Hove
A median house price of $1,550,000 in a suburb covering just 1.18 square kilometres signals premium land scarcity, and Hove's resident profile matches that price point. The median age is 51, which is 11 years above the national figure, and 42% of households own their homes outright, pointing to a long-settled, equity-rich base. University qualifications reach 41.4%, some 11.3 percentage points above national. The ownership structure explains why turnover is low at 21.4% annually, and why, despite a 24.6% renter share, vacancy sits at 8.4%.
Population
3,189
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,479/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
23
Median House
$1.6M
Median 1Q 2026
The median house price reached $1,550,000 in the first quarter of 2026, up from $1,138,000 in the first quarter of 2025, a 36.2% rise in 12 months. Separate houses make up 60.1% of stock, with semi-detached dwellings at 28.9% and apartments at only 10.1%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 44.8% of dwellings, followed by two-bedroom at 28.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,991, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.1%, which crosses the standard 30% stress threshold. Buyers compete in a low-turnover market where 42% of homes are owned outright, meaning few owners are forced sellers, which helps sustain prices above comparable coastal suburbs.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $1,550,000 in the first quarter of 2026, up from $1,138,000 in the first quarter of 2025, a 36.2% rise in 12 months. Separate houses make up 60.1% of stock, with semi-detached dwellings at 28.9% and apartments at only 10.1%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 44.8% of dwellings, followed by two-bedroom at 28.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,991, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 31.1%, which crosses the standard 30% stress threshold. Buyers compete in a low-turnover market where 42% of homes are owned outright, meaning few owners are forced sellers, which helps sustain prices above comparable coastal suburbs.
For Investors
Weekly rent averages $328, giving a gross yield well below 2% against the $1,550,000 median, so the investment case rests on capital growth rather than income. Renters account for 24.6% of households and vacancy sits at 8.4%, elevated above typical metro levels, suggesting more supply than immediate demand. Development reached 22 applications in 12 months, mostly owner-occupier reinvestment rather than new rental supply. The 36.2% price rise in one year is a notable capital growth signal, though only two data points exist, so the trend requires monitoring before treating it as a sustained rate.
Development Activity
Total DAs
210
Last 12 Months
23
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-32.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hove iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
McAuley Community School
R-6 · 451 students
Demographics
The median age of 51 runs 11 years above the national figure, and the household profile matches: 32.1% of families are couples without children, and average household size is 2.2, which is 0.3 below national. Overseas-born residents reach 22.7%, just 1.1 percentage points above national. Ancestry is led by English (1,477 residents), Irish (361), Scottish (342) and German (207). University qualifications at 41.4% are 11.3 percentage points above national, consistent with the Professionals-led occupation mix. The volunteering rate of 20.2% is high, pointing to a civically engaged, long-tenured resident base rather than a high-turnover population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
60.1%
Houses
28.9%
Townhouse
10.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure skews strongly toward ownership: 42% own outright, 33.4% carry a mortgage, and only 24.6% rent, a split that reflects long-held wealth more than recent leveraged buying. Stock is 60.1% separate houses, 28.9% semi-detached, and only 10.1% apartments. The median price rose from $1,138,000 to $1,550,000 between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026, a 36.2% move. Mortgage-to-income sits at 31.1%, just above the 30% stress threshold, though the large outright-owner cohort faces no repayment burden. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 44.8%, with four-plus at 22.1%, suggesting family-sized stock is being held rather than turned over.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,991
Rent / wk
$328
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$778
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.4%
Unoccupied
120
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.1% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.1%
Couples, no children
2,297
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 21.7% of local workers (220 people), ahead of Education at 14.0% (142) and Professional/Tech at 12.6% (128). Professionals dominate occupations at 434 workers, followed by Managers (199) and Clerical/Admin (187). Unemployment is 3.7%, below the national rate, but the participation rate of 50.6% is low because 1,189 residents sit outside the labour force, a figure proportionally high for a suburb of 3,189, driven by the median age of 51 and a large retired cohort. Weekly personal income averages $778, placing household income around the 46th percentile nationally, lower than the premium house prices would suggest.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.2%
Part-time
40.1%
Participation
50.6%
Employed
1,335
Occupations
Top Industries
University
41.4%
Postgraduate
10.6%
Born Overseas
22.7%
Dwellings
1,310
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 84.1%, with public transport used by only 6.8% of commuters, reflecting the low-density coastal footprint. Crime totals 115 incidents at 36.1 per 1,000 residents, a modest count for a suburb of 3,189 people. No schools are recorded within the Hove boundary, so families depend on neighbouring suburbs. Rent-to-income at 22.2% keeps tenants below the 30% stress threshold, contrasting with the 31.1% mortgage-to-income ratio that burdens buyers. The need-for-assistance rate of 10.1% (311 residents) is above expectations for a premium suburb, but reflects the median age of 51 rather than economic disadvantage, since household income sits around the 46th percentile nationally.
Drive
84.1%
Public Transport
6.8%
Walk / Cycle
3.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
115
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
36.1
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Hove compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hove a good suburb to live in?
Hove suits established households seeking a quiet coastal lifestyle. The median age is 51, some 11 years above national, and 42% of residents own their homes outright, signalling long-term stability. The crime rate is 36.1 per 1,000 residents, relatively low for a suburb of 3,189 people. The main trade-offs are a high $1,550,000 median price and limited public transport at 6.8% of commuters.
What is the median house price in Hove?
The median house price is $1,550,000 as of the first quarter of 2026, up 36.2% from $1,138,000 in the first quarter of 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,991, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 31.1%. Weekly rent averages $328 for those who rent rather than purchase.
What schools are in Hove?
No schools are recorded within the Hove boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with 41.4% holding university qualifications, which is 11.3 percentage points above the national figure, suggesting strong demand for quality schooling nearby.
Is Hove safe?
Hove recorded 115 total crime incidents, equating to a rate of 36.1 per 1,000 residents. This is a modest absolute count for a suburb of 3,189 people. Detailed crime category data is not available in this dataset, but the low population density of 2,708 residents per square kilometre and high ownership rate of 42% outright ownership are associated with low-crime area profiles.
Is Hove good for property investment?
Capital growth has been strong: the median price rose 36.2% from $1,138,000 to $1,550,000 in one year. However, weekly rent of $328 against a $1,550,000 median implies a gross yield below 2%, which is low. The 8.4% vacancy rate and narrow 24.6% renter base limit income upside, so returns depend on sustained price growth rather than rental yield.
How is Hove's population changing?
Hove has 3,189 residents across 1.18 square kilometres. The median age of 51 is 11 years above the national figure, pointing to an aging trajectory. The low turnover rate of 21.4% and high outright-ownership rate of 42% indicate a stable, long-resident population with gradual change rather than rapid demographic shifts. Development applications of 22 in 12 months show incremental activity.
How much development is happening in Hove?
There were 22 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Recent samples include a single-storey detached dwelling, signage variations, and a pool installation. Activity is typical of an established suburb with limited vacant land, where reinvestment in existing properties outpaces new supply by a wide margin.
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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