Broadford
Stretched across 110.15 km2 at just 41.7 residents per km2, Broadford reads less like a typical commuter suburb and more like a rural town that grew 30.3% over the past decade. The $525,000 median house price sits far below Melbourne metro levels, which is why mortgage holders make up 47.8% of dwellings, well above the outright-owner share of 33.0%. Detached houses dominate the stock at 95.6%, apartments barely register at 0.2%, and the population skews older with a median age of 40, exactly level with the national figure but trending upward as the senior share rose 5.5 points. University qualifications reach only 17.0%, which is 13.1 points below national, reflecting a workforce built on trades and services rather than knowledge sectors.
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
3
Median House
$525K
Apr-Jun 2024
At a $525,000 median, Broadford undercuts most of greater Melbourne, and that affordability shapes who buys here. Mortgage holders account for 47.8% of dwellings, above the 33.0% who own outright, a pattern typical of a market that draws first-home and upgrading buyers rather than established wealth. The stock is overwhelmingly family-oriented: 95.6% are separate houses, three-bedroom homes make up 49.7% and four-plus-bedroom homes another 37.2%, so smaller dwellings are scarce. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,507, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.9%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes sitting only in the 47.5th percentile nationally. Prices have softened recently, down 8.1% from the late-2023 peak of $571,300, which gives current buyers a better entry point than two years ago.
For Buyers
At a $525,000 median, Broadford undercuts most of greater Melbourne, and that affordability shapes who buys here. Mortgage holders account for 47.8% of dwellings, above the 33.0% who own outright, a pattern typical of a market that draws first-home and upgrading buyers rather than established wealth. The stock is overwhelmingly family-oriented: 95.6% are separate houses, three-bedroom homes make up 49.7% and four-plus-bedroom homes another 37.2%, so smaller dwellings are scarce. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,507, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.9%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes sitting only in the 47.5th percentile nationally. Prices have softened recently, down 8.1% from the late-2023 peak of $571,300, which gives current buyers a better entry point than two years ago.
For Investors
Renters make up only 19.2% of Broadford households, a thin tenant pool compared with metro suburbs, and weekly rent averages $314. Against the $525,000 median that implies a gross yield near 3.1%, stronger than inner-city markets but supported by a 6.8% vacancy rate that signals softer demand than landlords would prefer. The growth case is clearer than the yield case: net internal migration adds about 159 residents a year while overseas migration adds 72, and population has climbed 30.3% over the decade. Development is minimal, with just 3 planning applications in the past 12 months, mostly small subdivisions of 3 to 4 lots rather than new dwelling supply. Rent has grown 37.5% over the measured period, so the investment thesis leans on capital growth and rising rents in an affordable, expanding rural-fringe market rather than current cash yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
13
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Broadford iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Broadford Secondary College
7-12 · 814 students
Broadford Primary School
Prep-6 · 349 students
Demographics
Broadford's median age of 40 matches the national figure exactly, but the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 5.5 points while the working-age share slipped 0.7 points over the decade. The population is markedly Anglo, with only 8.9% born overseas, which is 12.7 points below national, and ancestry led by English (1,961), Irish (576) and Scottish (538). Italian (11 speakers) is the sole notable non-English language, underscoring how few residents come from migrant backgrounds compared with Melbourne. University qualifications reach 17.0%, which is 13.1 points below the national figure, consistent with a trades-and-services workforce. Average household size is 2.5, level with national, and family households tilt toward couples with children (1,463) over couples with no children (967), a younger-family profile despite the aging headline trend.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.6%
Houses
4.0%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure here is mortgage-led: 47.8% of dwellings carry a mortgage, 33.0% are owned outright and only 19.2% are rented, a profile that reflects an affordable market drawing buyers who borrow rather than established outright owners. The stock is almost entirely detached, with separate houses at 95.6% and apartments at just 0.2%, and it is sized for families, with three-bedroom homes at 49.7% and four-plus-bedroom homes at 37.2%. The median house price of $525,000 has risen from $291,000 in 2013, an 80.4% gain over 14 years at a 4.3% compound annual rate, though it has eased 8.1% from the 2023 peak of $571,300. Both stress measures stay low, with mortgage-to-income at 22.9% and rent-to-income at 20.7%, well below the 30% threshold, because purchase and rental costs are modest relative even to the 47.5th-percentile local incomes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,507
Rent / wk
$314
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
26.2%
Couples, no children
3,696
Total families
Economy & Employment
Broadford's workforce concentrates in services and trades rather than professional sectors: Healthcare leads at 16.6% (208 workers), Construction follows at 15.4% (193), then Public Admin at 12.2%, Manufacturing at 10.0% and Education at 9.6%. By occupation, Labourers (305) edge out Professionals (291), with Community and Personal workers (264) and Machinery operators and drivers (246) close behind, a blue-collar mix that explains why university attainment runs 13.1 points below national. Unemployment sits at 5.1% and the full-time employment rate is 64.8%, while participation reads 55.8%, held down by 1,260 residents not in the labour force as the population ages. The SEIFA profile is mid-tier: IRSD decile 5 and IRSAD decile 4 place Broadford near the middle nationally, while the IER score of decile 7 runs higher because affordable housing leaves households with relatively more disposable resources.
Unemployment
4.7%
Labour Force
8,433
Unemployed
396
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.8%
Part-time
30.1%
Participation
55.8%
Employed
1,971
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.0%
Postgraduate
3.2%
Born Overseas
8.9%
Dwellings
1,765
Transport to Work
Broadford is built around the car: 92.7% of commuters drive, public transport carries just 1.0% and only 1.7% walk or cycle, far above the national reliance on cars and a direct consequence of the low 41.7 residents per km2 density across a 110.15 km2 footprint. Crime is a genuine concern, with a rate of 96.3 offences per 1,000 residents that places it in the high-crime tier, led by 174 property and deception offences and 91 crimes against the person out of 442 total. The SEIFA disadvantage reading of IRSD decile 5 sits mid-table nationally, neither advantaged nor deprived. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring towns, and volunteering runs at 14.1%, a moderate civic-engagement level for a dispersed rural community.
Drive
92.7%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.92%/yr
(+321 people/yr)
EstablishedBroadford is expanding steadily for a rural-fringe town, with population up 30.3% over the decade and annual growth tracking near 1.92%. Internal migration is the primary driver, adding about 159 residents a year against 72 from overseas, a sign that the growth is fuelled by Melburnians moving outward for affordability rather than international arrivals. The gentrification reading is early signs at a score of 33, supported by the 39% population rise since 2011 and steady net internal inflow, though it remains well below the threshold of an established gentrifying market. Affordability has held roughly stable, easing only slightly from 45.7% in 2011 to 44.8% in 2021, while real incomes grew 14.1%. The shift is toward an older resident base, with the senior share up 5.5 points, so growth is broad-based rather than driven by young professionals.
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 suits affordability-focused families, with a $525,000 median house price well below Melbourne metro and mortgage-to-income at just 22.9%. The main trade-offs are heavy car dependence, with 92.7% driving to work, and a crime rate of 96.3 per 1,000 residents that sits in the higher tier nationally.
What is the median house price in Broadford?
The median house price is $525,000 as of the Apr-Jun 2024 quarter, down 8.1% from the late-2023 peak of $571,300. Over 14 years prices rose 80.4% from $291,000 in 2013, a 4.3% compound annual rate. Weekly rent averages $314 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,507.
What schools are in Broadford?
No schools are recorded inside the Broadford suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring towns. Education is a notable local employer at 9.6% of the workforce, though university attainment among residents is 17.0%, which is 13.1 points below the national figure.
Is Broadford safe?
Broadford records a crime rate of 96.3 offences per 1,000 residents, in the higher tier nationally, with 442 total offences led by 174 property and deception offences and 91 crimes against the person. On the SEIFA disadvantage index it sits at decile 5, mid-table rather than deprived.
Is Broadford good for property investment?
Rent of $314 a week against a $525,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.1%, above inner-city levels, but a 6.8% vacancy rate signals softer demand. Net internal migration of about 159 residents a year and 30.3% population growth over the decade make the case capital-growth led rather than yield-led.
How is Broadford's population changing?
Broadford's population of 4,592 has grown 30.3% over the decade, with annual growth near 1.92%, driven mainly by net internal migration of about 159 residents a year. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 5.5 points and the working-age share down 0.7 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 Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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