Statistical Area 2 (SA2) · Area profile
Balwyn North
9 km²
High household incomes and a strong professional profile define Balwyn North. This is a wealthy, well-educated community where the typical family earns $2,726 a week, far above the national figure. The area is notably diverse, with nearly half of the population speaking a language other than English at home. This combination of high academic achievement and multiculturalism makes it one of the most advantaged suburbs in the region.
An affluent area whose schools serve an equally well-off community.
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The community is older than most, with a typical resident aged 42. While children under 15 make up 17.8% of the population, there is a low rate of de facto relationships compared to the state and national averages.
This is a highly international area where 43.3% of people were born overseas, a figure that rose 9.1 points since 2011. Chinese, English, and Australian are the most common ancestries.
Language diversity is a striking feature, as 47.7% of residents use a language other than English at home. This is far above the national average, and Mandarin is the most common non-English language.
About 40.7% of residents report no religion, which is a little above the national figure. This reflects a significant increase of 16 points since 2011.
The area is exceptionally well-qualified, with 47.2% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This high level of education is reflected in the fact that 81.9% of residents completed Year 12, far above the national figure.
Wealth is very high here, with 37.2% of households earning $3,000 or more a week. Typical weekly household income is $2,350, which is well above the national figure of $1,746.
Residents generally enjoy good health, with a long-term health condition rate of 21.3%, which is well below the national average. Only 4.6% of people report a mental health condition.
Community involvement is high, with 15.1% of people providing unpaid care, a figure well above the national average. However, the number of volunteers has fallen 6 points since 2011.
The First Nations population is small, but those residents are highly advantaged. The unemployment rate for this group is 0.0%, and Year 12 completion is far above the national average.
Families are typically large, with 2.9 people per home. This is higher than most areas, and 70.4% of households consist of couples with children.
Housing is dominated by large, expensive homes, with 88.6% having three or more bedrooms. Outright home ownership is far above the national average at 45.9%, while typical weekly rents are among the highest in the region at $554.
Working from home has become very common, with 36.6% of the workforce doing so, a huge increase since 2011. The area is well-served by public transport, with 107 stops and 26 routes.
The population is relatively stable, with 35.7% of people moving in the last five years, which is lower than the national average. Recent overseas arrivals make up 14.8% of the community.
Professional and managerial roles make up over half of the local workforce. The unemployment rate is 5.1%, which is about the same as the national figure.
Balwyn North is one of the most advantaged areas in the country, ranking in the top 10% for overall advantage. It has a high concentration of 3,224 businesses.
The area sees an average annual rainfall of 749mm, which is well above the Victorian average. Average maximum temperatures are slightly lower than the state figure.
The suburb is very walkable, with a score of 7.9. Nearly every home is within a 15-minute walk of public transport, parks, groceries, and health services.