Killara
A median age of 31, nine years below the national figure, tells the central story in Killara: this is a suburb still in the process of being built out, drawing young families into 4-plus bedroom detached houses. Every single dwelling in the suburb is a separate house (100%), and 77% carry 4 or more bedrooms, figures well above state and national norms. Household income sits in the 87.4th percentile nationally despite SEIFA indexes that land in the mid-range, a combination pointing to working professionals on strong wages rather than inherited wealth. Population grew 34.1% over the decade and the gentrification score reads Active at 57, with internal migration of 486 people per year driving demand.
Population
1,485
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,273/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
No median house price is recorded in the current dataset for Killara, but the housing profile shapes the purchase context clearly. Every dwelling is a separate house, and 77% of those have 4 or more bedrooms, meaning buyers are competing in a family-home market with no apartment or semi-detached alternative. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733 and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 17.6%, below the 30% stress threshold, which suggests current borrowers are carrying affordable debt loads relative to household income in the 87.4th percentile nationally. Rent runs $400 per week, providing a rental alternative for those not yet ready to buy. The 63% mortgage holder rate, compared to just 16.4% who own outright, confirms this is an active buying market rather than an established, debt-free one.
For Buyers
No median house price is recorded in the current dataset for Killara, but the housing profile shapes the purchase context clearly. Every dwelling is a separate house, and 77% of those have 4 or more bedrooms, meaning buyers are competing in a family-home market with no apartment or semi-detached alternative. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733 and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 17.6%, below the 30% stress threshold, which suggests current borrowers are carrying affordable debt loads relative to household income in the 87.4th percentile nationally. Rent runs $400 per week, providing a rental alternative for those not yet ready to buy. The 63% mortgage holder rate, compared to just 16.4% who own outright, confirms this is an active buying market rather than an established, debt-free one.
For Investors
The rental vacancy rate of 3.3% sits at a level that gives landlords modest pricing power, and weekly rent of $400 targets the family-home segment given that 77% of stock has 4 or more bedrooms. Internal migration averages 486 people per year and overseas migration adds 104, supporting consistent tenant demand. Population grew 34.1% over the decade and the annual growth rate of 2.05% produces roughly 490 new residents each year, which exceeds the pace of many comparable regional areas. Rent grew 37% over the period, a real increase after accounting for inflation. The 20.7% renter share is lower than metro averages, reflecting that this is primarily an owner-occupier market, which limits tenant pool depth but reduces vacancy competition among investors.
Development Activity
Total DAs
3
Last 12 Months
0
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-100.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 31 is 9 years below the national figure, driven by a high share of couples with children: 831 families with children versus only 283 couples without. Average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above national, consistent with the family-focused profile. Overseas-born residents represent just 9.7% of the population, which is 11.9 percentage points below national, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic with English (633), Irish (159) and Scottish (136) leading. University qualifications at 27.2% track 2.9 points below the national average, while the full-time employment rate of 71.6% and low unemployment of 3.4% indicate a workforce that is productively employed even without high tertiary attainment. Volunteering reaches 12%, a marker of community participation.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is entirely separate houses, a 100% concentration that is rare nationally and makes Killara a pure detached-home market. Within that, 4-plus bedroom dwellings account for 77% of stock, with 3-bedroom homes at 17.3% and 2-bedroom homes at just 5%, confirming that smaller-format options are nearly absent. Tenure favours mortgage holders at 63%, well above the outright-owner share of 16.4%, which reflects the suburb's younger demographic building equity over time rather than debt-free ownership. The rent-to-income ratio of 17.6% and mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.6% are both comfortable compared to metros, sitting below the 30% stress threshold. The 20.7% renter share is below the national average, pointing to a predominantly owner-occupier community.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,068
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.3%
Unoccupied
17
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
21.6%
Couples, no children
1,311
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 21.9% (125 workers), followed by Construction at 14.9% (85), Public Administration at 14% (80), and Education at 13.3% (76). This concentration in services and public sector is consistent with a regional centre profile rather than a purely residential suburb. By occupation, Professionals lead at 166 workers, followed by Community and Personal service workers at 115 and Clerical and Admin at 92, with Managers at 80. The unemployment rate of 3.4% is low and the participation rate of 73.8% is healthy. SEIFA places the suburb at IRSD decile 6 and IRSAD decile 5, mid-range nationally, but the IER score at decile 8 reflects stronger economic resources than the disadvantage index suggests, because household incomes sit in the 87.4th percentile.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
12,023
Unemployed
456
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
71.6%
Part-time
25.0%
Participation
73.8%
Employed
737
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.2%
Postgraduate
5.1%
Born Overseas
9.7%
Dwellings
497
Transport to Work
Car dependency is extreme in Killara, with 95.3% of residents driving to work compared to the national average, and only 1% walking or cycling. Public transport data is not recorded, consistent with a lower-density regional setting at 898 people per km2. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families depend on facilities in nearby areas. The crime rate of 45.8 incidents per 1,000 residents is driven primarily by property and deception offences (29 incidents) and justice procedures offences (24 incidents). On IRSAD, Killara falls in decile 5, a national mid-point, and the housing stress indicators are favourable: mortgage-to-income and rent-to-income both sit at 17.6%, well below the 30% threshold that signals financial strain.
Drive
95.3%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.05%/yr
(+490 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 34.1% over the decade, from roughly 1,105 to 1,485 residents, and the annual growth rate of 2.05% is well above the national average for established suburbs. Internal migration is the primary driver at an average of 486 net arrivals per year, which is exceptional for a suburb of 1,485 residents and implies substantial ongoing turnover and inflow. The gentrification score of 57 is classified Active, with signals including 51% population growth since 2011 and affordability that shifted from 46.6% in 2011 to 44.7% in 2021, a trend categorised as Stable. Forecasts project the broader area population rising from 23,952 in 2025 to 26,169 by 2031. Rent grew 37% over the period and real income growth ran at 16.1%, both above typical national benchmarks.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+104
Net Internal / yr
+486
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +51% since 2011, Net internal migration +486/yr, Accelerating: 17% → 29%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
68
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
45.8
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 Killara compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Killara a good suburb to live in?
Killara suits young families well: 77% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, 100% are detached houses, and household income sits in the 87.4th percentile nationally. The mortgage-to-income ratio is a comfortable 17.6%, well below the stress threshold. The main trade-offs are high car dependency (95.3% drive) and no recorded schools inside the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Killara?
A median house price is not recorded in the current dataset for Killara VIC (postcode 3691). Weekly rent averages $400 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.6%, suggesting purchase prices are manageable relative to local household incomes in the 87.4th percentile nationally.
What schools are in Killara?
No schools are recorded inside the Killara VIC (postcode 3691) boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in surrounding suburbs. The local workforce includes 13.3% employed in Education (76 workers), indicating that nearby education facilities draw local labour. University qualifications reach 27.2% of residents, 2.9 points below the national average.
Is Killara safe?
The recorded crime rate is 45.8 incidents per 1,000 residents, based on 68 total incidents. Property and deception offences account for the largest share at 29 incidents, followed by justice procedures offences at 24. Crimes against the person total 10 and drug offences 3. SEIFA places the suburb at IRSD decile 6, a mid-range national position, indicating moderate rather than extreme disadvantage levels.
Is Killara good for property investment?
The vacancy rate of 3.3% and weekly rent of $400 in a 100% detached-house market serve family tenants consistently. Internal migration averaging 486 people per year into a suburb of 1,485 residents signals strong demand. Rent grew 37% over the decade and real income growth ran 16.1%. The 20.7% renter share is below metro norms, so yields depend on capital growth alongside rental income.
How is Killara's population changing?
Population grew 34.1% over the past decade and continues at 2.05% annually, roughly 490 additional residents per year. Internal migration of 486 net arrivals annually is the primary engine. The gentrification stage reads Active with a score of 57, and the broader area is forecast to grow from 23,952 in 2025 to 26,169 by 2031. The population skews young, with a median age of 31, which is 9 years below the national figure.
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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