Heatherton
The standout feature of Heatherton is its high-income, detached-home profile alongside an aging trajectory. Its 2,826 residents have a median age of 41, 1 year above the national figure, while 44.1% hold a university qualification, 14 percentage points above national. Separate houses account for 82.2% of dwellings and household income sits at the 79th percentile. Compared with nearby Moorabbin and Cheltenham, Heatherton's 82.2% separate-house share and 2.8-person households are the more useful buying signals. The trade-off is a crime rate of 98.7 per 1,000, driven mainly by 176 property and deception offences.
Local council: Kingston (Vic.)
Population
2,826
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,088/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Median House
$1.2M
October to December 2025
Only a handful of houses sold here in this period, so this median can jump sharply from one quarter to the next for reasons that have nothing to do with the market. Treat it as a rough guide, not a settled price.
The monthly mortgage estimate is $2,224, equal to 24.6% of household income, below a typical mortgage-stress threshold and consistent with the suburb's 79th-percentile household income. Buyers are mainly choosing detached stock: 82.2% separate houses, with 46.4% three-bedroom and 36.9% four-bedroom-plus homes. Compared with a more apartment-led market, this supports space-seeking households, while the 27.0% rental share and 7.2% apartment share provide some tenure variety. Check planning controls, access and renovation costs before committing, because larger detached homes can require more upkeep.
For Buyers
The monthly mortgage estimate is $2,224, equal to 24.6% of household income, below a typical mortgage-stress threshold and consistent with the suburb's 79th-percentile household income. Buyers are mainly choosing detached stock: 82.2% separate houses, with 46.4% three-bedroom and 36.9% four-bedroom-plus homes. Compared with a more apartment-led market, this supports space-seeking households, while the 27.0% rental share and 7.2% apartment share provide some tenure variety. Check planning controls, access and renovation costs before committing, because larger detached homes can require more upkeep.
For Investors
Investment conditions are mixed rather than purely yield-led. Weekly rent is $471 and 27.0% of occupied dwellings are rented, while vacancy is 4.3%, so tenant demand should be tested against a less constrained market than one with very low vacancy. Development activity was 10 applications over 12 months, including a new single-storey dwelling and shed permits, which points to incremental rather than large-scale change. Compared with an investor market driven by strong population inflows, migration is labelled Balanced and annual growth is 1.19%, so the case rests more on land content and long-term household demand than on rapid expansion.
Development Activity
Total DAs
10
Last 12 Months
10
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
Demographics
Heatherton's 41 median age is 1 year above national, and the 2.8-person average household is 0.3 higher, reinforcing a family and established-household profile. Couples with children make up 55.5% of families, versus 27.7% couples without children, while 15.0% are one-parent families. Educational attainment is high: 44.1% are university qualified, 14 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents account for 38.4%, 16.8 points above national, with English, Chinese, Irish and Italian among the leading ancestries at 671, 268, 232 and 189 people. Mandarin, Russian and Greek are spoken by 53, 48 and 42 residents. In contrast with nearby Moorabbin and Cheltenham, Heatherton's demographic story is more clearly defined by established households, with 78.1% staying at the same address.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.2%
Houses
10.6%
Townhouse
7.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is mortgage-heavy, with 42.0% paying a mortgage, compared with 29.3% owning outright and 27.0% renting. The dwelling mix is 82.2% separate houses, 10.6% semi-detached and 7.2% apartments. Compared with a rental-dominant suburb, this structure favours owner occupiers and family demand because 46.4% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 36.9% have 4 or more.
Mortgage / mo
$2,224
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$471
Census 2021
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$891
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.3%
Unoccupied
44
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
55.5%
Couples with children
27.7%
Couples, no children
15.0%
Single parent
768
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Heatherton's largest named industry at 19.6% or 201 workers, followed by Professional/Tech at 12.7% or 130, Education at 9.2% or 94, Construction at 8.1% or 83 and Retail at 7.8% or 80. The occupation mix is similarly skilled, led by 377 Professionals and 270 Managers, ahead of 183 Clerical/Admin workers and 158 Trades workers. Labour-force participation is 68.8%, full-time employment is 61.1% and unemployment is 5.3%, while 34.5% work from home. Compared with the national midpoint, a household-income percentile of 79 and SEIFA deciles of 8 for IEO, 8 for IRSD and 8 for IRSAD indicate stronger socioeconomic conditions. IER is slightly lower at decile 7, showing that economic resources are not identical across all measures. This supports stable demand for services and housing, but the 568 people outside the labour force temper the headline income picture.
Unemployment
5.3%
Labour Force
1,548
Unemployed
82
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.1%
Part-time
32.5%
Participation
68.8%
Employed
1,466
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
44.1%
Postgraduate
12.3%
Born Overseas
38.4%
Dwellings
959
Transport to Work
Heatherton is highly car-oriented: 56.1% travel as car drivers, compared with 2.3% using public transport and 2.7% walking or cycling. That pattern suits households with private vehicles, while 34.5% working from home may reduce commuting pressure on some days. The main caution is safety, with 279 recorded offences and a rate of 98.7 per 1,000; property and deception offences account for 176, ahead of justice procedures at 47 and crimes against the person at 42. Compared with its strong socioeconomic standing, reflected in an IRSAD decile of 8 and an IRSD decile of 8, the crime rate is a notable livability concern. Access decisions should weigh street conditions, evening activity and secure parking alongside commute times, because the transport profile is less flexible than a transit-rich suburb.
Drive
56.1%
Public Transport
2.3%
Walk / Cycle
2.7%
Work from Home
34.5%
Growth Outlook
Growth is steady rather than explosive, with an annual trend of 1.19% and population change across the wider area of 14.3% over 10 years. Migration is labelled Balanced, so expansion is not attributed to a single inflow channel. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has increased by 5.9 percentage points while the young share has fallen 3.3 points, which can lift demand for accessible homes and services more than child-focused expansion. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage with a score of 36, while the shift measure records a 31 score and 27.3% rent growth. Compared with the earlier 4% phase, the recorded acceleration to 14% points to firmer momentum, but the aging pattern and 1.19% annual rate argue for measured expectations rather than rapid turnover.
Population trend: Kingston (Vic.) council area
Heatherton sits in the Kingston (Vic.) council area. These are the council area's residents, not Heatherton's.
Residents 2025
168,061
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.6%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.2%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
279
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
98.7
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 Heatherton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Heatherton a good suburb to live in?
Heatherton suits buyers seeking detached homes, established households and space, with 82.2% of dwellings being separate houses and 34.5% working from home. Its IRSAD decile of 8 is a strength, but the 98.7 per 1,000 crime rate deserves careful street-level checking.
What schools are in Heatherton?
There are 0 school campuses listed within Heatherton itself. Families should check nearby government, Catholic and independent options by exact address, because enrolment zones, year levels and travel times can differ across the surrounding area.
Is Heatherton safe?
Heatherton recorded 279 offences at a rate of 98.7 per 1,000. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 176, followed by justice procedures at 47 and crimes against the person at 42, so secure parking and street-level inspection are sensible.
How is Heatherton's population changing?
Heatherton has 2,826 residents today, with an annual growth trend of 1.19% and population change across the wider area of 14.3% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.9 points and the young share down 3.3 points.
What languages are spoken in Heatherton?
Heatherton is overseas-born at 38.4%, or 16.8 percentage points above national. Mandarin is spoken by 53 residents, Russian by 48, Greek by 42, Cantonese by 25 and Italian by 22, alongside English as the leading ancestry.
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).
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