St Kilda East
At 5,550 residents per sq km, St Kilda East reads more like an inner apartment market than a typical Melbourne family suburb. The 12,571 resident area is compact at 2.27 sq km, with 66.3% apartments and 49.9% renting, so turnover and strata choice shape the market. Sitting between St Kilda, Balaclava and Caulfield, it is more residential than St Kilda's foreshore strip yet denser than many Glen Eira pockets. A median age of 34 is 6.0 years below the national figure, while household income sits at the 75.6 percentile.
Population
12,571
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,020/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
22
Median House
$1.3M
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers face a split market because detached houses are scarce while apartments dominate. The median house price was $1,305,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, but only 19.0% of dwellings are separate houses compared with 66.3% apartments. Smaller formats are common: 19.7% have 0 or 1 bedroom and 48.8% have 2 bedrooms, so upsizers compete for the 31.6% with 3 or more bedrooms. The $2,128 monthly mortgage equals 24.3% of income, below stress levels, and the latest price is 37.6% lower than the Jan-Mar 2024 peak.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a split market because detached houses are scarce while apartments dominate. The median house price was $1,305,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, but only 19.0% of dwellings are separate houses compared with 66.3% apartments. Smaller formats are common: 19.7% have 0 or 1 bedroom and 48.8% have 2 bedrooms, so upsizers compete for the 31.6% with 3 or more bedrooms. The $2,128 monthly mortgage equals 24.3% of income, below stress levels, and the latest price is 37.6% lower than the Jan-Mar 2024 peak.
For Investors
Investors get strong tenant depth but must price vacancy risk carefully. Renting is high at 49.9%, and the median weekly rent is $396, so demand is tied to singles, couples and students choosing apartments near St Kilda, Balaclava and Caulfield. The 15.1% vacancy rate is a warning sign because supply, building quality and leasing periods can vary more than in tighter markets. Development activity is moderate at 15 applications in 12 months, while forecast overseas migration of 510 people a year is higher than the internal outflow of 309.
Development Activity
Total DAs
30
Last 12 Months
22
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+633.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in St Kilda East iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Caulfield Grammar School
Prep-12 · 3555 students
Ripponlea Primary School
Prep-6 · 256 students
St Mary's School
Prep-6 · 135 students
St Mary's College Melbourne
7-12 · 440 students
Beth Rivkah Ladies College
Prep-12 · 489 students
Demographics
St Kilda East skews young, educated and internationally connected. The median age is 34, which is 6.0 years below the national benchmark, and 58.5% hold a university qualification, 28.4 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents make up 32.3%, 10.7 points above national, with Russian, Greek, Mandarin, Italian and Hindi among recorded languages. English ancestry leads at 3,367 people, Judaism at 3,317 is the largest religion, and the 2.1 average household size is 0.4 below national because apartments and smaller households are common.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
19.0%
Houses
14.5%
Townhouse
66.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is apartment-led, renter-heavy and price volatile. The median house price moved from $1,050,500 in 2013 to $1,305,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 24.2% rise over 14 years, with a 1.6% CAGR. The latest figure sits 37.6% below the $2,090,000 peak in Jan-Mar 2024, so quarterly medians can swing because house sales are few. Tenure is almost evenly split between owners and renters: 21.0% own outright, 29.1% have a mortgage and 49.9% rent. Mortgage costs at 24.3% of income are lower than stress thresholds, but house scarcity keeps family-sized stock competitive.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,128
Rent / wk
$396
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$1,183
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.1%
Unoccupied
984
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.2%
Couples, no children
8,077
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local economy is professional and service-oriented. Healthcare employs 948 people or 16.2%, Professional/Tech 943 or 16.1%, and Education 764 or 13.0%, with Retail at 7.4% and Construction at 6.0%. Occupations reinforce the skilled profile: 2,889 professionals and 1,323 managers lead the workforce. Employment is comparatively strong, with 65.6% full-time work, 69.4% participation and 4.4% unemployment. SEIFA is uneven: IEO decile 10 and IRSAD decile 9 show high education and advantage, while IER decile 2 points to lower economic resources among many renter households.
Unemployment
5.3%
Labour Force
12,865
Unemployed
683
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.6%
Part-time
30.0%
Participation
69.4%
Employed
6,978
Occupations
Top Industries
University
58.5%
Postgraduate
17.3%
Born Overseas
32.3%
Dwellings
5,501
Transport to Work
Livability is strongest for education access, walkable routines and inner-south convenience, but car use remains high. Six schools sit locally, with ICSEA scores from 1073 to 1157; Caulfield Grammar School at 1157, Ripponlea Primary School at 1141 and St Mary's School at 1111 show a high-performing mix of Independent, Government and Catholic options. Commuting is still car-led at 76.6%, compared with 12.9% walking or cycling and 5.6% using public transport. Safety needs context: 724 offences equal 57.6 per 1,000 people, led by 493 property and deception offences, while IRSAD decile 9 ranks high nationally.
Drive
76.6%
Public Transport
5.6%
Walk / Cycle
12.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.2%/yr
(+34 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is slow and churn-driven rather than expansion-led. The forecast trend is 0.2% a year, or about 34 people annually, with the medium path moving from 17,172 in 2026 to 17,342 in 2031. Migration explains the pattern: overseas migration is the primary driver at +510 a year, while net internal migration is -309 a year, so new arrivals offset residents moving elsewhere. The Covid dip was 9.3%, current population of 17,237 remains below the 17,715 pre-Covid level, and the gentrification score is 10 with a stage of Not gentrifying.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+510
Net Internal / yr
-309
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -309/yr, Strong overseas inflow +510/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
724
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
57.6
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 Kilda East compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is St Kilda East a good suburb to live in?
Yes, especially for buyers or renters who value density, schools and inner-south access. It has 6 local schools, a median age of 34 and 66.3% apartments, so it suits smaller households more than buyers needing large blocks.
What is the median house price in St Kilda East?
The median house price in St Kilda East was $1,305,000 in Apr-Jun 2024. That latest figure is 37.6% below the Jan-Mar 2024 peak of $2,090,000, reflecting volatility in a small detached-house market.
What schools are in St Kilda East?
There are 6 local schools, led by Caulfield Grammar School with ICSEA 1157, Ripponlea Primary School with ICSEA 1141 and St Mary's School with ICSEA 1111. The sector mix includes Independent, Government and Catholic options.
Is St Kilda East safe?
St Kilda East recorded 724 offences, equal to 57.6 per 1,000 people. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 493 incidents, so residents should weigh building security and street-level location.
Is St Kilda East good for property investment?
It can suit investors seeking renter depth, with 49.9% of homes rented and a median weekly rent of $396. The key caution is the 15.1% vacancy rate, which makes apartment selection and leasing strategy important.
How is St Kilda East's population changing?
Population growth is forecast at only 0.2% a year, or 34 people annually. Overseas migration adds about 510 people a year, but internal migration is negative at -309, keeping overall growth slow.
What languages are spoken in St Kilda East?
Alongside English, recorded languages include Russian with 88 speakers, Greek with 82, Mandarin with 62, Italian with 59 and Hindi with 56. Overseas-born residents make up 32.3% of the suburb.
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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