Heidelberg Heights
A median age of 35 sits a full 5.0 years below the national figure, an unusually young profile for a suburb where the median house price has reached $1,172,500. The youth skew is driven by a 42.8% renter base, well above the typical owner-occupier mix, paired with a 10.8% vacancy rate that signals plenty of rental stock turning over. University qualifications run at 50.5%, which is 20.4 points above national, while 30.6% of residents were born overseas, 9.0 points above national. House prices have climbed 118.8% from $536,000 in 2013 to today, a compound rate of 5.8% a year over 14 years.
Population
6,758
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,817/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
33
Median House
$1.2M
Apr-Jun 2024
At $1,172,500 the median house sits well above most outer-Melbourne markets, yet the price path has been volatile rather than steady: it dipped from $1,050,000 in late 2023 to $995,000 in early 2024 before rebounding to the current figure. The stock favours families chasing space, with 61.9% separate houses and just 4.7% apartments, and three-bedroom homes the most common at 46.4% against 35.8% for two-bedroom. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $2,167 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.5%, below the 30% stress threshold despite household income only in the 65.5th percentile. That manageable ratio reflects a higher share of established owners, with 24.4% owning outright versus 32.8% still paying down a loan.
For Buyers
At $1,172,500 the median house sits well above most outer-Melbourne markets, yet the price path has been volatile rather than steady: it dipped from $1,050,000 in late 2023 to $995,000 in early 2024 before rebounding to the current figure. The stock favours families chasing space, with 61.9% separate houses and just 4.7% apartments, and three-bedroom homes the most common at 46.4% against 35.8% for two-bedroom. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $2,167 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.5%, below the 30% stress threshold despite household income only in the 65.5th percentile. That manageable ratio reflects a higher share of established owners, with 24.4% owning outright versus 32.8% still paying down a loan.
For Investors
A 42.8% renter share, far higher than the owner-heavy national norm, gives landlords a deep tenant pool, and weekly rent of $381 against the $1,172,500 median implies a gross yield near 1.7%, low by Melbourne standards. The 10.8% vacancy rate is the bigger warning, pointing to genuine oversupply rather than tight demand, so rent escalation is unlikely to come easily. Development is modest at 27 applications in 12 months, mostly two-dwelling builds on General Residential Zone lots rather than large projects, which limits fresh supply pressure. With rent-to-income at 21.0%, tenants have room to absorb increases, but the combination of sub-2% yield and elevated vacancy means returns here lean on capital growth more than cash flow.
Development Activity
Total DAs
51
Last 12 Months
33
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+266.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 35 is 5.0 years below national, and the family mix explains it: couples with children (1,994) outnumber couples without (1,341) across 4,855 families, a younger household structure than older established suburbs. Overseas-born residents reach 30.6%, which is 9.0 points above national, and ancestry leans English (1,845), Irish (722) and Italian (659), with Mandarin (96), Greek (90) and Arabic (66) the leading non-English languages. University qualifications at 50.5% sit 20.4 points above national, helping explain why Professionals (1,214) dominate the workforce. Average household size is 2.3, just 0.2 below national, and turnover runs at 27.1%, meaning roughly seven in ten residents stayed put over the period.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
61.9%
Houses
33.4%
Townhouse
4.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward renters at 42.8%, ahead of the 32.8% paying a mortgage and 24.4% owning outright, an unusual split for a house-dominated suburb and the reason the resident profile skews young. Separate houses make up 61.9% of stock with apartments at only 4.7% and semi-detached homes 33.4%, while three-bedroom dwellings lead at 46.4% against 14.0% with four or more bedrooms. The median has risen 118.8% from $536,000 in 2013 to $1,172,500, a compound 5.8% a year, though the recent path swung from $995,000 to the current peak in two quarters. Mortgage-to-income at 27.5% and rent-to-income at 21.0% both stay under the 30% stress line, a sign affordability is tighter on entry price than on ongoing repayments.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$381
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$923
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.8%
Unoccupied
332
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.6%
Couples, no children
4,855
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare anchors the local workforce at 22.2% (603 workers), nearly double the next sector, with Education at 12.3% (336) and Professional/Tech at 11.7% (318), a concentration that reflects proximity to major hospital and university institutions. By occupation, Professionals (1,214) and Managers (478) lead, consistent with university qualifications running 20.4 points above national. Unemployment sits at 5.4% with a full-time rate of 64.1% and participation at 62.0%, the latter held down by 1,557 residents not in the labour force. Household income reaches only the 65.5th percentile despite the educated workforce, a gap that the high 42.8% renter share helps explain, since renting households tend to report lower aggregate wealth than owners.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.1%
Part-time
30.5%
Participation
62.0%
Employed
3,306
Occupations
Top Industries
University
50.5%
Postgraduate
15.7%
Born Overseas
30.6%
Dwellings
2,753
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high, with 85.2% driving to work and only 4.7% using public transport, while 6.1% walk or cycle, a reliance typical of a low-density residential pocket at 3,238 residents per km2. The main livability drag is safety: the crime rate of 107.4 per 1,000 residents covers 726 recorded offences, dominated by property and deception offences (424) with crimes against the person far lower at 113. Volunteering runs at 12.8% and 7.0% of residents (445 people) need daily assistance. No schools are recorded inside the 2.09 km2 boundary, so families rely on neighbouring suburbs, though the educated base, with university qualifications 20.4 points above national, points to strong demand for nearby schooling.
Drive
85.2%
Public Transport
4.7%
Walk / Cycle
6.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
726
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
107.4
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 Heidelberg Heights compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Heidelberg Heights a good suburb to live in?
Heidelberg Heights suits younger families, with a median age of 35, a full 5.0 years below national, and university qualifications at 50.5%, which is 20.4 points above national. The main trade-offs are a crime rate of 107.4 per 1,000 residents and a high renter share of 42.8%.
What is the median house price in Heidelberg Heights?
The median house price is $1,172,500 as of Apr-Jun 2024, up 118.8% from $536,000 in 2013, a compound 5.8% a year over 14 years. Weekly rent averages $381 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.5%, below the stress threshold.
What schools are in Heidelberg Heights?
No schools are recorded inside the 2.09 km2 Heidelberg Heights boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local base is highly educated, with university qualifications at 50.5%, which is 20.4 points above the national figure.
Is Heidelberg Heights safe?
The crime rate is 107.4 per 1,000 residents, covering 726 recorded offences. Property and deception offences dominate at 424, while crimes against the person are far lower at 113. The mix suggests theft and similar offences are the main concern rather than violent crime.
Is Heidelberg Heights good for property investment?
Rent of $381 a week against a $1,172,500 median gives a gross yield near 1.7%, low for Melbourne, and the 10.8% vacancy rate signals oversupply. A 42.8% renter base supports demand, but with only 27 development applications a year, returns lean on capital growth over yield.
How is Heidelberg Heights's population changing?
The current population is 6,758 at a density of 3,238 per km2 across 2.09 km2, leaving little room to expand outward. The young median age of 35, 5.0 years below national, plus 27 infill development applications in 12 months, points to gradual density growth rather than sprawl.
What languages are spoken in Heidelberg Heights?
About 30.6% of residents were born overseas, 9.0 points above the national figure. English is dominant, with Mandarin (96 speakers), Greek (90), Arabic (66) and Italian (66) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a moderately international resident mix.
How much development is happening in Heidelberg Heights?
There were 27 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, modest for the suburb. Most are two-dwelling builds on General Residential Zone lots rather than large projects, consistent with gradual infill across the compact 2.09 km2 area at 3,238 residents per km2.
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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