Burnside
Half of Burnside's 5,800 residents were born overseas, 27.7 points above the national figure, and that migrant influx helps explain why the population has climbed 32.4% over the past decade. The housing stock is overwhelmingly detached at 85.3%, with 50.8% of dwellings carrying four or more bedrooms, a profile built for the family-sized households averaging 3.1 people, 0.6 above national. Median household income sits in the 67.5th percentile, and the suburb is firmly mortgage-driven: 58.3% of homes are owned with a loan against only 31.0% held outright. The median house price of $690,000 keeps the mortgage-to-income ratio at a manageable 24.7%, below the stress threshold.
Population
5,800
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,871/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$690K
Apr-Jun 2024
At a $690,000 median house price recorded for the Apr-Jun 2024 quarter, Burnside sits well below Melbourne's premium markets, and the affordability shows in the numbers: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.7%, comfortably under the 30% stress line. Buyers get space for that price because 85.3% of dwellings are separate houses and just 0.6% are apartments, with 50.8% offering four or more bedrooms and another 36.4% holding three. That stock suits the suburb's larger households, which average 3.1 people. The longer price record shows a 99.4% rise from $390,000 in 2013 to $777,500 in 2024, a 5.9% compound annual growth rate, so entry-level family buyers have seen steady equity build rather than the volatility of higher-priced suburbs.
For Buyers
At a $690,000 median house price recorded for the Apr-Jun 2024 quarter, Burnside sits well below Melbourne's premium markets, and the affordability shows in the numbers: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.7%, comfortably under the 30% stress line. Buyers get space for that price because 85.3% of dwellings are separate houses and just 0.6% are apartments, with 50.8% offering four or more bedrooms and another 36.4% holding three. That stock suits the suburb's larger households, which average 3.1 people. The longer price record shows a 99.4% rise from $390,000 in 2013 to $777,500 in 2024, a 5.9% compound annual growth rate, so entry-level family buyers have seen steady equity build rather than the volatility of higher-priced suburbs.
For Investors
Only 10.8% of Burnside homes are rented, a thin tenant pool compared with the renter shares typical of inner Melbourne, so the suburb reads as owner-occupier territory rather than an investor stronghold. Weekly rent averages $400 against the $690,000 median, and the 5.0% vacancy rate is moderate. The stronger investment signal is demand-side: population grew 32.4% over the decade and the medium forecast adds about 154 residents a year at 2.32% annual growth, supported by balanced migration of 74 net overseas and 94 net internal arrivals annually. Rent has risen 31.6% over the measured period. With detached houses making up 85.3% of stock and development activity minimal at just 2 applications in 12 months, supply stays tight, which underpins values even though raw yields on a $400 rent remain modest.
Development Activity
Total DAs
3
Last 12 Months
2
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 iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Burnside Primary School
Prep-6 · 442 students
Demographics
Burnside's median age of 37 runs 3.0 years below the national figure, consistent with a family suburb where couples with children make up 2,480 of the 5,027 families against just 762 childless couples. The migrant character is strong: 49.3% of residents were born overseas, 27.7 points above national, and ancestry is led by English (686), Filipino (556), Vietnamese (459) and Maltese (392). University qualifications reach 35.3%, which is 5.2 points above the national rate, a modest education premium that aligns with the suburb's mid-tier income standing. The most common non-English languages spoken are Arabic and Punjabi (66 each), Hindi (53) and Macedonian (51). Christianity dominates religious affiliation at 3,279 residents, with Islam (471) and Buddhism (321) reflecting the broad migrant mix.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.3%
Houses
14.1%
Townhouse
0.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Burnside is heavily mortgage-weighted: 58.3% of homes are owned with a loan, far above the 31.0% owned outright, while renters make up only 10.8%. That mortgage skew, paired with a 32.4% population rise over the decade, points to a wave of recent family buyers rather than long-settled outright owners. The stock is 85.3% separate houses and just 0.6% apartments, with 50.8% of dwellings holding four or more bedrooms and 36.4% three, built for the 3.1-person average household. Prices climbed 99.4% from $390,000 in 2013 to $777,500 in 2024 at a 5.9% compound annual rate, though the latest figure sits 0.3% below the 2022 peak of $780,000. Mortgage-to-income at 24.7% and rent-to-income at 21.4% both stay below the stress threshold, keeping the suburb accessible relative to dearer Melbourne markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$676
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.0%
Unoccupied
92
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
15.2%
Couples, no children
5,027
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Burnside's largest employer at 18.8% of workers (296 people), followed by Construction at 9.8% and Transport and Manufacturing at 8.6% each, a blue-collar and service mix rather than a professional-finance concentration. By occupation, Professionals lead at 462, with Clerical/Admin (358) and Community/Personal workers (298) close behind. The labour numbers carry some strain: unemployment sits at 8.2%, above national norms, and participation is 55.8% with 1,604 residents not in the labour force, partly reflecting the larger child-rearing households. SEIFA tells a split story: the IER economic-resources index sits in decile 8, well above the IEO education-occupation decile of 4 and the IRSD disadvantage decile of 4. That gap arises because high home ownership and family incomes lift resource scores even though formal qualifications and occupational status sit lower.
Unemployment
5.6%
Labour Force
3,540
Unemployed
197
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.7%
Part-time
27.1%
Participation
55.8%
Employed
2,354
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.3%
Postgraduate
7.2%
Born Overseas
49.3%
Dwellings
1,746
Transport to Work
Burnside is built around the car: 89.2% of residents drive to work while only 3.1% take public transport and 0.6% walk or cycle, a far higher car reliance than national patterns and a practical reality of the outer-west location. No schools are recorded inside the 2.55 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a notable trade-off given that couples with children number 2,480 here. On safety, the crime rate is 46.4 per 1,000 residents across 269 recorded offences, with property and deception crimes the dominant category at 188 and crimes against the person far lower at 33. SEIFA places the suburb at decile 4 on IRSD and decile 5 on IRSAD, mid-range nationally, while volunteering at 7.8% and 7.7% of residents needing daily assistance round out a working family profile.
Drive
89.2%
Public Transport
3.1%
Walk / Cycle
0.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.32%/yr
(+154 people/yr)
EstablishedBurnside's population grew 32.4% over the decade and is forecast to keep expanding 2.32% a year, adding roughly 154 residents annually, a pace well above most established suburbs. The medium forecast lifts the count from 6,635 in 2025 toward 7,457 by 2031. Growth is balanced across sources: net overseas migration runs at 74 a year and net internal migration at 94, so neither dominates. The gentrification reading is Active with a score of 43, driven by a 48% rise since 2011 and accelerating internal migration. Real incomes grew 7.8% over the period while affordability held stable, slipping only from 59.6% to 59.2%, so the suburb is densifying with families without the steep price escalation seen in gentrifying inner suburbs.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+74
Net Internal / yr
+94
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +48% since 2011, Net internal migration +94/yr, Accelerating: 10% → 34%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
269
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
46.4
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 compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Burnside a good suburb to live in?
Burnside suits families: 85.3% of homes are detached houses and 50.8% have four or more bedrooms, with a median age of 37, three years below national. The median house price of $690,000 keeps mortgage-to-income at 24.7%, below the stress line. The main trade-off is heavy car reliance, with 89.2% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Burnside?
The median house price is $690,000 for the Apr-Jun 2024 quarter. The longer record shows a 99.4% rise from $390,000 in 2013, a 5.9% compound annual growth rate. Weekly rent averages $400 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.7%.
What schools are in Burnside?
No schools are recorded inside the 2.55 km2 Burnside boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. This matters locally because couples with children number 2,480 of the 5,027 families, a family-heavy profile with an average household size of 3.1 people.
Is Burnside safe?
Burnside records a crime rate of 46.4 per 1,000 residents across 269 offences. Property and deception offences dominate at 188, while crimes against the person are far lower at 33 and drug offences just 13, so most recorded crime is property-related rather than violent.
Is Burnside good for property investment?
Only 10.8% of homes are rented, a thin tenant pool, and rent of $400 a week against a $690,000 median gives modest yields. The stronger case is demand: population grew 32.4% over the decade with 2.32% annual forecast growth, supported by balanced migration adding about 168 residents a year.
How is Burnside's population changing?
Burnside's population grew 32.4% over the decade and is forecast to keep rising 2.32% a year, adding about 154 residents annually from 6,635 in 2025 toward 7,457 by 2031. Growth is balanced, with net overseas migration of 74 and net internal migration of 94 each year.
What languages are spoken in Burnside?
About 49.3% of Burnside residents were born overseas, 27.7 points above the national figure. English remains dominant, while the most common non-English languages are Arabic and Punjabi at 66 speakers each, followed by Hindi (53) and Macedonian (51), reflecting a strong migrant 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), 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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