VIC 3129 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Box Hill North

Its 12,337 residents live at 3,110.1 people per square kilometre, while 37.5% work from home. Compared with nearby Box Hill, the suburb has a more predominantly separate-house profile, with 61.7% of dwellings being separate houses. The result is an established eastern suburb where international migration and professional employment shape demand, even as affordability remains a central constraint.

Box Hill North urban fabric map

Population

12,337

Median Age

37.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,820/wk

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

31

Median House

$1.4M

October to December 2025

3.97 km²· 3,110.1 people/km²· Family income $2,160/wk

Separate houses account for 61.7% of dwellings, while 29.9% are semi-detached and 8.4% are apartments, giving buyers more choice than a detached-only market. Three-bedroom homes represent 46.5% of housing and 4 or more bedrooms account for 29.8%, supporting family demand. The monthly mortgage figure is $2,297, and mortgage payments equal 29.1% of household income without being flagged as stressed. Household income sits at the 65.7th percentile, above the midpoint, because professional and managerial employment is relatively prominent.

For Buyers

Separate houses account for 61.7% of dwellings, while 29.9% are semi-detached and 8.4% are apartments, giving buyers more choice than a detached-only market. Three-bedroom homes represent 46.5% of housing and 4 or more bedrooms account for 29.8%, supporting family demand. The monthly mortgage figure is $2,297, and mortgage payments equal 29.1% of household income without being flagged as stressed. Household income sits at the 65.7th percentile, above the midpoint, because professional and managerial employment is relatively prominent.

For Investors

The rental case rests on established housing demand rather than a high-yield profile. Weekly rent is $425, with 33.8% of households renting, while the 8.7% vacancy rate is an important risk to monitor because available properties can place pressure on leasing times and rent growth. Rents have grown 26.1%, and 29 development applications in 12 months indicate ongoing change, including proposed two-storey townhouses. Compared with a pure short-term yield strategy, Box Hill North offers a broader hold case because 61.7% of dwellings are separate houses and the annual growth trend is 2.06%. Overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver, which may support tenant turnover and demand over time.

Development Activity

Total DAs

52

Last 12 Months

31

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+210.0%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Subdivision
18
Other
8
Multi-Dwelling / Townhouse
6
Tree Removal
6
New Dwelling
2
Fencing
1

Schools in Box Hill North

Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.

Box Hill North Primary School

Primary Government

Kerrimuir Primary School

Primary Government

Berengarra School

Special Independent

Demographics

Box Hill North has a median age of 37, which is 3.0 years below the national comparison, while the average household size of 2.6 is 0.1 higher than the national figure. Overseas-born residents represent 48.7% of the population, 27.1 percentage points above the national comparison, and university attainment reaches 55.9%, or 25.8 points above national levels. Chinese ancestry is recorded for 4,258 residents, with Mandarin spoken by 1,311 people and Cantonese by 397. No religion is the largest recorded affiliation at 5,783 people, ahead of Christianity at 4,262. These patterns support demand for culturally connected services, education and professional employment, while 48.5% of families have children.

Age Distribution

0-14
16.6%
15-24
13.1%
25-44
30.3%
45-64
25.0%
65+
14.9%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
1.8%
2 bed
21.9%
3 bed
46.5%
4+ bed
29.8%

Dwelling Structure

61.7%

Houses

29.9%

Townhouse

8.4%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 34.3% Mortgage 29.9% Rent 33.8% Other 1.9%

Tenure is relatively balanced: 34.3% of homes are owned outright, 29.9% have a mortgage and 33.8% are rented. The 61.7% separate-house share is higher than the 8.4% apartment share, while 46.5% of dwellings have 3 bedrooms and 29.8% have 4 or more. Because land-based housing dominates, price movements are closely tied to family demand and redevelopment potential.

Mortgage / mo

$2,297

Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.

$425

Census 2021

HH Size

2.6

Personal Income / wk

$747

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

8.7%

Unoccupied

431

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

23.4%

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

29.1%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
1,311
Canton
397
Greek
127
Italian
78
Hindi
71
Korean
70

Ancestry

Chinese
4,258
English
2,551
Other
1,474
Irish
863
Scottish
732
Italian
662

Household Composition

48.5%

Couples with children

32.4%

Couples, no children

16.6%

Single parent

3,310

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare is the largest industry at 18.6%, employing 866 people, followed by Professional and Technical services at 13.7% and 635 people, and Education at 12.1% and 565 people. Professionals number 2,074 and managers 816, helping explain the household income percentile of 65.7. Labour-force participation is 63.5%, unemployment is 5.5%, and 56.0% of workers are employed full time. Socioeconomic results are strong but not uniform: the education and occupation deciles are 9 and 9, IRSAD is also in decile 9, while income and economic resources sit at deciles 9 and 6 respectively. Compared with the national baseline, the occupation profile is above average, but housing costs still limit accessibility.

Unemployment

5.5%

Labour Force

6,532

Unemployed

360

Source: ABS Census 2021

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

Overall advantage
9
Disadvantage
7
Economic resources
6
Education & occupation
9

Full-time

56.0%

Part-time

38.0%

Participation

63.5%

Employed

6,172

Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021

Occupations

Professionals 2,074
Managers 816
Clerical/Admin 721
Trades 656
Community/Personal 597
Sales 549
Labourers 427
Machinery/Drivers 204

Top Industries

Healthcare 18.6%
Professional/Tech 13.7%
Education 12.1%
Retail 7.1%
Finance 6.5%

University

55.9%

Postgraduate

17.8%

Born Overseas

48.7%

Dwellings

4,534

Transport to Work

Daily life is oriented more toward cars and home-based work than frequent public transport use: 48.8% drive to work, 37.5% work from home, 5.2% use public transport and 3.5% walk or cycle. Three local schools include 2 government primary schools and 1 independent special school, giving families several nearby formats while enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Recorded crime totals 459 incidents, or 37.2 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences accounting for 313. The IRSAD result is decile 9, above most areas nationally, because education, occupation and household resources are comparatively strong. Compared with a transit-first suburb, Box Hill North is better suited to households that value established homes, local services and flexible work patterns.

Drive

48.8%

Public Transport

5.2%

Walk / Cycle

3.5%

Work from Home

37.5%

Population Forecast

+2.06%/yr

(+560 people/yr)

Established

The wider-area forecast points to annual growth of 2.06%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 31.5% over 10 years, while the gentrification score is 41 and the stage is Active. Compared with a static established suburb, this combination suggests continuing pressure for redevelopment and changing household demand. The shift trajectory is labelled Declining young, with the young share down 2.6 percentage points, although the working share is up 4.1 points. Rent growth of 26.1% adds to investor interest, while the affordability measure moved from 62.1 in 2011 to 57.3 in 2021 and is classified as Improving. Growth is therefore being shaped by migration and renewal more than by a younger resident base.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+1,242

Net Internal / yr

-252

41

Gentrification Signal

Active

Population +49% since 2011, Net internal outflow -252/yr, Strong overseas inflow +1242/yr, Accelerating: 14% → 31%

Safety & Crime

Total Offences

459

Year ending June 2024

Rate per 1,000 People

37.2

Offence Categories

Property and deception offences
313
Crimes against the person
71
Justice procedures offences
41
Drug offences
29

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police

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

How Box Hill North compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 3%
Household Income
Top 34%
Rent Level
Top 12%
Apartments
Top 9%
Renters
Top 16%
Uni Educated
Top 6%
Public Transport
Top 24%
Born Overseas
Top 3%
Density
Top 3%

Frequently Asked Questions

What schools are in Box Hill North?

There are 3 listed local schools: 2 government primary schools and 1 independent special school. Box Hill North Primary School and Kerrimuir Primary School provide government primary options, while Berengarra School is an independent special school. Families should check the relevant enrolment zone and program requirements for each address because boundaries can differ across nearby streets.

Is Box Hill North safe?

Recorded crime was 459 incidents, equal to 37.2 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 313 incidents, followed by 71 crimes against the person. Safety can vary by street and time, so buyers and renters should inspect the immediate surroundings and review current local police information before making a decision.

Is Box Hill North good for property investment?

Box Hill North has an established rental base, with 33.8% of households renting and weekly rent at $425. Rent growth is 26.1%, but the 8.7% vacancy rate is a risk because leasing conditions can change. The annual growth forecast is 2.06%, overseas migration is the primary driver and 29 development applications were recorded in 12 months, so investors should assess both tenant demand and redevelopment competition.

How is Box Hill North's population changing?

The current population is 12,337, and the wider-area forecast records 2.06% annual growth with overseas migration as the main driver. Population change across the wider area is 31.5% over 10 years. The trajectory is labelled Declining young, with the young share down 2.6 percentage points, while the working share has increased by 4.1 points. This points to growth alongside an established and gradually ageing profile.

What languages are spoken in Box Hill North?

Box Hill North has a substantial overseas-born population at 48.7%. Mandarin is spoken by 1,311 residents and Cantonese by 397, while Greek, Italian and Hindi are recorded for 127, 78 and 71 people respectively. Chinese ancestry is recorded for 4,258 residents, making culturally responsive services and multilingual communication relevant considerations for local businesses and community organisations.

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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