Kilsyth
Detached homes define Kilsyth: 84.6% of dwellings are separate houses and only 1.3% are apartments, giving the suburb a lower-density feel despite 11,699 residents across 9.33 sq km. Compared with rail-centred Mooroolbark and busier Croydon, its 1.8% public transport commute share points to a more car-based pocket. The $808,500 median house price, 57th percentile household income and 38 median age mark it as a middle-income, family-leaning foothills suburb rather than an inner-east premium market.
Population
11,699
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,649/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
36
Median House
$808K
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers are mainly buying land and established family layouts because 84.6% of homes are separate houses, 54.6% have 3 bedrooms and 24.8% have 4 or more. The $808,500 median house price is 3.8% below the 2022 peak of $840,000, so buyers have a little more room than at the top of the cycle. Mortgage costs are not flagged as stressed, with repayments at 27.6% of income, while the 45.4% mortgage share shows this remains a working household and upgrade-buyer market.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are mainly buying land and established family layouts because 84.6% of homes are separate houses, 54.6% have 3 bedrooms and 24.8% have 4 or more. The $808,500 median house price is 3.8% below the 2022 peak of $840,000, so buyers have a little more room than at the top of the cycle. Mortgage costs are not flagged as stressed, with repayments at 27.6% of income, while the 45.4% mortgage share shows this remains a working household and upgrade-buyer market.
For Investors
Kilsyth is a steadier rental market than a high-yield apartment play because only 20.7% of homes are rented and apartments make up just 1.3% of stock. The median rent is $391 a week and rent stress is not flagged at 23.7% of income, but the 5.1% vacancy rate is the main caution for leasing speed. Demand is helped by 33 development applications in 12 months and balanced migration, with +86 internal and +47 overseas net arrivals a year supporting gradual tenant turnover.
Development Activity
Total DAs
64
Last 12 Months
36
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+260.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Kilsyth iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Ghilgai School
Prep-6 · 94 students
St Richard's Primary School
Prep-6 · 166 students
Gladesville Primary School
Prep-6 · 76 students
Kilsyth Primary School
Prep-6 · 114 students
Demographics
Kilsyth skews slightly younger and less degree-heavy than Australia overall: the median age is 38, which is 2 years below the national figure, while the 28.1% university share is 2.0 percentage points below national. Overseas-born residents are 21.4%, only 0.2 points below national, so the suburb is more locally settled than strongly migrant-led. English ancestry is the largest reported group at 4,800 people, followed by Irish at 1,210 and Scottish at 1,196, which helps explain the mainly English-speaking household pattern.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.6%
Houses
14.1%
Townhouse
1.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing values have risen strongly over the long run, with the median house price moving from $435,000 in 2013 to $808,500 in Apr-Jun 2024, an 85.9% gain and 4.5% CAGR over 14 years. The latest price sits below the $840,000 peak by 3.8%, so the market is not at its high-water mark. Ownership is stable because 33.9% own outright and 45.4% have a mortgage, while only 20.7% rent. With 14.1% semi-detached homes and 1.3% apartments, supply remains heavily tilted toward houses.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,972
Rent / wk
$391
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$803
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.1%
Unoccupied
248
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.2%
Couples, no children
9,415
Total families
Economy & Employment
Kilsyth's workforce is practical and service-oriented, led by healthcare at 19.6%, construction at 15.4%, education at 12.1%, manufacturing at 8.8% and professional/tech at 7.1%. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 1,122 people, but clerical/admin, community/personal work and labouring are also visible, which keeps the suburb close to the state middle. SEIFA is consistent rather than elite: IEO decile 5, IER decile 6, IRSD decile 5 and IRSAD decile 5. Unemployment is low at 3.8%, supporting household stability.
Unemployment
5.3%
Labour Force
5,699
Unemployed
301
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.7%
Part-time
30.5%
Participation
59.5%
Employed
5,444
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.1%
Postgraduate
6.1%
Born Overseas
21.4%
Dwellings
4,592
Transport to Work
Kilsyth suits car-based households because 91.2% of commuters drive and only 1.8% use public transport. School choice is concentrated at primary level, with 4 local schools across Independent, Catholic and Government sectors and an ICSEA range from 948 to 1061. Ghilgai School leads at 1061 with 94 enrolments, followed closely by St Richard's Primary at 1058 with 166, while Gladesville adds a Government option at 968. Safety is mixed but manageable, with 58.0 offences per 1,000 people and IRSAD decile 5 indicating average socio-economic resources.
Drive
91.2%
Public Transport
1.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.06%/yr
(+113 people/yr)
EstablishedKilsyth's outlook is gradual rather than speculative. The annual trend is 1.06%, equal to about 113 people a year, and the medium forecast path moves from 10,674 in 2026 to 11,239 in 2031. Compared with the 2025 population of 10,692, that is a modest continuation, not a reset. Migration is balanced, with +86 net internal and +47 net overseas arrivals annually. The gentrification score is 18 and the stage is Not gentrifying, even though the shift signals show rent growth of 37.0% and population change of 16.2% over 10 years.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+47
Net Internal / yr
+86
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +22% since 2011, Net internal migration +86/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
679
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
58.0
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 Kilsyth compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kilsyth a good suburb to live in?
Kilsyth suits households wanting space, established streets and primary school options. It has 84.6% separate houses, a median age of 38 and 4 local schools, but the 1.8% public transport commute share means car access matters.
What is the median house price in Kilsyth?
The median house price in Kilsyth is $808,500 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 3.8% below the 2022 peak of $840,000, while prices are still 85.9% higher than the $435,000 level recorded in 2013.
What schools are in Kilsyth?
Kilsyth has 4 local primary schools: Ghilgai School, St Richard's Primary School, Gladesville Primary School and Kilsyth Primary School. ICSEA scores range from 948 to 1061, with enrolments from 76 to 166.
Is Kilsyth safe?
Kilsyth recorded 679 offences, equal to 58.0 per 1,000 people. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 298, followed by justice procedures offences at 225 and crimes against the person at 113.
Is Kilsyth good for property investment?
Kilsyth is more of a steady house-market investment than a dense rental hub. Renting is 20.7%, median rent is $391 a week and vacancy is 5.1%, so tenant demand exists but leasing conditions need careful pricing.
How is Kilsyth's population changing?
Kilsyth is forecast to grow gradually at 1.06% a year, or about 113 people annually. The medium path reaches 11,239 residents by 2031, supported by balanced migration of +86 internal and +47 overseas arrivals a year.
Is there much development in Kilsyth?
There is active small-scale development, with 33 applications recorded over 12 months. Recent examples include 2 lot subdivision activity, which fits a suburb where 84.6% of housing is still separate houses.
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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