Burwood
Almost half of Burwood's 15,147 residents were born overseas, while 56.9% have university qualifications. The median age is 34, which is 6 years younger than the national average, helping explain demand from students, professionals and young families. At 2,490.2 people per sq km across 6.08 sq km, Burwood feels more urban than lower-density parts of nearby Ashwood and Camberwell. Chinese ancestry is the largest recorded group at 3,792, and Mandarin is spoken by 1,115 residents. The profile is economically mixed: household income sits at the 58.5th percentile, but mortgage costs absorb 34.3% of household income. That combination supports strong amenity demand while making price and borrowing capacity central to decisions.
Population
15,147
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,684/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
47
Median House
$1.5M
October to December 2025
Burwood suits buyers seeking established housing and access to education and employment nodes, but the entry price is substantial. Separate houses make up 58.0% of dwellings, alongside 26.6% semi-detached homes and 15.4% apartments, giving buyers more choice than a detached-only market. The typical mortgage figure is $2,500 a month, and mortgage payments equal 34.3% of household income, a higher burden than the 24.4% rent-to-income measure. Couples with children represent 43.5% of families, while 3-bedroom homes account for 39.8% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 31.7%. Inspect renovation costs, parking and school catchments before making an offer.
For Buyers
Burwood suits buyers seeking established housing and access to education and employment nodes, but the entry price is substantial. Separate houses make up 58.0% of dwellings, alongside 26.6% semi-detached homes and 15.4% apartments, giving buyers more choice than a detached-only market. The typical mortgage figure is $2,500 a month, and mortgage payments equal 34.3% of household income, a higher burden than the 24.4% rent-to-income measure. Couples with children represent 43.5% of families, while 3-bedroom homes account for 39.8% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 31.7%. Inspect renovation costs, parking and school catchments before making an offer.
For Investors
Burwood has a substantial rental audience, with 37.8% of dwellings rented compared with 30.7% owned outright. Weekly rent is $411, while the vacancy rate is 14.8%, an important signal because a large available rental pool can lengthen leasing times or limit short-term rent growth. The wider area recorded rent growth of 14.4%, and overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver, supporting demand for well-located, lower-maintenance homes. Development activity is also active, with 44 applications in the past 12 months, including a 4-unit proposal. That pipeline may add competition for tenants, especially where new dwellings resemble existing apartments or townhouses. Investors should stress-test interest, maintenance and vacancy costs rather than relying on headline capital growth, as the latest house median is 9.1% below its 2025 peak.
Development Activity
Total DAs
66
Last 12 Months
47
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+487.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Burwood
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Mount Scopus Memorial College
Presbyterian Ladies' College
Wattle Park Primary School
Demographics
Burwood has a younger and more tertiary-educated profile than Australia overall: the median age is 34, 6 years below the national figure, and university attainment is 56.9%, or 26.8 percentage points above the national comparison. Overseas-born residents account for 48.8%, 27.2 points higher than the national level, with Chinese ancestry recorded for 3,792 people and Indian ancestry for 1,022. Mandarin is spoken by 1,115 residents, followed by Canton at 305, while Buddhism is recorded for 979 people. Household size is 2.5, matching the national comparison, but the family mix is substantial: 43.5% of families are couples with children and 37.2% are couples without children. A 35.5% turnover rate means services need to work for both established households and newer arrivals.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
58.0%
Houses
26.6%
Townhouse
15.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Burwood's house market has delivered strong long-run growth but a softer recent result. Tenure is divided between renting at 37.8%, owning outright at 30.7% and paying a mortgage at 27.5%, while the mortgage-to-income ratio is 34.3%. Compared with the detached-house emphasis found in some nearby Ashwood and Camberwell streets, Burwood's 58.0% separate-house, 26.6% semi-detached and 15.4% apartment mix provides broader choice, because buyers can trade land for lower-maintenance formats.
Mortgage / mo
$2,500
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $411.
$650
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $650 · units $570
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$681
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.8%
Unoccupied
949
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.3% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
43.5%
Couples with children
37.2%
Couples, no children
16.3%
Single parent
3,519
Total families
Economy & Employment
Burwood's employment base is led by healthcare, with 935 workers or 16.9%, followed by education at 703 or 12.7% and professional or technical work at 688 or 12.5%. Healthcare therefore has a larger local concentration than education, while retail contributes 517 workers and finance 365. The occupation mix is similarly knowledge-oriented: professionals number 2,345 and managers 1,005, ahead of clerical and administrative workers at 934. Labour-force participation is 60.9%, unemployment is 7.2% and 53.8% of workers are full-time, so household resilience varies by job security and hours. SEIFA results are uneven: education and occupation is in decile 9, IRSAD in decile 8, IRSD in decile 5 and economic resources in decile 3. This can occur because a highly qualified population still faces high housing costs; the 34.3% mortgage-to-income ratio is higher than the 24.4% rent measure. Household income at the 58.5th percentile is above the midpoint, but not uniformly affluent.
Unemployment
7.2%
Labour Force
7,991
Unemployed
577
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.8%
Part-time
39.4%
Participation
60.9%
Employed
7,414
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
56.9%
Postgraduate
20.2%
Born Overseas
48.8%
Dwellings
5,456
Transport to Work
Daily life in Burwood is practical for households that can use a car or work from home. Car drivers account for 50.6% of residents' travel, compared with 5.6% using public transport, while 37.6% work from home. That pattern can reduce commuting pressure but makes route planning and parking more important than in a transit-led suburb. Nearby schools span a government primary option and 2 independent Pri/Sec options; enrolment zones and sector fees should be checked against the exact address. Safety requires a balanced reading: 940 recorded offences equal 62.1 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences at 570, higher than crimes against the person at 116. The IRSAD decile is 8, above the midpoint, but need for assistance is 5.8% and 827 people, so amenity and household capacity are not uniform. Walked or cycled travel is 2.5%, lower than car use, reinforcing the car-oriented pattern.
Drive
50.6%
Public Transport
5.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
37.6%
Population Forecast
+2.45%/yr
(+458 people/yr)
EstablishedBurwood's established-area outlook points to continued change rather than a simple expansion story. The annual trend is 2.45%, while overseas migration is the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change is 55.0% over 10 years, a stronger long-run movement than the annual snapshot alone suggests. The shift trajectory is labelled Declining young, with the young share down 2.5 percentage points and the working share up 3.9 points. Affordability improved from 102.3 in 2011 to 69.9 in 2021, even as rents grew 14.4%, so access may be improving on that index while the rental market remains active. Gentrification is scored 10 and labelled Not gentrifying. Forty-four development applications in 12 months may increase housing choice, but also bring construction disruption.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+943
Net Internal / yr
-366
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -366/yr, Strong overseas inflow +943/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
940
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
62.1
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 Burwood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Burwood a good suburb to live in?
Burwood can suit households wanting established housing, education access and a younger, internationally connected population. The median age is 34, 48.8% of residents were born overseas and the IRSAD decile is 8. Car use is higher than public transport use, so lifestyle quality depends on parking and commuting needs.
What schools are in Burwood?
Nearby options include Wattle Park Primary School, a government primary school, plus Mount Scopus Memorial College and Presbyterian Ladies' College, both independent Pri/Sec schools. That is 3 listed options across 2 sectors and 2 school types. Confirm catchments, entry rules and fees for the exact address.
Is Burwood safe?
Burwood recorded 940 offences, equal to 62.1 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 570, higher than crimes against the person at 116. Check recent local trends and the conditions around a prospective home, because incident totals can vary by location and time.
Is Burwood good for property investment?
Investment conditions are mixed. Renting accounts for 37.8% of dwellings and weekly rent is $411, but vacancy is 14.8%, which can make tenant competition less reliable. The wider area recorded 14.4% rent growth, while 44 development applications in 12 months may add supply. Model interest, maintenance and vacancy costs before buying.
How is Burwood's population changing?
Burwood's current population is 15,147. The wider area's trend is 2.45% annually, with overseas migration the primary driver, and population change is 55.0% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is labelled Declining young, with the young share down 2.5 points, so growth may come with a changing age mix rather than simply more young residents.
What languages are spoken in Burwood?
Mandarin is the most common listed non-English language, spoken by 1,115 residents, followed by Canton at 305, Greek at 201, Sinhal at 178 and Hindi at 165. With 48.8% of residents born overseas, buyers and renters can expect a culturally varied service environment, though household language needs vary.
What development is happening in Burwood?
Development activity includes 44 applications in the past 12 months, including a planning permit for a proposed 4-unit development. This may broaden future housing choice compared with a low-change suburb, but approvals do not guarantee completion. Buyers should check nearby permits, construction timing and whether extra dwellings could affect outlook, parking or local traffic.
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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