Healesville
The 7,589-resident township has a median age of 46, six years above national, and 89.6% separate houses, giving it an established, detached and older profile. Compared with nearby Yarra Glen, its 141.73 sq km footprint reinforces a broad catchment feel rather than a compact metro format. Household income sits at the 45.6th percentile, while 25.1% work from home, supporting buyers who value space but can manage some remote work. Growth is slow at 0.45% annually, so the appeal is stability and lifestyle access more than rapid change.
Population
7,589
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,472/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$855K
October to December 2025
The stock is unusually detached: 89.6% separate houses, 49.2% three-bedroom and 29.2% four-bedroom-plus, so buyers can target family layouts rather than apartment supply. Compared with a compact suburban market, the 141.73 sq km setting creates more variation in land, outlook and access, so address-level inspection matters. Healesville suits buyers prioritising space, but the 46 median age and 2.4-person households suggest demand is not solely from young families.
For Buyers
The stock is unusually detached: 89.6% separate houses, 49.2% three-bedroom and 29.2% four-bedroom-plus, so buyers can target family layouts rather than apartment supply. Compared with a compact suburban market, the 141.73 sq km setting creates more variation in land, outlook and access, so address-level inspection matters. Healesville suits buyers prioritising space, but the 46 median age and 2.4-person households suggest demand is not solely from young families.
For Investors
Investors get a $350 weekly median rent, 17.5% renting households and an 8.9% vacancy rate. Rent growth at 40.0% across the measured shift period is higher than the 0.45% annual population trend, showing that rental pricing has moved faster than local demographic growth. Only 3 development applications were recorded in 12 months, including a 5-lot subdivision, so new supply appears modest compared with the established 7,589-person base. Overseas migration is the primary driver of forecast growth, pointing to gradual rather than rapid tenant expansion. Detached housing at 89.6% may support family renters, while 66.4% car-driver commuting broadens the likely tenant pool beyond walk-to-station demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
18
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-50.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Healesville
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Badger Creek Primary School
Healesville Primary School
St Brigid's School
Healesville High School
Worawa Aboriginal College
Demographics
Healesville's median age of 46 is 6.0 years above the national figure, while university attainment at 26.6% is 3.5 percentage points below national. Overseas-born residents account for 15.9%, 5.7 points below national, and English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 3,493, 1,037 and 977. These patterns support an older, Anglo-leaning profile because long-term settlement is strong: 85.4% stayed at the same address, compared with a 14.6% turnover rate. Households average 2.4 people, 0.1 below national, with couples without children representing 43.9% of families compared with 38.3% couples with children. No religion is the largest affiliation at 4,233, ahead of Christianity at 2,590, while German and Italian are the leading listed non-English languages at 28 and 22 speakers.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.6%
Houses
10.0%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split between 40.7% owning outright, 40.4% with a mortgage and 17.5% renting, so borrowing exposure remains material. Three-bedroom homes make up 49.2% and four-bedroom-plus 29.2%, consistent with the 89.6% separate-house share and 10.0% semi-detached share. Compared with apartment-oriented areas, the 0.4% apartment share leaves fewer low-maintenance options because housing supply is concentrated in detached and semi-detached dwellings.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$350
Census 2021
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$707
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.9%
Unoccupied
283
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
38.3%
Couples with children
43.9%
Couples, no children
16.9%
Single parent
2,066
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Healesville's largest listed industry at 15.5% and 362 workers, followed by construction at 14.4% and 336, education at 11.5% and 267, manufacturing at 9.4% and 220, and professional and technical work at 6.8% and 158. This mix supports local services and trades because healthcare and education are less tied to one construction cycle. Employment is steady on a 3.5% unemployment rate, but participation is 57.1%, with 1,358 part-time and 1,825 full-time workers. Professionals number 637 and trades 622, while managers total 490. Socioeconomic measures are mixed: education and occupation ranks in decile 5, economic resources in decile 8, disadvantage in decile 6 and advantage/disadvantage in decile 5. The decile 8 resources result is above the decile 5 education and occupation result, indicating household capacity is stronger than formal education measures alone suggest.
Unemployment
3.5%
Labour Force
3,620
Unemployed
127
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
52.2%
Part-time
38.9%
Participation
57.1%
Employed
3,493
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.6%
Postgraduate
5.8%
Born Overseas
15.9%
Dwellings
2,879
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented: 66.4% drive to work, compared with 0.4% using public transport and 4.2% walking or cycling, while 25.1% work from home. That pattern makes a car useful for dispersed errands and regional access. Five schools cover government, Catholic and independent sectors, with primary, secondary and special-school options; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Recorded crime totals 421 incidents, or 55.5 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences at 238, so security deserves attention even though the rate is a clearer comparison point than raw counts. Socioeconomic conditions sit around the middle: IRSD is decile 6, IRSAD decile 5, and education and occupation decile 5, below the decile 8 economic-resources result. The 141.73 sq km area means convenience varies by pocket.
Drive
66.4%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
4.2%
Work from Home
25.1%
Population Forecast
+0.45%/yr
(+64 people/yr)
EstablishedHealesville is on an established, aging path: the forecast trend is 0.45% annual growth, with overseas migration named as the primary driver. The shift trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 7.1 percentage points and the young share down 2.7 points; this matters because service demand can rise even while overall growth stays moderate. Population change across the wider area is 9.6% over 10 years, lower than the suburb's 121.8% long-run house-price increase, so housing repricing has outpaced demographic expansion. Gentrification is currently rated Not gentrifying at score 0, while the broader shift reading is 36 and Early signs. That combination suggests incremental change rather than a rapid reinvention, while stable affordability at 47.5 in both 2011 and 2021 may temper displacement pressure.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+60
Net Internal / yr
-86
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
421
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
55.5
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 Healesville compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Healesville a good suburb to live in?
Healesville can suit buyers seeking detached housing, local schools and a slower growth setting. It has 7,589 residents, a median age of 46, 89.6% separate houses and 25.1% working from home. Compared with a dense metro suburb, daily life is more car-dependent, with 66.4% driving to work and only 0.4% using public transport.
What schools are in Healesville?
Healesville has 5 schools spanning government, Catholic and independent sectors. The mix includes primary, secondary and special-school provision, including 3 primary schools, 1 government secondary school and 1 independent special school. Check the exact enrolment zone before buying because school access can vary across a 141.73 sq km suburb.
Is Healesville safe?
Recorded crime was 421 incidents, equal to 55.5 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences numbered 238, higher than the 81 crimes against the person offences and 71 justice procedures offences. Conditions can vary by street and time, so inspect the immediate area and review current local safety information before deciding.
Is Healesville good for property investment?
For investors, the $350 weekly rent and 17.5% renting share provide an established rental base. Rents have grown 40.0%, higher than the 0.45% annual population trend, while the vacancy rate is 8.9%. Only 3 development applications were recorded in 12 months, and overseas migration is the primary growth driver, so returns depend on tenant demand and exact location.
How is Healesville's population changing?
Healesville's population is changing gradually rather than rapidly. The forecast trend is 0.45% annual growth, driven primarily by overseas migration, while the wider area's 10-year population change is 9.6%. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has increased 7.1 points and the young share has fallen 2.7 points. Gentrification is rated Not gentrifying at 0, although broader shift indicators are at 36 and Early signs.
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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