Cheltenham, VIC: suburb profile

The population of Cheltenham VIC is 23,992 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Cheltenham is $924 per week ($48,048 per year). Median rent in Cheltenham is $430 per week ($1,863 per month). Cheltenham has a median age of 40 years, older than the national median of 38. Cheltenham has a population density of 2,281 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Cheltenham is England. The most common religion is No religion (43.1% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Greek. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Cheltenham is $2,200.

There were 2,506 recorded offences in Cheltenham in 2025-25, a rate of 104 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (1,191 offences).

Population
23,992
Census 2021
Median income
$924/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$430/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
40years
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.

Cheltenham vs the typical VIC suburb

The median personal income in Cheltenham is $924 a week, 20% above the typical VIC suburb ($767). That ranks 229th of 1,274 VIC suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $430 a week, $114 more than the typical VIC suburb. Rent takes 22.4% of the median household income here, against 19.1% in the typical VIC suburb. The median resident is 40, 3 years younger 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.
MeasureCheltenhamTypical VICDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$924/wk$767/wk +20%$766/wk
Household income$1,919/wk$1,687/wk +14%$1,637/wk
Rent$430/wk$316/wk +36%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,200/mo$1,723/mo +28%$1,733/mo
Median age4043 −3 yrs42
Rent share of household income22.4%19.1% +3.3 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 Cheltenham, the typical VIC suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Cheltenham Population

23,992 residents at the 2021 Census.

Cheltenham Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$924/wk
$48,048 per year
Ranked 1,863 of 14,663
Median Rent
$430/wk
$1,863 per month
Ranked 1,360 of 14,663
Median Age
40years
2 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$2,200/mo
Avg household size: 2.4 · 0.8 per bedroom

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

Cheltenham Rent Prices & Affordability

22% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,919/wk
Median rent $430/wk
Rent to income 22.4%

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

Median rent in Cheltenham against your income

About $8,316 a month
Median rent $430/wk
Left after rent $1,489/wk
Rent share 22.4%

Cheltenham Schools

28
schools nearby
19
government
1107
avg ICSEA score
14,154
total students
Mentone Girls' Grammar School Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 560 students
1174
ICSEA
Beaumaris North Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 477 students
1150
ICSEA
Mentone Grammar School Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 2,008 students
1144
ICSEA
Stella Maris School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 143 students
1137
ICSEA
Beaumaris Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 558 students
1134
ICSEA
Cheltenham East Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 392 students
1122
ICSEA
Southmoor Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 368 students
1121
ICSEA
Tucker Road Bentleigh Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 393 students
1120
ICSEA
St Patrick's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 460 students
1116
ICSEA
Cheltenham Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 402 students
1116
ICSEA
Beaumaris Secondary College Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 893 students
1113
ICSEA
Mentone Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 299 students
1112
ICSEA
Moorabbin Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 545 students
1108
ICSEA
Our Lady of the Assumption School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 257 students
1107
ICSEA
Mentone Girls Secondary College Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,102 students
1102
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 28 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 Cheltenham, with a map

Cheltenham Map

Cheltenham, Victoria Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Cheltenham, Victoria: 37.9619°S, 145.0601°E

Cheltenham Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (28)

People in Cheltenham

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 47.8% (11,469) Female 52.2% (12,522)

Population Density

2,281
people per km²
23,992 people · 10.5 km²

Households

2.4
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,543
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
4.0%
China
3.1%
India
2.7%
Greece
2.0%
New Zealand
1.6%
South Africa
1.0%
Italy
0.9%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Greek
4.3%
Mandarin
3.6%
Russian
1.8%
Italian
1.1%
Hindi
1.0%
Spanish
0.9%
Cantonese
0.8%

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

Ancestry

English
32.2%
Australian
28.4%
Irish
11.0%
Scottish
9.4%
Greek
6.2%
Chinese
6.2%
Italian
5.6%
German
3.6%
Indian
3.6%
Dutch
1.7%
Russian
1.6%

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
43.1%
Catholic
21.2%
Anglican
7.9%
Eastern Orthodox
6.7%
Not stated
5.2%
Hinduism
2.6%
Uniting Church
2.0%
Buddhism
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.5%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
47.1% 9,273
Separated
2.8% 551
Divorced
9.2% 1,817
Widowed
6.4% 1,269
Never married
34.4% 6,765

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
45.2%
Couple: no children
24.7%
Couple: no children under 15
17.1%
One parent: no children under 15
7.4%
One parent: children under 15
5.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
28.9%
2 persons
31.0%
3 persons
17.1%
4 persons
16.9%
5 persons
4.8%
6+ persons
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Cheltenham

Housing Tenure

Of the 9,463 occupied private dwellings in Cheltenham at the 2021 Census, 27.1% were rented, 32.8% owned outright and 37.2% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.6% 156 dwellings
Owned outright
32.8% 3,105 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
37.2% 3,521 dwellings
Rented
27.1% 2,561 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.3% 119 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
72.0%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
17.3%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
10.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
3.5%
2 bedrooms
30.2%
3 bedrooms
43.2%
4 bedrooms
19.1%
5 bedrooms
3.3%
6+ bedrooms
0.5%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
5.1%
$300-$449/mo
1.4%
$450-$599/mo
1.2%
$600-$799/mo
3.2%
$800-$999/mo
4.2%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
10.2%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
13.0%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
24.3%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
17.0%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
20.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
6.9%
1 vehicle
42.1%
2 vehicles
38.7%
3 vehicles
8.4%
4+ vehicles
3.9%

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

Work, income and education in Cheltenham

Employment

Employed full-time
40.8% 7,425 people
Employed part-time
22.9% 4,158 people
Unemployed
2.9% 535 people
Not in labour force
33.3% 6,062 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
36.2%
Managers
18.1%
Clerical & Administrative
12.7%
Technicians & Trade Workers
12.1%
Community & Personal Service
9.6%
Sales Workers
6.0%
Labourers
3.2%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.0%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.8%
$1-$149/wk
0.8%
$150-$299/wk
1.4%
$300-$399/wk
2.2%
$400-$499/wk
6.3%
$500-$649/wk
4.6%
$650-$799/wk
5.4%
$800-$999/wk
4.9%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
6.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.6%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.1%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
7.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.7%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
5.2%
$4,000+/wk
17.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.8%
$1-$149/wk
4.4%
$150-$299/wk
5.7%
$300-$399/wk
3.2%
$400-$499/wk
3.1%
$500-$649/wk
3.0%
$650-$799/wk
7.4%
$800-$999/wk
8.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.6%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
12.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.3%
$3,500+/wk
5.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
66.2%
Did not go to work
19.1%
Car (passenger)
4.3%
Train
3.3%
Walked only
3.2%
Bus
1.1%
Bicycle
1.0%
Other
0.7%
Truck
0.5%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.3%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
76.2%
Year 10 or equivalent
10.2%
Year 11 or equivalent
10.0%
Year 9 or equivalent
3.6%

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
39.1%
Certificate III/IV
20.6%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
18.8%
Postgraduate Degree
14.4%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
5.6%
Certificate I/II
1.5%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
26.1%
Society & Culture
13.2%
Engineering
12.7%
Health
10.7%
Education
9.3%
Information Technology
6.3%
Architecture & Building
6.1%
Creative Arts
6.0%
Natural & Physical Sciences
4.6%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
3.6%
Agriculture & Environment
1.4%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
31.3%
Secondary: Government
19.9%
Pre-school
13.3%
Vocational Education
11.1%
Primary: Catholic
8.3%
Secondary: Catholic
7.7%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
6.0%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
2.4%

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
89.8%
Has need for assistance
6.5%
Need for assistance not stated
3.7%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
2,055
Asthma
876
Arthritis
588
Diabetes
529
Heart disease
512
Lung condition
384
Cancer
345
Stroke
237
Kidney disease
170
Dementia
84

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
13.8% 2,602
Did not provide
86.2% 16,203

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
12.8% 2,418
Not a volunteer
87.2% 16,429

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.0% 8
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 14
Previously served
2.0% 385
Never served
97.8% 18,509

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
36.4%
1 child
16.0%
2 children
30.9%
3 children
12.6%
4 children
3.4%
5+ children
0.7%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
82
1951: 1960
416
1961: 1970
704
1971: 1980
588
1981: 1990
762
1991: 2000
805
2001: 2010
1,684
2011: 2015
1,061
2016
220
2017
243
2018
234
2019
215
2020
86
2021
45

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

Population Mobility

13.7%
moved in the last year
40.2%
moved in the last 5 years
4.2%
unemployment rate (Census)
65.3%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
19,749
Moved from VIC
2,337
Moved: same area (SA2)
515
Moved from overseas
186
Moved from NSW
30
Moved from QLD
25
Moved from SA
11
Moved from WA
7
Moved from ACT
5

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
22.8%
5: 14 hours
32.2%
15: 29 hours
13.3%
30+ hours
6.9%
Did not do domestic work
24.8%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
93.1%
Step family: no other children
4.6%
Blended family: no other children
1.7%
Intact family: other children present
0.3%
Other couple: children only
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Cheltenham Crime Statistics

2,506 reported offences in 2025-25, by category.

Theft
1,191
Assault
274
Justice Procedures
233
Property Damage
227
Break & Enter
167
Fraud
147
Drug Offences
99
Public Order
74
Weapons
64
Robbery
25
Other
5

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

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Income: $757/wk Rent: $290/wk $140/wk less rent

Suburbs near Cheltenham

The closest suburb to Cheltenham is Highett, 2.2 km away.

Highett
2.2 km away · income $1,026/wk · rent $430/wk
Moorabbin
2.3 km away · income $939/wk · rent $431/wk
Mentone
2.7 km away · income $981/wk · rent $392/wk
Beaumaris (Vic.)
3.0 km away · income $1,044/wk · rent $612/wk
Heatherton
3.0 km away · income $891/wk · rent $471/wk
Black Rock (Vic.)
3.5 km away · income $1,067/wk · rent $541/wk

Compare Cheltenham (Vic.)

Frequently Asked Questions About Cheltenham

What is the population of Cheltenham VIC?

The population of Cheltenham VIC is 23,992 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2,281 people per km². Cheltenham is ranked #96 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Cheltenham?

The median personal income in Cheltenham VIC is $924 per week, or $48,048 per year. The median household income is $1,919 per week. Family income is $2,543 per week. Cheltenham is ranked #1,863 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Cheltenham?

Median rent in Cheltenham VIC is $430 per week ($1,863 per month). Rent represents 22.4% of household income, which is considered affordable. Cheltenham ranks #1,360 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Cheltenham?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Cheltenham VIC is $2,200. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Cheltenham?

The median age in Cheltenham VIC is 40 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Cheltenham a good suburb to live in?

Cheltenham is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 23,992. The median income is $924/wk, which is above the typical VIC suburb ($767/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (22.4% 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: 20539. All dollar figures in AUD.