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

Boronia sits in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges, and its tree-lined streets contain a mix of postwar brick bungalows, weatherboard cottages and newer townhouses. The village-style shopping strip around Boronia station on the Belgrave line has cafés, shops and services, while nearby parks, reserves and walking tracks into the Dandenongs give parts of the suburb a semi-rural outlook. The community of 23,607 has a median age of 39 and families are prominent, with about four in five families being couple families. Around seven in 10 homes are owner-occupied.

Local schools, sporting clubs and community activities support everyday life, and the suburb is within easy reach of larger retail centres and regional green space. A major upgrade of Boronia railway station and its precinct is under way, creating an expanded concourse, improved platform facilities, a landscaped plaza and a pocket park, plus upgraded pick-up and drop-off, footpaths and more bike hoops. Whether Boronia suits you depends on what you value in a neighbourhood, but its family focus, local amenities and access to the Dandenongs are the features people will notice.

Housing costs in Boronia sit noticeably above what local households earned at the last Census. A median house price of $840,000 is roughly 10 times a typical local annual household income at the last Census, while the median unit at $655,000 is about 7.8 times that annual income. For renters, average house rent of $605 a week would take about 37% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census, and units at $550 a week around 34%. On these figures, buying looks more stretched against local incomes than renting.

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

Over the past 12 months the unit side has been the stronger performer in Boronia, with median unit values up 8.0% and unit rents rising 6.8%, while median house values rose 5.5% and house rents climbed 2.5%. The value figures point to capital growth and the rent figures show how rental income moved, so if you are focused on capital growth the unit value increase is the more notable number, and if rental income is your priority unit rents have risen faster than house rents this year. Whether that balance suits your goals and circumstances is for you to weigh up.

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.