Caulfield South
Set between Caulfield, Elsternwick and Ormond, it reads as a family-heavy inner south-east suburb because 54.7% of dwellings are separate houses and 32.8% have 4 or more bedrooms. Incomes sit in the 89.6 household percentile, while 58.8% university attainment is 28.7 percentage points above the national level, supporting a premium buyer base.
Population
12,328
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,365/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
70
Median House
$2.0M
October to December 2025
Homebuyers are paying for land, schools and room rather than apartment convenience. Detached houses make up 54.7%, semi-detached 31.5% and apartments 13.8%, so choice skews to family formats. Mortgage costs absorb 28.2% of income, and 32.8% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are paying for land, schools and room rather than apartment convenience. Detached houses make up 54.7%, semi-detached 31.5% and apartments 13.8%, so choice skews to family formats. Mortgage costs absorb 28.2% of income, and 32.8% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms.
For Investors
Renting households are 26.5%, lower than the 37.4% owned outright share and 36.0% mortgage share, so the suburb is not renter-dominated. Weekly rent is $496 (2021 Census), while the 7.5% vacancy rate points to more available stock than a tight inner market. Development activity is notable, with 27 applications in 12 months, including 2 dwellings on one lot and a 5 storey mixed-use proposal, because land values support renewal.
Development Activity
Total DAs
81
Last 12 Months
70
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+900.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Caulfield South
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Japanese School of Melbourne
Melbourne Montessori College
Caulfield Primary School
Caulfield South Primary School
Demographics
Caulfield South has 12,328 residents with a median age of 41, which is 1.0 year above the national benchmark. Overseas-born residents are 38.0%, 16.4 percentage points above national, and university attainment is 58.8%, 28.7 points above national. The local identity is shaped by 4,494 Judaism responses, 2,798 Christianity responses, and ancestry counts led by English at 2,665 and Polish at 948. Russian is the largest listed non-English language count at 260, ahead of Mandarin at 151.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
54.7%
Houses
31.5%
Townhouse
13.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is expensive but not one-way. Tenure is stable: 37.4% owned outright, 36.0% mortgaged and 26.5% renting.
Mortgage / mo
$2,889
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$496
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$1,074
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.5%
Unoccupied
375
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
50.7%
Couples with children
37.0%
Couples, no children
11.1%
Single parent
3,376
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce leans white-collar, which helps explain household income in the 89.6 percentile nationally. Professional/Tech employs 889 people or 17.9%, Healthcare 853 or 17.1%, Education 649 or 13.0%, then Retail at 354 and Finance at 349. Occupations reinforce this: Professionals number 2,460 and Managers 1,303, higher than Clerical/Admin at 737. Unemployment is 4.0% with participation at 62.4%, so local spending power is supported by high-skill employment.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
6,653
Unemployed
250
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.3%
Part-time
35.1%
Participation
65.9%
Employed
6,403
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
58.8%
Postgraduate
15.9%
Born Overseas
38.0%
Dwellings
4,590
Transport to Work
Livability is strongest for households that drive and value local schooling. Public transport commuting is only 4.7%, far below the 86.0% car-driver share, while walking and cycling sit at 4.8%, so daily routines are car-oriented. Four schools operate locally, with ICSEA scores from 1091 to 1164. Caulfield South Primary leads at 1164 with 472 enrolments, followed by Melbourne Montessori College at 1137 and Caulfield Primary at 1133. Crime is 39.1 per 1,000 residents, with 330 property and deception offences.
Drive
44.0%
Public Transport
3.4%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
47.8%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
482
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
39.1
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 South compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Caulfield South a good suburb to live in?
Yes, especially for households prioritising schools, space and established amenities. It has 4 local schools with ICSEA scores from 1091 to 1164, 54.7% separate houses, and a crime rate of 39.1 per 1,000 residents.
What schools are in Caulfield South?
Local schools include Caulfield South Primary School with 472 enrolments, Melbourne Montessori College with 311, Caulfield Primary School with 312, and Japanese School of Melbourne with 28. ICSEA scores range from 1091 to 1164.
Is Caulfield South safe?
Caulfield South recorded 482 offences, equal to 39.1 per 1,000 residents. The largest category is property and deception offences at 330, while crimes against the person number 50, giving safety a more property-focused profile.
Is Caulfield South good for property investment?
Renting households are 26.5%, rent is $496 (2021 Census) per week, vacancy is 7.5%, and there were 27 planning applications in 12 months.
How is Caulfield South's population changing?
Population change is mainly infill-led. Caulfield South has 12,328 residents in 3.27 sq km, or 3,767.2 people per sq km, and 27 recent planning applications show pressure to add dwellings within existing streets.
What languages are spoken in Caulfield South?
English is common, but 38.0% of residents were born overseas and several languages appear in local households. Russian has the largest listed language count at 260, followed by Mandarin at 151 and Greek at 125.
Is there much development in Caulfield South?
Yes. There were 27 development applications in 12 months, which is notable for a 3.27 sq km suburb. Recent proposals include 2 double storey dwellings on one lot and a 5 storey mixed-use apartment building.
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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