Brighton
With 51.8% of residents working from home, Brighton is shaped as much by professional flexibility as by its bayside setting. Its median age is 48, or 8 years above the national median, while 60.2% of residents hold a university qualification, 30.1 percentage points above the national rate. Compared with nearby Elwood and Hampton, Brighton presents a more established, wealth-led market, reinforced by 45.6% outright home ownership. A 12.1% vacancy rate and 2.4-person average households point to a settled suburb where aging and remote work influence demand.
Population
23,252
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,710/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
32
Median House
$3.4M
October to December 2025
Buyers have a relatively broad dwelling mix: 57.2% separate houses, 22.4% semi-detached homes and 19.8% apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 34.2% of stock and four-plus-bedroom homes for 33.4%, supporting family demand despite an average household size of 2.4. The $3,467 monthly mortgage figure equates to 29.5% of household income, below a level usually associated with severe stress, because earnings and outright ownership are both high.
For Buyers
Buyers have a relatively broad dwelling mix: 57.2% separate houses, 22.4% semi-detached homes and 19.8% apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 34.2% of stock and four-plus-bedroom homes for 33.4%, supporting family demand despite an average household size of 2.4. The $3,467 monthly mortgage figure equates to 29.5% of household income, below a level usually associated with severe stress, because earnings and outright ownership are both high.
For Investors
Brighton suits investors seeking a premium, established asset rather than a high-yield entry point. Weekly rent is $600 and 24.0% of occupied dwellings are rented, while the 12.1% vacancy rate is high compared with tightly supplied rental markets. That vacancy level can lengthen leasing periods, although rent growth of 34.6% provides some offset. The suburb recorded 35 development matters in 12 months, creating potential competition from subdivision and planning activity. Migration is described as Balanced, so demand is less dependent on one population stream.
Development Activity
Total DAs
56
Last 12 Months
32
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+100.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Brighton
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Brighton Grammar School
Firbank Grammar School
Brighton Beach Primary School
Brighton Primary School
Elsternwick Primary School
Demographics
Brighton's demographic profile is older and more highly educated than the national average. The median age is 48, 8 years above national levels, and university attainment is 60.2%, or 30.1 percentage points above the national comparison. Overseas-born residents make up 28.4%, 6.8 points above the national figure, with Mandarin spoken by 393 residents and Greek by 205. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry are prominent at 8,707, 3,211 and 2,550 people respectively. Household stability is also notable: 77.8% stayed at the same address, compared with a 22.2% turnover rate. Compared with younger nearby areas such as Elwood and Elsternwick, Brighton's 41.2% couples without children and 48-year median age point to a more mature life-cycle profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
57.2%
Houses
22.4%
Townhouse
19.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Brighton's housing market has risen substantially over time but recently sits below its short-term peak. Tenure is more secure than rental-dependent: 45.6% of households own outright, compared with 28.4% paying a mortgage and 24.0% renting. Separate houses represent 57.2% of dwellings, while apartments account for 19.8% and semi-detached homes 22.4%. Compared with Elwood's more apartment-oriented character, Brighton's larger 4-plus-bedroom share of 33.4% supports family and downsizer demand, while the 29.5% mortgage-to-income ratio reflects the suburb's high price burden.
Mortgage / mo
$3,467
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $600.
$825
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $1,150 · units $680
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,259
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.1%
Unoccupied
1,238
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.5%
Couples with children
41.2%
Couples, no children
12.1%
Single parent
6,406
Total families
Economy & Employment
Brighton's economy is led by professional and knowledge-based work. Professional and Tech industries account for 20.0% of employment, or 1,705 people, followed by Healthcare at 15.0% and 1,278, Education at 9.3% and 792, Finance at 9.1% and 776, and Retail at 6.9% and 590. The occupational structure reinforces that pattern, with 4,127 Professionals and 2,922 Managers compared with 1,253 Clerical and Admin workers. Unemployment is 3.7% across a labour force of 11,665, while participation is 59.4%, indicating that household wealth is supported by strong professional earnings as well as assets. SEIFA ranks Brighton in decile 10 for IEO, decile 9 for IER, and decile 10 for both IRSD and IRSAD. Those deciles place education, economic resources and overall advantage above national levels, consistent with household income at the 94.8th percentile.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
11,665
Unemployed
431
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.2%
Part-time
35.9%
Participation
59.4%
Employed
11,234
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
60.2%
Postgraduate
17.3%
Born Overseas
28.4%
Dwellings
8,978
Transport to Work
Brighton supports a work-from-home lifestyle, with 51.8% of residents working from home, while 38.7% drive a car and only 3.6% use public transport for the relevant journey. Eight nearby schools span three Catholic options, three government options and two independent schools, covering primary, secondary and Pri/Sec settings. Exact enrolment zones should be checked because school boundaries can differ from suburb boundaries. Crime totals 1,308 recorded offences, including 936 property and deception offences, with a rate of 56.3 per 1,000 people. That concentration means property security deserves more attention than broad personal safety assumptions. IRSAD sits in decile 10, above the national midpoint, and the 19.2% volunteering rate supports local participation. Compared with denser inner areas, Brighton's 8.37 square kilometres and 2,778 people per square kilometre provide a more spacious residential setting.
Drive
38.7%
Public Transport
3.6%
Walk / Cycle
3.9%
Work from Home
51.8%
Population Forecast
+2.38%/yr
(+167 people/yr)
EstablishedBrighton's outlook is established but still expanding, with forecast trend growth of 2.38% annually. Migration is Balanced rather than driven by a single source, which can make demand more resilient across market cycles. Population change across the wider area runs at 34.4% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 3.2% and the young share has fallen 2.6%. This matters because established housing, high prices and strong local wealth tend to retain older owners while limiting entry for younger households. Gentrification is at the Early signs stage with a score of 37, alongside a shift measure of 42. Compared with a fully mature market, the combination of 2.38% annual growth and 34.6% rent growth suggests continued pressure on both values and leasing costs.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+10
Net Internal / yr
+54
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +45% since 2011, Net internal migration +54/yr, Accelerating: 13% → 28%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,308
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
56.3
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 compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Brighton?
Eight nearby schools cover Catholic, government and independent sectors. The mix includes 3 Catholic schools, 3 government schools and 2 independent schools, with primary, secondary and Pri/Sec options. Check the exact address against current enrolment zones because boundaries can differ from Brighton's suburb boundary.
Is Brighton safe?
Brighton recorded 1,308 offences at a rate of 56.3 per 1,000 people. Property and deception offences accounted for 936 cases, compared with 138 crimes against the person. Conditions vary by street and time, so residents should assess local reporting and use practical property security measures.
How is Brighton's population changing?
Brighton has 23,252 residents today and an Aging trajectory. Across the wider area, population change is 34.4% over 10 years, with senior share up 3.2% and young share down 2.6%. Forecast trend growth is 2.38% annually, while migration is classified as Balanced.
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.
Explore Brighton on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map