Hillside
Detached homes dominate Hillside, with 88.1% separate houses and 55.8% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms, far above the 2.3% apartment share. The suburb holds 17,331 residents at a median age of 36, with household income in the 83.4 percentile nationally. Compared with station-focused Sydenham and nearby Taylors Hill, Hillside reads as more car-reliant because 90.1% of commuters drive while only 2.8% use public transport. Overseas-born residents make up 31.2%, above the national benchmark by 9.6 points.
Population
17,331
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,190/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Hillside suits buyers seeking larger family housing rather than compact stock: 55.8% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 88.1% are separate houses, well above the 2.3% apartment share. A current median house price is not available, so affordability is better read through repayments: the typical mortgage is $1,900 per month and mortgage costs take 20.0% of income, below common stress thresholds. Owner commitment is strong, with 53.4% mortgaged and 31.5% owned outright, because the suburb is built around long-stay family households.
For Buyers
Hillside suits buyers seeking larger family housing rather than compact stock: 55.8% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 88.1% are separate houses, well above the 2.3% apartment share. A current median house price is not available, so affordability is better read through repayments: the typical mortgage is $1,900 per month and mortgage costs take 20.0% of income, below common stress thresholds. Owner commitment is strong, with 53.4% mortgaged and 31.5% owned outright, because the suburb is built around long-stay family households.
For Investors
The rental pool is relatively thin because only 15.0% of households rent, lower than the 84.9% combined owner and mortgage base. Weekly rent sits at $380 and the vacancy rate is 3.3%, so investors face less tenant depth than in higher-renting suburbs. However, rent growth of 26.7% points to pressure in the existing stock, and 0 recorded developments in the past 12 months limits new supply. Demand is likely to be family-led because 55.8% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms.
Schools in Hillside iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Cana Catholic Primary School
Prep-6 · 508 students
Parkwood Green Primary School
Prep-6 · 495 students
Demographics
Hillside is younger and more family-weighted than the national profile: the median age is 36, which is 4.0 years below the national benchmark, and the average household size is 3.2, or 0.7 higher. University attainment is 33.7%, 3.6 percentage points above national, while 31.2% were born overseas, 9.6 points above national. English, Italian, Maltese and Greek ancestry counts are substantial, with Italian at 2,326 and Maltese at 1,922, because postwar European settlement patterns still shape local households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.1%
Houses
9.5%
Townhouse
2.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Hillside's housing stock is overwhelmingly detached and family-sized: 88.1% separate houses, 9.5% semi-detached homes and only 2.3% apartments. Four or more bedrooms make up 55.8% of dwellings, higher than the 41.4% share for 3-bedroom homes, which explains the suburb's appeal to larger households. Ownership is deep, with 31.5% owned outright and 53.4% mortgaged, while renting is 15.0%. With household income at $2,190 weekly and mortgage costs at 20.0% of income, repayment pressure is below stress levels.
Mortgage / mo
$1,900
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$805
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.3%
Unoccupied
183
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
14.9%
Couples, no children
15,701
Total families
Economy & Employment
Local workers are spread across service and trade-linked sectors, led by healthcare at 14.2% and construction at 14.0%, followed by education at 12.1%, retail at 8.3% and manufacturing at 7.2%. The occupation mix is above a purely blue-collar profile because professionals number 1,615, ahead of clerical and admin roles at 1,458 and managers at 1,011. Labour force participation is 65.0%, unemployment is 5.7% and full-time work is 64.7%, supporting household income in the 83.4 percentile nationally.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
10,477
Unemployed
374
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.7%
Part-time
29.6%
Participation
65.0%
Employed
8,555
Occupations
Top Industries
University
33.7%
Postgraduate
6.9%
Born Overseas
31.2%
Dwellings
5,341
Transport to Work
Hillside works best for car-based households because 90.1% of commuters drive, compared with only 2.8% using public transport and 0.6% walking or cycling. There are 0 schools within the suburb boundary, so education trips generally depend on neighbouring suburbs rather than a walk-up local campus. Safety is the main caution: 642 offences were recorded, with a reported rate of 2213.8 per 1,000 and property and deception offences at 343. Livability is therefore higher for families prioritising space over transit access.
Drive
90.1%
Public Transport
2.8%
Walk / Cycle
0.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.75%/yr
(+121 people/yr)
EstablishedHillside is growing slowly rather than rapidly: the forecast trend is 0.75% a year, or about 121 people annually, below a high-growth fringe pattern. The medium scenario lifts population from 16,903 in 2026 to 17,507 in 2031. Migration explains the restrained outlook because overseas migration adds 124 people a year while internal migration subtracts 297. The gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, while the broader shift is aging, with senior share up 5.5 points and young share down 7.7 points.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+124
Net Internal / yr
-297
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -297/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
642
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
2213.8
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 Hillside compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hillside (Melton - Vic.) a good suburb to live in?
Hillside is a good fit for households wanting space, with 88.1% separate houses and 55.8% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms. It is less suited to car-free living because 90.1% of commuters drive and only 2.8% use public transport.
What is the median house price in Hillside (Melton - Vic.)?
A current median house price is not available for Hillside (Melton - Vic.). The suburb still shows a mortgage-belt profile, with the typical mortgage at $1,900 per month and 53.4% of homes carrying a mortgage.
What schools are in Hillside (Melton - Vic.)?
There are 0 schools inside Hillside's suburb boundary, so families usually assess campuses in nearby suburbs. This makes school runs more car-based than a suburb with a local campus, consistent with 90.1% of commuters driving.
Is Hillside (Melton - Vic.) safe?
Safety is a watch point. Hillside recorded 642 offences, including 343 property and deception offences and 122 crimes against the person. The reported crime rate of 2213.8 per 1,000 is a higher-risk signal.
Is Hillside (Melton - Vic.) good for property investment?
Hillside can suit investors seeking family-house rentals, but the rental market is smaller because only 15.0% of households rent. Weekly rent is $380, vacancy is 3.3% and rent growth has been 26.7%.
How is Hillside (Melton - Vic.)'s population changing?
Population growth is modest, forecast at 0.75% a year or about 121 people annually. The medium scenario reaches 17,507 by 2031, with overseas migration adding 124 people a year and internal migration subtracting 297.
What languages are spoken in Hillside (Melton - Vic.)?
Hillside has an above-national overseas-born share at 31.2%. Common non-English language counts include Arabic at 320, Punjabi at 253, Macedon at 241, Italian at 227 and Greek at 196.
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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