Seddon
Property values here peaked at $1,244,000 in 2021 and have since slid 11.6% to a $1,100,000 median, yet the longer arc still shows a 63.0% rise from $675,000 in 2013. That tension defines Seddon: a household income in the 91.9th percentile nationally and an IEO education-and-occupation score in decile 10, paired with an 11.0% rental vacancy rate that runs well above what a sought-after inner suburb usually shows. University qualifications reach 59.4%, which is 29.3 points above national, and at a median age of 36 the population is 4.0 years younger than the national figure. Packed at 5,611 residents per square kilometre across just 0.92 km2, it reads as a dense, educated, professional pocket rather than a family-belt suburb.
Population
5,143
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,471/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
4
Median House
$1.1M
Apr-Jun 2024
The $1,100,000 median sits at the upper end of Melbourne's inner-west, but timing matters: prices are 11.6% below the 2021 peak of $1,244,000, so a buyer today enters after a correction rather than at the top. The stock favours houses, with 67.4% separate dwellings against 16.4% apartments, which is unusual for a suburb this dense and keeps detached homes scarce. Three-bedroom dwellings lead at 43.0% and two-bedroom at 39.0%, so most buying competition lands on modest cottages rather than large family homes, with 4-plus bedroom stock only 10.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,551, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress line because household incomes reach the 91.9th percentile. That gap between high prices and manageable repayments points to buyers with strong incomes rather than stretched first-timers.
For Buyers
The $1,100,000 median sits at the upper end of Melbourne's inner-west, but timing matters: prices are 11.6% below the 2021 peak of $1,244,000, so a buyer today enters after a correction rather than at the top. The stock favours houses, with 67.4% separate dwellings against 16.4% apartments, which is unusual for a suburb this dense and keeps detached homes scarce. Three-bedroom dwellings lead at 43.0% and two-bedroom at 39.0%, so most buying competition lands on modest cottages rather than large family homes, with 4-plus bedroom stock only 10.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,551, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress line because household incomes reach the 91.9th percentile. That gap between high prices and manageable repayments points to buyers with strong incomes rather than stretched first-timers.
For Investors
Renters make up 39.9% of households and weekly rent averages $460, giving landlords a deep tenant pool, but the 11.0% vacancy rate is the warning sign. Against the $1,100,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 2.2%, low even by inner-Melbourne standards, so the case leans on capital growth rather than cash flow. The vacancy figure runs far above a healthy 2-3% market, which signals more rental supply than current demand can absorb. Development is thin, with only 3 planning applications lodged in the past 12 months, mostly subdivision certifications rather than new dwellings, so little fresh stock is arriving to compete. With prices already 11.6% below the 2021 peak and long-run growth at a 3.5% CAGR over 14 years, the investment thesis rests on a recovery toward prior highs more than on yield or rapid rent escalation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
17
Last 12 Months
4
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-33.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
At a median age of 36, Seddon runs 4.0 years younger than the national figure, a profile built around working-age professionals rather than retirees or large families. University qualifications reach 59.4%, which is 29.3 points above national, among the clearest markers of a knowledge-worker base. Overseas-born residents account for 27.5%, 5.9 points above national, with ancestry led by English (1,720), Irish (796) and Scottish (565), and the top non-English languages Greek (55 speakers), Macedonian (51) and Cantonese (39). Average household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below national, and couples with children (1,829 families) still outnumber couples without children (1,158), so despite the dense footprint the family presence holds. Christianity (1,426) leads religious affiliation ahead of Buddhism (236), consistent with the part-European, part-Asian heritage mix.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
67.4%
Houses
15.5%
Townhouse
16.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split three ways with renters the largest group at 39.9%, mortgage holders at 36.8% and outright owners at 23.3%, a renter-heavy balance that helps explain the elevated 11.0% vacancy rate. The stock is 67.4% separate houses, 16.4% apartments and 15.5% semi-detached, so detached homes still dominate despite a density of 5,611 residents per square kilometre. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 43.0% and two-bedroom 39.0%, leaving 4-plus bedroom homes at just 10.9%, which caps options for larger families. The median house price of $1,100,000 is down 11.6% from the 2021 peak of $1,244,000 but up 63.0% from $675,000 in 2013, a 3.5% annual compound rate over 14 years. Both rent-to-income at 18.6% and mortgage-to-income at 23.8% sit below the 30% stress threshold, a sign that housing costs, while high in dollar terms, are affordable relative to the area's strong incomes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,551
Rent / wk
$460
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,274
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.0%
Unoccupied
258
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.6%
Couples, no children
3,909
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in knowledge and public-facing sectors: Professional and Technical services lead at 15.9% (395 workers), Education follows at 13.3% (332) and Healthcare at 12.9% (321), with Public Administration at 10.2% and Finance at 6.7%. By occupation, Professionals (1,248) and Managers (569) dominate, which aligns with the decile 10 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 4.4% and the full-time employment rate is 69.5%, with participation at 71.3%. One anomaly stands out across the SEIFA set: while IEO sits in decile 10 and IRSAD in decile 9, the IER economic-resources index drops to decile 6, well below the others, because the 39.9% renter share depresses the household-wealth measures that index tracks even though earned incomes are high. Personal income averages $1,274 a week, supporting the professional profile.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.5%
Part-time
26.1%
Participation
71.3%
Employed
2,878
Occupations
Top Industries
University
59.4%
Postgraduate
17.9%
Born Overseas
27.5%
Dwellings
2,084
Transport to Work
Transport leans on cars at 68.9% of commuters, though 15.1% use public transport and 11.5% walk or cycle, higher active-transport use than most outer suburbs manage. The suburb scores decile 9 on IRSAD and decile 8 on IRSD, both near the top advantage tier nationally, meaning relatively few residents face disadvantage. Against that, the recorded crime rate is 75.4 offences per 1,000 residents from 388 total incidents, and 272 of those, or 70%, are property and deception offences rather than crimes against the person, which numbered 38. That pattern is typical of a dense, higher-turnover inner suburb where opportunistic theft dominates. No schools are recorded inside the 0.92 km2 boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a common trade-off for a compact, high-density setting where land is scarce.
Drive
68.9%
Public Transport
15.1%
Walk / Cycle
11.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
388
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
75.4
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 Seddon compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Seddon a good suburb to live in?
Seddon scores decile 9 on IRSAD and decile 10 on the IEO education index, both near the top tier nationally, with household income in the 91.9th percentile. University qualifications reach 59.4%, 29.3 points above national. The main trade-offs are a $1,100,000 median house price and an 11.0% rental vacancy rate.
What is the median house price in Seddon?
The median house price is $1,100,000 as of Apr-Jun 2024, down 11.6% from the 2021 peak of $1,244,000 but up 63.0% from $675,000 in 2013. Weekly rent averages $460 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,551, a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8%.
What schools are in Seddon?
No schools are recorded inside the 0.92 km2 Seddon boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 59.4%, which is 29.3 points above the national figure.
Is Seddon safe?
The recorded crime rate is 75.4 offences per 1,000 residents from 388 total incidents. Of these, 272 (about 70%) are property and deception offences, while crimes against the person numbered just 38. The suburb also scores decile 8 on the IRSD disadvantage index, a low-disadvantage tier.
Is Seddon good for property investment?
Rent of $460 a week against a $1,100,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.2%, low by inner-Melbourne standards, and the 11.0% vacancy rate signals rental oversupply. With prices 11.6% below the 2021 peak and a 3.5% long-run CAGR, returns depend on capital recovery rather than yield.
How is Seddon's population changing?
Seddon has 5,143 residents at a density of 5,611 per square kilometre, packed into 0.92 km2. The median age of 36 sits 4.0 years below national, pointing to a working-age professional base, and a turnover rate of 29.5% indicates relatively high resident churn for the area.
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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