Chelsea
Apartments account for 41.7% of Chelsea's dwellings, above separate houses at 34.7%, giving the 8,347-person bayside suburb a distinctly compact profile. The median age is 41, or 1 year above the national figure, while the 39.6% university-educated share is 9.5 percentage points above national. Its aging trajectory, 2.2-person average household size and 37.1% work-from-home rate point to a quieter, apartment-friendly market rather than a family-only streetscape.
Population
8,347
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,683/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
55
Median House
$1.1M
October to December 2025
Compared with a detached-house dominated suburb, the local mix gives buyers more apartment and semi-detached options: 41.7% of dwellings are apartments, 23.5% are semi-detached and 34.7% are separate houses. Two-bedroom homes account for 41.7% of stock and three-bedroom homes for 41.0%, matching the average household size of 2.2 people.
For Buyers
Compared with a detached-house dominated suburb, the local mix gives buyers more apartment and semi-detached options: 41.7% of dwellings are apartments, 23.5% are semi-detached and 34.7% are separate houses. Two-bedroom homes account for 41.7% of stock and three-bedroom homes for 41.0%, matching the average household size of 2.2 people.
For Investors
Chelsea's investment case combines a $375 weekly rent with a 32.1% renting share, but the 7.8% vacancy rate indicates more available rental stock than a tightly constrained market. Rents have grown 50.0%, while the forecast trend is 1.26% annually and migration is described as Balanced. A total of 53 development applications in 12 months points to active infill and renovation, which can improve amenity but may also add competing dwellings. Apartments and smaller homes are likely to suit the 2.2-person household profile, provided investors allow for vacancy and property-specific differences.
Development Activity
Total DAs
70
Last 12 Months
55
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+1275.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Chelsea
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Chelsea Primary School
St Joseph's School
Demographics
Chelsea has a median age of 41, 1 year above the national figure, and its aging trajectory is reinforced by a 4.5 percentage point rise in the senior share and a 2.0 point fall in the young share. The 39.6% university-educated population is 9.5 points above national, while the 25.4% overseas-born share is 3.8 points above national. Household size averages 2.2 people, 0.3 below the national comparison, because couples without children represent 39.3% of households. English ancestry counts 3,180 people, followed by Irish at 1,109 and Scottish at 883. Compared with nearby Bonbeach and Edithvale, Chelsea's 41.7% apartment share supports a more compact household profile. A relatively stable base is also evident in the 78.3% resident retention rate.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
34.7%
Houses
23.5%
Townhouse
41.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Chelsea's price history is substantial but uneven. Tenure is divided between 29.2% owned outright, 37.0% mortgaged and 32.1% rented. Mortgage costs equal 27.6% of household income and rent equals 22.3%, with neither measure flagged as stress. The 41.7% apartment share, 41.7% two-bedroom share and 41.0% three-bedroom share make Chelsea more compact than a conventional detached-house market, so buyers comparing Bonbeach or Edithvale should check dwelling type as closely as price.
Mortgage / mo
$2,008
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $375.
$620
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $680 · units $545
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$951
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.8%
Unoccupied
304
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.1%
Couples with children
39.3%
Couples, no children
17.9%
Single parent
2,214
Total families
Economy & Employment
Chelsea's employment base is led by healthcare at 16.1% of local industry employment, education at 15.4%, construction at 11.2%, professional and technical services at 11.1%, and public administration at 8.0%. This mix supports both essential services and skilled work, while the occupation profile includes 1,206 professionals, 618 managers, 611 clerical and administrative workers and 574 trades workers. The unemployment rate is 3.5% and labour-force participation is 63.4%, indicating a sizeable working base. Chelsea's education and occupation profile ranks above its economic-resources position: the SEIFA IEO is in decile 8, compared with an IER decile of 5, while IRSAD and IRSD are both decile 7. Household income sits at the 58.5th percentile, so higher qualifications do not translate into uniformly high household resources.
Unemployment
3.5%
Labour Force
4,384
Unemployed
152
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.2%
Part-time
31.3%
Participation
63.4%
Employed
4,232
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
39.6%
Postgraduate
9.3%
Born Overseas
25.4%
Dwellings
3,606
Transport to Work
Chelsea's compact 2.62 square kilometre footprint and density of 3,180.2 people per square kilometre support local access, but daily travel remains car-led: 56.0% drive as car occupants, compared with 2.1% using public transport and 2.1% walking or cycling. The 37.1% work-from-home rate can reduce commuting pressure for many households. Families have access to 2 local primary schools, with both government and Catholic sectors represented; enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Safety conditions warrant practical due diligence, with 732 recorded offences and a rate of 87.7 per 1,000 people, including 421 property and deception offences and 133 crimes against the person. An IRSAD decile of 7 places Chelsea above the national midpoint for relative socioeconomic advantage, although amenity and safety can vary by street.
Drive
56.0%
Public Transport
2.1%
Walk / Cycle
2.1%
Work from Home
37.1%
Population Forecast
+1.26%/yr
(+89 people/yr)
EstablishedChelsea has an established growth profile rather than a sharp expansion cycle. The forecast annual trend is 1.26%, with migration identified as Balanced and no recorded COVID dip. Population change across the wider area runs at 16.2% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Aging, supported by a 4.5 percentage point increase in the senior share and a 1.9 point decline in the working share. Compared with a rapid-growth fringe, this points to incremental change because established housing is being refreshed through infill rather than replaced by a large greenfield release. Gentrification signals remain mixed: the main score is 31 at the Early signs stage, while the shift assessment records a score of 45 and an Active stage. The 53 development applications in 12 months reinforce a pattern of ongoing, address-level change rather than a single major project.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+18
Net Internal / yr
+66
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +22% since 2011, Net internal migration +66/yr, Accelerating: 1% → 22%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
732
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
87.7
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 Chelsea compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chelsea a good suburb to live in?
Chelsea suits buyers seeking a compact bayside setting with 41.7% apartments, a 37.1% work-from-home rate and a median age of 41. Its 2.1% public-transport use and 56.0% car-driver share indicate that many residents still rely on private vehicles for daily travel.
What schools are in Chelsea?
Chelsea has 2 listed local primary schools: Chelsea Primary School in the government sector and St Joseph's School in the Catholic sector. Both are primary settings, so families should confirm enrolment zones and year-level availability for the exact address.
Is Chelsea safe?
Chelsea recorded 732 offences at a rate of 87.7 per 1,000 people. Property and deception offences accounted for 421 incidents and crimes against the person for 133, so residents should compare streets, building security and recent local conditions before choosing a home.
How is Chelsea's population changing?
Chelsea has an Aging trajectory, with the senior share up 4.5 percentage points and the young share down 2.0 points. The forecast annual trend is 1.26%, migration is Balanced, and population change across the wider area is 16.2% over 10 years.
What development is occurring in Chelsea?
There were 53 development applications in the latest 12-month period. Examples include a permit for 2 dwellings on one lot, an extension to an existing dwelling and tree removal, indicating ongoing small-scale infill and renovation rather than one dominant project.
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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