Moving to Balwyn VIC 3103
What the official numbers say about living in Balwyn — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $2,868,000 for a median house or $830,500 for a unit (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 61% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $451 a week, against a median household income of $1,975 a week.
About 70% of homes are owner-occupied and 27% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Balwyn grew 5% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (12,907 → 13,495 people).
Around 72% of households are families, averaging 2.6 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: China, India, Malaysia; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Cantonese, Greek.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Balwyn sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (49% of workers), while 44% work from home.
Nearest train station: Canterbury, 1.7 km south.
Nearest tram stop: Stop 47: Balwyn Road, 400 m south.
Nearest railway halt: Box Hill, 3.2 km east.
Nearest bus interchange: Bulleen Park and Ride, 3.4 km north.
Nearest ferry wharf: Como Landing, 7.4 km west.
Nearest airport: Essendon Fields Airport, 18.6 km north-west.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 11 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 73 schools · 109 cafes & restaurants · 13 supermarkets · 49 parks — see them all on the Balwyn profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: St Paul's College 450 m · Balwyn Primary School 500 m · Fintona Girls' School 600 m · Belmore School 650 m · Chatham Primary School 1.1 km · Balwyn High School 1.4 km · Greythorn Primary School 1.5 km · Camberwell Grammar School 1.5 km
Groceries: Woolworths 350 m · IGA 700 m · IGA 1.7 km · Coles 1.8 km · Boccaccio SUPA IGA 2 km · Balwyn North Asian Supermarket 2.1 km · Coles Local 2.1 km · ABC Supermarket 2.1 km
Parks and reserves: Balwyn Park 600 m · Hilda Street Reserve 700 m · Evergreen Reserve 700 m · Balwyn Community Centre Reserve 750 m · Beckett Park 850 m · John August Reserve 900 m · Gordon Barnard Reserve 950 m · Gordon Street Reserve 1000 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Balwyn, most often seen first: Little Raven · Rainbow Lorikeet · Noisy Miner · Australian Magpie · Common Myna · Pacific Black Duck.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Balwyn, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balwyn here | 13,495 | $2,868,000 | 10/10 | 13% |
| Canterbury | 7,800 | $3,212,500 | 10/10 | 18% |
| Balwyn North | 21,302 | $2,310,000 | 10/10 | 13% |
| Deepdene | 2,101 | $3,633,000 | 10/10 | 14% |
| Surrey Hills | 13,655 | $2,271,000 | 10/10 | 19% |
| Mont Albert | 4,948 | $2,428,000 | 10/10 | 17% |
| Mont Albert North | 5,609 | $1,572,500 | 10/10 | 17% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Boroondara — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Kooyong — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3103 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Balwyn profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in Balwyn has a median sale price of $2,868,000 (2024 sales), and a unit $830,500. Renters pay a median $451 a week, and about 27% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 5% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 12,907 people to 13,495. It sits about 11 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line, and Canterbury station is roughly 1.7 km away. Local government is Boroondara council, and the federal seat is Kooyong.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Balwyn vs Canterbury · Balwyn vs Balwyn North.
Nearby guides: Canterbury · Balwyn North · Deepdene · Surrey Hills · Mont Albert · Mont Albert North.
Keep an eye on Balwyn
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