Brown Hill
Sitting 35.6% below its Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $815,000, Brown Hill's median house price of $525,000 reflects a market that corrected sharply, not a suburb in structural decline. Its 4,489 residents skew younger than the national average at 36 years, and university qualifications at 33.1% run 3 points above national. The workforce anchors in healthcare (21.7%) and education (15.1%), two stable public-sector sectors. With 87.9% of dwellings being separate houses and 74.1% of residents staying put over five years, turnover is low. Household income sits at the 61.7th percentile nationally, and mortgage repayments take 21.3% of income, below the 30% stress threshold.
Population
4,489
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,757/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
19
Median House
$525K
Apr-Jun 2024
The $525,000 median is down 35.6% from the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $815,000, giving buyers a meaningful re-entry point. Long-run the trajectory is consistent: prices grew from $310,000 in 2013 at a CAGR of 3.8% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,619, and at 21.3% of household income, Brown Hill sits below the 30% stress threshold compared to many Melbourne suburbs. Stock is 87.9% separate houses with 4-plus bedroom homes at 38.8% and 3-bedroom homes at 44.1%, making it well-suited to families. Outright owners (30.0%) and mortgage holders (45.0%) together control 75% of the stock.
For Buyers
The $525,000 median is down 35.6% from the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $815,000, giving buyers a meaningful re-entry point. Long-run the trajectory is consistent: prices grew from $310,000 in 2013 at a CAGR of 3.8% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,619, and at 21.3% of household income, Brown Hill sits below the 30% stress threshold compared to many Melbourne suburbs. Stock is 87.9% separate houses with 4-plus bedroom homes at 38.8% and 3-bedroom homes at 44.1%, making it well-suited to families. Outright owners (30.0%) and mortgage holders (45.0%) together control 75% of the stock.
For Investors
Weekly rent of $290 against a $525,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.9%. The 5.1% vacancy rate is elevated, suggesting some oversupply in the rental segment, so investors should price in void periods. The renter share is 25.0%, meaning three in four dwellings are owner-occupied and the rental pool is limited. Development shows 17 applications in the past 12 months, including subdivision and multi-dwelling proposals. The 35.6% price fall from the 2023 peak of $815,000 reduces entry-price risk compared to buyers who purchased at the top. The long-run CAGR of 3.8% over 14 years is positive but below major capital city benchmarks.
Development Activity
Total DAs
26
Last 12 Months
19
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+850.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Brown Hill iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Caledonian Primary School
Prep-6 · 215 students
Demographics
Brown Hill's median age of 36 is 4 years below the national figure, consistent with its family-oriented stock. University qualifications reach 33.1%, which is 3 percentage points above the national average, aligning with the healthcare and education employment base. Overseas-born residents make up 8.5%, which is 13.1 points below national, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (1,901), Irish (783) and Scottish (568) lead. Average household size of 2.5 matches the national figure. Couples with children number 1,784 households and couples without children 973. The unemployment rate is 3.2% with 63.2% of employed workers in full-time roles.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.9%
Houses
11.6%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
The price record shows a trough of $270,000 in 2015, a peak of $815,000 in Oct-Dec 2023, and a correction to $525,000 by Apr-Jun 2024, a 35.6% fall from the top but a 69.4% total gain since 2013. Tenure splits at 30.0% owned outright, 45.0% under mortgage and 25.0% renting. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 87.9%, and bedroom sizes lean large: 4-plus homes represent 38.8% and 3-bedroom homes 44.1%. Rent costs 16.5% of household income and mortgage repayments 21.3%, both below the 30% stress threshold, making Brown Hill less financially stressed than higher-priced state averages.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,619
Rent / wk
$290
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$875
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.1%
Unoccupied
93
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.8%
Couples, no children
3,631
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads at 21.7% of workers (359 people), followed by Education at 15.1% (250) and Construction at 14.9% (246). Public Administration adds 9.3% and Professional/Technical services 7.1%, so these five sectors cover 68.1% of local employment in non-cyclical industries. Professionals are the top occupation group at 580 workers, followed by Managers (307). The unemployment rate is 3.2% and the full-time employment rate is 63.2%. Brown Hill sits at the 61.7th income percentile nationally, above average but consistent with public-sector and trade employment rather than a high-finance workforce.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.2%
Part-time
33.6%
Participation
62.8%
Employed
2,144
Occupations
Top Industries
University
33.1%
Postgraduate
6.9%
Born Overseas
8.5%
Dwellings
1,722
Transport to Work
Transport is car-dependent: 90.6% of residents drive to work, with just 1.4% using public transport and 1.8% walking or cycling, which is below the state average for suburban areas. No schools appear within the suburb boundary, so families use Ballarat institutions nearby. The crime rate of 44.3 per 1,000 residents covers 199 offences, led by property and deception at 122 incidents. Volunteering runs at 15.8%, above many comparable suburbs. Housing stress is absent: rent at 16.5% of income and mortgages at 21.3% both stay well below the 30% threshold, a livability advantage compared to higher-cost metro suburbs.
Drive
90.6%
Public Transport
1.4%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
199
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
44.3
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 Brown Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brown Hill a good suburb to live in?
Brown Hill suits owner-occupier families. Household income sits at the 61.7th percentile nationally and mortgage repayments average $1,619 per month at 21.3% of income, below the 30% stress threshold. The suburb is 87.9% separate houses with large bedrooms. Trade-offs are car dependence (90.6% drive) and a 5.1% vacancy rate signalling softer rental demand.
What is the median house price in Brown Hill?
The median house price is $525,000 as of Apr-Jun 2024, down 35.6% from the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $815,000. Long-run, prices rose from $310,000 in 2013, a 69.4% gain at a CAGR of 3.8% over 14 years. Weekly rent averages $290 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,619.
What schools are in Brown Hill?
No schools are recorded inside the Brown Hill boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Ballarat suburbs. Locally, 33.1% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 3 percentage points above the national figure, reflecting the suburb's healthcare and education workforce.
Is Brown Hill safe?
There were 199 offences in Brown Hill, giving a crime rate of 44.3 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for 122 incidents, crimes against the person 29. This rate is moderate compared to higher-density urban areas. Housing stress indicators are absent, with mortgage costs at 21.3% of income.
Is Brown Hill good for property investment?
Gross yield is roughly 2.9% based on $290 weekly rent against a $525,000 median. The 5.1% vacancy rate adds void-period risk. The 35.6% fall from the 2023 peak reduces entry-price risk for new buyers. Long-run CAGR of 3.8% over 14 years is positive but below major capital city benchmarks.
How is Brown Hill's population changing?
Brown Hill has 4,489 residents with a median age of 36, which is 4 years below the national average. Residential stability is high: 74.1% stayed at the same address over 5 years. Development applications (17 in 12 months) include subdivision and multi-dwelling proposals, indicating gradual growth through densification rather than greenfield expansion.
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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