Highett, VIC: suburb profile

The population of Highett VIC is 12,016 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Highett is $1,026 per week ($53,352 per year). Median rent in Highett is $430 per week ($1,863 per month). Highett has a median age of 40 years, older than the national median of 38. Highett has a population density of 3,253 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Highett is England. The most common religion is No religion (46.1% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Highett is $2,300.

There were 1,121 recorded offences in Highett in 2025-25, a rate of 93 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (412 offences).

Population
12,016
Census 2021
Median income
$1,026/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.

Highett vs the typical VIC suburb

The median personal income in Highett is $1,026 a week, 34% above the typical VIC suburb ($767). That ranks 114th 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 20.3% 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.
MeasureHighettTypical VICDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,026/wk$767/wk +34%$766/wk
Household income$2,119/wk$1,687/wk +26%$1,637/wk
Rent$430/wk$316/wk +36%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,300/mo$1,723/mo +33%$1,733/mo
Median age4043 −3 yrs42
Rent share of household income20.3%19.1% +1.2 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 Highett, the typical VIC suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Highett Population

12,016 residents at the 2021 Census.

Highett Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,026/wk
$53,352 per year
Ranked 1,061 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
$2,300/mo
Avg household size: 2.4 · 0.9 per bedroom

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

Highett Rent Prices & Affordability

20% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $2,119/wk
Median rent $430/wk
Rent to income 20.3%

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

Median rent in Highett against your income

About $9,182 a month
Median rent $430/wk
Left after rent $1,689/wk
Rent share 20.3%

Highett Schools

28
schools nearby
19
government
1104
avg ICSEA score
10,608
total students
Beaumaris North Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 477 students
1150
ICSEA
Black Rock Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 489 students
1143
ICSEA
Sandringham East Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 432 students
1135
ICSEA
St Paul's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 341 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
St Peter's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 625 students
1121
ICSEA
Tucker Road Bentleigh Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 393 students
1120
ICSEA
Tombolo Academy Independent
Secondary · U · 38 students
1119
ICSEA
Cheltenham Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 402 students
1116
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
Sandringham College Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,079 students
1106
ICSEA
Mentone Girls Secondary College Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,102 students
1102
ICSEA
East Bentleigh Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 324 students
1100
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 Highett, with a map

Highett Map

Highett, Victoria Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Highett, Victoria: 37.9507°S, 145.0401°E

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

People in Highett

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 47.6% (5,711) Female 52.4% (6,299)

Population Density

3,253
people per km²
12,016 people · 3.7 km²

Households

2.4
Avg household size
0.9
Persons per bedroom
$2,788
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
4.9%
China
2.4%
India
2.2%
New Zealand
2.1%
Greece
1.3%
South Africa
1.2%
Philippines
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
2.8%
Greek
2.7%
Russian
1.8%
Italian
1.0%
Cantonese
0.8%
Polish
0.8%
Hindi
0.7%

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

Ancestry

English
34.3%
Australian
28.7%
Irish
12.6%
Scottish
10.3%
Italian
5.2%
Chinese
5.1%
Greek
4.2%
German
3.8%
Indian
2.6%
Polish
2.0%
Dutch
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
46.1%
Catholic
21.5%
Anglican
7.7%
Not stated
5.3%
Eastern Orthodox
4.7%
Christian (other)
2.0%
Uniting Church
1.9%
Judaism
1.9%

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
45.0% 4,411
Separated
3.5% 340
Divorced
10.1% 986
Widowed
4.7% 465
Never married
36.7% 3,597

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
45.4%
Couple: no children
25.3%
Couple: no children under 15
16.5%
One parent: no children under 15
7.3%
One parent: children under 15
5.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
29.6%
2 persons
31.8%
3 persons
16.3%
4 persons
16.8%
5 persons
4.7%
6+ persons
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Highett

Housing Tenure

Of the 4,830 occupied private dwellings in Highett at the 2021 Census, 27.5% were rented, 30.2% owned outright and 40.2% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.0% 48 dwellings
Owned outright
30.2% 1,461 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
40.2% 1,942 dwellings
Rented
27.5% 1,326 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.0% 50 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
65.1%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
21.8%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
13.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
5.0%
2 bedrooms
35.0%
3 bedrooms
38.3%
4 bedrooms
18.8%
5 bedrooms
2.6%
6+ bedrooms
0.4%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
5.4%
$300-$449/mo
1.8%
$450-$599/mo
1.9%
$600-$799/mo
1.8%
$800-$999/mo
2.5%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
9.6%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
15.4%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
23.9%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
16.7%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
20.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
6.4%
1 vehicle
45.1%
2 vehicles
38.6%
3 vehicles
6.9%
4+ vehicles
3.0%

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

Work, income and education in Highett

Employment

Employed full-time
44.5% 4,041 people
Employed part-time
22.0% 1,996 people
Unemployed
3.2% 286 people
Not in labour force
30.3% 2,751 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
37.1%
Managers
21.7%
Clerical & Administrative
12.4%
Technicians & Trade Workers
10.6%
Community & Personal Service
8.7%
Sales Workers
5.3%
Labourers
2.5%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
1.6%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.7%
$1-$149/wk
0.9%
$150-$299/wk
1.3%
$300-$399/wk
2.2%
$400-$499/wk
5.3%
$500-$649/wk
3.4%
$650-$799/wk
4.7%
$800-$999/wk
5.5%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
5.4%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.2%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
11.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
7.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.8%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.5%
$4,000+/wk
21.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.4%
$1-$149/wk
4.2%
$150-$299/wk
5.5%
$300-$399/wk
2.7%
$400-$499/wk
3.0%
$500-$649/wk
2.2%
$650-$799/wk
6.8%
$800-$999/wk
8.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.4%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.8%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
13.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.1%
$3,500+/wk
7.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
65.4%
Did not go to work
19.7%
Train
4.4%
Car (passenger)
3.6%
Walked only
3.6%
Bicycle
1.1%
Bus
0.9%
Other
0.5%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.3%
Truck
0.3%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.1%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
80.0%
Year 11 or equivalent
9.2%
Year 10 or equivalent
8.0%
Year 9 or equivalent
2.7%

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
41.6%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
18.4%
Certificate III/IV
17.8%
Postgraduate Degree
15.0%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
6.2%
Certificate I/II
1.0%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
29.0%
Society & Culture
13.5%
Health
10.9%
Engineering
10.5%
Education
8.1%
Creative Arts
6.7%
Architecture & Building
5.9%
Information Technology
5.8%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
4.1%
Natural & Physical Sciences
4.0%
Agriculture & Environment
1.4%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
29.5%
Secondary: Government
17.0%
Pre-school
14.0%
Primary: Catholic
10.4%
Vocational Education
10.1%
Secondary: Catholic
8.4%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
7.1%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.5%

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
90.7%
Has need for assistance
5.4%
Need for assistance not stated
3.8%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
1,050
Asthma
426
Heart disease
258
Arthritis
241
Diabetes
232
Lung condition
163
Cancer
151
Kidney disease
100
Stroke
84
Dementia
34

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
13.6% 1,283
Did not provide
86.4% 8,123

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
14.0% 1,317
Not a volunteer
86.0% 8,100

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.0% 3
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 8
Previously served
1.7% 161
Never served
98.2% 9,287

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
38.2%
1 child
16.3%
2 children
30.3%
3 children
11.5%
4 children
3.1%
5+ children
0.5%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
40
1951: 1960
128
1961: 1970
331
1971: 1980
367
1981: 1990
400
1991: 2000
478
2001: 2010
831
2011: 2015
567
2016
135
2017
84
2018
82
2019
84
2020
34
2021
16

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

Population Mobility

14.9%
moved in the last year
45.1%
moved in the last 5 years
4.3%
unemployment rate (Census)
68.4%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
9,754
Moved from VIC
1,365
Moved: same area (SA2)
218
Moved from overseas
70
Moved from NSW
14
Moved from WA
10
Moved from SA
9
Moved from QLD
8
Moved from ACT
5
Moved from TAS
4

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
24.2%
5: 14 hours
33.4%
15: 29 hours
12.9%
30+ hours
7.1%
Did not do domestic work
22.4%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
91.5%
Step family: no other children
5.8%
Blended family: no other children
1.9%
Intact family: other children present
0.4%
Other couple: children only
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Highett Crime Statistics

1,121 reported offences in 2025-25, by category.

Theft
412
Justice Procedures
213
Assault
129
Break & Enter
100
Fraud
73
Drug Offences
73
Property Damage
57
Weapons
35
Public Order
20
Robbery
4
Other
3
Traffic
2

Total offences by year

2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

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Suburbs near Highett

The closest suburb to Highett is Hampton East, 1.6 km away.

Hampton East
1.6 km away · income $921/wk · rent $400/wk
Moorabbin
1.8 km away · income $939/wk · rent $431/wk
Cheltenham (Vic.)
2.2 km away · income $924/wk · rent $430/wk
Sandringham (Vic.)
2.4 km away · income $1,090/wk · rent $460/wk
Black Rock (Vic.)
3.0 km away · income $1,067/wk · rent $541/wk
Hampton (Vic.)
3.1 km away · income $1,080/wk · rent $500/wk

Compare Highett

Frequently Asked Questions About Highett

What is the population of Highett VIC?

The population of Highett VIC is 12,016 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 3,253 people per km². Highett is ranked #457 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Highett?

The median personal income in Highett VIC is $1,026 per week, or $53,352 per year. The median household income is $2,119 per week. Family income is $2,788 per week. Highett is ranked #1,061 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Highett?

Median rent in Highett VIC is $430 per week ($1,863 per month). Rent represents 20.3% of household income, which is considered affordable. Highett ranks #1,360 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Highett?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Highett VIC is $2,300. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Highett?

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

Is Highett a good suburb to live in?

Highett is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 12,016. The median income is $1,026/wk, which is above the typical VIC suburb ($767/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (20.3% 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: 21185. All dollar figures in AUD.