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

Heidelberg is a leafy, established north-eastern suburb with a long artistic and civic history, shaped by parkland, health institutions and a station-side village. The Austin Hospital and its medical precinct give the area a professional focus, while local reserves and the Warringal Parklands provide riverside walking and weekend recreation. Housing ranges from interwar and postwar cottages and Californian bungalows to pockets of newer apartments near the train, so there are period family homes as well as more compact options for downsizers.

The community of 7,360 people has a median age of 39 and a typical household income of $2,012 a week. Residents tend to be families, healthcare workers and long-term locals, and homes are mostly owner-occupied though about 42.5% are rented. Significant local investment is under way, including a major expansion of the Austin Hospital emergency department, a new Youth Prevention and Recovery Care centre at the Repatriation Hospital site, and funded works for Heidelberg Primary School; recent planning changes will also guide future development in the activity centre. Whether Heidelberg suits you will depend on how much you value green space, medical precinct access and a mix of housing types.

Buying in Heidelberg looks mixed against what local households earned at the last Census. The median house price of $1,172,000 is about 11.2 times a typical local annual household income at the last Census, while the median unit price of $590,000 is about 5.6 times a typical local annual household income at the last Census. On these figures, house prices sit well above local incomes and unit prices sit somewhat above.

Looking at renting, a typical local household income of $2,012 a week at the last Census means $665 a week for a house would take about 33.0% of that income, and $520 a week for a unit would take about 25.8%. That leaves renting a house as a sizeable share of a typical local household's income at the last Census and renting a unit as a moderate share.

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 housing and unit sides of Heidelberg have moved in different directions. Median house values rose 6.9%, a solid increase, while median unit values slipped slightly, down 1.7%. Rents were mixed too: the rent for houses eased modestly by 2.2% while unit rents rose a modest 4.0%.

For someone weighing Heidelberg up as an investment, those figures separate capital growth and rental income outcomes. The 6.9% rise in house values is the capital growth figure a buyer would watch, whereas the 4.0% increase in unit rents is the rental-income number that stands out. Whether that balance fits your goals and circumstances is for you to 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.