0 schools listed within Blackmans Bay itself. Families should compare nearby Kingborough options and commute times, noting 74.1% of workers drive and 5.0% use public transport.
Is Blackmans Bay safe?
Current crime totals are not available, so safety should be checked with recent local sources. The suburb has 7688 residents and relatively advantaged SEIFA settings, with IRSD decile 8 and IRSAD decile 7.
Is Blackmans Bay good for property investment?
Blackmans Bay is more of a stable rental market than a high-turnover one. Renters are 21.7% of households, median rent is $400 per week, vacancy is 5.3% and recent development counts 9 applications.
How is Blackmans Bay's population changing?
Population growth is steady, with an annual trend of 0.82% and 10 year change of 13.4%. The trajectory is Aging, senior share is up 5.9 and the main migration driver is Overseas migration.
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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