Clifton Hill
A $1,506,200 median house price sits alongside a population that grew 21.1% over the past decade, and the combination defines Clifton Hill. Household income reaches the 95.8th percentile nationally, and the suburb scores decile 10 on three of four SEIFA indexes (IEO, IRSD, IRSAD), the top advantage tier. University qualifications hit 70.0%, which is 39.9 points above the national figure, while the median age of 37 runs 3.0 years below national. Housing is dominated by semi-detached terraces at 50.8%, far higher than the separate-house share of 23.8%, a stock mix typical of inner Melbourne rather than the suburban fringe.
Population
6,606
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,755/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
38
Median House
$1.5M
Apr-Jun 2024
The $1,506,200 median reflects a market that has cooled, down 20.7% from the $1,900,000 peak recorded in the Apr-Jun 2023 quarter, which gives buyers more room than the headline figure suggests. Over the longer run prices still rose 73.7% from $867,000 in 2013, a compound annual rate of 4.0%. Buyers should expect terraces rather than detached homes, since semi-detached dwellings make up 50.8% of stock against just 23.8% separate houses. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 39.2% and three-bedroom at 38.6%, so larger 4-plus bedroom homes are scarce at 13.0%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,700, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit in the 95.8th percentile.
For Buyers
The $1,506,200 median reflects a market that has cooled, down 20.7% from the $1,900,000 peak recorded in the Apr-Jun 2023 quarter, which gives buyers more room than the headline figure suggests. Over the longer run prices still rose 73.7% from $867,000 in 2013, a compound annual rate of 4.0%. Buyers should expect terraces rather than detached homes, since semi-detached dwellings make up 50.8% of stock against just 23.8% separate houses. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 39.2% and three-bedroom at 38.6%, so larger 4-plus bedroom homes are scarce at 13.0%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,700, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit in the 95.8th percentile.
For Investors
A 39.7% renter share and weekly rent of $550 give landlords a deep tenant pool, the largest tenure group ahead of the 30.7% with a mortgage. Against the $1,506,200 median that rent implies a gross yield near 1.9%, low even by inner-Melbourne standards, so the case rests on capital growth and rent escalation rather than income. Rent climbed 35.1% over the measurement period, a stronger signal than yield alone. Demand support is solid: net overseas migration adds 202 residents a year and internal migration a further 95, against modest development of 27 applications in 12 months that adds little new supply. The 9.4% vacancy rate is elevated, pointing to apartment turnover rather than a shortage, since apartments are 25.0% of dwellings.
Development Activity
Total DAs
40
Last 12 Months
38
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+3700.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Clifton Hill iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Clifton Hill Primary School
Prep-6 · 691 students
Spensley Street Primary School
Prep-6 · 261 students
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3.0 years below the national figure, and the resident profile skews professional: university qualifications reach 70.0%, which is 39.9 points above national. Overseas-born residents are 22.0%, only 0.4 points above national, so the suburb is more Anglo-leaning than most inner-city areas, with English (2,633), Irish (1,270) and Scottish (963) the leading ancestries. The top non-English languages are Greek (74 speakers), German (31) and Italian (31), a small share consistent with the low overseas-born figure. Average household size is 2.3, which is 0.2 below national, and couples without children account for 34.1% of families, a structure that reflects the high terrace and two-bedroom share rather than large family homes.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
23.8%
Houses
50.8%
Townhouse
25.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits across three groups: 39.7% rent, 30.7% carry a mortgage and 29.6% own outright, so renters narrowly outnumber both owner categories. The stock is unusual, with semi-detached terraces at 50.8% dwarfing separate houses at 23.8% and apartments at 25.0%, a footprint shaped by Victorian-era subdivision in a dense 1.74 km2 area. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 39.2% and three-bedroom at 38.6%, leaving 4-plus bedroom homes at only 13.0%. The median house price fell 20.7% from the $1,900,000 peak to $1,506,200, yet remains 73.7% above the 2013 level of $867,000. Mortgage-to-income at 22.6% and rent-to-income at 20.0% both stay below the 30% stress threshold, a comfort that follows directly from incomes in the 95.8th percentile.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,700
Rent / wk
$550
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$1,388
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.4%
Unoccupied
275
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.1%
Couples, no children
4,618
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in knowledge sectors: Professional/Tech leads at 20.3% (677 workers), Healthcare follows at 18.8% (625) and Education at 12.8% (427), with Public Admin at 7.8% and Finance at 5.9%. By occupation, Professionals (1,915) and Managers (767) dominate, which aligns with the decile 10 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 3.7% and the full-time employment rate is 68.1%, while participation reads 70.1%. One anomaly stands out: the IER score for economic resources sits at decile 7 against decile 10 on the other three SEIFA indexes, because the 39.7% renter base depresses aggregate household wealth measures even though personal weekly income of $1,388 is high. Real incomes grew 20.1% over the decade.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
7,527
Unemployed
296
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.1%
Part-time
28.2%
Participation
70.1%
Employed
3,749
Occupations
Top Industries
University
70.0%
Postgraduate
26.9%
Born Overseas
22.0%
Dwellings
2,655
Transport to Work
Active and public transport are well used: 23.7% walk or cycle and 9.8% take public transport, while 63.2% drive, below the national reliance on cars, reflecting the inner-city setting and density of 3,799 residents per km2. The suburb earns decile 10 on IRSAD and decile 10 on IRSD, the top advantage and lowest-disadvantage tiers nationally, so very few residents face deprivation. The crime rate is 74.8 per 1,000 residents across 494 recorded offences, but the mix is reassuring: 401 are property and deception offences while only 38 are crimes against the person, a pattern typical of busy inner suburbs rather than a violence problem. No schools are recorded inside the 1.74 km2 boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a trade-off for the compact setting.
Drive
63.2%
Public Transport
9.8%
Walk / Cycle
23.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.52%/yr
(+174 people/yr)
EstablishedClifton Hill is expanding steadily rather than flat, with annual population growth of 1.52% (about 174 people a year) and a 21.1% rise over the decade, classifying it as an established but growing suburb. Medium forecasts lift the population from 11,317 in 2026 to 12,188 by 2031 across the broader forecast area. Overseas migration is the primary driver at 202 residents a year, with internal migration adding a further 95, so growth leans on inflow rather than natural increase. The gentrification score reads 48, an active stage, supported by accelerating change from 11% to 19% on the underlying signal. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 5.0 points and the working-age share down 2.6 points, yet affordability improved from 40.8% in 2011 to 37.3% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+202
Net Internal / yr
+95
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +32% since 2011, Net internal migration +95/yr, Strong overseas inflow +202/yr, Accelerating: 11% → 19%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
494
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
74.8
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 Clifton Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Clifton Hill a good suburb to live in?
Clifton Hill ranks decile 10 on three of four SEIFA indexes, the top advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 95.8th percentile. University qualifications reach 70.0%, which is 39.9 points above national, and 23.7% of residents walk or cycle to work. The main trade-off is the high $1,506,200 median house price.
What is the median house price in Clifton Hill?
The median house price is $1,506,200 as of the Apr-Jun 2024 quarter, down 20.7% from the $1,900,000 peak in 2023. Over the longer run prices rose 73.7% from $867,000 in 2013, a 4.0% compound annual rate. Weekly rent averages $550 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,700.
What schools are in Clifton Hill?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.74 km2 Clifton Hill boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 70.0%, which is 39.9 points above the national figure.
Is Clifton Hill safe?
The crime rate is 74.8 per 1,000 residents across 494 recorded offences. The mix is reassuring: 401 are property and deception offences while only 38 are crimes against the person. The suburb also scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier, consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Clifton Hill good for property investment?
Rent of $550 a week against the $1,506,200 median gives a gross yield near 1.9%, low for the area, and rent rose 35.1% over the period. Net overseas migration of 202 a year and internal migration of 95 support demand, but with a 9.4% vacancy rate returns depend more on capital growth than yield.
How is Clifton Hill's population changing?
The population is growing 1.52% a year, about 174 people, after a 21.1% rise over the decade. Overseas migration is the main driver at 202 residents annually, with internal migration adding 95. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 5.0 points and the working-age share down 2.6 points.
How much development is happening in Clifton Hill?
There were 27 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, modest for the area. Most are alterations, solar installations or additions to existing dwellings rather than new supply, consistent with an established inner suburb where semi-detached terraces make up 50.8% of stock.
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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