Brighton, VIC: suburb profile

The population of Brighton VIC is 23,252 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Brighton is $1,259 per week ($65,468 per year). Median rent in Brighton is $600 per week ($2,600 per month). Brighton has a median age of 48 years, older than the national median of 38. Brighton has a population density of 2,778 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Brighton is England. The most common religion is No religion (41.1% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Brighton is $3,467.

There were 1,568 recorded offences in Brighton in 2025-25, a rate of 67 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (720 offences).

Population
23,252
Census 2021
Median income
$1,259/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$600/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
48years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (crimestatistics.vic.gov.au), 2025-25.

Brighton vs the typical VIC suburb

The median personal income in Brighton is $1,259 a week, 64% above the typical VIC suburb ($767). That ranks 26th of 1,274 VIC suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $600 a week, $284 more than the typical VIC suburb. Rent takes 22.1% of the median household income here, against 19.1% in the typical VIC suburb. The median resident is 48, 5 years older than in the typical VIC suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureBrightonTypical VICDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,259/wk$767/wk +64%$766/wk
Household income$2,710/wk$1,687/wk +61%$1,637/wk
Rent$600/wk$316/wk +90%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$3,467/mo$1,723/mo +101%$1,733/mo
Median age4843 +5 yrs42
Rent share of household income22.1%19.1% +3.0 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Brighton, the typical VIC suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Brighton Population

23,252 residents at the 2021 Census.

Brighton Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,259/wk
$65,468 per year
Ranked 328 of 14,663
Median Rent
$600/wk
$2,600 per month
Ranked 202 of 14,663
Median Age
48years
10 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$3,467/mo
Avg household size: 2.4 · 0.8 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Brighton Rent Prices & Affordability

22% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $2,710/wk
Median rent $600/wk
Rent to income 22.1%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Brighton against your income

About $11,743 a month
Median rent $600/wk
Left after rent $2,110/wk
Rent share 22.1%

Brighton Schools

35
schools nearby
10
government
1133
avg ICSEA score
13,389
total students
St Leonard's College Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 1,597 students
1184
ICSEA
St Joan of Arc School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 402 students
1170
ICSEA
Sholem Aleichem College Independent
Primary · Prep-6 · 96 students
1168
ICSEA
Hampton Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 628 students
1168
ICSEA
St Joseph's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 347 students
1164
ICSEA
Gardenvale Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 617 students
1164
ICSEA
Brighton Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 550 students
1153
ICSEA
St Columba's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 137 students
1152
ICSEA
Firbank Grammar School Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 1,046 students
1152
ICSEA
Elsternwick Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 463 students
1147
ICSEA
Brighton Beach Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 264 students
1146
ICSEA
Brighton Grammar School Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 1,480 students
1143
ICSEA
St Mary's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 194 students
1142
ICSEA
Melbourne Montessori College Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 311 students
1137
ICSEA
St Finbar's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 331 students
1136
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 35 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Brighton, with a map

Brighton Map

Brighton, Victoria Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Brighton, Victoria: 37.9078°S, 144.9960°E

Brighton Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (35)

People in Brighton

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 47.1% (10,956) Female 52.9% (12,292)

Population Density

2,778
people per km²
23,252 people · 8.4 km²

Households

2.4
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$3,778
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
5.4%
China
3.5%
New Zealand
1.6%
South Africa
1.2%
United States of America
1.0%
Italy
0.8%
India
0.8%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
4.0%
Greek
1.8%
Russian
1.3%
Italian
1.2%
Spanish
0.6%
Cantonese
0.6%
French
0.6%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
37.4%
Australian
27.6%
Irish
13.8%
Scottish
11.0%
Chinese
6.3%
Italian
6.3%
Greek
4.1%
German
4.0%
Polish
2.1%
Dutch
1.5%
Russian
1.3%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
41.1%
Catholic
21.9%
Anglican
13.7%
Not stated
5.6%
Eastern Orthodox
3.9%
Judaism
3.6%
Uniting Church
2.6%
Buddhism
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.3%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
53.1% 10,421
Separated
2.3% 449
Divorced
8.4% 1,658
Widowed
6.4% 1,256
Never married
29.8% 5,848

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
39.2%
Couple: no children
28.9%
Couple: no children under 15
21.9%
One parent: no children under 15
5.6%
One parent: children under 15
4.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
27.8%
2 persons
34.7%
3 persons
14.5%
4 persons
15.6%
5 persons
6.0%
6+ persons
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Brighton

Housing Tenure

Of the 8,981 occupied private dwellings in Brighton at the 2021 Census, 23.7% were rented, 45.1% owned outright and 28.1% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
2.0% 176 dwellings
Owned outright
45.1% 4,048 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
28.1% 2,522 dwellings
Rented
23.7% 2,131 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.2% 107 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
71.8%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
15.2%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
13.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
4.7%
2 bedrooms
27.6%
3 bedrooms
34.2%
4 bedrooms
24.0%
5 bedrooms
8.0%
6+ bedrooms
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
15.0%
$300-$449/mo
2.7%
$450-$599/mo
2.7%
$600-$799/mo
1.9%
$800-$999/mo
3.5%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
10.1%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
8.4%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
19.3%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
12.7%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
23.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
5.0%
1 vehicle
39.3%
2 vehicles
39.5%
3 vehicles
10.7%
4+ vehicles
5.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Brighton

Employment

Employed full-time
36.0% 6,535 people
Employed part-time
22.2% 4,029 people
Unemployed
2.4% 436 people
Not in labour force
39.4% 7,153 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
43.9%
Managers
28.3%
Clerical & Administrative
10.1%
Sales Workers
5.9%
Community & Personal Service
5.1%
Technicians & Trade Workers
4.7%
Labourers
1.2%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.5%
$1-$149/wk
1.0%
$150-$299/wk
0.9%
$300-$399/wk
1.3%
$400-$499/wk
3.1%
$500-$649/wk
2.9%
$650-$799/wk
3.5%
$800-$999/wk
4.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
5.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
5.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.4%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.7%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
9.3%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
5.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
6.0%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
3.4%
$4,000+/wk
37.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
11.2%
$1-$149/wk
4.7%
$150-$299/wk
4.1%
$300-$399/wk
1.8%
$400-$499/wk
1.9%
$500-$649/wk
2.2%
$650-$799/wk
5.2%
$800-$999/wk
5.9%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.7%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
12.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.8%
$3,500+/wk
19.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
62.5%
Did not go to work
20.6%
Train
5.2%
Walked only
4.6%
Car (passenger)
3.4%
Bicycle
1.7%
Other
0.7%
Bus
0.5%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.3%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.2%
Truck
0.2%
Tram/Light Rail
0.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
84.8%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.8%
Year 10 or equivalent
6.0%
Year 9 or equivalent
1.5%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
48.6%
Postgraduate Degree
19.5%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
15.7%
Certificate III/IV
8.8%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
6.7%
Certificate I/II
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
34.1%
Society & Culture
16.4%
Health
12.8%
Engineering
8.1%
Education
6.2%
Creative Arts
5.6%
Architecture & Building
5.2%
Natural & Physical Sciences
4.6%
Information Technology
3.7%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
2.5%
Agriculture & Environment
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Secondary: Other Non-Govt
30.6%
Primary: Government
18.1%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
14.6%
Pre-school
10.0%
Primary: Catholic
8.5%
Secondary: Catholic
7.0%
Secondary: Government
5.8%
Vocational Education
5.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
91.5%
Has need for assistance
4.2%
Need for assistance not stated
4.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
1,476
Asthma
712
Heart disease
635
Arthritis
620
Cancer
450
Diabetes
373
Lung condition
287
Stroke
233
Kidney disease
188
Dementia
89

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
15.6% 2,912
Did not provide
84.4% 15,794

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
19.2% 3,591
Not a volunteer
80.8% 15,157

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 10
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 14
Previously served
2.1% 397
Never served
97.8% 18,356

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
34.2%
1 child
13.3%
2 children
32.7%
3 children
15.1%
4 children
3.8%
5+ children
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
158
1951: 1960
444
1961: 1970
553
1971: 1980
620
1981: 1990
808
1991: 2000
745
2001: 2010
1,082
2011: 2015
697
2016
176
2017
207
2018
245
2019
277
2020
163
2021
42

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

15.1%
moved in the last year
41.4%
moved in the last 5 years
3.7%
unemployment rate (Census)
59.4%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
18,775
Moved from VIC
2,130
Moved: same area (SA2)
715
Moved from overseas
291
Moved from NSW
81
Moved from QLD
52
Moved from SA
18
Moved from ACT
15
Moved from WA
14
Moved from NT
9

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
24.2%
5: 14 hours
32.1%
15: 29 hours
14.2%
30+ hours
8.2%
Did not do domestic work
21.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
92.4%
Step family: no other children
5.4%
Blended family: no other children
1.7%
Intact family: other children present
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Brighton Crime Statistics

1,568 reported offences in 2025-25, by category.

Theft
720
Break & Enter
261
Assault
141
Justice Procedures
123
Property Damage
117
Fraud
74
Drug Offences
67
Public Order
33
Weapons
24
Robbery
8

Total offences by year

2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (crimestatistics.vic.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Mount Macedon
Income: $1,075/wk Rent: $330/wk $270/wk less rent
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Income: $1,090/wk Rent: $460/wk $140/wk less rent
Toorak
Income: $1,427/wk Rent: $486/wk $114/wk less rent
Black Rock (Vic.)
Income: $1,067/wk Rent: $541/wk $59/wk less rent
Barwon Heads
Income: $1,030/wk Rent: $450/wk $150/wk less rent
Eaglemont
Income: $1,153/wk Rent: $453/wk $147/wk less rent
Canterbury (Vic.)
Income: $1,102/wk Rent: $515/wk $85/wk less rent
Albert Park (Vic.)
Income: $1,333/wk Rent: $590/wk $10/wk less rent

Suburbs near Brighton

The closest suburb to Brighton is Gardenvale, 1.6 km away.

Gardenvale
1.6 km away · income $1,087/wk · rent $301/wk
Brighton East
2.3 km away · income $1,036/wk · rent $600/wk
Elsternwick
2.5 km away · income $1,206/wk · rent $441/wk
Caulfield South
2.9 km away · income $1,074/wk · rent $496/wk
Elwood
3.1 km away · income $1,364/wk · rent $415/wk
Ripponlea
3.2 km away · income $1,190/wk · rent $391/wk

Compare Brighton (Vic.)

Frequently Asked Questions About Brighton

What is the population of Brighton VIC?

The population of Brighton VIC is 23,252 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2,778 people per km². Brighton is ranked #107 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Brighton?

The median personal income in Brighton VIC is $1,259 per week, or $65,468 per year. The median household income is $2,710 per week. Family income is $3,778 per week. Brighton is ranked #328 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Brighton?

Median rent in Brighton VIC is $600 per week ($2,600 per month). Rent represents 22.1% of household income, which is considered affordable. Brighton ranks #202 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Brighton?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Brighton VIC is $3,467. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Brighton?

The median age in Brighton VIC is 48 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Brighton a good suburb to live in?

Brighton is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 23,252. The median income is $1,259/wk, which is above the typical VIC suburb ($767/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (22.1% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Melbourne Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 20337. All dollar figures in AUD.