Eltham North
Detached houses make up 98.3% of all dwellings here, one of the most house-dominated profiles you will find near Melbourne, and that scarcity of anything smaller helps explain a $1,345,000 median house price. Household income sits in the 95.9th percentile nationally, and the suburb scores decile 10 on both IER and IRSD plus decile 9 on IRSAD and IEO, placing it firmly in the top advantage tier. University qualifications reach 44.9%, which is 14.8 points above the national figure, while the median age of 42 runs 2.0 years above national. With only 6.3% of residents renting and a 3.1% vacancy rate, this is an owner-held, low-churn market.
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
6
Median House
$1.3M
Apr-Jun 2024
The $1,345,000 median reflects a stock built almost entirely for families: 98.3% are separate houses and 58.8% have four or more bedrooms, with another 38.7% offering three bedrooms, so small or entry-level options barely exist. Prices have climbed from $622,000 in 2013 to the current median, a 116.2% rise that works out to 5.7% compound annual growth over 14 years. Despite the high price, buyers here are not overstretched: the mortgage-to-income ratio is just 19.2%, well below the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes land in the 95.9th percentile. Outright owners (44.6%) and mortgage holders (49.2%) together hold 93.9% of homes, a sign that purchasers tend to settle long term rather than trade quickly.
For Buyers
The $1,345,000 median reflects a stock built almost entirely for families: 98.3% are separate houses and 58.8% have four or more bedrooms, with another 38.7% offering three bedrooms, so small or entry-level options barely exist. Prices have climbed from $622,000 in 2013 to the current median, a 116.2% rise that works out to 5.7% compound annual growth over 14 years. Despite the high price, buyers here are not overstretched: the mortgage-to-income ratio is just 19.2%, well below the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes land in the 95.9th percentile. Outright owners (44.6%) and mortgage holders (49.2%) together hold 93.9% of homes, a sign that purchasers tend to settle long term rather than trade quickly.
For Investors
Only 6.3% of residents rent, far below the levels investors usually target, so the tenant pool is shallow by design in a suburb that is 98.3% separate houses. Weekly rent of $512 against the $1,345,000 median implies a gross yield close to 2.0%, low even by Melbourne standards, which means returns lean on capital growth rather than income. The 3.1% vacancy rate is tight, and rent has grown 35.2% over the measured period, so the small rental segment that exists is well occupied. Demand support is uneven: net overseas migration adds 183 residents a year while internal migration removes 278, and only 6 development applications were lodged in 12 months, so new supply is minimal. The case here is long-hold appreciation, not yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
9
Last 12 Months
6
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+500.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Eltham North iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Holy Trinity Primary School
Prep-6 · 393 students
Eltham North Primary School
Prep-6 · 475 students
Glen Katherine Primary School
Prep-6 · 554 students
St Helena Secondary College
7-12 · 1414 students
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2.0 years above national, and the trajectory is clearly aging: the senior share rose 7.8 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 3.8 points and the young share slipped 1.7 points. Overseas-born residents make up 17.9%, which is 3.7 points below national, so this is a more Australian-born population than most metro suburbs. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,701), Irish (862) and Scottish (771), with Italian (680) the largest continental group. University qualifications at 44.9% run 14.8 points above national. Average household size is 3.0, which is 0.5 above national, consistent with the family-heavy mix where couples with children (2,767) outnumber couples without children (1,283) by more than two to one.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.3%
Houses
1.7%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is dominated by ownership: 44.6% own outright and 49.2% carry a mortgage, leaving just 6.3% renting, a far lower renter share than most suburbs. The stock is 98.3% separate houses with only 1.7% semi-detached and no recorded apartments, so buyers are competing almost exclusively for detached family homes. Four-plus bedroom dwellings account for 58.8% and three-bedroom homes for 38.7%, while two-bedroom stock is a thin 2.3%. The median house price rose from $622,000 in 2013 to $1,345,000, a 116.2% gain at 5.7% compound annual growth. Mortgage-to-income at 19.2% and rent-to-income at 18.5% both sit comfortably below the 30% stress line, because household incomes reach the 95.9th percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,300
Rent / wk
$512
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
20.4%
Couples, no children
6,280
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce concentrates in service and public sectors: Healthcare leads at 16.8% (458 workers), Education follows at 14.9% (405), then Professional/Tech at 12.3% (335), Construction at 12.0% (328) and Public Admin at 8.4% (230). By occupation, Professionals (1,101) and Managers (661) dominate, which aligns with the decile 9 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 3.8% and the full-time employment rate is 61.1%, with participation at 65.9%. The IER score of decile 10 for economic resources is the suburb's strongest SEIFA reading, higher than its decile 9 IRSAD, because the 93.9% ownership base and high incomes lift household wealth measures. Real incomes grew 11.3% over the decade.
Unemployment
2.0%
Labour Force
14,139
Unemployed
280
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.1%
Part-time
35.1%
Participation
65.9%
Employed
3,463
Occupations
Top Industries
University
44.9%
Postgraduate
11.5%
Born Overseas
17.9%
Dwellings
2,189
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 91.1% of commuters drive while only 3.5% use public transport and 1.2% walk or cycle, well above the national reliance on cars, reflecting the suburb's leafy, low-density layout at 1,700 residents per km2. Safety is a clear strength, with a crime rate of 11.6 per 1,000 residents and just 79 total offences, of which 47 are property and deception offences and 16 are crimes against the person. The suburb scores decile 10 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, the top tier nationally, and only 3.2% of residents (211 people) need daily assistance despite the older median age of 42. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Eltham and Research, a practical trade-off for the spacious, house-only setting.
Drive
91.1%
Public Transport
3.5%
Walk / Cycle
1.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.11%/yr
(-27 people/yr)
EstablishedEltham North is contracting slightly: annual population change runs at -0.11%, about 27 fewer residents a year, and the medium forecast eases the area population from 23,593 in 2026 to 23,458 by 2031. The 10-year change of 2.8% confirms an established, slow-growth profile rather than expansion. The only positive driver is overseas migration at 183 residents a year, more than offset by net internal outflow of 278, which is the signal flagged behind a gentrification score of 0 and a not-gentrifying stage. Affordability has held nearly flat, moving from 45.9% in 2011 to 45.3% in 2021, a stable trend. With the senior share up 7.8 points, the demographic shift points to gradual aging rather than renewal.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+183
Net Internal / yr
-278
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -278/yr
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
Is Eltham North a good suburb to live in?
Eltham North scores decile 10 on both IER and IRSD and decile 9 on IRSAD and IEO, the top advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 95.9th percentile. University qualifications reach 44.9%, 14.8 points above national, and the crime rate is low at 11.6 per 1,000. The main trade-off is a high $1,345,000 median house price.
What is the median house price in Eltham North?
The median house price is $1,345,000 as of the April to June 2024 quarter. Prices have risen 116.2% from $622,000 in 2013, equal to 5.7% compound annual growth over 14 years. Weekly rent averages $512 and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at a comfortable 19.2%.
What schools are in Eltham North?
No schools are recorded inside the Eltham North boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Eltham and Research. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 44.9%, which is 14.8 points above the national figure.
Is Eltham North safe?
Eltham North records a low crime rate of 11.6 per 1,000 residents, with 79 total offences. Of these, 47 are property and deception offences and 16 are crimes against the person. The suburb also scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier nationally.
Is Eltham North good for property investment?
Rent of $512 a week against the $1,345,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.0%, low for Melbourne, and only 6.3% of residents rent. The 3.1% vacancy rate is tight and rent grew 35.2% over the period, but with population falling 0.11% a year the case rests on capital growth, not yield.
How is Eltham North's population changing?
Population is contracting slightly at -0.11% a year, about 27 fewer residents annually, with the 10-year change just 2.8%. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 7.8 points and the working-age share down 3.8 points. Net internal outflow of 278 a year outweighs overseas migration of 183.
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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