Elsternwick, VIC: suburb profile

The population of Elsternwick VIC is 10,887 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Elsternwick is $1,206 per week ($62,712 per year). Median rent in Elsternwick is $441 per week ($1,911 per month). Elsternwick has a median age of 38 years, equal to the national median. Elsternwick has a population density of 4,183 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Elsternwick is England. The most common religion is No religion (42.5% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Greek. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Elsternwick is $2,400.

There were 773 recorded offences in Elsternwick in 2025-25, a rate of 71 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (372 offences).

Population
10,887
Census 2021
Median income
$1,206/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$441/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
38years
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.

Elsternwick vs the typical VIC suburb

The median personal income in Elsternwick is $1,206 a week, 57% above the typical VIC suburb ($767). That ranks 38th of 1,274 VIC suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $441 a week, $125 more than the typical VIC suburb. Rent takes 20.0% of the median household income here, against 19.1% in the typical VIC suburb. The median resident is 38, 5 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.
MeasureElsternwickTypical VICDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,206/wk$767/wk +57%$766/wk
Household income$2,209/wk$1,687/wk +31%$1,637/wk
Rent$441/wk$316/wk +40%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,400/mo$1,723/mo +39%$1,733/mo
Median age3843 −5 yrs42
Rent share of household income20.0%19.1% +0.9 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 Elsternwick, the typical VIC suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Elsternwick Population

10,887 residents at the 2021 Census.

Elsternwick Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,206/wk
$62,712 per year
Ranked 408 of 14,663
Median Rent
$441/wk
$1,911 per month
Ranked 1,246 of 14,663
Median Age
38years
Same as the national median
Mortgage
$2,400/mo
Avg household size: 2.3 · 0.9 per bedroom

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

Elsternwick Rent Prices & Affordability

20% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $2,209/wk
Median rent $441/wk
Rent to income 20.0%

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

Median rent in Elsternwick against your income

About $9,572 a month
Median rent $441/wk
Left after rent $1,768/wk
Rent share 20.0%

Elsternwick Schools

54
schools nearby
15
government
1117
avg ICSEA score
20,807
total students
St Michael's Grammar School Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 1,143 students
1180
ICSEA
Sholem Aleichem College Independent
Primary · Prep-6 · 96 students
1168
ICSEA
The King David School Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 592 students
1165
ICSEA
Gardenvale Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 617 students
1164
ICSEA
Caulfield South Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 472 students
1164
ICSEA
St Joseph's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 347 students
1164
ICSEA
Caulfield Junior College Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 536 students
1160
ICSEA
Ormond Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 318 students
1158
ICSEA
Caulfield Grammar School Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 3,555 students
1157
ICSEA
St Joseph's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 183 students
1156
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 Grammar School Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 1,480 students
1143
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 54 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 Elsternwick, with a map

Elsternwick Map

Elsternwick, Victoria Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Elsternwick, Victoria: 37.8868°S, 145.0065°E

Elsternwick Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (54)

People in Elsternwick

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 46.8% (5,093) Female 53.2% (5,790)

Population Density

4,183
people per km²
10,887 people · 2.6 km²

Households

2.3
Avg household size
0.9
Persons per bedroom
$3,210
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%
New Zealand
2.0%
South Africa
1.9%
Ireland
1.4%
India
1.3%
China
1.2%
United States of America
1.1%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Greek
2.1%
Russian
1.8%
Mandarin
1.6%
French
1.4%
Italian
1.2%
Japanese
1.1%
Spanish
1.0%

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

Ancestry

English
30.1%
Australian
27.5%
Irish
13.4%
Scottish
9.3%
Polish
5.1%
Italian
5.1%
German
4.4%
Chinese
3.6%
Greek
3.6%
Russian
2.2%
Indian
1.9%

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
42.5%
Judaism
17.9%
Catholic
16.8%
Not stated
5.6%
Anglican
5.2%
Eastern Orthodox
3.4%
Uniting Church
1.4%
Hinduism
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.2%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
41.9% 3,790
Separated
2.3% 212
Divorced
7.8% 708
Widowed
4.5% 409
Never married
43.3% 3,917

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
45.8%
Couple: no children
29.7%
Couple: no children under 15
14.7%
One parent: no children under 15
5.3%
One parent: children under 15
4.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
33.5%
2 persons
34.0%
3 persons
12.4%
4 persons
13.6%
5 persons
4.7%
6+ persons
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Elsternwick

Housing Tenure

Of the 4,534 occupied private dwellings in Elsternwick at the 2021 Census, 38.5% were rented, 30.6% owned outright and 28.2% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.4% 64 dwellings
Owned outright
30.6% 1,386 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
28.2% 1,280 dwellings
Rented
38.5% 1,747 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.1% 52 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
66.4%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
20.4%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
13.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
13.0%
2 bedrooms
37.8%
3 bedrooms
29.5%
4 bedrooms
15.0%
5 bedrooms
3.9%
6+ bedrooms
0.7%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
10.5%
$300-$449/mo
1.6%
$450-$599/mo
2.0%
$600-$799/mo
2.4%
$800-$999/mo
2.2%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
11.6%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
15.6%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
21.6%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
16.0%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
16.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
10.0%
1 vehicle
48.8%
2 vehicles
32.2%
3 vehicles
6.4%
4+ vehicles
2.6%

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

Work, income and education in Elsternwick

Employment

Employed full-time
45.2% 3,777 people
Employed part-time
23.0% 1,921 people
Unemployed
2.6% 217 people
Not in labour force
29.2% 2,444 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
46.5%
Managers
21.0%
Clerical & Administrative
10.5%
Community & Personal Service
7.1%
Technicians & Trade Workers
6.8%
Sales Workers
5.2%
Labourers
1.8%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
1.2%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.2%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$150-$299/wk
1.0%
$300-$399/wk
2.0%
$400-$499/wk
4.0%
$500-$649/wk
3.5%
$650-$799/wk
4.4%
$800-$999/wk
4.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
5.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
5.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.0%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
11.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
6.9%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.3%
$4,000+/wk
25.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
8.7%
$1-$149/wk
4.3%
$150-$299/wk
4.2%
$300-$399/wk
1.9%
$400-$499/wk
2.3%
$500-$649/wk
2.3%
$650-$799/wk
6.2%
$800-$999/wk
7.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.1%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
9.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.8%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
13.8%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.3%
$3,500+/wk
11.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
58.5%
Did not go to work
19.8%
Train
7.3%
Walked only
5.6%
Car (passenger)
3.3%
Bicycle
1.7%
Tram/Light Rail
1.1%
Bus
0.9%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.8%
Other
0.6%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.4%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
87.4%
Year 11 or equivalent
6.0%
Year 10 or equivalent
4.7%
Year 9 or equivalent
1.9%

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
48.0%
Postgraduate Degree
18.9%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
13.8%
Certificate III/IV
10.4%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
7.9%
Certificate I/II
0.9%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
28.6%
Society & Culture
18.2%
Health
11.6%
Creative Arts
9.0%
Engineering
7.6%
Education
7.5%
Architecture & Building
5.0%
Information Technology
4.6%
Natural & Physical Sciences
4.2%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
2.9%
Agriculture & Environment
0.8%

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

School & University Attendance

Secondary: Other Non-Govt
24.5%
Primary: Government
15.7%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
15.6%
Pre-school
11.9%
Primary: Catholic
9.5%
Vocational Education
9.0%
Secondary: Government
7.4%
Secondary: Catholic
6.5%

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
92.1%
Has need for assistance
4.2%
Need for assistance not stated
3.6%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
913
Asthma
372
Arthritis
204
Heart disease
204
Diabetes
199
Cancer
136
Lung condition
103
Kidney disease
77
Stroke
64
Dementia
26

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
14.1% 1,226
Did not provide
85.9% 7,448

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
17.5% 1,521
Not a volunteer
82.5% 7,168

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.0% 4
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 6
Previously served
1.0% 90
Never served
98.9% 8,624

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
48.3%
1 child
13.1%
2 children
25.2%
3 children
10.1%
4 children
2.3%
5+ children
0.9%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
81
1951: 1960
192
1961: 1970
274
1971: 1980
288
1981: 1990
415
1991: 2000
336
2001: 2010
533
2011: 2015
431
2016
113
2017
125
2018
153
2019
142
2020
61
2021
30

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

Population Mobility

17.7%
moved in the last year
44.8%
moved in the last 5 years
3.5%
unemployment rate (Census)
69.4%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
8,580
Moved from VIC
1,366
Moved: same area (SA2)
259
Moved from overseas
125
Moved from NSW
31
Moved from QLD
27
Moved from ACT
9
Moved from WA
8
Moved from SA
6

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
26.7%
5: 14 hours
35.8%
15: 29 hours
11.4%
30+ hours
6.3%
Did not do domestic work
19.8%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
94.7%
Step family: no other children
4.1%
Blended family: no other children
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Elsternwick Crime Statistics

773 reported offences in 2025-25, by category.

Theft
372
Assault
92
Break & Enter
80
Property Damage
59
Fraud
51
Justice Procedures
44
Drug Offences
29
Public Order
24
Weapons
16
Robbery
5
Traffic
1

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

Essendon North
Income: $1,031/wk Rent: $360/wk $81/wk less rent
Moonee Ponds
Income: $1,113/wk Rent: $400/wk $41/wk less rent
Elwood
Income: $1,364/wk Rent: $415/wk $26/wk less rent
Armadale (Vic.)
Income: $1,354/wk Rent: $421/wk $20/wk less rent
Gardenvale
Income: $1,087/wk Rent: $301/wk $140/wk less rent
Manifold Heights
Income: $984/wk Rent: $310/wk $131/wk less rent
Kingsville
Income: $1,202/wk Rent: $355/wk $86/wk less rent
Fairfield (Vic.)
Income: $1,093/wk Rent: $369/wk $72/wk less rent

Suburbs near Elsternwick

The closest suburb to Elsternwick is Gardenvale, 1.3 km away.

Gardenvale
1.3 km away · income $1,087/wk · rent $301/wk
Ripponlea
1.4 km away · income $1,190/wk · rent $391/wk
Caulfield
1.8 km away · income $978/wk · rent $475/wk
Caulfield South
1.8 km away · income $1,074/wk · rent $496/wk
Elwood
1.9 km away · income $1,364/wk · rent $415/wk
Balaclava (Vic.)
2.1 km away · income $1,172/wk · rent $386/wk

Compare Elsternwick

Frequently Asked Questions About Elsternwick

What is the population of Elsternwick VIC?

The population of Elsternwick VIC is 10,887 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 4,183 people per km². Elsternwick is ranked #545 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Elsternwick?

The median personal income in Elsternwick VIC is $1,206 per week, or $62,712 per year. The median household income is $2,209 per week. Family income is $3,210 per week. Elsternwick is ranked #408 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Elsternwick?

Median rent in Elsternwick VIC is $441 per week ($1,911 per month). Rent represents 20.0% of household income, which is considered affordable. Elsternwick ranks #1,246 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Elsternwick?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Elsternwick VIC is $2,400. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Elsternwick?

The median age in Elsternwick VIC is 38 years. This is equal to the national median age of 38 years.

Is Elsternwick a good suburb to live in?

Elsternwick is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 10,887. The median income is $1,206/wk, which is above the typical VIC suburb ($767/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (20.0% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Melbourne Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 20864. All dollar figures in AUD.