Sebastopol
Its 10,194 residents have a median age of 39, which is 1 year below the national figure, while household income sits at the 13.1 percentile. Compared with nearby Delacombe or Redan, buyers assessing established stock will find a strongly car-oriented market, with 80.1% driving to work and only 1.1% using public transport. The trade-off is a crime rate of 129.7 per 1,000, including 717 property and deception offences. Population change across the wider area is 5.7% over 10 years, supported by an annual trend of only 0.29%.
Population
10,194
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,013/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
30
Median House
$513K
October to December 2025
Over the longer term, the median is 112.0% above the 2013 level, so buyers should not treat the suburb as unchanged from its earlier affordability profile. A monthly mortgage estimate of $1,133 equals 25.8% of household income, while rent absorbs 26.7%. Housing is practical rather than apartment-led: 72.9% is separate housing, 56.4% has 3 bedrooms and 15.0% has 4 or more. Compared with smaller-unit markets, Sebastopol suits buyers wanting family-sized stock and established streets.
For Buyers
Over the longer term, the median is 112.0% above the 2013 level, so buyers should not treat the suburb as unchanged from its earlier affordability profile. A monthly mortgage estimate of $1,133 equals 25.8% of household income, while rent absorbs 26.7%. Housing is practical rather than apartment-led: 72.9% is separate housing, 56.4% has 3 bedrooms and 15.0% has 4 or more. Compared with smaller-unit markets, Sebastopol suits buyers wanting family-sized stock and established streets.
For Investors
Sebastopol has a substantial tenant base, with 41.2% of occupied dwellings rented compared with 29.1% owned outright and 27.8% held with a mortgage. Weekly rent is $270 and vacancy is 7.4%, so investors should allow for leasing variability rather than assume uninterrupted occupancy. Development activity is also material, with 28 applications recorded over 12 months, which may gradually add competing homes and improve choice for renters. The wider growth outlook is modest at 0.29% annually, while rent growth is 36.8% and the primary migration driver is overseas migration. Compared with the rental share, the vacancy figure points to a market where tenant demand exists but acquisition and property-management assumptions need to remain conservative.
Development Activity
Total DAs
53
Last 12 Months
30
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+200.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Sebastopol
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Ballarat Christian College
Phoenix P-12 Community College
Sebastopol Primary School
St James' School
Demographics
Sebastopol's median age of 39 is 1 year below the national figure, but the trajectory is ageing as the senior share has increased by 3.8 percentage points and the young share has fallen by 1.2 points. University attainment is 18.5%, or 11.6 points below the national comparison, while 10.7% of residents were born overseas, 10.9 points below the national level. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 4,305, 1,243 and 1,109 respectively, supporting an Anglo-leaning profile. No religion is recorded for 5,053 people compared with 3,955 identifying with Christianity. For households comparing Sebastopol with nearby Delacombe or Redan, 77.4% of residents staying at the same address and an average household size of 2.1 suggest a relatively settled, lower-turnover community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
72.9%
Houses
27.0%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Sebastopol is dominated by conventional housing, with 72.9% separate houses, 27.0% semi-detached dwellings and only 0.2% apartments. The bedroom profile reinforces that pattern: 56.4% of homes have 3 bedrooms, 24.5% have 2 and 15.0% have 4 or more. Tenure is split between 29.1% owned outright, 27.8% mortgaged and 41.2% rented, making renting the largest individual category.
Mortgage / mo
$1,133
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $270.
$430
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $400 · units $350
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$606
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.4%
Unoccupied
350
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.9%
Couples with children
38.9%
Couples, no children
29.0%
Single parent
2,596
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Sebastopol's leading industry at 24.7%, followed by construction at 11.4%, education at 10.0%, retail at 9.0% and manufacturing at 7.4%. The occupational mix is more trade and service based than university-led, with 705 people in trades, 665 in community or personal services and 589 labourers, compared with 493 professionals and 462 in sales. Unemployment is 6.9% from a labour force of 4,341, while participation is 51.3% and the full-time employment rate is 53.3%. Weekly household income is $1,013, ranking at the 13.1 percentile. All 4 SEIFA disadvantage measures sit in decile 1, including IEO 1, IER 1, IRSD 1 and IRSAD 1, which helps explain why healthcare and practical occupations coexist with comparatively low income and education indicators.
Unemployment
6.9%
Labour Force
4,341
Unemployed
299
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.3%
Part-time
39.2%
Participation
51.3%
Employed
4,042
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.5%
Postgraduate
3.4%
Born Overseas
10.7%
Dwellings
4,398
Transport to Work
Sebastopol provides access to 4 schools spanning primary-only and Pri/Sec formats across government, Catholic and independent sectors, giving families several schooling types to investigate against the exact address and enrolment zone. Daily travel is strongly car dependent: 80.1% drive to work, compared with 1.1% using public transport, while 2.0% walk or cycle and 10.2% work from home. That 80.1% share is far above the 1.1% public transport share, so households without a car should test routes carefully. Safety is a key consideration, with 1,322 recorded offences and a rate of 129.7 per 1,000; property and deception offences total 717 versus 214 crimes against the person. Compared with higher-access suburbs, Sebastopol's IRSAD decile 1 and car reliance make street selection and service proximity especially important.
Drive
80.1%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
2.0%
Work from Home
10.2%
Population Forecast
+0.29%/yr
(+37 people/yr)
EstablishedSebastopol has an established forecast profile, with annual growth of 0.29% and population change across the wider area of 5.7% over 10 years. Overseas migration is identified as the primary driver, but the shift trajectory is labelled Aging, supported by a 3.8 percentage point increase in the senior share and a 1.2 point decline in the young share. Compared with rent growth of 36.8%, population movement is notably slower, so housing demand is more likely to build gradually than through rapid expansion. The gentrification reading is mixed: one indicator records a score of 34 and the stage Early signs, while another records score 0 and Not gentrifying. Together with the slow 0.29% trend, this points to incremental change rather than a sharp redevelopment cycle.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+46
Net Internal / yr
-136
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -136/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,322
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
129.7
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 Sebastopol compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Sebastopol?
There are 4 schools serving Sebastopol, covering primary-only and Pri/Sec formats across government, Catholic and independent sectors. Families should compare the exact address with enrolment zones, transport options and the preferred sector because school access can differ across the suburb.
Is Sebastopol safe?
Safety requires local street and property checks. Sebastopol recorded 1,322 offences at a rate of 129.7 per 1,000, including 717 property and deception offences and 214 crimes against the person. Property offences were higher than person offences, so security and immediate surroundings deserve attention.
Is Sebastopol good for property investment?
Sebastopol has a 41.2% renting share, $270 weekly rent and a 7.4% vacancy rate. There were 28 development applications over 12 months, while annual growth is 0.29%. Compared with owner-occupier shares of 29.1% outright and 27.8% mortgaged, renting is the largest tenure category, but vacancy should be modelled conservatively.
How is Sebastopol's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 5.7% over 10 years, with annual growth forecast at 0.29%. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 3.8 percentage points and the young share down 1.2 points. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but growth is much slower than the 36.8% rent increase.
What development is happening in Sebastopol?
Sebastopol recorded 28 development applications over 12 months, with recent examples involving single dwellings. This level of activity is worth monitoring because additional homes can increase choice for buyers and renters, although the 0.29% annual growth trend indicates a gradual rather than rapid expansion pattern.
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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