Caulfield North
A $2,502,100 median house price sets Caulfield North apart, yet the suburb is not only detached prestige housing: apartments are 39.5% of dwellings and renters are 41.1% of households. The 16,903 residents live at 4,023.1 people per sq km, higher than a detached-family suburb like nearby Malvern, and household income sits in the 83.8 percentile. With 38.0% born overseas and university attainment 33.2 percentage points above national, the suburb combines premium prices with a highly educated, internationally connected population.
Population
16,903
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,205/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
58
Median House
$2.5M
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers are paying for a premium inner-south address, with the median house price at $2,502,100 in Apr-Jun 2024. Compared with the Apr-Jun 2023 peak of $2,725,000, prices are 8.2% lower, which gives some buyers a better entry point than the recent top. Choice is broader than the headline suggests: 36.2% separate houses, 39.5% apartments and 24.2% semi-detached homes. Mortgage costs take 26.2% of income, below common stress thresholds, because household incomes are high.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are paying for a premium inner-south address, with the median house price at $2,502,100 in Apr-Jun 2024. Compared with the Apr-Jun 2023 peak of $2,725,000, prices are 8.2% lower, which gives some buyers a better entry point than the recent top. Choice is broader than the headline suggests: 36.2% separate houses, 39.5% apartments and 24.2% semi-detached homes. Mortgage costs take 26.2% of income, below common stress thresholds, because household incomes are high.
For Investors
Caulfield North has a large tenant base, with 41.1% renting and a median weekly rent of $422. The caution is vacancy: 13.4% is high compared with tight rental markets, so tenant selection and property quality matter more than simply buying anywhere in the suburb. Development activity is also active, with 32 applications in 12 months, which can refresh stock but add competition. The reward is not simply higher rent; it is exposure to a $2,502,100 median market with deep renter demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
70
Last 12 Months
58
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+544.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Caulfield North iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Caulfield Junior College
Prep-6 · 536 students
Oakwood School
7-12 · 622 students
Demographics
The median age is 37, which is 3.0 years below national, and the population skews educated and globally linked. University attainment is 63.3%, or 33.2 percentage points above national, while 38.0% were born overseas, 16.4 points above national. Ancestry includes English 3,209, Polish 1,593 and Chinese 1,323 residents, while Judaism is the largest listed religion at 6,891. Compared with nearby Caulfield, the profile feels especially professional and high-income.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
36.2%
Houses
24.2%
Townhouse
39.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is expensive but mixed. The latest median house price of $2,502,100 is 76.8% above the 2013 level of $1,415,000, though it is 8.2% below the Apr-Jun 2023 peak of $2,725,000. Over 14 years, the compound annual growth rate is 4.2%. Ownership is split between 32.3% owned outright, 26.7% with a mortgage and 41.1% renting. The price-to-income ratio is about 21.8 times household income, so apartments and 2 bedroom homes, 34.9% of stock, are important entry paths.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,500
Rent / wk
$422
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$1,144
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.4%
Unoccupied
1,046
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.6%
Couples, no children
12,216
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce is strongly white-collar, which helps explain household income in the 83.8 percentile. Professional/Tech employs 1,320 people, or 18.6%, followed by Healthcare at 1,301 and 18.3%, Education at 873 and 12.3%, Retail at 530 and Finance at 506. Occupations reinforce the same pattern: Professionals number 3,714 and Managers 1,659. Unemployment is 4.5%, while full-time work accounts for 61.4% of employed residents, supporting higher purchasing power than average.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.4%
Part-time
34.1%
Participation
62.1%
Employed
8,446
Occupations
Top Industries
University
63.3%
Postgraduate
19.3%
Born Overseas
38.0%
Dwellings
6,765
Transport to Work
Daily life is convenient but still car-oriented: 82.5% drive to work, much higher than the 6.6% using public transport and 6.5% walking or cycling. School choice inside the suburb is compact, with 2 Government schools and an ICSEA range from 968 to 1160; Caulfield Junior College, with 536 enrolments and ICSEA 1160, is the standout local primary option, while Oakwood School has 622 enrolments. Safety is mixed, with 796 offences and a crime rate of 47.1 per 1,000, mostly property and deception offences at 597 cases.
Drive
82.5%
Public Transport
6.6%
Walk / Cycle
6.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
796
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
47.1
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 Caulfield North compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Caulfield North a good suburb to live in?
Yes, especially for households wanting a premium inner-south setting with high incomes and strong education levels. The suburb has 16,903 residents, a median age of 37 and household income in the 83.8 percentile.
What is the median house price in Caulfield North?
The median house price in Caulfield North is $2,502,100 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 8.2% below the Apr-Jun 2023 peak of $2,725,000, but still 76.8% above the 2013 level.
What schools are in Caulfield North?
Caulfield North has 2 listed local schools. Caulfield Junior College is a Government primary with 536 enrolments and ICSEA 1160, while Oakwood School is a Government secondary with 622 enrolments and ICSEA 968.
Is Caulfield North safe?
Caulfield North recorded 796 offences, equal to 47.1 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences dominate with 597 cases, followed by 93 crimes against the person.
Is Caulfield North good for property investment?
It can suit investors seeking a premium market with a large renter pool, as 41.1% of households rent and median rent is $422 per week. The 13.4% vacancy rate is high, so asset selection matters.
How is Caulfield North's population changing?
Caulfield North has 16,903 residents at a density of 4,023.1 people per sq km. Change is likely to come through renewal and migration, with 38.0% born overseas and 32 development applications in 12 months.
What languages are spoken in Caulfield North?
English is common, and overseas-born residents make up 38.0% of the population. Larger listed language groups include Mandarin with 360 speakers, Russian 148, French 146, Greek 120 and Hindi 77.
Is there much development in Caulfield North?
Yes, development activity is notable, with 32 applications recorded in 12 months. Recent applications include townhouse amendments, window changes and tree removal, pointing to site-by-site renewal rather than broad land release.
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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