Hurstbridge
A 32.2% work-from-home share gives Hurstbridge a distinctive outer-corridor profile, alongside 3,554 residents and a median age of 41, which is 1.0 year above the national comparison. Household income sits at the 82.7th percentile, while 97.5% of dwellings are separate houses and 36.0% are owned outright. Compared with Eltham and Diamond Creek, Hurstbridge presents a more detached, established housing choice because long-term occupancy is high at 87.8% and car travel dominates. The trade-off is slow growth, with the annual trend at -0.28%, even as 52.9% of households carry a mortgage.
Population
3,554
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,168/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
19
Median House
$970K
October to December 2025
Housing is overwhelmingly detached at 97.5%, with 48.0% three-bedroom and 40.3% four-bedroom-plus homes. A $2,000 monthly mortgage equals 21.3% of household income and is not flagged as mortgage stress, but 52.9% mortgage tenure means rate changes still matter. Compared with smaller-home markets, the appeal is family-scale space because larger detached homes dominate.
For Buyers
Housing is overwhelmingly detached at 97.5%, with 48.0% three-bedroom and 40.3% four-bedroom-plus homes. A $2,000 monthly mortgage equals 21.3% of household income and is not flagged as mortgage stress, but 52.9% mortgage tenure means rate changes still matter. Compared with smaller-home markets, the appeal is family-scale space because larger detached homes dominate.
For Investors
Investor conditions are mixed. Only 10.6% of households rent, against 36.0% owned outright and 52.9% with a mortgage, so the tenant pool is smaller than in a renter-heavy market. Weekly rent is $420 and vacancy is 5.6%, which may make leasing conditions less tight than in a low-vacancy suburb. Rent growth of 55.0% is higher than the 9.8% real-income growth indicator, supporting past rental momentum but also raising affordability concerns. Sixteen development applications in 12 months indicate measured planning activity, including a public open-space redevelopment and a one-dwelling permit. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, which may broaden demand compared with a market reliant only on local turnover.
Development Activity
Total DAs
26
Last 12 Months
19
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+280.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Hurstbridge
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Hurstbridge Primary School
Demographics
At 41, Hurstbridge's median age is 1.0 year above national, and average household size is 2.8, or 0.3 above the national comparison. University attainment is 37.0%, 6.9 percentage points higher than national, while overseas-born residents are 12.2%, 9.4 points below national. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 1,496, 593 and 501, with German ancestry adding 194. No religion is recorded for 2,110 residents, compared with 1,177 identifying with Christianity. The profile is settled because 87.8% stayed at the same address and volunteering reaches 19.1%, helping explain the suburb's established social character.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.5%
Houses
2.5%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is concentrated among owners, with 36.0% owning outright and 52.9% paying a mortgage; only 10.6% rent. The stock is strongly detached, with 97.5% separate houses, 48.0% three-bedroom homes and 40.3% with four or more bedrooms. Because space is concentrated in houses, Hurstbridge differs from apartment-oriented markets, while the 21.3% mortgage-to-income ratio remains below the stress flag.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $420.
$560
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $570 · units $490
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$898
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.6%
Unoccupied
72
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
51.9%
Couples with children
33.1%
Couples, no children
14.3%
Single parent
1,022
Total families
Economy & Employment
Hurstbridge has a high-income, mixed employment base. Household income sits at the 82.7th percentile, while labour-force participation is 69.9%, unemployment is 3.9% and 56.3% of employed residents work full-time. Construction leads local industries at 17.4%, followed by healthcare at 17.1%, education at 15.5%, public administration at 8.9% and professional or technical work at 8.1%. Occupations include 486 professionals, 377 trades workers, 261 managers, 232 clerical or administrative workers and 217 community or personal service workers. SEIFA results are above average across all four measures: IEO decile 8, IER decile 9, IRSD decile 9 and IRSAD decile 8. This mix supports both skilled and practical occupations because the local economy is not dependent on one industry.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
1,992
Unemployed
78
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.3%
Part-time
37.1%
Participation
69.9%
Employed
1,914
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.0%
Postgraduate
8.9%
Born Overseas
12.2%
Dwellings
1,216
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-led because 62.0% of residents drive to work, compared with 2.2% using public transport and 1.4% walking or cycling; 32.2% work from home. Hurstbridge Primary School is the local government primary school, so families should check enrolment zones and secondary options against the exact address. Recorded crime totals 113 offences, or 31.8 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences number 56, higher than justice procedures offences at 41 and crimes against the person at 11. IRSAD sits at decile 8 and IRSD at decile 9, indicating stronger socioeconomic conditions than lower-decile areas. Compared with a transit-oriented suburb, the practical trade-off is greater car reliance, balanced by established housing and local open-space planning activity.
Drive
62.0%
Public Transport
2.2%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
32.2%
Population Forecast
-0.28%/yr
(-10 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is slow rather than expansionary. The annual trend is -0.28%, below zero, while population change across the wider area is 1.1% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, but the trajectory is labelled Aging: the senior share rose 7.1 percentage points, the young share fell 1.6 points and the working share declined 3.1 points. Affordability is labelled Worsening, moving from 40.8 in 2011 to 46.8 in 2021, while rent growth of 55.0% was higher than real-income growth of 9.8%. The current gentrification label is score 0, Not gentrifying, although the shift indicators record score 37 and Early signs. These signals point to an established suburb with below-zero annual momentum rather than rapid expansion.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+13
Net Internal / yr
-46
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
113
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
31.8
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 Hurstbridge compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hurstbridge a good suburb to live in?
Hurstbridge suits buyers seeking detached housing, space and a settled community: 97.5% of homes are separate houses, 32.2% of residents work from home and 87.8% stayed at the same address. Its median age of 41 is 1.0 year above national, while car use at 62.0% is higher than public transport at 2.2%.
What schools are in Hurstbridge?
Hurstbridge Primary School is the local government primary school in the suburb. Families should compare enrolment zones and secondary options against the exact address, because 1 local school does not describe every pathway. Hurstbridge has 3,554 residents, and access can differ compared with larger nearby centres.
Is Hurstbridge safe?
Recorded crime was 113 offences, equal to 31.8 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences numbered 56, higher than justice procedures offences at 41 and crimes against the person at 11. Compare the exact street and current local reports before deciding, as suburb-wide figures cannot guarantee conditions at every address.
Is Hurstbridge good for property investment?
Investment may suit a long-term strategy, but the profile is not built around a large rental pool: 10.6% of households rent, weekly rent is $420 and vacancy is 5.6%. Rent growth of 55.0% is higher than the 9.8% real-income growth indicator, while 16 development applications indicate measured activity compared with a high-volume growth market.
How is Hurstbridge's population changing?
Hurstbridge is on an aging, slow-growth path. The annual trend is -0.28%, below zero, while population change across the wider area is 1.1% over 10 years. The senior share rose 7.1 percentage points, the young share fell 1.6 points and overseas migration is the primary driver, suggesting steadier demand compared with an expansionary corridor.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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