Bentleigh
VICBentleigh is a growing suburb in VIC with 17,921 residents.
- SAL code
- 20214
- SA2
- 208021174
- Population
- 17,921
Bentleigh, VIC had 17,921 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 6.0% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 45-54 years, and the median age sits at 39. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $2,500 a month. Around 69.3% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned with a mortgage at 35.4%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 60.2% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 11 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Bentleigh, VIC at a glance
Bentleigh sits ~13 km south-east of Melbourne CBD in the City of Glen Eira, anchored by the Centre Road shopping strip and the Frankston-line station (end of Zone 1). Established interwar streets, a recently removed level crossing and a new library + youth hub make it one of the more functional middle-ring suburbs. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council pipeline.
For homebuyers
Bentleigh appeals to people who want a walkable middle-ring suburb with a real high street and direct CBD trains. Centre Road is the spine — bakeries, delis, cafes and grocers running for several blocks — and two stations (Bentleigh and Patterson) sit on the Frankston line, with Bentleigh as the end of Zone 1. The 2016 level-crossing removal at Centre Road took the rail under the road and reshaped the precinct around it. Housing is mostly interwar weatherboards and brick veneers on standard lots, with townhouse infill along the activity-centre fringe. The Bentleigh Library and Youth Hub (opened 2022) anchors community life; Hodgson Reserve carries the local sport and play. Bayside beaches at Brighton, Hampton and Sandringham are ~10-15 min by car. Anchor schools include Bentleigh West Primary, St Paul's Primary and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College. In short: a settled, walkable inner-south-east suburb with a working high street and a fast train into the city.
For investors
Bentleigh is a capital-growth suburb, not a yield play. Median house $1.745M against ~$790/wk rent gives a ~2.61% gross yield; units median $933,750 with $670/wk rent run ~4.13% (htag.com.au + Your Investment Property, early 2026). House growth +7.38% over 12 months; units -1.29%. 178 house and 163 unit sales in the past 12 months — a deep, liquid market. Days-on-market ~40 (houses) and ~31 (units).
Strengths
- Strong long-run capital growth (+7.38% YoY houses, early 2026) backed by a tightly held middle-ring location.
- Deep transaction market (~340 house + unit sales/yr) — easy to enter and exit.
- End of Zone 1 on the Frankston line + level-crossing removal completed; commute and amenity locked in.
- Activity-centre Structure Plan (2024) gives a 15-year framework for measured growth around Centre Road.
Trade-offs
- House gross yield ~2.6% — well below cashflow benchmarks; holding costs need a growth thesis to justify.
- Unit values fell ~1.3% in the past 12 months (htag.com.au, early 2026), and unit days-on-market remain ~31 — softer than the house segment.
- House entry near $1.75M median puts this at the deep end of the metro middle-ring — a large equity / serviceability commitment.
What's coming
The Bentleigh Major Activity Centre Structure Plan 2024 (adopted June 2024) sets a 15-year framework for built form and land use around Centre Road. Glen Eira's 2025/26 Capital Works Program continues investment in the Bentleigh precinct, including Hodgson Reserve upgrades, and the Council is consulting on a Customer Experience Hub at the Bentleigh Library and Youth Hub.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a walkable middle-ring suburb with a real high street and a direct CBD train. For investors: a capital-growth + liquidity play with thin yields — not a cashflow story.
Population
?17,921
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+6.0%
3yr: +6.0% · 10yr: +15.8%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$2,263/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
39
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?9/10
SA2 · least disadvantaged
Unemployment
?3.5%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
4
3 primary, 1 secondary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?12
7 long day, 3 OSHC
Parks & green space
?11
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?57
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
No data for this suburb
Median Weekly Rent
Based on rental bond lodgements recorded by the state government.
Median House Sale Price
Source: Valuer-General Victoria (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from VIC police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Bentleigh - McKinnon (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Bentleigh suburb alone is ~17,921 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 19,086 to 26,966 over 24 years, averaging 1.5% per year.
Schools
4 in suburbSector
2 public · 2 private
Type
3 primary · 1 secondary
Total enrolment
2,396
Avg per school
599
Government school catchment
Catchment data is not yet available for VIC.
Source when available: Victorian Department of Education / Vicmap School Zones.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 0.6%Predominantly detached houses (60.2%), mixed tenure (69.3% own or mortgage).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
VIC 29%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
This suburb falls outside every bushfire polygon mapped by the relevant authority. Always confirm at the property address — local conditions and unmapped overlays can still apply.
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions. Source when available: Vicmap Planning — Bushfire Prone Area + Vicmap flood overlays.
Flood risk
Source: VIC DTP Vicmap Planning Overlay (flood codes)
As of Apr 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Planning zones
15 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| NRZ1 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 56.4% | 2.66 km² |
| HCTZ2 | HCTZ2Other | 16.3% | 0.77 km² |
| RGZ1 | Residential Growth Zone Schedule 1Residential | 7.7% | 0.36 km² |
| PPRZ | Public Park and Recreation ZoneRecreation | 3.7% | 0.18 km² |
| TRZ2 | TRZ2Special use | 3.6% | 0.17 km² |
| C1Z | Commercial 1 ZoneBusiness | 3.2% | 0.15 km² |
| HCTZ1 | HCTZ1Other | 1.6% | 0.08 km² |
| C2Z | Commercial 2 ZoneBusiness | 1.6% | 0.07 km² |
| PUZ2 | Public Use Zone Schedule 2Special use | 1.6% | 0.07 km² |
| TRZ1 | TRZ1Special use | 1.2% | 0.06 km² |
| GRZ2 | General Residential Zone Schedule 2Residential | 1.2% | 0.05 km² |
| GRZ1 | General Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 1.0% | 0.05 km² |
| PUZ6 | Public Use Zone Schedule 6Special use | 0.7% | 0.03 km² |
| RGZ2 | Residential Growth Zone Schedule 2Residential | 0.1% | 6,170 m² |
| IN3Z | Industrial 3 ZoneIndustrial | 0.1% | 5,137 m² |
Source: VIC DTP Vicmap Planning Zones (ZONE_VIC/2026-04-29/08783d2926383881) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.