Greensborough
Detached homes define Greensborough more than its activity-centre role: 85.0% of dwellings are separate houses and only 2.4% are apartments, despite a 21,070-person population near rail, retail and schools. Household income sits at the 78th percentile, while the $1,100,000 median house price and 41 median age point to established family wealth. Compared with Watsonia and Montmorency, it reads as a larger, car-oriented Banyule hub rather than a dense inner-suburban market.
Population
21,070
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,075/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Median House
$1.1M
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers face a $1,100,000 median house price, more than double the 2013 level of $534,000 after 106.0% growth. The stock suits families because 85.0% are separate houses, 48.8% have 3 bedrooms and 36.2% have 4 or more. Carrying costs are less stretched than the headline price suggests: mortgage payments absorb 24.1% of income and the local stress flag is false. Buyers needing low-maintenance units have fewer options, with apartments only 2.4% of dwellings.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a $1,100,000 median house price, more than double the 2013 level of $534,000 after 106.0% growth. The stock suits families because 85.0% are separate houses, 48.8% have 3 bedrooms and 36.2% have 4 or more. Carrying costs are less stretched than the headline price suggests: mortgage payments absorb 24.1% of income and the local stress flag is false. Buyers needing low-maintenance units have fewer options, with apartments only 2.4% of dwellings.
For Investors
Investors should treat Greensborough as an owner-occupier market rather than a high-churn rental play: 38.9% own outright and 43.4% have a mortgage, compared with 17.7% renting. Weekly rent is $404 and vacancy sits at 5.3%, so pricing needs a buffer for lease-up time. Supply pressure looks modest because only 7 development applications were lodged in 12 months. Demand is steadier from overseas migration averaging 189 people a year, partly offset by -156 internal net moves.
Development Activity
Total DAs
22
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+150.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Greensborough iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Mary's School
Prep-6 · 524 students
Watsonia Heights Primary School
Prep-6 · 522 students
Greenhills Primary School
Prep-6 · 499 students
Apollo Parkways Primary School
Prep-6 · 675 students
St Thomas the Apostle School
Prep-6 · 226 students
Demographics
Greensborough is slightly older and more educated than Australia overall, with a 41 median age, 1.0 year above the national figure, and 42.9% university attainment, 12.8 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents are 22.0%, only 0.4 points above national, so the cultural mix is present but less migration-led than parts of Bundoora. English ancestry leads at 7,040, followed by Irish 2,680 and Italian 2,215; Mandarin is the largest listed non-English language at 276 speakers.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.0%
Houses
12.6%
Townhouse
2.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is detached and wealth-retentive: 85.0% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with just 12.6% semi-detached and 2.4% apartments. The $1,100,000 median is also the current peak, with 0.0% fall from peak and 106.0% growth from the $534,000 2013 trough, equal to 5.3% CAGR over 14 years. Tenure is stable because 38.9% own outright and 43.4% have a mortgage. Family formats dominate, with 48.8% 3-bedroom homes and 36.2% 4-plus.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$404
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$903
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.3%
Unoccupied
436
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.5%
Couples, no children
17,834
Total families
Economy & Employment
Greensborough's economy looks professional but service-anchored. Healthcare employs 1,352 workers at 17.4%, education 1,149 at 14.8%, construction 855 at 11.0%, professional/tech 842 at 10.8% and public admin 708 at 9.1%. Professionals are the largest occupation at 3,073, above managers at 1,611 and clerical/admin at 1,550. Unemployment is low at 4.3% with 61.1% participation. SEIFA is consistently high: IEO decile 8, IER 8, IRSD 9 and IRSAD 8, with the IRSD 9 result reflecting low disadvantage despite the service-sector mix.
Unemployment
2.6%
Labour Force
12,215
Unemployed
312
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.1%
Part-time
31.6%
Participation
61.1%
Employed
10,031
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.9%
Postgraduate
11.7%
Born Overseas
22.0%
Dwellings
7,753
Transport to Work
Livability is strong for households that want schools and space, but weaker for car-free routines. Seven schools sit in the suburb, with ICSEA scores from 1020 to 1109; St Mary's School leads at 1109, Watsonia Heights Primary reaches 1104, and Greenhills or Apollo Parkways sit at 1103, mixing Catholic and Government options. The trade-off is transport behaviour: 88.5% drive to work compared with 4.9% using public transport and 2.1% walking or cycling. Safety needs due diligence, with 79.6 offences per 1,000 and 1,029 property and deception offences, though IRSAD decile 8 points to stronger area advantage.
Drive
88.5%
Public Transport
4.9%
Walk / Cycle
2.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.03%/yr
(+7 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is almost flat rather than expansionary. The trend path adds only 0.03% a year, or 7 people annually, with the medium population track moving from 21,229 in 2026 to 21,263 in 2031. Migration is the swing factor: overseas migration is the primary driver at +189 a year, while internal migration averages -156 a year. The age profile is shifting higher because senior share has risen 6.6 points and working-age share is down 3.5 points. Gentrification is limited, with score 10 and stage listed as Not gentrifying.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+189
Net Internal / yr
-156
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -156/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,678
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
79.6
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 Greensborough compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Greensborough a good suburb to live in?
Yes, especially for households seeking detached homes, schools and established amenity. It has 21,070 residents, 85.0% separate houses and 7 local schools, but car reliance is high at 88.5% of commuters.
What is the median house price in Greensborough?
The median house price is $1,100,000 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is the suburb's recorded peak, compared with $534,000 in 2013 and $1,020,000 in Jan-Mar 2024.
What schools are in Greensborough?
Greensborough has 7 schools across Government and Catholic sectors. St Mary's School has ICSEA 1109, Watsonia Heights Primary 1104, and Greensborough Secondary College serves secondary students with 591 enrolments.
Is Greensborough safe?
Greensborough recorded 1,678 offences, equal to 79.6 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 1,029, so buyers should compare street-level conditions.
Is Greensborough good for property investment?
It suits patient investors more than high-yield seekers. Only 17.7% of households rent, weekly rent is $404, vacancy is 5.3%, and just 7 development applications point to limited new supply pressure.
How is Greensborough's population changing?
Population growth is very slow at 0.03% a year, or about 7 people annually. The medium path rises from 21,229 in 2026 to 21,263 in 2031, with +189 overseas migration offset by -156 internal migration.
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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