Highett
Highett's standout trait is high earning, educated density: 12,016 residents fit into 3.69 sq km, with household income in the 80.1 percentile and university attainment 20.3 percentage points above the national level. Compared with Cheltenham's larger activity centre and Hampton East's more residential feel, Highett reads as a compact rail and retail catchment with a stronger professional tilt. The $1,450,000 median house price is high because 53.3% of dwellings remain separate houses while apartment supply is 17.2%.
Population
12,016
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,119/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
29
Median House
$1.4M
Apr-Jun 2024
For homebuyers, Highett suits buyers who want Bayside access but still value a house or townhouse format: 53.3% of dwellings are separate houses and 28.6% are semi detached, so it is not apartment heavy. The median house price was $1,450,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, 8.5% below the 2021 peak of $1,585,000 after a 93.3% rise from 2013. Mortgage payments take 25.1% of income, so pressure is moderated by household income sitting above the national average.
For Buyers
For homebuyers, Highett suits buyers who want Bayside access but still value a house or townhouse format: 53.3% of dwellings are separate houses and 28.6% are semi detached, so it is not apartment heavy. The median house price was $1,450,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, 8.5% below the 2021 peak of $1,585,000 after a 93.3% rise from 2013. Mortgage payments take 25.1% of income, so pressure is moderated by household income sitting above the national average.
For Investors
Investors face a mixed picture. Renting accounts for 28.0% of households and the median rent is $430 a week, while rents have risen 39.3% through the recent shift period. The caution is vacancy at 8.3%, which can soften near term tenant competition even when incomes are strong. Only 14 development applications were lodged over 12 months, so supply pressure looks contained compared with larger renewal markets, and overseas migration is the main demand support.
Development Activity
Total DAs
48
Last 12 Months
29
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+123.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Highett iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Agnes' School
Prep-6 · 164 students
Demographics
Highett's median age is 40, matching the national comparison at 0.0 years difference, but education and migration stand out. University attainment is 50.4%, 20.3 percentage points above national, and 31.2% of residents were born overseas, 9.6 points above national. English ancestry leads with 4,119 people, followed by Irish at 1,509 and Scottish at 1,241. Mandarin and Greek each sit around 145 speakers, adding small but visible migrant threads to an otherwise professional household base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
53.3%
Houses
28.6%
Townhouse
17.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is split between ownership stability and renewal. Owner occupiers dominate, with 30.9% owned outright and 41.1% mortgaged compared with 28.0% renting. Prices have compounded at 4.8% a year over 14 years, from $750,000 in 2013 to $1,450,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, but the latest median remains 8.5% below the 2021 peak. The 35.0% share of 2 bedroom homes and 38.2% of 3 bedroom homes explains the townhouse friendly feel near the rail corridor.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,300
Rent / wk
$430
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,026
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.3%
Unoccupied
440
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.1%
Couples, no children
9,515
Total families
Economy & Employment
Highett's workforce leans white collar and service based. Professional/Tech and Healthcare each account for 15.2% of workers, followed by Education at 11.5%, Construction at 9.2% and Finance at 7.7%. Professionals number 1,967 and Managers 1,241, which helps explain household income in the 80.1 percentile. Unemployment is 4.5% with 64.4% participation. SEIFA is consistently above average: IEO decile 8, IRSAD decile 8 and IER decile 7.
Unemployment
4.5%
Labour Force
7,753
Unemployed
350
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.9%
Part-time
28.6%
Participation
64.4%
Employed
6,035
Occupations
Top Industries
University
50.4%
Postgraduate
13.3%
Born Overseas
31.2%
Dwellings
4,829
Transport to Work
Daily life is car led but compact. Car driving accounts for 82.8% of commuting, compared with 6.7% by public transport and 5.9% walking or cycling, so station access helps but most households still plan around parking. School choice inside the boundary is limited to 1 school: St Agnes' School, a Catholic primary with 164 enrolments and an ICSEA range of 1098 to 1098. Safety needs checking by street, with 86.3 offences per 1,000 residents and 643 property and deception offences, while IRSAD decile 8 sits above average.
Drive
82.8%
Public Transport
6.7%
Walk / Cycle
5.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.3%/yr
(+173 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than speculative. The forecast trend adds 1.3% a year, or about 173 people annually, lifting the medium scenario from 13,369 in 2026 to 14,232 in 2031. Overseas migration is the primary driver, adding an average 167 people a year while internal migration subtracts 42, so new demand is more global than local. The gentrification score is 24 with an Early signs stage, lower than an advanced renewal market, while the broader shift trajectory is Stable.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+167
Net Internal / yr
-42
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +26% since 2011, Accelerating: 9% → 16%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,037
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
86.3
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 Highett compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Highett a good suburb to live in?
Yes, Highett is strong for households wanting a compact bayside area with high incomes and education. It has 12,016 residents, household income in the 80.1 percentile and university attainment 20.3 percentage points above national.
What is the median house price in Highett?
The median house price in Highett was $1,450,000 in Apr-Jun 2024. That is 8.5% below the 2021 peak of $1,585,000, but still 93.3% higher than the $750,000 recorded in 2013.
What schools are in Highett?
Highett has 1 school within the suburb boundary: St Agnes' School, a Catholic primary school with 164 enrolments and an ICSEA of 1098. Families may also look beyond the boundary for broader secondary options.
Is Highett safe?
Highett recorded 1,037 offences, equal to 86.3 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 643, so buyers should compare individual streets and building security.
Is Highett good for property investment?
Highett has investment appeal from a 28.0% rental share, $430 median weekly rent and 39.3% rent growth. The main caution is the 8.3% vacancy rate, which can reduce urgency among tenants.
How is Highett's population changing?
Highett is forecast to grow by 1.3% a year, or about 173 people annually. The medium scenario rises from 13,369 in 2026 to 14,232 in 2031, driven mainly by overseas migration averaging 167 people a year.
What languages are spoken in Highett?
English is dominant, but 31.2% of residents were born overseas. The largest non-English language groups include Mandarin with 145 speakers, Greek with 144, Russian with 96, Canton with 49 and Italian with 47.
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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