Seabrook
Detached houses make up 96.6% of the dwelling stock here, one of the most house-dominant profiles in metropolitan Melbourne, and that single fact drives most of what follows. The median age of 37 sits 3 years below national, household income lands in the 76.4th percentile, and 40.0% of residents were born overseas, which is 18.4 points above the national figure. University qualifications reach 42.4%, running 12.3 points above national. The $770,000 median house price has climbed 82.2% from $422,500 in 2013, a 4.4% compound annual rate over 14 years, yet the population is now contracting at 0.45% a year as families age in place across the compact 1.62 square kilometre footprint.
Population
4,952
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,042/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$770K
Apr-Jun 2024
At a $770,000 median, Seabrook offers detached-house living well below inner Melbourne prices, and the stock is built for families: 96.6% are separate houses, apartments just 0.8%. Three-bedroom homes account for 57.2% and four-plus bedroom homes 35.2%, so buyers chasing a larger floorplan have real choice here unlike denser suburbs. The median has held flat at its $770,000 peak through Apr-Jun 2024, having risen from $735,000 only two quarters earlier. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,803, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit in the 76.4th percentile. That affordability cushion, paired with 44.4% of dwellings already mortgaged, marks this as a stable owner-occupier market rather than a speculative one.
For Buyers
At a $770,000 median, Seabrook offers detached-house living well below inner Melbourne prices, and the stock is built for families: 96.6% are separate houses, apartments just 0.8%. Three-bedroom homes account for 57.2% and four-plus bedroom homes 35.2%, so buyers chasing a larger floorplan have real choice here unlike denser suburbs. The median has held flat at its $770,000 peak through Apr-Jun 2024, having risen from $735,000 only two quarters earlier. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,803, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit in the 76.4th percentile. That affordability cushion, paired with 44.4% of dwellings already mortgaged, marks this as a stable owner-occupier market rather than a speculative one.
For Investors
Renters make up only 20.0% of households, a thin tenant pool because 35.6% own outright and 44.4% carry a mortgage, leaving a market dominated by long-term owner-occupiers. Weekly rent of $361 against the $770,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.4%, modest, though the 4.9% vacancy rate is tighter than many investor-heavy suburbs and points to steady demand. Rent has grown 24.5% over the measured period, the clearest upside signal. Demand support is mixed: overseas migration adds 70 residents a year while internal migration removes 122, and only 1 development application was lodged in 12 months, so new rental supply is negligible. The case rests on scarcity of detached rentals and rent escalation rather than yield or churn, given annual population growth is negative at minus 0.45%.
Development Activity
Total DAs
3
Last 12 Months
2
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
$982K
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Seabrook iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Seabrook Primary School
Prep-6 · 898 students
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3.0 years below national, but the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 4.5 points over the decade while the young share fell 2.2 points. Overseas-born residents reach 40.0%, which is 18.4 points above national, and average household size is 2.9, sitting 0.4 above the national figure, consistent with a family-heavy profile where couples with children (1,991 families) far outnumber couples without (810). University qualifications at 42.4% run 12.3 points above national. Ancestry is led by English (1,037), Indian (487), Chinese (390) and Irish (309), while the top non-English languages are Mandarin (111 speakers), Hindi (91) and Arabic (68). Hinduism (419 residents) and Islam (278) are notable presences behind Christianity (2,183), reflecting the strong migrant share.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.6%
Houses
2.6%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward debt: 44.4% of households carry a mortgage, 35.6% own outright and just 20.0% rent, a structure that signals families midway through paying off homes rather than entrenched debt-free wealth. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 96.6%, with apartments at 0.8% and semi-detached at 2.6%, and three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 57.2% ahead of four-plus at 35.2%. The median house price rose 82.2% from $422,500 in 2013 to its $770,000 peak in 2024, a 4.4% compound annual growth rate, and recovered strongly from the $402,500 trough of 2014. Mortgage-to-income sits at 20.4% and rent-to-income at 17.7%, both well below the 30% stress line, because household incomes in the 76.4th percentile comfortably absorb a sub-$800,000 median.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,803
Rent / wk
$361
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$823
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.9%
Unoccupied
86
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
18.7%
Couples, no children
4,343
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment concentrates in service sectors rather than high-finance: Healthcare leads at 12.5% (208 workers), Professional/Tech follows at 12.2% (203) and Education at 10.7% (178), with Construction at 9.5% and Public Admin at 8.2%. By occupation, Professionals (594) and Clerical/Admin (358) head the list, ahead of Community/Personal (261) and Managers (255), a spread that aligns with the IEO score of decile 6 for education and occupation. Unemployment reads 6.9%, above where the 76.4th-percentile household income would suggest, partly because participation is moderate at 62.1% with 1,140 residents not in the labour force. The IER economic-resources score sits higher at decile 7 than the decile 6 on the other three SEIFA indexes, reflecting solid household assets from the high owner-occupier base.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
2,979
Unemployed
112
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.1%
Part-time
26.0%
Participation
62.1%
Employed
2,259
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.4%
Postgraduate
14.0%
Born Overseas
40.0%
Dwellings
1,654
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 86.3% drive to work against 5.3% on public transport and 1.6% walking or cycling, well above the national reliance on cars, a function of the suburb's outer-west position and detached layout. The crime rate is 35.9 per 1,000 residents across 178 recorded offences, of which property and deception (117) dominate over crimes against the person (38), a pattern typical of quiet residential areas where opportunistic property crime outweighs violent crime. The suburb scores decile 6 on IRSD for relative disadvantage and decile 6 on IRSAD, mid-tier nationally, while only 5.3% of residents (253 people) need daily assistance. No schools sit inside the 1.62 square kilometre boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Altona Meadows and Point Cook, a practical trade-off for the area's compact footprint.
Drive
86.3%
Public Transport
5.3%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.45%/yr
(-22 people/yr)
EstablishedSeabrook is contracting: annual population growth registers minus 0.45%, about 22 fewer residents a year, and the 10-year change is minus 0.4%, classifying it as an established, slow-growth suburb. The current population near 4,932 remains 8.1% below the pre-COVID level of 5,368, having not recovered from a 6.9% dip. Medium forecasts ease the population from 4,958 in 2026 to 4,849 by 2031, so mild decline is expected. Overseas migration of 70 a year is the only positive driver, offset by net internal outflow of 122. The gentrification stage reads not gentrifying, fitting a suburb where affordability actually improved from 47.0% in 2011 to 43.9% in 2021 and real incomes grew 8.4% over the decade, leaving little upward pressure on prices.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+70
Net Internal / yr
-122
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -122/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
178
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
35.9
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 Seabrook compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Seabrook a good suburb to live in?
Seabrook suits families seeking detached housing, with 96.6% separate houses and household income in the 76.4th percentile. University qualifications reach 42.4%, 12.3 points above national, and mortgage-to-income sits at 20.4%, below the 30% stress threshold. The main trade-offs are 86.3% car dependence and no schools inside the boundary.
What is the median house price in Seabrook?
The median house price is $770,000 as of Apr-Jun 2024, up 82.2% from $422,500 in 2013, a 4.4% compound annual rate. Weekly rent averages $361 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,803, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.4%, comfortably below the stress line.
What schools are in Seabrook?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.62 square kilometre Seabrook boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 42.4%, which is 12.3 points above the national figure.
Is Seabrook safe?
Seabrook recorded 178 offences at a rate of 35.9 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences (117) make up the bulk, with crimes against the person at 38, a pattern typical of quiet residential areas. The suburb scores decile 6 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage.
Is Seabrook good for property investment?
Rent of $361 a week against a $770,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.4%, modest, though the 4.9% vacancy rate is relatively tight. Rent grew 24.5% over the period, but only 20.0% of households rent and population growth is negative at minus 0.45%, so returns lean on scarcity rather than yield.
How is Seabrook's population changing?
Population is declining at minus 0.45% annually, about 22 fewer residents a year, with a 10-year change of minus 0.4%. The current 4,932 residents sit 8.1% below the pre-COVID 5,368. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 4.5 points and the young share down 2.2 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Seabrook?
About 40.0% of residents were born overseas, 18.4 points above the national figure. English dominates, with Mandarin (111 speakers), Hindi (91), Arabic (68) and Punjabi (38) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a strong migrant mix led by Indian and Chinese ancestry.
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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