Hallam
Its most distinctive feature is the combination of 11,355 residents, a 56.4% overseas-born share and a 77.7% separate-house mix. Hallam is younger than the national profile, with a median age of 36, yet its trajectory is aging as the senior share has risen 4.5 percentage points. Overseas-born residents sit 34.8 percentage points above the national figure, helping explain the presence of Sinhal, Arabic, Serbian, Punjabi and Urdu speakers. The recorded crime rate is 102.1 incidents per 1,000 residents, including 736 property and deception offences, so security and street selection matter. Compared with town-centre housing options around nearby Narre Warren, Hallam's 1.4% apartment share and 8.12 square kilometre area point to a more detached setting. With 82.9% of residents staying at the same address, the suburb is established but not immobile.
Population
11,355
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,489/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
28
Median House
$830K
October to December 2025
Separate houses make up 77.7% of dwellings, while 51.5% have 3 bedrooms and 34.1% have 4 or more, so the stock is geared to families and space needs. The mortgage estimate is $1,700 per month, and the 26.4% mortgage-to-income ratio is higher than the 24.2% rent-to-income ratio, making deposit size and loan serviceability central. Compared with town-centre options around nearby Narre Warren, Hallam's 1.4% apartment share favours buyers wanting land and a house.
For Buyers
Separate houses make up 77.7% of dwellings, while 51.5% have 3 bedrooms and 34.1% have 4 or more, so the stock is geared to families and space needs. The mortgage estimate is $1,700 per month, and the 26.4% mortgage-to-income ratio is higher than the 24.2% rent-to-income ratio, making deposit size and loan serviceability central. Compared with town-centre options around nearby Narre Warren, Hallam's 1.4% apartment share favours buyers wanting land and a house.
For Investors
Hallam's investment case rests on family rental demand rather than tight vacancy. Renting accounts for 26.4% of households, weekly rent is $361 and vacancy is 3.7%, indicating tenants have more choice than in a highly constrained market. A 77.7% separate-house share and 50.6% couples-with-children households can support demand for 3-bedroom and 4-or-more-bedroom homes, which represent 51.5% and 34.1% of stock. Development activity is material, with 26 applications in 12 months, including proposals for 1, 2 and 3 dwellings, so new supply may moderate rent growth. The 24.5% rent growth signal is positive, but a 7.8% unemployment rate argues for conservative cash-flow assumptions compared with relying on capital growth alone.
Development Activity
Total DAs
54
Last 12 Months
28
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+211.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hallam
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Hallam Primary School
Hallam Secondary College
Demographics
Hallam's 11,355 residents form a migrant-majority suburb: 56.4% were born overseas, 34.8 percentage points above the national share. Recorded ancestry includes Other at 5,063 people, English at 1,612, Indian at 604 and Chinese at 478, while Sinhal, Arabic, Serbian, Punjabi and Urdu are prominent home languages. Christianity counts 4,251, Islam 2,928 and no religion 2,061, so services need to cater beyond one faith profile. The median age is 36, four years below national, but the senior share has risen 4.5 percentage points and the working share has fallen 2.2 points, supporting an aging trajectory. University attainment is 31.0%, 0.9 points above national, and average household size is 3.0, 0.5 above national. Compared with nearby Endeavour Hills, these measures point to migration and household change as key demand drivers.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
77.7%
Houses
20.9%
Townhouse
1.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Hallam's housing is primarily detached and family sized: 77.7% separate houses, 20.9% semi-detached dwellings and only 1.4% apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 51.5% and four-plus-bedroom homes 34.1%, explaining why the suburb suits larger households more than compact apartment demand. Tenure is split between 29.6% owned outright, 42.1% mortgaged and 26.4% rented. Compared with the more town-centre-oriented choices around nearby Narre Warren, Hallam's 1.4% apartment share points to land and vehicle access shaping housing decisions. Mortgage costs at 26.4% of household income are higher than rent costs at 24.2%, so affordability is more exposed to borrowing conditions than weekly rent alone.
Mortgage / mo
$1,700
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$361
Census 2021
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$602
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.7%
Unoccupied
137
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
50.6%
Couples with children
30.9%
Couples, no children
17.0%
Single parent
2,857
Total families
Economy & Employment
Hallam's employment base leans toward practical and service industries. Healthcare is the largest listed industry at 18.6% and 503 workers, followed by construction at 12.7% and 343, manufacturing at 10.8% and 292, education at 8.3% and 224, and retail at 7.4% and 201. Occupations reinforce this mix: trades account for 767 people, professionals 636, labourers 627, clerical and administration 589, and machinery and drivers 539. Participation is 54.3%, full-time employment 59.8% and unemployment 7.8%, so labour-market capacity is weaker than in a higher-participation suburb. Household income is at the 46.5th percentile. SEIFA is uneven: IEO decile 3 and IER decile 4 sit above IRSAD and IRSD decile 2, suggesting economic and education resources are stronger than the broader disadvantage picture. Because healthcare, construction and manufacturing lead, local work is less dependent on one office sector.
Unemployment
7.8%
Labour Force
4,952
Unemployed
387
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.8%
Part-time
33.6%
Participation
54.3%
Employed
4,565
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
31.0%
Postgraduate
7.4%
Born Overseas
56.4%
Dwellings
3,526
Transport to Work
Day-to-day life is car-oriented: 73.0% travel as car drivers, compared with 3.0% using public transport, 0.9% walking or cycling and 17.1% working from home. That pattern makes household vehicle access important, particularly because the suburb covers 8.12 square kilometres at a density of 1,397.6 people per square kilometre. Families have practical access to 2 local government schools, covering primary and secondary years, so exact enrolment zones should be checked against the address. The recorded crime rate is 102.1 per 1,000 residents, including 736 property and deception offences and 170 crimes against the person, making street-level due diligence worthwhile. IRSAD is in decile 2, lower than the IER decile 4, so amenity decisions should be weighed alongside socioeconomic conditions. Compared with a transit-led suburb, Hallam is better suited to residents comfortable with driving.
Drive
73.0%
Public Transport
3.0%
Walk / Cycle
0.9%
Work from Home
17.1%
Population Forecast
+0.82%/yr
(+99 people/yr)
EstablishedHallam's wider-area growth trend is 0.82% a year, with overseas migration the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 12.9% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Aging, reflecting a 4.5 percentage point rise in the senior share and a 2.2 point fall in the working share. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a score of 24, so change is emerging rather than fully established. The COVID dip was 2.6%, followed by a 2.6% recovery, and rent growth has reached 24.5%. The affordability trend is labelled Improving, with recorded values of 62.4 in 2011 and 59.5 in 2021. Compared with a static established suburb, these signals point to gradual change because migration, rental pressure and household aging are operating together.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+255
Net Internal / yr
-204
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +13% since 2011, Net internal outflow -204/yr, Strong overseas inflow +255/yr, COVID recovered (-3% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,159
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
102.1
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 Hallam compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hallam a good suburb to live in?
Hallam can suit households wanting detached housing and access to primary and secondary schools, with 77.7% separate houses and a median age of 36. Car use is high at 73.0%, while the recorded crime rate is 102.1 per 1,000, so suitability depends on transport needs and street-level checks.
What schools are in Hallam?
Hallam has 2 government schools, covering primary and secondary years: Hallam Primary School and Hallam Secondary College. Enrolment zones can vary by address, so families should confirm the relevant catchment and transport options before committing to a property across the 8.12 square kilometre suburb.
Is Hallam safe?
Hallam's recorded crime rate is 102.1 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 1,159 total offences. Property and deception offences account for 736, followed by 170 crimes against the person. Buyers and renters should inspect the immediate street, lighting and parking conditions because suburb-wide figures can conceal local variation.
Is Hallam good for property investment?
Hallam may suit investors targeting family rentals: 26.4% of households rent, weekly rent is $361 and vacancy is 3.7%. The 77.7% separate-house share supports demand for larger homes, but 26 development applications in 12 months may add supply. A 7.8% unemployment rate makes conservative cash-flow assumptions important.
How is Hallam's population changing?
Hallam has 11,355 residents today. The wider-area trend is 0.82% annual growth, driven primarily by overseas migration, with population change of 12.9% over 10 years. The trajectory is labelled Aging, with the senior share up 4.5 percentage points, so future demand may shift toward established households and older residents.
What languages are spoken in Hallam?
Hallam's overseas-born share is 56.4%, which is 34.8 percentage points above the national comparison. Common recorded home languages include Sinhal with 196 speakers, Arabic 164, Serbian 139, Punjabi 121 and Urdu 92. English and culturally responsive services may both matter for local households.
Is Hallam experiencing new development?
Development activity is material, with 26 applications recorded over 12 months. Recent examples include proposals for 1 dwelling at the rear of an existing home, 3 dwellings and an amendment involving 2 dwellings. Buyers should check planning approvals and nearby construction because incremental infill can affect parking, privacy and future supply.
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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