Brighton East
University attainment is 57.0%, which is 26.9 percentage points above the national comparison, while household income sits at the 92.8th percentile. Compared with nearby Brighton, the suburb's appeal is more about substantial family housing and established streets than direct waterfront access. Density is 2,957.2 people per square kilometre, so it is urban and well settled despite its low-rise character.
Population
16,757
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,544/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
24
Median House
$2.2M
October to December 2025
The long-run increase from 2013 is 76.4%, with a 3.0% CAGR. Housing is mainly separate houses at 67.9%, supported by 40.1% of homes having four or more bedrooms. That share is higher than the 37.3% share of three-bedroom homes, reflecting family demand. A $3,300 monthly mortgage and a 30.0% mortgage-to-income measure require substantial borrowing capacity.
For Buyers
The long-run increase from 2013 is 76.4%, with a 3.0% CAGR. Housing is mainly separate houses at 67.9%, supported by 40.1% of homes having four or more bedrooms. That share is higher than the 37.3% share of three-bedroom homes, reflecting family demand. A $3,300 monthly mortgage and a 30.0% mortgage-to-income measure require substantial borrowing capacity.
For Investors
The rental market has a relatively small tenant base, with 19.8% of households renting compared with 34.7% paying a mortgage outright or jointly. Weekly rent is $600 and the vacancy rate is 8.5%, so investors should allow for periods of downtime rather than assume uninterrupted occupancy. Rent growth of 33.8% supports recent income momentum, but the vacancy figure makes conservative yield modelling important. Twenty-five development applications were recorded over 12 months, including two-lot subdivision proposals, which may gradually add competition for some housing types. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, supporting rental demand because new arrivals often enter the market as tenants before buying.
Development Activity
Total DAs
40
Last 12 Months
24
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+140.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Brighton East
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
St Leonard's College
Gardenvale Primary School
St Finbar's School
Brighton Secondary College
Demographics
Brighton East has a median age of 45, which is 5 years above the national comparison, and its older profile is reinforced by a 2.9 percentage point rise in the senior share. University attainment is 57.0%, or 26.9 percentage points above national levels, while 30.7% of residents were born overseas, 9.1 points above the national comparison. English ancestry is recorded for 5,261 people, followed by Irish at 1,914, Scottish at 1,585 and Chinese at 1,164. Christianity accounts for 7,150 residents and no religion for 6,475. Couples with children make up 53.2% of families, helping explain the suburb's strong demand for larger homes. Compared with nearby Brighton, the demographic profile is similarly affluent but more clearly oriented around established family households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
67.9%
Houses
23.9%
Townhouse
7.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is relatively stable, with 41.2% of homes owned outright, 34.7% under mortgage and 19.8% rented. Separate houses account for 67.9%, while semi-detached homes account for 23.9% and apartments 7.9%. Four-plus-bedroom homes represent 40.1%, higher than the 37.3% share of three-bedroom homes. Compared with a smaller-unit market, this mix makes land, renovations and family-scale dwellings central to pricing.
Mortgage / mo
$3,300
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $600.
$835
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $940 · units $630
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$1,036
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.5%
Unoccupied
556
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
53.2%
Couples with children
32.8%
Couples, no children
13.2%
Single parent
4,497
Total families
Economy & Employment
Brighton East combines high household resources with a professional employment base. Median household income is $2,544 per week and sits at the 92.8th percentile. Professional and technical industries lead at 17.9% and 1,065 workers, followed by healthcare at 14.4% and 855, education at 10.3% and 614, finance at 8.6% and 509, and construction at 7.4% and 438. The largest occupations are professionals at 2,714 and managers at 1,920, ahead of clerical and administrative work at 943. Labour-force participation is 61.3%, full-time employment is 58.7% and unemployment is 4.4%. IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD all sit in decile 10, with scores from 1,090 to 1,138. That top-decile result across education, resources, disadvantage and advantage measures points to broad-based affluence rather than one narrow income effect.
Unemployment
4.4%
Labour Force
8,328
Unemployed
366
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.7%
Part-time
35.2%
Participation
61.3%
Employed
7,962
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.0%
Postgraduate
15.4%
Born Overseas
30.7%
Dwellings
6,004
Transport to Work
Daily mobility is car-led: 42.3% drive to work, compared with 2.2% using public transport and 2.4% walking or cycling, while 50.4% work from home. Four nearby schools provide a mix of 2 primary options, 1 secondary college and 1 Pri/Sec campus across government, Catholic and independent sectors. Check enrolment zones against the exact address because they can cut across suburb boundaries. Recorded crime is 671 incidents, or 40.0 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences accounting for 465 and crimes against the person 88, so household security is more relevant than assuming risk is evenly distributed. IRSAD and IRSD both rank in decile 10, supporting a highly advantaged social setting. Volunteering is 16.5% and need for assistance is 6.3%, indicating community participation alongside some support needs.
Drive
42.3%
Public Transport
2.2%
Walk / Cycle
2.4%
Work from Home
50.4%
Population Forecast
+0.55%/yr
(+97 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is measured at 0.55% annually, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 7.4% over 10 years and the trajectory is Mixed, indicating steady rather than rapid expansion. Compared with 33.8% rent growth, the annual population trend is lower, so housing-cost pressure may be more noticeable than resident growth. The senior share has increased by 2.9 percentage points, while the young share has fallen by 0.9 points and the working share by 2.4 points, consistent with an ageing established base. The overall gentrification score is 10 and the stage is Not gentrifying, although a separate shift indicator records a score of 35 and Early signs. Together, these figures suggest incremental change within a mature market rather than a wholesale transformation.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+272
Net Internal / yr
0
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Strong overseas inflow +272/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
671
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
40.0
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 Brighton East compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brighton East a good suburb to live in?
Brighton East suits households seeking established streets, larger homes and strong socioeconomic conditions. The median age is 45, university attainment is 57.0% and household income ranks at the 92.8th percentile, above the national comparison. Car commuting is more common than public transport, at 42.3% versus 2.2%.
What schools are in Brighton East?
Four listed schools cover primary, secondary and Pri/Sec education: St Finbar's School, Gardenvale Primary School, Brighton Secondary College and St Leonard's College. The mix includes 2 primary options, 1 government secondary college and 1 independent Pri/Sec school, alongside Catholic provision. Confirm zones and vacancies for the exact address.
Is Brighton East safe?
Brighton East recorded 671 crimes, equal to 40.0 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences made up 465 cases, compared with 88 crimes against the person and 18 drug offences. The figures suggest security against property crime deserves attention, while risk should be assessed by street and incident type.
Is Brighton East good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. Weekly rent is $600 and rent growth is 33.8%, but the vacancy rate is 8.5%, so cash-flow assumptions should allow for downtime. Only 19.8% of households rent, below the 34.7% mortgage share. Twenty-five development applications in 12 months may also increase future competition.
How is Brighton East's population changing?
Brighton East has a current population of 16,757. The annual growth trend is 0.55%, while population change across the wider area is 7.4% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, and the trajectory is Mixed. The senior share has risen 2.9 percentage points while the young share has fallen 0.9 points.
What languages are spoken in Brighton East?
English remains the dominant background, while 30.7% of residents were born overseas, 9.1 percentage points above the national comparison. Mandarin is recorded for 349 residents, Greek for 220, Russian for 154, Italian for 96 and Cantonese for 49, indicating several established language groups.
What development is occurring in Brighton East?
Twenty-five development applications were recorded over 12 months. Examples include 2-lot subdivision proposals and planning work involving a drainage and sewerage easement. The activity points to incremental infill and site changes rather than a confirmed large housing project, so buyers should check permits for the immediate street.
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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