Burnside Heights
Nearly half of Burnside Heights residents were born overseas, at 49.9%, which is 28.3 percentage points above the national average. The suburb has 6,377 residents, a median age of 33 that is 7 years below the national figure, and a household income of $2,246 per week in the 84.8th percentile. Its 90.6% separate-house share and 60.5% four-bedroom-plus share reinforce a family housing profile. Compared with nearby Caroline Springs, Burnside Heights has a more compact footprint, packing its population into 2.0 square kilometres at 3,195.9 residents per square kilometre. Overseas-born households, larger families and mortgage ownership are central to its identity.
Population
6,377
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,246/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$770K
October to December 2025
Burnside Heights suits buyers seeking detached family housing, with separate houses accounting for 90.6% of dwellings and four-bedroom-plus homes representing 60.5%, higher than the 38.2% share of three-bedroom properties. A typical mortgage is $2,000 per month, equal to 20.6% of household income, while weekly household income is $2,246. The trade-off is a mortgage-heavy tenure profile, with 62.8% paying a mortgage and only 18.7% owning outright. Compared with more apartment-oriented areas, buyers get more internal space but should budget for higher purchase costs and car dependence.
For Buyers
Burnside Heights suits buyers seeking detached family housing, with separate houses accounting for 90.6% of dwellings and four-bedroom-plus homes representing 60.5%, higher than the 38.2% share of three-bedroom properties. A typical mortgage is $2,000 per month, equal to 20.6% of household income, while weekly household income is $2,246. The trade-off is a mortgage-heavy tenure profile, with 62.8% paying a mortgage and only 18.7% owning outright. Compared with more apartment-oriented areas, buyers get more internal space but should budget for higher purchase costs and car dependence.
For Investors
Burnside Heights has a family rental profile, with weekly rent at $411 and 18.3% of households renting, lower than the 62.8% mortgage share. Vacancy is 2.5%, creating a tighter leasing environment than a high-vacancy market, although tenant demand still depends on price and property presentation. The 12-month development count is 0, so new supply is not currently a major local factor. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, which may support demand for larger homes, but affordability and the suburb's car-oriented layout remain important constraints.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2
Last 12 Months
0
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 Burnside Heights
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Kororoit Creek Primary School
Demographics
Burnside Heights combines a young resident base with high migration exposure. The median age is 33, or 7 years below the national figure, while 49.9% of residents were born overseas, 28.3 percentage points above the national average. University attainment is 48.5%, higher than the national figure by 18.4 percentage points. Households average 3.6 people, 1.1 above the national average, because couples with children account for 68.6% of families. Indian ancestry counts 784 people, Vietnamese ancestry 600 and Filipino ancestry 446. Punjabi is spoken by 166 residents, followed by Arabic at 111 and Urdu at 109. Residential stability is also high, with 85.7% staying at the same address over the relevant period, higher than the 14.3% turnover rate.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.6%
Houses
9.4%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached housing dominates at 90.6%, while semi-detached homes account for 9.4%. Tenure is concentrated among mortgage holders at 62.8%, compared with 18.7% owning outright and 18.3% renting. Four-bedroom-plus homes are more common than three-bedroom homes, at 60.5% versus 38.2%, supporting the suburb's larger-household profile. Rent is $411 per week and mortgage costs equal 20.6% of household income.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$411
Census 2021
HH Size
3.6
Personal Income / wk
$803
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.5%
Unoccupied
44
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
68.6%
Couples with children
16.4%
Couples, no children
13.8%
Single parent
1,684
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Burnside Heights' largest industry at 16.6%, with 330 workers, followed by Professional/Tech at 10.3% and 204 workers, Education at 10.0% and 199, Transport at 9.2% and 182, and Construction at 7.0% and 140. The occupation mix is led by 644 Professionals, 428 Clerical/Admin workers, 352 Community/Personal workers, 338 Trades workers and 320 Managers. Labour-force participation is 70.6%, full-time employment is 60.6% and unemployment is 6.8%. Household income sits in the 84.8th percentile, higher than the suburb's mixed disadvantage indicators. The IER decile is 9, higher than the IEO decile of 6, IRSAD decile of 6 and IRSD decile of 5, suggesting strong economic resources alongside more uneven education, occupation and disadvantage outcomes. A 4.2% need-assistance rate adds context to that split.
Unemployment
6.8%
Labour Force
3,206
Unemployed
219
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.6%
Part-time
32.7%
Participation
70.6%
Employed
2,987
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
48.5%
Postgraduate
12.7%
Born Overseas
49.9%
Dwellings
1,727
Transport to Work
Burnside Heights is strongly car-oriented: 64.6% of residents drive to work, higher than the 2.3% using public transport, while 27.3% work from home and only 0.8% walk or cycle. One nearby government primary school, Kororoit Creek Primary School, provides local primary access; families should compare the exact address with enrolment zones and check secondary, Catholic and independent options separately. The suburb covers 2.0 square kilometres and has a density of 3,195.9 residents per square kilometre, creating a compact residential setting. Recorded crime totals 224 offences, or 35.1 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for 115, higher than crimes against the person at 33, so address-level checks and ordinary security measures remain sensible. The IER decile of 9 is higher than the IRSAD decile of 6, indicating strong resources but not uniform outcomes.
Drive
64.6%
Public Transport
2.3%
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
27.3%
Population Forecast
+2.81%/yr
(+181 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth runs at 2.81% a year and is driven primarily by overseas migration. Population change across the wider area is 27.5% over 10 years, compared with a 3.7 percentage-point rise in the senior share. Burnside Heights is therefore on an Aging trajectory even while its median age remains 33 and its young share has increased by 1.4 percentage points. The working-age share has fallen by 6.0 percentage points, which may gradually shift demand toward established homes and local services. Affordability is classified as Worsening, moving from 48.3 in 2011 to 51.2 in 2021, while real income growth is negative at -7.5%. The gentrification score is 8, classified as Not gentrifying, so current momentum appears more connected to migration and family housing than to a major neighbourhood repositioning.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+108
Net Internal / yr
-160
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +24% since 2011, Net internal outflow -160/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
224
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
35.1
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 Burnside Heights compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Burnside Heights a good suburb to live in?
Burnside Heights can suit households wanting detached family housing, with 90.6% of dwellings separate houses and 60.5% containing four or more bedrooms. The median age is 33, but public transport use is only 2.3% compared with 64.6% driving, so it is better suited to car-based living than transit-oriented routines.
What schools are in Burnside Heights?
One government primary school, Kororoit Creek Primary School, is identified in Burnside Heights. Families should compare the exact property address with current enrolment zones and investigate secondary, Catholic and independent choices, because the local school count shown is 1 and the sector type is government.
Is Burnside Heights safe?
Recorded crime was 224 offences, equal to 35.1 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 115, higher than crimes against the person at 33. Those figures are useful for comparison, but safety can vary by street, time and property, so buyers and renters should also make an address-level assessment.
How is Burnside Heights's population changing?
Growth is running at 2.81% annually and is driven by overseas migration. Population change across the wider area is 27.5% over 10 years, higher than the 3.7 percentage-point increase in the senior share. The suburb is on an Aging trajectory, with the working share down 6.0 percentage points, even though the median age remains 33.
What languages are spoken in Burnside Heights?
Burnside Heights has a high overseas-born share of 49.9%, which is 28.3 percentage points above the national average. Punjabi is spoken by 166 residents, Arabic by 111, Urdu by 109, Hindi by 104 and Macedon by 96. Punjabi is therefore more common than each of the other four listed languages.
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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