Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Balwyn
4 km²
A short drive to the city makes Balwyn a highly accessible and well-connected hub in Greater Melbourne. It is an affluent, well-educated community where nearly half of all residents were born overseas. This international character is reflected in the high number of households that speak a language other than English. With a typical age of 43, the area is noticeably older than the national figure, creating a settled environment with a high proportion of seniors.
Balwyn's schools draw a community as advantaged as its high household incomes suggest.
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The community is noticeably older than the state and national average, with 21.1% of residents aged 65 and over. While it has a large total population of 13,495, the proportion of people in de facto relationships is much lower than in most similar areas.
Overseas birth rates are among the highest at this level, with 45.5% of people born abroad, far above the national figure of 27.7%. Chinese ancestry is the most common, accounting for 34.4% of the population.
Reflecting its high overseas birth rate, 45.8% of residents use another language at home, which is far above the national figure. Mandarin is the most common non-English language, spoken by 21.9% of the community.
A large proportion of residents report no religion at 44.4%, which is well above the national figure of 38.9%. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 39.0%.
The area is exceptionally well-qualified, with 48.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, far above the national figure of 26.3%. Year 12 completion is also among the highest at this level at 81.2%.
Household earnings are high, with 31.3% of homes earning $3,000 or more a week, which is well above the national figure. The typical weekly family income is $2,492, a little above the national average.
Residents enjoy better health than most, with only 23.8% reporting a long-term health condition, which is well below the national figure of 27.7%. Mental health conditions are also lower than in most areas.
More people here provide unpaid care (14.1%) and care for children (27.2%) compared to most areas. About 16.3% of the population are volunteers, which is a little above the national figure.
There are 32 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the area. This group has a very high Year 12 completion rate of 88.0%, far above the national figure of 37.0%.
Families are generally larger than usual, with 2.6 people per home. Couples with children make up the largest group at 63.0%.
While 42.2% of homes are owned outright, typical monthly mortgage payments are among the highest at $3,000. Separate houses are less common here than in most areas, at 58.5%.
Working from home is very common at 38.0%, far above the national figure. The area is exceptionally well-connected, with 99.9% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport.
The area is quite dynamic, with 40.7% of people moving house in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 15.9% of the population, a figure much higher than most similar areas.
A lower proportion of adults are working or looking for work (57.7%) compared to the national figure. Professional roles are the most common occupation, accounting for 38.4% of the workforce.
This is a walker's paradise with a score of 8.4, far above the state average. Every single home is within a 15-minute walk of a park and a school.