Eltham North
At 98.3%, separate houses define Eltham North more strongly than almost any other housing characteristic. Its median age of 42 is 2 years above the national figure, while university attainment reaches 44.9%, or 14.8 percentage points above national levels. Household income sits at the 95.9th percentile, supporting a relatively affluent profile across 6,830 residents on 4.02 square kilometres. For buyers comparing Eltham North with nearby Eltham or Research, the key distinction to test is housing form, as detached stock is unusually dominant. Growth is established rather than expansion-led, with an annual trend of -0.11% and an aging trajectory.
Local council: Nillumbik (73% of the suburb; the rest sits in a neighbouring council)
Population
6,830
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,770/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
17
Median House
$1.2M
October to December 2025
Eltham North suits buyers seeking established family housing, but the price of that space is substantial. Separate houses account for 98.3% of homes, and 58.8% have 4 or more bedrooms, a materially higher share than the 38.7% with 3 bedrooms. That form supports larger households, but it limits lower-cost entry points compared with apartment-led markets. A monthly mortgage figure of $2,300 and mortgage-to-income of 19.2% indicate manageable reported pressure, while 48.9% of households are paying a mortgage and 44.3% own outright.
For Buyers
Eltham North suits buyers seeking established family housing, but the price of that space is substantial. Separate houses account for 98.3% of homes, and 58.8% have 4 or more bedrooms, a materially higher share than the 38.7% with 3 bedrooms. That form supports larger households, but it limits lower-cost entry points compared with apartment-led markets. A monthly mortgage figure of $2,300 and mortgage-to-income of 19.2% indicate manageable reported pressure, while 48.9% of households are paying a mortgage and 44.3% own outright.
For Investors
Eltham North presents a narrow but relatively stable rental proposition. Weekly rent is $512 and vacancy is 3.1%, while only 6.2% of households rent, a lower share than the 44.3% owning outright and 48.9% paying a mortgage. The small renter base can reduce tenant depth compared with more rental-oriented suburbs, although the detached housing profile may appeal to households seeking space. Rent growth of 35.2% provides a strong recent demand signal, but the annual growth trend is -0.11%, so capital growth expectations should remain below those of faster-expanding corridors. Seventeen development applications in 12 months indicate ongoing renovation and infill activity, while overseas migration is the stated primary growth driver.
Development Activity
Total DAs
20
Last 12 Months
17
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Eltham North
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Eltham North Primary School
Glen Katherine Primary School
Holy Trinity Primary School
St Helena Secondary College
Demographics
Eltham North has a mature, family-oriented demographic profile. The median age is 42, which is 2 years above the national figure, and the average household size of 3.0 is 0.5 people higher than national levels. Couples with children account for 57.8% of families, while couples without children represent 31.7%. University attainment is 44.9%, or 14.8 percentage points above national levels, but the overseas-born share is 17.9%, 3.7 points below national levels. English ancestry leads at 2,701 people, followed by Irish at 862, Scottish at 771 and Italian at 680. The aging trajectory reflects a 7.8% increase in senior share and a 1.7% decline in young share, making the profile older than many growth suburbs.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.3%
Houses
1.7%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing in Eltham North is overwhelmingly detached and owner-occupied. Separate houses comprise 98.3% of dwellings, while 44.3% are owned outright, 48.9% have a mortgage and just 6.2% are rented. The typical home has 4 or more bedrooms, accounting for 58.8% of stock, compared with 38.7% for 3-bedroom homes. Low turnover also matters: 88.8% of residents stayed at the same address, compared with an 11.2% turnover rate.
Mortgage / mo
$2,300
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$512
Census 2021
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,027
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.1%
Unoccupied
69
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
57.8%
Couples with children
31.7%
Couples, no children
9.2%
Single parent
2,008
Total families
Economy & Employment
Eltham North combines high household resources with a professional and service-based employment mix. Healthcare is the largest industry at 16.8%, or 458 workers, followed by Education at 14.9% and 405 workers, Professional and Technical services at 12.3% and 335, Construction at 12.0% and 328, and Public Administration at 8.4% and 230. Professionals number 1,101 and Managers 661, both higher than the local counts in Clerical and Administrative roles at 512 and Trades at 448. Participation is 70.2%, full-time employment is 57.3% and unemployment is 3.6%. Household income ranks at the 95.9th percentile. SEIFA results sit in deciles 9 or 10 across all four measures: IEO 9, IER 10, IRSD 10 and IRSAD 9, with the one-decile spread still indicating substantially higher advantage than average.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
3,833
Unemployed
138
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.3%
Part-time
36.5%
Participation
70.2%
Employed
3,695
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
44.9%
Postgraduate
11.5%
Born Overseas
17.9%
Dwellings
2,189
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented, with 54.2% driving to work compared with 2.1% using public transport and 0.7% walking or cycling. Working from home is comparatively high at 40.4%, which can reduce the impact of longer commuting patterns for some households. Four nearby schools span 3 primary and 1 secondary setting, with 3 government schools and 1 Catholic school; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb edges. Recorded crime is 11.6 incidents per 1,000 residents, or 79 incidents in total, including 47 property and deception offences and 16 crimes against the person. The IRSAD decile of 9, alongside IRSD and IER deciles of 10, places local advantage above average, although the car-dependent layout is a practical trade-off.
Drive
54.2%
Public Transport
2.1%
Walk / Cycle
0.7%
Work from Home
40.4%
Growth Outlook
Eltham North has a slow-growth, aging outlook rather than a strong expansion cycle. The annual trend is -0.11%, which is below zero, while population change across the wider area is 2.8% over 10 years. The trajectory is classified as Aging, supported by a 7.8% rise in senior share, a 3.8% fall in working-age share and a 1.7% decline in young share. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, although the established housing base and 88.8% resident-stay rate point to limited turnover compared with a rapidly developing suburb. Gentrification is rated 0 and classified as Not gentrifying. Rent growth of 35.2% has been much stronger than the 11.3% increase in real income, so housing costs remain an important constraint even as the broader population trend stays modest.
Population trend: Nillumbik council area
About 73% of Eltham North sits in Nillumbik; the rest is in a neighbouring council. These are the council area's residents, not Eltham North's.
Residents 2025
63,797
Growth, 5 yr average
-0.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.4%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
79
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
11.6
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 Eltham North compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Eltham North?
There are 4 nearby schools serving primary and secondary years. The mix includes 3 government schools and 1 Catholic school: Holy Trinity Primary School, Eltham North Primary School, Glen Katherine Primary School and St Helena Secondary College. Enrolment zones should be checked for each address before making a decision.
Is Eltham North safe?
Recorded crime was 11.6 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 79 incidents overall. Property and deception offences accounted for 47 cases, while crimes against the person accounted for 16. These figures provide useful context, but buyers and renters should still inspect the immediate street and review current local conditions before deciding.
Is Eltham North good for property investment?
Eltham North may suit investors prioritising established detached housing and rental stability over rapid growth. Weekly rent is $512, vacancy is 3.1% and rent growth is 35.2%. However, only 6.2% of households rent and the annual growth trend is -0.11%, so tenant depth and capital growth may be lower than in more expansion-focused markets.
How is Eltham North's population changing?
The current population is 6,830, while population change across the wider area is 2.8% over 10 years. The annual trend is -0.11% and the trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 7.8% and young share down 1.7%. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, but the overall pattern remains slow rather than rapid.
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).
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