Broadford
Broadford’s most distinctive feature is its detached, owner-oriented housing: 95.6% of dwellings are separate houses, while 32.6% are owned outright and 47.3% are owned with a mortgage. Household income sits at the 47.5th percentile nationally. Broadford has a median age of 40 and an overseas-born share of 8.9%, which is 12.7 percentage points below the national comparison. For buyers comparing Broadford with nearby Seymour or Kilmore, the practical distinction is a spacious, low-density setting with 78.9% car commuting and a strong mortgage-belt profile.
Population
4,592
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,519/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$600K
October to December 2025
Broadford suits buyers seeking a conventional family house rather than apartment stock. Separate houses account for 95.6% of dwellings, while 49.7% have 3 bedrooms and 37.2% have 4 or more, giving families a clear fit. The typical mortgage repayment is $1,507 per month, equal to 22.9% of household income and not flagged as mortgage stress. Rent is $314 a week, with rent-to-income at 20.7%. Broadford is therefore more accessible than many metropolitan markets, but buyers should allow for car dependence because 78.9% drive to work and only 0.8% use public transport. Compared with Kilmore, its appeal is a similarly regional setting with a strongly detached housing mix.
For Buyers
Broadford suits buyers seeking a conventional family house rather than apartment stock. Separate houses account for 95.6% of dwellings, while 49.7% have 3 bedrooms and 37.2% have 4 or more, giving families a clear fit. The typical mortgage repayment is $1,507 per month, equal to 22.9% of household income and not flagged as mortgage stress. Rent is $314 a week, with rent-to-income at 20.7%. Broadford is therefore more accessible than many metropolitan markets, but buyers should allow for car dependence because 78.9% drive to work and only 0.8% use public transport. Compared with Kilmore, its appeal is a similarly regional setting with a strongly detached housing mix.
For Investors
Broadford presents a cash-flow-oriented but small-market investment case. Renting accounts for 19.0% of occupied dwellings, below the 47.3% paying a mortgage and 32.6% owning outright, pointing to a resident base weighted toward homeowners. Recent development activity is limited to 2 subdivision applications in 12 months, involving 3 lots and 4 lots, rather than a large apartment pipeline. Rents have grown 37.5%, supporting the case for income growth, although the vacancy rate is higher than an aggressively undersupplied market. Internal migration is the primary growth driver, making Broadford more dependent on incoming regional households than on major employment-led expansion.
Development Activity
Total DAs
13
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-66.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Broadford
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Broadford Primary School
Broadford Secondary College
Demographics
Broadford has a settled, Anglo-leaning profile, with a median age of 40 and 85.0% of residents staying at the same address while turnover is 15.0%. English ancestry is reported by 1,961 people, followed by Irish at 576 and Scottish at 538. No religion is the largest reported affiliation at 2,340, ahead of Christianity at 1,828. University attainment is 17.0%, or 13.1 percentage points below the national comparison, and the overseas-born share is 8.9%, 12.7 points below national levels. Household size is 2.5, with couples and children representing 40.4% of families and couples without children 38.1%. Compared with nearby Seymour and Kilmore, Broadford’s settled profile is reinforced by its 5.5-point rise in the senior share, supporting an aging trajectory rather than a strongly youth-led one.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.6%
Houses
4.0%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Broadford’s housing stock is concentrated in detached homes: 95.6% are separate houses, compared with 0.2% apartments and 4.0% semi-detached dwellings. Three-bedroom homes make up 49.7% of the stock and 4-plus-bedroom homes 37.2%, so the market is configured more for families than for compact renters. Tenure is split between 32.6% owning outright, 47.3% with a mortgage and 19.0% renting. Mortgage costs are 22.9% of household income, while rent costs 20.7%. Compared with apartment-heavy urban markets, Broadford provides a more consistent family-house product, although the limited 0.2% apartment share narrows choice for smaller households.
Mortgage / mo
$1,507
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$314
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$712
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.8%
Unoccupied
130
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
40.4%
Couples with children
38.1%
Couples, no children
20.2%
Single parent
1,273
Total families
Economy & Employment
Broadford’s employment base is led by healthcare at 16.6% of industry employment, followed by construction at 15.4%, public administration at 12.2%, manufacturing at 10.0% and education at 9.6%. That mix helps explain why trades account for 392 workers and labourers 305, alongside 291 professionals, 264 community and personal service workers and 246 machinery and drivers. The labour-force participation rate is 60.7%, unemployment is 4.7% and 59.4% of workers are full-time, while median household income sits at the 47.5th percentile nationally. SEIFA results are mixed: the education and occupation decile is 4, economic resources is 7, IRSAD is 4 and IRSD is 5. Compared with higher-income metropolitan areas, the lower education and occupation result suggests fewer formal qualifications, but stable employment across healthcare, construction and public administration adds resilience.
Unemployment
4.7%
Labour Force
2,258
Unemployed
105
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.4%
Part-time
32.2%
Participation
60.7%
Employed
2,153
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.0%
Postgraduate
3.2%
Born Overseas
8.9%
Dwellings
1,765
Transport to Work
Broadford provides a low-density, practical lifestyle, with 110.15 sq km supporting 4,592 residents at a density of 41.7 people per sq km. Daily travel is car-led: 78.9% drive to work, compared with 0.8% using public transport, while 14.9% work from home. Local schooling covers both primary and secondary years through 2 nearby government schools, giving families basic in-town access; exact enrolment zones should be checked against the address. Safety needs attention: the recorded crime rate is 96.3 offences per 1,000 residents, including 174 property and deception offences and 91 crimes against the person. SEIFA IRSAD is in decile 4 and IRSD in decile 5, placing social advantage below the midpoint on the broader advantage scale. Compared with a dense urban suburb, Broadford provides more space but fewer transport alternatives.
Drive
78.9%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
14.9%
Population Forecast
+1.92%/yr
(+321 people/yr)
EstablishedBroadford’s growth outlook is established but active rather than explosive. The annual trend is 1.92%, with internal migration identified as the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 30.3% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share is up 5.5 percentage points, the young share is down 2.6 points and the working share is down 0.7 points. Gentrification is rated Early signs with a score of 33, alongside 37.5% rent growth, so demand is strengthening without a clear transformation into a premium market. Affordability was broadly stable, moving from 45.7 in 2011 to 44.8 in 2021, which helps explain why internal migration can continue to bring households seeking lower entry prices than metropolitan locations. Two subdivision applications in the past 12 months indicate modest supply activity rather than a major development wave.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+72
Net Internal / yr
+159
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +39% since 2011, Net internal migration +159/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
442
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
96.3
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 Broadford compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Broadford a good suburb to live in?
Broadford can suit households wanting a regional, detached-home setting: 95.6% of dwellings are separate houses and the population is 4,592. The trade-offs are car dependence, with 78.9% driving to work, and a recorded crime rate of 96.3 per 1,000 residents. Check the exact street, services and school zone before deciding.
What schools are in Broadford?
Broadford has 2 government schools serving primary and secondary years: Broadford Primary School and Broadford Secondary College. Families should confirm enrolment zones at the exact address, because catchments can affect access and placement. The local mix covers both primary and secondary schooling within the suburb.
Is Broadford safe?
Safety is a factor to investigate rather than assume. Broadford recorded 442 offences, or 96.3 per 1,000 residents, including 174 property and deception offences and 91 crimes against the person. Conditions can vary by street and time, so review current local reporting and inspect the area before renting or buying.
How is Broadford's population changing?
Broadford has 4,592 residents today, while the wider-area forecast indicates 30.3% population change over 10 years. The annual trend is 1.92% and internal migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.5 percentage points and the young share down 2.6 points, so growth is arriving with a changing age mix.
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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