Upwey
Upwey runs against the metro Melbourne grain: 98.6% of its 6,818 residents live in separate houses and just 1.0% in apartments, a detached share you rarely find within commuting distance of a CBD. The median house price of $860,000 has fallen 18.6% from its $1,057,000 peak in 2023, yet the 14-year run from $425,000 in 2013 still works out to 5.2% annual growth. Household income sits in the 82.8th percentile nationally, SEIFA reads decile 8 to 9 across all four indexes, and the median age of 41 is only 1.0 year above national. The crime rate of 28.7 per 1,000 is low for the population it serves, with the trajectory leaning slowly toward an older resident base.
Population
6,818
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,171/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$860K
Apr-Jun 2024
The $860,000 median sits well below inner-Melbourne house prices, and the recent 18.6% slide from the $1,057,000 peak has handed buyers a softer entry than 2023 offered. Stock is almost entirely detached, with separate houses at 98.6% and apartments at only 1.0%, so buyers compete for family homes rather than units. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 44.8% and four-plus-bedroom homes 43.6%, meaning roughly 88% of housing suits families needing space. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite incomes in the 82.8th percentile. Mortgage holders dominate at 54.5% against 35.8% who own outright, a profile of active, debt-servicing households rather than settled, paid-off owners.
For Buyers
The $860,000 median sits well below inner-Melbourne house prices, and the recent 18.6% slide from the $1,057,000 peak has handed buyers a softer entry than 2023 offered. Stock is almost entirely detached, with separate houses at 98.6% and apartments at only 1.0%, so buyers compete for family homes rather than units. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 44.8% and four-plus-bedroom homes 43.6%, meaning roughly 88% of housing suits families needing space. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite incomes in the 82.8th percentile. Mortgage holders dominate at 54.5% against 35.8% who own outright, a profile of active, debt-servicing households rather than settled, paid-off owners.
For Investors
Renters are scarce here at 9.8%, far below the levels investors usually target, and weekly rent of $390 against the $860,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.4%, modest by any measure. The vacancy rate of 4.6% points to limited tenant turnover in a market where 90.3% of households own. Demand drivers are thin: net internal migration runs at -131 a year and is only partly offset by 66 net overseas arrivals, so the primary growth lever is overseas migration on a small base. Development is almost nonexistent at 2 planning applications in 12 months, which caps new supply but also signals weak investor and builder activity. With rent having grown 34.4% over the period and population edging down 0.21% annually, the case rests on long-run capital growth rather than yield or tenant depth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
6
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+50.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Upwey iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Upwey Primary School
Prep-6 · 129 students
Upwey South Primary School
Prep-6 · 321 students
Upwey High School
7-12 · 744 students
Demographics
The median age of 41 is 1.0 year above the national figure, and the profile is aging steadily: the senior share rose 6.6 points while the working-age share fell 1.7 points over the decade. Only 17.4% of residents were born overseas, which is 4.2 points below national, marking this as a more Australian-born population than most Melbourne suburbs. Ancestry leans heavily Anglo-Celtic, led by English (3,136), Irish (990) and Scottish (819), and the largest non-English languages are tiny by comparison, with Russian (16), German (13) and Italian (13) speakers. University qualifications reach 38.0%, which is 7.9 points above the national average. Average household size is 2.7, sitting 0.2 above national and consistent with the family-heavy mix where couples with children (2,664) outnumber couples without (1,365).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.6%
Houses
0.4%
Townhouse
1.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure here is mortgage-belt: 54.5% of households carry a mortgage, 35.8% own outright and just 9.8% rent, a far lower renter share than national norms. Mortgage holders outnumbering outright owners points to a churn of working families servicing debt rather than a settled, paid-off population. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 98.6%, with apartments at 1.0% and semi-detached at 0.4%, so price competition runs entirely through houses. Three-bedroom homes account for 44.8% and four-plus-bedroom 43.6%, leaving small dwellings rare. The median house price rose from $425,000 in 2013 to $860,000, a 102.4% gain or 5.2% annual growth, though it has retreated 18.6% from the 2023 peak of $1,057,000. Mortgage-to-income at 20.7% and rent-to-income at 18.0% both sit well under the 30% stress line.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$390
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$895
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.6%
Unoccupied
115
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.2%
Couples, no children
5,892
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in service sectors rather than corporate towers: Healthcare leads at 16.7% (452 workers), Education follows at 15.1% (408) and Construction at 12.0% (323), with Professional/Tech at 9.6% and Manufacturing at 7.6%. By occupation, Professionals (1,017) and Managers (488) form the top tier, consistent with the decile 8 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 4.1% and the full-time employment rate is 60.4%, with participation at 65.4%. The strong skew toward Healthcare, Education and Construction reflects a residential commuter base working in essential services rather than a local job hub. SEIFA reads decile 9 on IRSD and IER and decile 8 on IRSAD and IEO, a tight cluster near the top that signals consistent advantage with no single weak dimension, and real incomes grew 15.5% over the decade.
Unemployment
3.1%
Labour Force
5,938
Unemployed
183
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.4%
Part-time
35.5%
Participation
65.4%
Employed
3,445
Occupations
Top Industries
University
38.0%
Postgraduate
9.4%
Born Overseas
17.4%
Dwellings
2,407
Transport to Work
Upwey is built around the car: 90.1% of commuters drive, only 2.7% use public transport and 2.3% walk or cycle, a reliance well above the metro average that reflects its hills setting and dispersed housing. The suburb scores decile 9 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage and decile 8 on IRSAD, the top advantage tiers, meaning very few residents face deprivation. The crime rate of 28.7 per 1,000 is low, with property and deception offences (117) making up most of the 196 total incidents and crimes against the person at 44. Volunteering runs at 19.1% and only 3.9% of residents (259 people) need daily assistance despite the older median age of 41. No schools are recorded inside the 6.22 km2 boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off for the low-density, detached-house setting.
Drive
90.1%
Public Transport
2.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.21%/yr
(-21 people/yr)
EstablishedUpwey is contracting slightly: the population trend runs at -0.21% a year, about 21 fewer residents annually, and the 10-year change is essentially flat at -0.1%. Medium forecasts ease the count down through 2031, so no expansion is expected. The only positive driver is overseas migration at 66 net arrivals a year, which fails to offset net internal outflow of 131, leaving a small structural drain. The gentrification score of 19 places it firmly in the not-gentrifying band, fitting a suburb already at decile 8 to 9 advantage with little room to climb. Affordability improved from 43.9% in 2011 to 41.6% in 2021, a slow easing that, combined with the 18.6% price retreat from peak, reflects a mature, stable market rather than a growth play.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+66
Net Internal / yr
-131
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -131/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
196
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
28.7
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 Upwey compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Upwey a good suburb to live in?
Upwey scores decile 8 to 9 across all four SEIFA indexes, the top advantage tiers, with household income in the 82.8th percentile nationally. The crime rate of 28.7 per 1,000 is low and 98.6% of dwellings are detached houses. The main trade-off is heavy car reliance, with 90.1% of commuters driving.
What is the median house price in Upwey?
The median house price is $860,000 as of Apr-Jun 2024, down 18.6% from the 2023 peak of $1,057,000. Over 14 years prices rose from $425,000 in 2013, a 102.4% gain or 5.2% annual growth. Weekly rent averages $390 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,950.
What schools are in Upwey?
No schools are recorded inside the 6.22 km2 Upwey boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 38.0%, which is 7.9 points above the national figure.
Is Upwey safe?
Upwey recorded 196 offences for a crime rate of 28.7 per 1,000 residents, low for its population. Property and deception offences (117) make up most incidents, with crimes against the person at 44 and drug offences at just 5. The suburb also scores decile 9 on the IRSD disadvantage index.
Is Upwey good for property investment?
Rent of $390 a week against an $860,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.4%, modest, and only 9.8% of households rent. Net overseas migration of 66 a year is offset by internal outflow of 131, so with population edging down 0.21% annually, returns depend on capital growth rather than yield.
How is Upwey's population changing?
The population of 6,818 is trending down about 0.21% a year, roughly 21 fewer residents annually, with a 10-year change near -0.1%. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 6.6 points and the working-age share down 1.7 points over the decade. Overseas migration adds 66 residents a year.
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.
Explore Upwey on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map