Bridgewater
Bridgewater's strongest signal is a young, renter-heavy housing market under real income pressure. The median age is 31, which is 9 years below the national benchmark, yet the suburb is also on an aging trajectory. Household income sits at the 10.2 percentile nationally, while 56.4% of homes are rented. Compared with nearby Brighton and Gagebrook, Bridgewater reads as a detached, lower-income 7030 market where the 4,592 residents rely heavily on established housing rather than new development.
Population
4,592
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$944/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Buyers are mostly looking at detached housing, because 88.4% of dwellings are separate houses and 68.6% have 3 bedrooms. That gives Bridgewater more family-scale stock than an apartment-led suburb, with apartments only 8.3%. The median monthly mortgage is $1,083 and mortgage payments take 26.5% of income, below common stress thresholds. The trade-off is that household income is in the 10.2 national percentile, so borrowing capacity and resale depth can be thinner than in higher-income suburbs.
For Buyers
Buyers are mostly looking at detached housing, because 88.4% of dwellings are separate houses and 68.6% have 3 bedrooms. That gives Bridgewater more family-scale stock than an apartment-led suburb, with apartments only 8.3%. The median monthly mortgage is $1,083 and mortgage payments take 26.5% of income, below common stress thresholds. The trade-off is that household income is in the 10.2 national percentile, so borrowing capacity and resale depth can be thinner than in higher-income suburbs.
For Investors
Bridgewater is primarily a rental market, with 56.4% of dwellings rented compared with 20.0% owned outright and 22.5% mortgaged. Median rent is $260 a week, while the vacancy rate is 4.8%, so investors should price for tenant demand rather than scarcity. There were 0 recorded development approvals over 12 months, which limits new-stock competition. Rent growth of 63.4% over the shift period is much higher than real income growth of 11.0%, so affordability risk matters.
Demographics
Bridgewater is younger and more locally born than the national average. The median age of 31 is 9 years below national, while 6.7% born overseas is 14.9 percentage points lower than national. University attainment is 11.3%, sitting 18.8 points below national, which helps explain the labour-market and income profile. English ancestry is the largest reported group at 1,971 people, followed by Irish at 274 and Scottish at 223, and the average household size is 2.5.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.4%
Houses
3.3%
Townhouse
8.3%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing base is highly detached, with 88.4% separate houses compared with 8.3% apartments and 3.3% semi-detached homes. Tenure is the defining feature: 56.4% rent, 22.5% have a mortgage and 20.0% own outright. That renter share is higher than the owner shares because local incomes are low, with household income at the 10.2 national percentile. Bedroom mix is narrow, with 68.6% being 3-bedroom homes and only 8.1% having 4 or more bedrooms.
Mortgage / mo
$1,083
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$260
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$512
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.8%
Unoccupied
84
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.1%
Couples with children
25.4%
Couples, no children
42.4%
Single parent
1,178
Total families
Economy & Employment
Bridgewater's jobs profile leans toward service and hands-on work. Healthcare accounts for 26.5% of workers, above the next largest sector, construction at 10.9%, followed by retail at 8.5%, hospitality at 6.4% and public admin at 6.4%. Labourers number 279 and community or personal service workers 263, which matches the industry mix. Unemployment is 11.8% and participation is 45.9%. SEIFA is consistent rather than anomalous: IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD are all decile 1 nationally.
Unemployment
11.8%
Labour Force
1,587
Unemployed
188
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.4%
Part-time
40.9%
Participation
45.9%
Employed
1,399
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
11.3%
Postgraduate
3.2%
Born Overseas
6.7%
Dwellings
1,675
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented. Car driving accounts for 81.3% of commute mode, far above public transport at 4.7%, walking or cycling at 2.2% and working from home at 3.2%. That matters because the suburb covers 17.25 sq km at a density of 266.1 people per sq km, so access can vary by street. The IRSAD decile is 1 nationally, signalling lower relative socio-economic advantage. With 4,592 residents, local services are important, but transport planning should start with car access.
Drive
81.3%
Public Transport
4.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
3.2%
Population Forecast
+0.95%/yr
(+83 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than explosive, with the forecast trend running at 0.95% a year and the 10-year population change at 8.8%. The primary migration driver is Balanced, so Bridgewater is not relying on a single inflow channel. The shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose 4.6 points while the young share fell 3.1 points. Rent growth of 63.4% compared with real income growth of 11.0% shows affordability has worsened, and gentrification is only at score 20, labelled Early signs.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+3
Net Internal / yr
+34
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +15% since 2011, Accelerating: -3% → 19%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bridgewater compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bridgewater a good suburb to live in?
Bridgewater can suit buyers or renters prioritising lower housing costs and detached homes, with 88.4% separate houses. The trade-off is income and advantage sit below national levels, with household income at the 10.2 percentile.
What is the median house price in Bridgewater?
A current suburb median house price should be confirmed from recent settled sales before bidding. The local cost context is $260 median weekly rent and $1,083 median monthly mortgage repayments, with mortgage costs at 26.5% of income.
What schools are in Bridgewater?
School choice should be checked at address level across the 7030 area and compared with nearby Brighton and Gagebrook catchments. Bridgewater has 4,592 residents and an average household size of 2.5, so family demand varies by street.
Is Bridgewater safe?
Safety should be assessed street by street, including visits at 2 or 3 different times of day. The suburb's IRSD and IRSAD are both decile 1 nationally, which points to higher social disadvantage compared with higher-decile areas.
Is Bridgewater good for property investment?
Bridgewater is rental-heavy, with 56.4% of homes rented and median rent at $260 a week. Vacancy is 4.8%, so it is not a tight-market story; the case is stronger for investors comfortable with lower-income tenant demand.
How is Bridgewater's population changing?
Bridgewater is growing gradually, with the forecast trend at 0.95% a year and 10-year population change at 8.8%. The trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 4.6 points compared with young share down 3.1 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), 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.
Explore Bridgewater on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map