Surrey Hills
Its 13,655 residents live at a density of 3,080.7 people per sq km, while household income ranks at the 92.4th percentile nationally. Compared with nearby Box Hill, the suburb has a more conventional family housing profile, with 67.0% separate houses and 39.5% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms. The 64.2% university-educated share is 34.1 percentage points above the national figure, supporting professional demand, but aging and 0.42% annual growth point to measured change.
Population
13,655
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,503/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
121
Median House
$2.2M
October to December 2025
Separate houses account for 67.0% of stock, semi-detached homes 20.5% and apartments 12.3%, while 39.5% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage costs equal 27.7% of household income and are not flagged as mortgage stress because household income sits at the 92.4th percentile. Compared with the more urban setting of Box Hill, Surrey Hills suits buyers prioritising established housing and space over a lower price point.
For Buyers
Separate houses account for 67.0% of stock, semi-detached homes 20.5% and apartments 12.3%, while 39.5% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage costs equal 27.7% of household income and are not flagged as mortgage stress because household income sits at the 92.4th percentile. Compared with the more urban setting of Box Hill, Surrey Hills suits buyers prioritising established housing and space over a lower price point.
For Investors
Rental investors face a premium acquisition price but a relatively small rental pool. That vacancy level is higher than a tightly supplied market would usually suggest, so investors should test holding costs rather than assume rapid rent rises. Rental growth of 28.3% supports the long-term case, while 119 development matters over 12 months increase the need to check planning context and competing supply. Growth is forecast at 0.42% annually and is driven by overseas migration, which may support demand more gradually than a construction-led surge. Compared with lower-cost Box Hill, Surrey Hills requires greater focus on capital preservation and yield analysis.
Development Activity
Total DAs
134
Last 12 Months
121
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+1916.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Surrey Hills
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Chatham Primary School
Our Holy Redeemer School
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour School
Surrey Hills Primary School
Demographics
Surrey Hills has an older, highly educated profile: the median age is 42, which is 2 years above the national figure, and 64.2% of residents hold a university qualification, 34.1 percentage points above national. English ancestry counts 4,843 people and Chinese ancestry 2,008, while Mandarin is spoken by 457 residents. No religion is the largest recorded affiliation at 6,363, ahead of Christianity at 5,906. Couples with children make up 51.9% of families, and average household size is 2.6, only 0.1 above national. Compared with nearby Box Hill, Surrey Hills has a more family-oriented demographic shape, while 81.1% of residents stayed at the same address over five years, indicating lower turnover.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
67.0%
Houses
20.5%
Townhouse
12.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Surrey Hills housing is dominated by established family formats, with 67.0% separate houses, 20.5% semi-detached homes and 12.3% apartments. The bedroom mix reinforces that pattern: 39.5% have 4 or more bedrooms, 32.8% have 3 and 26.0% have 2. Ownership is substantial, with 42.0% owned outright and 34.9% mortgaged, while 21.7% is rented. This is a higher-cost profile because household income is at the 92.4th percentile and mortgage-to-income is 27.7%. Compared with nearby Box Hill, Surrey Hills leans more toward detached and larger homes than apartment-led renewal.
Mortgage / mo
$3,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $462.
$678
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $800 · units $570
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$1,081
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.0%
Unoccupied
434
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
51.9%
Couples with children
35.1%
Couples, no children
11.5%
Single parent
3,754
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional and knowledge-based work shapes Surrey Hills employment. Professional and Tech accounts for 18.2% of industry employment with 1,018 workers, followed by Healthcare at 17.5% and 978, Education at 12.6% and 705, Finance at 8.9% and 495, and Public Administration at 5.9% and 329. Occupations are led by Professionals at 2,937 and Managers at 1,459, helping explain personal weekly income of $1,081 and household income of $2,503. Unemployment is 4.2% and participation is 66.3%, while both IRSAD and IRSD rank in decile 10. Compared with lower-income outer suburbs, Surrey Hills has greater capacity to absorb premium housing costs because professional employment and education levels are higher.
Unemployment
4.2%
Labour Force
7,559
Unemployed
321
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.5%
Part-time
36.2%
Participation
66.3%
Employed
7,238
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
64.2%
Postgraduate
20.9%
Born Overseas
27.5%
Dwellings
5,001
Transport to Work
Livability is strongest for households that value schools, local access and working from home. Four local primary schools include 2 government and 2 Catholic options, while enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address because access can differ across nearby streets. Public transport is used by 4.5% of commuters, car driving by 37.7% and walking or cycling by 2.7%; 52.4% work from home, making home-office space practical. The recorded crime rate is 31.0 per 1,000 residents, with 339 of 423 offences in property and deception categories, so household security deserves attention. Surrey Hills sits in SEIFA IRSAD decile 10, higher than national disadvantage benchmarks, because income and education levels are strong. Compared with denser Box Hill, the suburb supports a quieter, family-oriented routine.
Drive
37.7%
Public Transport
4.5%
Walk / Cycle
2.7%
Work from Home
52.4%
Population Forecast
+0.42%/yr
(+45 people/yr)
EstablishedSurrey Hills is an established, slow-growth suburb, with forecast annual growth of 0.42% and wider-area population change of 4.0% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 5.8 percentage points, while the young share has fallen 2.2 points and the working share has fallen 1.6. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, which can add demand without changing the established housing pattern quickly. Gentrification is rated Early signs with a score of 20, so renewal is present but not yet intense. Real income growth reached 16.9%, partly supporting housing resilience. Compared with high-growth corridors, Surrey Hills is a lower-velocity market where scarcity and household wealth matter more than rapid population expansion.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+208
Net Internal / yr
-83
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Strong overseas inflow +208/yr, COVID recovered (-5% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
423
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
31.0
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 Surrey Hills compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Surrey Hills?
Surrey Hills has 4 local primary schools: Surrey Hills Primary School, Chatham Primary School, Our Holy Redeemer School and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour School. The mix includes 2 government and 2 Catholic schools. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address, because school access can differ across nearby streets.
Is Surrey Hills safe?
The recorded crime rate is 31.0 offences per 1,000 residents, with 423 total offences. Property and deception offences account for 339, while crimes against the person total 36. Surrey Hills also has a SEIFA IRSAD decile of 10, higher than national disadvantage benchmarks. Household security and current street-level conditions should still be considered.
How is Surrey Hills's population changing?
Population change is measured rather than rapid. The wider area has a forecast annual growth rate of 0.42% and 4.0% change over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.8 percentage points and the young share down 2.2. Overseas migration is the primary driver, so demand may broaden gradually while the suburb remains established.
What development is occurring in Surrey Hills?
There were 119 development matters over 12 months, including planning permits for works in Heritage Overlays and VicSmart tree applications. The volume points to ongoing small-scale change rather than a single large project. Buyers should review heritage controls, permit conditions and nearby applications, because 67.0% of homes are separate houses and 39.5% have 4 or more bedrooms.
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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