Watsonia North
With 98.3% of homes detached and 46.0% owned outright, Watsonia North is a low-turnover, established pocket of 3,799 residents rather than a high-density growth precinct. Its median age is 41, household income sits at the 77.8th percentile, and 41.9% of residents hold a university qualification, 11.8 percentage points higher than the national comparison. Compared with denser nearby Bundoora, the suburb is more family-house oriented, supported by 56.6% three-bedroom and 38.9% four-bedroom-plus dwellings. That stability is reinforced by 88.1% of residents staying at the same address, while a 21.8 per 1,000 crime rate supports its low-crime identity.
Population
3,799
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,069/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$968K
October to December 2025
The market remains 98.3% separate houses, with three-bedroom homes making up 56.6% and four-bedroom-plus stock 38.9%. A $2,050 monthly mortgage and mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.9% indicate repayments are not flagged as stressed. The detached mix keeps demand focused on land and family space because semi-detached homes account for only 1.7%.
For Buyers
The market remains 98.3% separate houses, with three-bedroom homes making up 56.6% and four-bedroom-plus stock 38.9%. A $2,050 monthly mortgage and mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.9% indicate repayments are not flagged as stressed. The detached mix keeps demand focused on land and family space because semi-detached homes account for only 1.7%.
For Investors
Watsonia North has a small rental market, with 12.5% of dwellings rented compared with 40.8% financed by a mortgage. Weekly rent is $401 and vacancy is 3.9%, while rent growth of 9.3% is higher than the 2.03% annual growth trend. This combination can support rental income when leases reset, although the low rental share limits the pool of comparable properties. There was 0 recorded development activity in the past 12 months, so supply is more likely to change through resale, renovation and household turnover than through a visible construction pipeline. Balanced migration and an established profile favour steady demand over a speculative land-release story.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1
Last 12 Months
0
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 Watsonia North
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Watsonia North Primary School
Demographics
Watsonia North has an older-than-national age profile, with a median age of 41, or 1.0 year above the national comparison. Average household size is 2.7, which is 0.2 above the national figure, while university attainment is 41.9%, 11.8 percentage points higher nationally. Overseas-born residents account for 22.7%, only 1.1 points above the national comparison. English, Italian and Irish ancestry counts are 1,075, 543 and 480, while Italian, Mandarin and Greek are the leading listed languages at 56, 49 and 46 people. Couples with children represent 47.6% of families, and 88.1% stayed at the same address. Compared with denser nearby Bundoora, this is a more settled, family-led profile because household stability and family ownership are both high.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.3%
Houses
1.7%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Watsonia North's housing is overwhelmingly detached: separate houses make up 98.3%, while semi-detached dwellings account for 1.7%. Tenure is ownership-heavy, with 46.0% owned outright and 40.8% under mortgage, compared with only 12.5% renting. This structure helps explain the low turnover rate of 11.9%. Three-bedroom homes represent 56.6%, and four-bedroom-plus homes 38.9%, making family-sized stock more common than smaller formats.
Mortgage / mo
$2,050
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$401
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$830
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.9%
Unoccupied
55
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.6%
Couples with children
37.8%
Couples, no children
13.9%
Single parent
1,131
Total families
Economy & Employment
Watsonia North's employment base is led by healthcare at 18.5% or 254 workers, education at 13.9% or 190, construction at 12.1% or 166, professional and technical services at 9.3% or 128, and public administration at 8.0% or 109. That mix links local incomes to essential services and skilled work rather than one narrow industry. Professionals number 537, followed by clerical and administrative workers at 281, trades at 274, managers at 236 and community or personal service workers at 215. The labour force totals 1,995, participation is 64.1%, unemployment is 3.8%, and full-time employment is 58.4%. Household income ranks at the 77.8th percentile, while all four SEIFA measures sit in decile 7, above the midpoint and stronger than lower-decile areas.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
1,995
Unemployed
76
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.4%
Part-time
34.1%
Participation
64.1%
Employed
1,919
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
41.9%
Postgraduate
11.3%
Born Overseas
22.7%
Dwellings
1,367
Transport to Work
Daily life in Watsonia North is car-oriented: 57.6% of residents drove, compared with 2.9% using public transport, while 35.3% worked from home. The local school footprint includes 1 government primary school, Watsonia North Primary School, so families should check the exact enrolment zone and investigate secondary options before buying. The recorded crime rate is 21.8 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 83 total offences and property and deception offences the largest category at 41. An IRSAD decile of 7 and an assistance-need rate of 6.4% point to stronger socioeconomic conditions and lower disadvantage than lower-decile locations. Density is 2,619.5 people per square kilometre across 1.45 square kilometres, making private vehicles more practical than public transport for many trips.
Drive
57.6%
Public Transport
2.9%
Walk / Cycle
1.2%
Work from Home
35.3%
Population Forecast
+2.03%/yr
(+150 people/yr)
EstablishedWatsonia North is an established suburb, with the forecast trend running at 2.03% annually and migration labelled Balanced rather than led by one dominant source. Population change across the wider area is 31.4% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Mixed. Gentrification remains at Early signs, with a score of 28, and rent growth is 9.3%, higher than the annual trend. The shift model also records real income growth of 9.4% and affordability moving from 39.8 in 2011 to 32.3 in 2021, with the trend labelled Improving. With 0 development activity in the past 12 months, future change is more likely to come from household turnover, renovations and gradual repricing than a large new-estate pipeline.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+79
Net Internal / yr
+42
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +40% since 2011, Accelerating: 13% → 24%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
83
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
21.8
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 Watsonia North compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Watsonia North?
Watsonia North Primary School is the listed local school, and it is a government primary school. Families should confirm the enrolment zone for each address and investigate secondary options because the local list contains 1 school. School type and catchment boundaries matter more than suburb name alone.
Is Watsonia North safe?
The recorded crime rate was 21.8 offences per 1,000 residents, with 83 total offences. Property and deception offences accounted for 41, followed by justice procedures offences at 21. These figures support a lower-crime profile, but buyers should still check the specific street and recent local conditions before deciding.
How is Watsonia North's population changing?
The wider area is forecast to record 31.4% population change over 10 years, with an annual trend of 2.03%. Migration is labelled Balanced, and the shift trajectory is Mixed. Gentrification is at Early signs with a score of 28, so change appears gradual rather than a rapid redevelopment cycle.
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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