St Helena
With 87% of residents staying put between census periods, St Helena records one of the lowest turnover rates you will find in Melbourne's outer east. The suburb sits in the 87th percentile nationally for household income, yet median age reaches 46, six years above the national figure, which reflects a long-settled owner base rather than a high-growth newcomer market. Just 13.6% of dwellings are rented, one of the lowest renter shares in comparable suburbs, and 43.3% of owners hold their property outright with no mortgage. Housing stock skews decisively toward detached houses at 84%, and 50.2% of all dwellings have four or more bedrooms.
Population
2,890
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,256/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$1.2M
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price reached $1,232,500 in April-June 2024, up from $1,176,000 in January-March 2024 and $1,200,000 in October-December 2023. Over 14 years from a 2013 base of $612,500, prices have risen 101.2%, a compound annual growth rate of 5.1%. The peak was $1,239,000 in April-June 2023, so current prices sit just 0.5% below that peak. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold for a suburb in the 87th household income percentile. Four-plus bedroom homes make up 50.2% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes at 36.4%, so buyers looking for a large family home will find ample choice in a stock that is 84% detached houses.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $1,232,500 in April-June 2024, up from $1,176,000 in January-March 2024 and $1,200,000 in October-December 2023. Over 14 years from a 2013 base of $612,500, prices have risen 101.2%, a compound annual growth rate of 5.1%. The peak was $1,239,000 in April-June 2023, so current prices sit just 0.5% below that peak. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold for a suburb in the 87th household income percentile. Four-plus bedroom homes make up 50.2% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes at 36.4%, so buyers looking for a large family home will find ample choice in a stock that is 84% detached houses.
For Investors
The rental market in St Helena is thin by design: only 13.6% of dwellings are rented and the weekly rent sits at $163, a figure that reflects a small and stable tenant pool rather than strong rental demand. Against a $1,232,500 median, that rent implies a gross yield well below 1%, making yield-driven investment unattractive. The vacancy rate of 3.9% is moderate and does not signal acute oversupply, but it does confirm limited rental churn. Development activity is low, with just 2 planning permits lodged in the past 12 months in a 1.64 km2 area. The investment case rests entirely on capital growth: at 5.1% CAGR over 14 years, and with 87% of residents choosing to stay long-term, the suburb attracts holders rather than traders.
Development Activity
Total DAs
4
Last 12 Months
2
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
Schools in St Helena iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
North-Eastern Montessori School
Prep-6 · 106 students
Demographics
The median age of 46 is 6.0 years above the national figure, a gap that signals a suburb where families moved in a generation ago and stayed. Overseas-born residents reach 18.4%, which is 3.2 points below the national average, and ancestry leans strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (1,039 residents), Italian (376), Irish (340) and Scottish (287) are the top four groups. University qualifications reach 39.1%, which is 9.0 points above the national figure, consistent with a professional household base. Average household size of 2.7 sits 0.2 above national. The dominant Italian ancestry is also reflected in language, with Italian the most common non-English language (37 speakers), followed by Mandarin (26) and Greek (15).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.0%
Houses
12.8%
Townhouse
3.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tells a clear story: 43.3% of households own their property outright and 43.2% carry a mortgage, leaving just 13.6% as renters. This near-equal split between outright owners and mortgage holders is rare and indicates a community where long-term owners outnumber recent buyers only slightly. Separate houses dominate at 84.0% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 12.8% and apartments a marginal 3.2%. Bedroom composition skews large: 50.2% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 36.4% have three, so the average floorplan is a substantial family home. Prices grew from $612,500 in 2013 to $1,232,500 in April-June 2024, a 101.2% total gain. Rent-to-income at 7.2% is well below any stress threshold, reflecting how affordable the rental market is compared to the income base.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$163
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$925
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.9%
Unoccupied
41
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
7.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.0%
Couples, no children
2,459
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the top employing sector at 17.1% (175 workers), followed by Education at 15.3% (157) and Construction at 12.9% (132). Professional and Technical services account for 10.8% and Public Administration 8.0%. By occupation, Professionals lead at 398 workers, followed by Clerical/Admin at 230 and Managers at 225. Full-time employment runs at 61.0% of employed residents, and the unemployment rate of 3.5% is low. Participation sits at 59.2%, below what the income profile would suggest, because the older median age of 46 means 786 residents are not in the labour force. Weekly household income of $2,256 places St Helena in the 87th percentile nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.0%
Part-time
35.5%
Participation
59.2%
Employed
1,361
Occupations
Top Industries
University
39.1%
Postgraduate
8.8%
Born Overseas
18.4%
Dwellings
995
Transport to Work
Car dependence is pronounced: 91.8% of residents drive to work, higher than most comparable Melbourne suburbs, and public transport usage sits at just 3.3%. This reflects the suburb's location rather than a quality gap, as the low-density, 1.64 km2 footprint is not well served by frequent rail or bus. Crime is low at 18.0 incidents per 1,000 residents annually, with 52 total offences recorded, of which 38 were property and deception offences. Volunteering reaches 16.1% of residents, above average for an outer suburban area. Only 5.7% of residents require daily assistance despite the older age profile. Mortgage stress is absent at a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2%, and rent-to-income at 7.2% is low, meaning both owners and renters here face manageable housing costs relative to income.
Drive
91.8%
Public Transport
3.3%
Walk / Cycle
0.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
52
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
18.0
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 St Helena compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is St Helena a good suburb to live in?
St Helena has a low crime rate of 18.0 offences per 1,000 residents, an 87th-percentile household income and an 87% resident retention rate, which signals strong satisfaction among those who live there. The trade-off is car dependence, with 91.8% of residents driving to work and public transport usage at just 3.3%.
What is the median house price in St Helena?
The median house price is $1,232,500 as of April-June 2024. Prices have risen 101.2% over 14 years from a 2013 base of $612,500, a compound annual growth rate of 5.1%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2%.
What schools are in St Helena?
No schools are recorded inside the St Helena boundary in this dataset. The suburb's 2,890 residents rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. University qualifications among residents reach 39.1%, which is 9.0 points above the national figure, indicating a highly educated local population.
Is St Helena safe?
St Helena records 52 total offences per year, a crime rate of 18.0 per 1,000 residents. The majority, 38 offences, are property and deception related, with just 5 crimes against the person. This is a low rate compared to most Melbourne suburbs and consistent with the suburb's low-disadvantage, high-income profile.
Is St Helena good for property investment?
Capital growth has been strong at 5.1% CAGR over 14 years, with prices doubling from $612,500 to $1,232,500. However, weekly rent of $163 against that median implies a gross yield well below 1%, so the suburb suits long-term capital growth investors rather than yield seekers. The 87% retention rate limits transaction volume.
How is St Helena's population changing?
St Helena has 2,890 residents with a median age of 46, which is 6 years above the national figure. The 87% stay rate between census periods signals minimal voluntary turnover. With low development activity at just 2 planning permits in 12 months and an aging resident base, population growth is expected to be modest.
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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