Cheltenham
University attainment reaches 47.0%, which is 16.9 percentage points above the national level, and household income ranks at the 71.9th percentile. Compared with nearby Moorabbin's more commercial setting and Highett's mixed residential streets, Cheltenham has a settled, family-oriented profile, with 43.1% of homes containing three bedrooms. Its main caution is a crime rate of 92.7 incidents per 1,000 people, led by 1,474 property and deception offences.
Population
23,992
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,919/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
112
Median House
$1.4M
October to December 2025
The latest figure is 3.7% below that peak, which may give buyers slightly more negotiating room than at the high point. Three-bedroom homes account for 43.1%, higher than the 23.0% share of four-bedroom-plus homes, while 58.4% of dwellings are separate houses and 22.7% are semi-detached. A typical mortgage is listed at $2,200 per month, with mortgage costs at 26.5% of household income and no mortgage-stress flag. Check overlays, land size and exact condition because these create wide price differences.
For Buyers
The latest figure is 3.7% below that peak, which may give buyers slightly more negotiating room than at the high point. Three-bedroom homes account for 43.1%, higher than the 23.0% share of four-bedroom-plus homes, while 58.4% of dwellings are separate houses and 22.7% are semi-detached. A typical mortgage is listed at $2,200 per month, with mortgage costs at 26.5% of household income and no mortgage-stress flag. Check overlays, land size and exact condition because these create wide price differences.
For Investors
Cheltenham's rental case combines a $430 weekly median rent with a 27.4% renting share and a 7.0% vacancy rate. Renting is below the combined 70.9% share owned outright or with a mortgage, pointing to a predominantly owner-occupied market rather than a high-turnover rental base. The established suburb recorded 112 development applications over 12 months, signalling an active planning environment, although the count does not specify new dwellings. Overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver, while rents have grown 39.6% in the shift indicators. Investors should also price in a 92.7-per-1,000 crime rate, with property and deception offences accounting for 1,474 of 2,225 recorded offences.
Development Activity
Total DAs
136
Last 12 Months
112
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+558.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Cheltenham
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Cheltenham East Primary School
Cheltenham Primary School
Kingston Heath Primary School
Le Page Primary School
Our Lady of the Assumption School
Demographics
With a median age of 40, Cheltenham matches the national age comparison, but its tertiary-educated share is stronger: 47.0% of residents have university qualifications, 16.9 percentage points above the national figure. Overseas-born residents make up 31.3%, 9.7 points above national, with Greek, Mandarin, Russian, Hindi and Italian among the leading home languages. English, Irish, Scottish and Greek are prominent ancestries, while Christianity and no religion are nearly even at 10,445 and 10,333 people. Average household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below national, and 78.7% stayed at the same address, supporting a relatively settled base. Compared with more commercial Moorabbin, Cheltenham's household profile is more family-oriented, with 47.4% of families having children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
58.4%
Houses
22.7%
Townhouse
18.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split between 33.2% owned outright, 37.7% mortgaged and 27.4% rented. Separate houses make up 58.4%, higher than semi-detached homes at 22.7% and apartments at 18.5%. Three-bedroom dwellings lead at 43.1%, while 30.2% have two bedrooms. This mix explains why Cheltenham differs from apartment-heavier parts of the inner corridor.
Mortgage / mo
$2,200
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $430.
$635
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $720 · units $550
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$924
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.0%
Unoccupied
717
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.4%
Couples with children
35.1%
Couples, no children
15.8%
Single parent
6,569
Total families
Economy & Employment
Cheltenham's household income profile is above the middle of the national distribution: median household income is $1,919 per week and sits at the 71.9th percentile, while personal and family medians are $924 and $2,543. Healthcare leads local employment at 15.9% or 1,430 workers, followed by Professional/Tech at 12.7% and 1,145, Education at 12.0% and 1,081, Construction at 9.0% and 811, and Retail at 7.1% and 637. Professionals number 3,576 and managers 2,024, helping explain the income position. The 65.2% participation rate and 4.2% unemployment rate point to an active labour market. SEIFA deciles of 8 for education, 7 for economics, and 8 for disadvantage and advantage rank above the midpoint, although the economic decile is lower than the others.
Unemployment
4.2%
Labour Force
12,838
Unemployed
536
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.3%
Part-time
33.8%
Participation
65.2%
Employed
12,302
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
47.0%
Postgraduate
12.6%
Born Overseas
31.3%
Dwellings
9,465
Transport to Work
Daily life is practical for car users and home workers: 49.7% drive to work and 40.5% work from home, compared with 3.3% using public transport and 3.2% walking or cycling. Six nearby schools provide five primary options and one secondary option, with five government schools and one Catholic school; enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. The safety picture needs attention: 2,225 recorded offences equal 92.7 per 1,000 residents, and property and deception offences at 1,474 were higher than crimes against the person at 292. Socio-economic scores remain relatively strong, with IRSAD and IRSD both at decile 8, above the middle of the scale. This combination suits households valuing established services, but transport dependence and safety due diligence matter.
Drive
49.7%
Public Transport
3.3%
Walk / Cycle
3.2%
Work from Home
40.5%
Population Forecast
+1.5%/yr
(+309 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth in the wider area is forecast at 1.5% annually, with overseas migration listed as the primary driver. The shift profile is labelled "Declining young", as the young share fell 2.5 percentage points while the senior share rose 1.2 points; that points to an established suburb attracting households but ageing at the same time. Population change across the wider area is 25.8% over 10 years. Gentrification is mixed, with a score of 20 at "Early signs" and shift indicators at 58 and "Active". Rents have grown 39.6%, and real incomes 30.3%, which may help explain continued demand despite affordability moving from 49.0% in 2011 to 42.7% in 2021. This trajectory is more mature than a purely greenfield growth story.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+345
Net Internal / yr
-130
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +30% since 2011, Net internal outflow -130/yr, Strong overseas inflow +345/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
2,225
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
92.7
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 Cheltenham compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cheltenham a good suburb to live in?
Cheltenham suits households seeking established services, schools and a settled community. It has 23,992 residents, a median age of 40 and 6 nearby schools. However, 49.7% commute by car and the recorded crime rate is 92.7 per 1,000 people, so transport needs and local street conditions should be checked.
What schools are in Cheltenham?
Cheltenham has 6 nearby schools, comprising 5 primary schools and 1 secondary school. The mix is 5 government schools and 1 Catholic school. Families should check the exact enrolment zone for each address, as boundaries can affect access and available places.
Is Cheltenham safe?
Safety is mixed rather than uniformly low-risk. There were 2,225 recorded offences, equivalent to 92.7 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 1,474 cases, compared with 292 crimes against the person, so buyers and renters should inspect the immediate area carefully.
How is Cheltenham's population changing?
Cheltenham has 23,992 residents, with wider-area growth forecast at 1.5% annually and overseas migration as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 25.8% over 10 years. The young share has declined by 2.5 percentage points, while the senior share has increased by 1.2 points.
What languages are spoken in Cheltenham?
Cheltenham has an overseas-born share of 31.3%. Greek is the leading listed home language with 460 speakers, followed by Mandarin with 389, Russian with 193, Hindi with 118 and Italian with 117. English, Greek, Irish and Scottish are also prominent ancestry groups.
What development is occurring in Cheltenham?
There were 112 development applications over the latest 12-month period. Examples include a proposal for 13 single-storey warehouses, a vergola project and the removal of 2 trees. Application activity suggests an active planning environment, but individual permits should be checked for their final scope and approval status.
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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