Harkaway
At a population of just 1,011 across 12.57 square kilometres, Harkaway sits well above the national average on almost every economic measure: household income ranks in the 96.1st percentile nationally, yet only 6.3% of residents rent, the lowest share you will find among comparable outer-Melbourne suburbs. Every dwelling is a separate house, and 67.8% have four or more bedrooms, pointing to a suburb where families buy large and stay put. The turnover rate of 16.3% confirms that: 83.7% of residents had not moved in the previous year, compared to much higher mobility in denser urban areas. Construction workers account for 20.5% of local employment, which is unusually high and reflects the semi-rural tradesperson households that define the suburb's character.
Population
1,011
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,805/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
No recent median sale price data is available for Harkaway because transaction volumes are too low to produce a reliable figure, a direct consequence of just 6.3% of dwellings being rented and very low turnover. What the data does show is that the average monthly mortgage is $2,307 and mortgage-to-income sits at 19.0%, well below the 30% stress threshold and lower than most Melbourne suburbs at this income level. All dwellings are separate houses, and 67.8% have four or more bedrooms, so buyers are competing for large family homes rather than a mixed-type market. The average household size of 3.2 is 0.7 above the national figure, consistent with the family-formation demographic that drives demand here. With 47.9% of homes owned outright, owner-occupiers with no debt are the dominant tenure type.
For Buyers
No recent median sale price data is available for Harkaway because transaction volumes are too low to produce a reliable figure, a direct consequence of just 6.3% of dwellings being rented and very low turnover. What the data does show is that the average monthly mortgage is $2,307 and mortgage-to-income sits at 19.0%, well below the 30% stress threshold and lower than most Melbourne suburbs at this income level. All dwellings are separate houses, and 67.8% have four or more bedrooms, so buyers are competing for large family homes rather than a mixed-type market. The average household size of 3.2 is 0.7 above the national figure, consistent with the family-formation demographic that drives demand here. With 47.9% of homes owned outright, owner-occupiers with no debt are the dominant tenure type.
For Investors
Harkaway's fundamentals sit at the lower end of investor appeal compared to higher-density suburbs. The rental vacancy rate is 6.9% and only 6.3% of dwellings are rented, meaning the pool of available tenants is extremely shallow. Weekly rent averages $375, which against a suburb where incomes rank in the 96.1st percentile nationally implies yields are constrained by the scarcity of rental stock rather than strong demand. Only 1 development application was lodged in the past 12 months, well below any threshold suggesting supply pressure or rezoning activity. The suburb's appeal for capital growth rests on its income profile and large-lot character, but low transaction volumes make price trends difficult to track, and the thin rental market limits cash flow returns.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1
Last 12 Months
1
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 Harkaway iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Harkaway Primary School
Prep-6 · 106 students
Demographics
Harkaway's median age is 40, the same as the national figure, but the household profile is notably larger: average household size of 3.2 is 0.7 above national, driven by the 46.4% of families who are couples with children. University qualifications reach 37.4%, which is 7.3 percentage points above the national average, while overseas-born residents at 15.5% run 6.1 points below national, giving the suburb a distinctly locally-born, well-educated character. Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic dominant: English (381 residents), Irish (83), and Scottish (62) are the top three groups. The unemployment rate of 2.6% sits below the national average and the full-time employment rate of 62.3% is solid, consistent with a workforce that skews toward professionals and managers.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Every single dwelling in Harkaway is a separate house, making it one of the most detached-house-dominant suburbs in Victoria. The bedroom distribution shows 67.8% with four or more bedrooms and 30.2% with three bedrooms, leaving virtually no small-dwelling stock. Tenure splits between outright owners (47.9%) and mortgage holders (45.8%), with renters a marginal 6.3%, which is far below state and national averages. Monthly mortgage repayments of $2,307 reflect a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.0%, below the stress threshold of 30%, even though household incomes already rank in the 96.1st percentile nationally. Vacancy at 6.9% is mostly academic given how few rental properties exist. The low-density, large-lot stock means any future supply will likely come from subdivision rather than infill development.
Mortgage / mo
$2,307
Rent / wk
$375
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,026
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
22
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
13.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
17.8%
Couples, no children
898
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction is the dominant industry at 20.5% of employed residents (70 workers), followed by Healthcare at 14.7% (50 workers) and Education at 10.6% (36 workers). This combination of trades, health, and education workers reflects the outer-suburban professional-and-tradesperson mix that characterises Harkaway. By occupation, Professionals (127) and Managers (113) together account for the two largest groups, ranking above typical outer-suburban profiles. The unemployment rate of 2.6% is below the national average, and 62.3% of the workforce is employed full-time. Household income at the 96.1st percentile nationally reflects the high-skill, high-earning character of local employment, rather than a reliance on any single industry. Personal weekly income averages $1,026, and family weekly income averages $2,913.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.3%
Part-time
35.1%
Participation
61.9%
Employed
480
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.4%
Postgraduate
8.1%
Born Overseas
15.5%
Dwellings
294
Transport to Work
Harkaway is almost entirely car-dependent: 89.7% of residents drive to work and only 2.7% use public transport, reflecting its rural-fringe location with limited transit access compared to inner and middle suburbs. The crime rate of 30.7 incidents per 1,000 residents is low in absolute terms, with just 31 incidents recorded, and property offences (23) make up the bulk of those. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families travel to neighbouring areas, a trade-off against the large-lot, low-density lifestyle. Mortgage stress at 19.0% and rent-to-income at 13.4% both sit well below stress thresholds, meaning housing costs are manageable relative to income. Volunteering at 17.2% and a need-for-assistance rate of just 5.0% (48 residents) suggest a self-sufficient population with low welfare dependency.
Drive
89.7%
Public Transport
2.7%
Walk / Cycle
0.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
31
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
30.7
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 Harkaway compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Harkaway a good suburb to live in?
Harkaway suits families who prioritise space, privacy and low housing stress. Household income ranks in the 96.1st percentile nationally, mortgage-to-income is 19.0%, and the crime rate is just 30.7 incidents per 1,000 residents. The trade-offs are limited public transport (2.7% use it) and no schools recorded within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Harkaway?
No reliable median house price is available because transaction volumes are too low, a result of very few residents selling in any given year (turnover rate 16.3%). Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,307, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.0%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Harkaway?
No schools are recorded inside the Harkaway suburb boundary in this dataset. Families typically travel to schools in neighbouring areas such as Berwick and Narre Warren. Despite this, university qualifications locally reach 37.4%, which is 7.3 percentage points above the national average, indicating a well-educated resident base.
Is Harkaway safe?
Harkaway recorded just 31 incidents in the most recent period, giving a crime rate of 30.7 per 1,000 residents, which is low. Property and deception offences accounted for 23 of those incidents. The low population density of 80.4 residents per square kilometre and stable community character contribute to this low incidence rate.
Is Harkaway good for property investment?
Harkaway presents challenges for rental investors: only 6.3% of dwellings are rented and the vacancy rate is 6.9%, leaving a very thin tenant pool. Weekly rent averages $375. Capital growth is harder to track due to low transaction volumes, and just 1 development application was lodged in the past 12 months, indicating minimal new supply or rezoning activity.
How is Harkaway's population changing?
Harkaway's population is 1,011, and with just 1 development application over the past 12 months and a turnover rate of only 16.3%, growth is very slow. The suburb has an established, stable character where 83.7% of residents did not move in the prior year. No formal forecast data is available due to the small population size.
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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