Get a property report and suburb profile for any property in Baxter

Baxter is a semi-rural township on the northern edge of the Mornington Peninsula with a country feel, large residential blocks, hobby farms and pockets of native bushland. Housing ranges from older farmhouses to newer lifestyle properties, and there is a small local train station on the Stony Point line alongside straightforward access to regional roads. The town’s compact centre has everyday shops, community and sporting facilities that cover day-to-day needs.

It is a community of 2,166 people with a median age of 40 and a population weighted towards family households; about four in five families are couples, with or without children, and roughly 82.9% of homes are owner-occupied. Long-running proposals to extend metropolitan rail have focused on Baxter and the shire is progressing a Somerville-to-Baxter shared-path connection, so the suburb suits people who want more space and a quieter pace while remaining connected to nearby towns and services.

House rents in Baxter run to about $600 a week. Against a typical local household income of $1,493 a week as recorded at the most recent Census, that rent would take roughly 40.2% of a household's weekly income, which is a large share. For people renting, that share is the most relevant measure; whether it feels expensive depends on your own income and circumstances.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

If you're looking at houses in Baxter, the past 12 months show modest movement: median house values rose 2.5% while house rents increased 3.4% over the year.

That means the value change points to modest capital growth over the year, and the rent change is the number that matters for rental income; rents rose slightly faster than prices, so rental income was the stronger performer for houses this year. Whether that balance fits your investment goals and circumstances is something only you can decide.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.