Moving to Brighton VIC 3186
What the official numbers say about living in Brighton — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $3,405,500 for a median house or $1,315,500 for a unit (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 76% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $600 a week, against a median household income of $2,710 a week.
Who you'll be living with
Brighton grew 9% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (21,257 → 23,252 people).
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, China, New Zealand; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Greek, Russian.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Brighton sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (41% of workers), while 52% work from home.
Nearest train station: North Brighton, 650 m north-east.
Nearest tram stop: Stop 67: Howell Street, 1.8 km east.
Nearest bus interchange: Southland Shopping Centre/Karen Street, 7.4 km south-east.
Nearest ferry wharf: St Kilda - Williamstown Ferry, 5.7 km north-west.
Nearest airport: Moorabbin Airport, 11.9 km south-east.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 11 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 58 schools · 84 cafes & restaurants · 5 supermarkets · 34 parks · 7 beaches — see them all on the Brighton profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Firbank Grammar School 200 m · Brighton Grammar School 450 m · Brighton Primary School 500 m · St James Catholic Primary School 1.2 km · Star of the Sea College 1.3 km · St Joan of Arc School 1.3 km · Brighton Beach Primary School 1.5 km · Gardenvale Primary School Junior Campus 1.7 km
Groceries: Dockendorf Grocer 500 m · Coles 650 m · Woolworths 800 m · Foodworks 2.7 km · GloHealth 2.7 km
Parks and reserves: Wilson Reserve 250 m · Brighton Library Gardens 250 m · Cora Lynn Park 700 m · Well Street Neighbourhood Park 700 m · William Street Reserve 800 m · Old Dairy Reserve 1.1 km · Robert Grieve V.C. Reserve 1.1 km · Brighton Coastal Reserve 1.2 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Brighton, most often seen first: Rainbow Lorikeet · Noisy Miner · Little Raven · Rock Dove · Common Myna · Magpie-lark.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Brighton, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton here | 23,252 | $3,405,500 | 10/10 | 9% |
| Gardenvale | 1,019 | $1,810,000 | 10/10 | 7% |
| Brighton East | 16,757 | $2,200,000 | 10/10 | 11% |
| Elsternwick | 10,887 | $1,953,000 | 10/10 | 8% |
| Elwood | 15,153 | $2,075,000 | 10/10 | 12% |
| Ripponlea | 1,532 | $1,805,000 | 10/10 | 10% |
| Hampton | 13,518 | $2,480,000 | 10/10 | 18% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Bayside (Vic.) — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Goldstein — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3186 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Brighton profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in Brighton has a median sale price of $3,405,500 (2024 sales), and a unit $1,315,500. Renters pay a median $600 a week.
The population grew 9% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 21,257 people to 23,252. It sits about 11 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line, and North Brighton station is roughly 0.6 km away. Local government is Bayside (Vic.) council, and the federal seat is Goldstein.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Brighton vs Brighton East · Brighton vs Elsternwick.
Nearby guides: Gardenvale · Brighton East · Elsternwick · Elwood · Ripponlea · Hampton.
Keep an eye on Brighton
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