Burwood East
A 53.5% overseas-born share is the standout feature of Burwood East, sitting 31.9 percentage points above the national level. The suburb has 10,675 residents, a median age of 41, and a highly educated base, with 56.0% holding university qualifications, 25.9 points above national. Compared with nearby Burwood's activity-centre setting, Burwood East presents a lower-rise, family-oriented address, although its 8.0% apartment share still adds some variety. Overseas migration and early gentrification signals are supporting gradual change rather than a rapid reset.
Population
10,675
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,610/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
19
Median House
$1.4M
October to December 2025
Burwood East is better suited to buyers seeking established houses than compact apartment living. That long-term rise matters because the latest figure is also the recorded peak. Stock is weighted toward 3-bedroom homes at 48.7% and 4-plus-bedroom homes at 34.7%, while 73.9% of dwellings are separate houses. Buyers should allow for a $2,147 monthly mortgage estimate and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.8%, which is flagged as stressed. The 42.6% outright ownership rate suggests a sizeable established-owner base, but the 28.1% mortgage share keeps borrowing capacity important.
For Buyers
Burwood East is better suited to buyers seeking established houses than compact apartment living. That long-term rise matters because the latest figure is also the recorded peak. Stock is weighted toward 3-bedroom homes at 48.7% and 4-plus-bedroom homes at 34.7%, while 73.9% of dwellings are separate houses. Buyers should allow for a $2,147 monthly mortgage estimate and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.8%, which is flagged as stressed. The 42.6% outright ownership rate suggests a sizeable established-owner base, but the 28.1% mortgage share keeps borrowing capacity important.
For Investors
Burwood East offers a house-led rental strategy, with 25.7% of households renting, a weekly rent of $439 and an 8.0% vacancy rate. The 73.9% separate-house share is higher than the 8.0% apartment share, so investors are more likely to compete in the family-house segment than the small-unit market. Rent growth of 25.1% supports the case for reviewing rents carefully, although the vacancy rate means pricing and presentation still matter. Eighteen development matters were recorded over 12 months, creating some additional future competition without pointing to a major construction surge. Growth is forecast at 0.94% annually, driven primarily by overseas migration, which may support tenant demand more than a purely local upswing.
Development Activity
Total DAs
29
Last 12 Months
19
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+280.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Burwood East
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Blackburn English Language School
Burwood East Primary School
Burwood Heights Primary School
Forest Hill College
Burwood East Special Developmental School
Demographics
Burwood East has a migrant-majority population, with 53.5% born overseas, 31.9 percentage points above the national level. Chinese ancestry is the largest recorded group at 3,243 people, followed by English at 1,732, Greek at 1,001 and Indian at 611. Mandarin is spoken by 968 residents, with Greek at 394 and Canton at 308. University qualifications reach 56.0%, 25.9 points above national, while the median age of 41 is 1 year higher than national. An average household size of 2.6 is only 0.1 above national, reflecting a mix of couples with children at 45.4%, couples without children at 37.8% and one-parent families at 14.8%. This combination supports cultural variety because migration and established family households operate together.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
73.9%
Houses
18.1%
Townhouse
8.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Burwood East's housing market has moved substantially higher over time. The latest median is also the peak, so buyers are entering above the earlier market trough rather than at a discounted point. Tenure is split between 42.6% owned outright, 28.1% with a mortgage and 25.7% rented. The dwelling mix remains more detached than apartment-based, with 73.9% separate houses, 18.1% semi-detached dwellings and 8.0% apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 48.7% and 4-plus-bedroom homes for 34.7%, making the suburb more suited to space-seeking households than buyers prioritising compact stock. Compared with nearby Burwood, this lower-rise form is a defining distinction.
Mortgage / mo
$2,147
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $439.
$650
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $630 · units $578
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$676
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.0%
Unoccupied
351
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.8% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.4%
Couples with children
37.8%
Couples, no children
14.8%
Single parent
2,982
Total families
Economy & Employment
Burwood East's employment base is led by Healthcare at 16.6% or 617 workers, Professional and Technical services at 12.9% or 480, Education at 11.1% or 413, Retail at 9.4% or 351, and Construction at 6.4% or 240. The main occupations are Professionals at 1,534, Managers at 679, Clerical and Administrative workers at 651, Trades at 534 and Sales workers at 444. Weekly household income is $1,610, around the 53rd percentile, while the labour-force participation rate is 57.8% and unemployment is 5.8%. SEIFA results are uneven: the IEO and IRSAD measures are both in decile 8, higher than the IER and IRSD measures at decile 6. That gap may reflect strong education and professional employment alongside 3,587 people outside the labour force, including older or non-working households.
Unemployment
5.8%
Labour Force
5,322
Unemployed
309
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.0%
Part-time
37.3%
Participation
57.8%
Employed
5,013
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
56.0%
Postgraduate
18.4%
Born Overseas
53.5%
Dwellings
4,012
Transport to Work
Burwood East is practical for car-based households, with 54.0% travelling as car drivers, compared with 4.2% using public transport and 1.3% walking or cycling. Working from home is reported by 36.1%, which may reduce daily commuting pressure for some households. Five nearby schools cover two government primary schools, one government secondary college, one government language school and one government special developmental school. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can differ across nearby streets. Recorded crime totals 851 incidents, including 576 property and deception offences and 90 crimes against the person, with a rate of 79.7 per 1,000 residents. Socioeconomic conditions are mixed but generally advantaged, with an IRSAD decile of 8, above the midpoint of the 10-decile scale, while the IRSD sits at decile 6. The result is a settled suburb with useful education access, strong car convenience and a need for normal property-security awareness.
Drive
54.0%
Public Transport
4.2%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
36.1%
Population Forecast
+0.94%/yr
(+117 people/yr)
EstablishedBurwood East is forecast to grow at 0.94% annually across the wider area, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Its trajectory is labelled Stable, while population change across the wider area is 5.2% over 10 years, pointing to gradual expansion rather than a sharp population reset. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a forecast score of 31. The shift indicators also show rent growth of 25.1%, higher than real income growth of 19.7%, even though the affordability trend is labelled Improving. A senior-share change of 0.9 percentage points and working-share change of 2.6 points suggest modest demographic movement. Because growth is established and migration-led, demand is more likely to build progressively through household replacement and new arrivals than through a sudden development cycle.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+411
Net Internal / yr
+24
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +17% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +411/yr, Accelerating: 1% → 16%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
851
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
79.7
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 Burwood East compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Burwood East a good suburb to live in?
Burwood East suits households seeking established detached housing, local schools and a culturally diverse population. Separate houses make up 73.9% of dwellings, while 36.1% work from home. Its IRSAD decile of 8 is above the midpoint, although public transport use is only 4.2%, so car access is more important than in some denser suburbs.
What schools are in Burwood East?
There are 5 nearby schools across several types: Burwood East Primary School, Burwood Heights Primary School, Forest Hill College, Blackburn English Language School and Burwood East Special Developmental School. All listed schools are government, so families should compare enrolment zones and support offerings against the exact address.
Is Burwood East safe?
Burwood East recorded 851 offences at a rate of 79.7 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 576 incidents, higher than the 90 crimes against the person. Prospective residents should still inspect the street, review current local advice and use standard security measures for houses and vehicles.
Is Burwood East good for property investment?
Burwood East may suit investors seeking established houses, with 25.7% of households renting and weekly rent of $439. The 8.0% vacancy rate requires realistic leasing assumptions, while the 0.94% annual growth forecast is slower than a high-growth market. Overseas migration is the main demand driver, and 18 development matters were recorded over 12 months.
How is Burwood East's population changing?
Change is gradual rather than rapid. The wider-area forecast indicates 0.94% annual growth and 5.2% population change over 10 years, with overseas migration as the primary driver. The trajectory is Stable, while the gentrification score is 31 at the Early signs stage, suggesting measured change rather than a major reset.
What languages are spoken in Burwood East?
Burwood East has a 53.5% overseas-born population, 31.9 percentage points above national. Mandarin is the most common listed language at 968 speakers, followed by Greek at 394, Canton at 308, Sinhal at 181 and Hindi at 101. This language mix is broader than a typical single-origin local market.
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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