Bentleigh East vs Heatherton

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Bentleigh East, about half of households are couple families. In Heatherton, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Bentleigh East: a median of $1.45 million, against $1.11 million in Heatherton, and rent is higher there too. Bentleigh East is closer to the city centre: 22.2 km, against 25.7 km. On these figures, Heatherton tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Bentleigh East

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (20 vs 1)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (8 vs 1)
  • carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 73/100)
  • But Heatherton has more separate houses rather than flats (82% vs 69%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Heatherton

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($553,500 vs $775,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,110,000 vs $1,450,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Bentleigh East

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (85/100 vs 45/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (22.2 km vs 25.7 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Bentleigh East

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (10 vs 1)
  • is more walkable (85/100 vs 45/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 73/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Bentleigh East

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (9.1% vs -2.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Bentleigh East and Heatherton drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Walkability 85 / 45
Bentleigh East — Walkability: 85/100 Heatherton — Walkability: 45/100
Safety 57 / 27
Bentleigh East — Safety: 57/100 Heatherton — Safety: 27/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Bentleigh East — Low fire risk: 100/100 Heatherton — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 70 / 42
Bentleigh East — Low flood risk: 70/100 Heatherton — Low flood risk: 42/100

Demographics

Bentleigh East has more residents (30,159 vs 2,826).

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Population 30,159
+91% vs other
 2,826
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.1% -2.8%
Median age 40 41
Median household income $115,180/yr
+6% vs other
 $108,576/yr
Median weekly rent $500/wk
+6% vs other
 $471/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bentleigh East Heatherton
0-4 5.7% / 4.9%
Bentleigh East — 0-4: 5.7% Heatherton — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 14.7% / 15.5%
Bentleigh East — 5-14: 14.7% Heatherton — 5-14: 15.5%
15-19 6.5% / 7.4%
Bentleigh East — 15-19: 6.5% Heatherton — 15-19: 7.4%
20-24 5.1% / 4.7%
Bentleigh East — 20-24: 5.1% Heatherton — 20-24: 4.7%
25-34 10.2% / 9.6%
Bentleigh East — 25-34: 10.2% Heatherton — 25-34: 9.6%
35-44 15.6% / 13.5%
Bentleigh East — 35-44: 15.6% Heatherton — 35-44: 13.5%
45-54 15.6% / 18.7%
Bentleigh East — 45-54: 15.6% Heatherton — 45-54: 18.7%
55-64 11.2% / 11.2%
Bentleigh East — 55-64: 11.2% Heatherton — 55-64: 11.2%
65-74 7.9% / 8.7%
Bentleigh East — 65-74: 7.9% Heatherton — 65-74: 8.7%
75-84 4.7% / 4.2%
Bentleigh East — 75-84: 4.7% Heatherton — 75-84: 4.2%
85+ 2.8% / 1.5%
Bentleigh East — 85+: 2.8% Heatherton — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bentleigh East 54.2% couple families
Bentleigh East — Couple Families: 54.2% Bentleigh East — Lone Person: 26.4% Bentleigh East — One Parent Families: 15.1% Bentleigh East — Group Household: 2.8% Bentleigh East — Other Families: 1.4%
Heatherton 55.3% couple families
Heatherton — Couple Families: 55.3% Heatherton — Lone Person: 25.3% Heatherton — One Parent Families: 14.9% Heatherton — Group Household: 3.1% Heatherton — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bentleigh East 24.4% renting
Bentleigh East — Owned Outright: 35.4% Bentleigh East — Mortgage: 40.1% Bentleigh East — Renting: 24.4%
Heatherton 27.5% renting
Heatherton — Owned Outright: 29.8% Heatherton — Mortgage: 42.7% Heatherton — Renting: 27.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Bachelor Degree 19.9% / 16.6%
Bentleigh East — Bachelor Degree: 19.9% Heatherton — Bachelor Degree: 16.6%
Certificate III & IV 8.7% / 9.2%
Bentleigh East — Certificate III & IV: 8.7% Heatherton — Certificate III & IV: 9.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 8.2%
Bentleigh East — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Heatherton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 8.0% / 6.4%
Bentleigh East — Postgraduate Degree: 8.0% Heatherton — Postgraduate Degree: 6.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / 2.4%
Bentleigh East — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Heatherton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.9%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Bentleigh East Heatherton
China 4.8% / 3.6%
Bentleigh East — China: 4.8% Heatherton — China: 3.6%
India 3.6% / 2.4%
Bentleigh East — India: 3.6% Heatherton — India: 2.4%
South Africa 2.1% / 3.8%
Bentleigh East — South Africa: 2.1% Heatherton — South Africa: 3.8%
England 2.2% / 3.4%
Bentleigh East — England: 2.2% Heatherton — England: 3.4%
Greece 2.2% / —
Bentleigh East — Greece: 2.2% Heatherton — Greece: not among its largest
Malaysia — / 1.6%
Bentleigh East — Malaysia: not among its largest Heatherton — Malaysia: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bentleigh East 69.2% houses
Bentleigh East — Houses: 69.2% Bentleigh East — Townhouses: 14.1% Bentleigh East — Flats / Apartments: 16.7%
Heatherton 81.7% houses
Heatherton — Houses: 81.7% Heatherton — Townhouses: 10.6% Heatherton — Flats / Apartments: 7.8%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Median house price $1,450,000 $1,110,000
Median unit price $775,000 $553,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 23 days
from 173 sales
 22 days
from 10 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Bentleigh East Heatherton
2 bed $1.07M / $918K
Bentleigh East — 2 bed: $1.07M (25 sales) Heatherton — 2 bed: $918K (6 sales)

25 vs 6 sales

3 bed $1.36M / $1.1M
Bentleigh East — 3 bed: $1.36M (164 sales) Heatherton — 3 bed: $1.1M (21 sales)

164 vs 21 sales

4 bed $1.59M / $1.24M
Bentleigh East — 4 bed: $1.59M (131 sales) Heatherton — 4 bed: $1.24M (13 sales)

131 vs 13 sales

Zoning mix

Heatherton has more rural and farming land (47% vs 0%).

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Residential 85% 8%
Rural and farming 0% 47%
Other and special use 3% 23%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 11%
Commercial 1% 6%
Parks and recreation 4%
same for both
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Bentleigh East Heatherton
New dwellings approved 617
across Glen Eira
 465
across Kingston (Vic.)
Approvals change year on year -69% -36%

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Houses 3.6%
$980/wk on $1.42M
 —
Units 5.0%
$630/wk on $652K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Bentleigh East Heatherton
House price Higher than 87% of VIC Higher than 74% of VIC
Income Higher than 87% of VIC Higher than 81% of VIC
Schools Higher than 57% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 95% of VIC Higher than 85% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 20% of VIC Higher than 36% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 95% of VIC Higher than 93% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 85% of VIC Higher than 94% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 41% of VIC —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 62% of VIC —

Liveability

Bentleigh East is more walkable (85 vs 45); Bentleigh East scores higher overall (79 vs 62).

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Grade A B
Score 79/100 62/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Heatherton carries more flood risk (58 vs 30); Heatherton carries more crime risk (73 vs 43).

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
43/100
 High
73/100
Flood Low
30/100
 Moderate
58/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 13
within 5 km
 25
within 5 km

Schools

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Inside the suburb 8 1
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 2 1
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 3
Monash Caulfield, 5.0 km
 2
Monash Clayton, 5.3 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.9% 2.7%

Schools in Bentleigh East

  • Coatesville Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Valkstone Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Bentleigh Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Peter's School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • East Bentleigh Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • McKinnon Secondary College - East Campus Government · Secondary

Schools in Heatherton

  • Christway College Independent · Combined at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Supermarkets 2 1
Cafes & restaurants 27 1
Parks & reserves 15 10
Childcare 20 1
GPs 10 1
Pharmacies 3 0
Hospitals 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 3 0
Fuel stations 4 2
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Heatherton sits further from the CBD (25.7 km vs 22.2 km).

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Walkability score 85/100 45/100
Distance to Melbourne 22.2 km 25.7 km
+16% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 30 min 34 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 463.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 105.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 2.2%
postcode 3165
 1.8%
postcode 3202
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 23
postcode 3165
 32
postcode 3202

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Car (driver) 49.5% / 55.2%
Bentleigh East — Car (driver): 49.5% Heatherton — Car (driver): 55.2%
Worked from Home 41.9% / 34.0%
Bentleigh East — Worked from Home: 41.9% Heatherton — Worked from Home: 34.0%
Car (passenger) 3.1% / 4.4%
Bentleigh East — Car (passenger): 3.1% Heatherton — Car (passenger): 4.4%
Train 2.7% / 2.9%
Bentleigh East — Train: 2.7% Heatherton — Train: 2.9%
Walked Only 1.3% / 2.3%
Bentleigh East — Walked Only: 1.3% Heatherton — Walked Only: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (55.2%).

Setting

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Elevation 52 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 30 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.3 km 4.7 km
4.7 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Connectivity score 76/100 87/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 3%
12,873 premises
 45%
1,358 premises

Climate

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Annual rainfall 644 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Bentleigh East Heatherton
PM2.5 7.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Average residential rate $1,577/yr $1,940/yr
Council Glen Eira Kingston (Vic.)

Federal electorate

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Division Hotham Isaacs
Member Clare O'Neil Mark Dreyfus
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bentleigh East Heatherton
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bentleigh East

Middle-Ring Parks Premium Professionals Urban

Heatherton

Middle-Ring

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bentleigh East

Bentleigh East vs Bentleigh Bentleigh East vs Carnegie Bentleigh East vs Murrumbeena Bentleigh East vs Oakleigh South Bentleigh East vs Oakleigh Bentleigh East vs Ormond

Other comparisons with Heatherton

Heatherton vs Cheltenham Heatherton vs Clayton South Heatherton vs Dingley Village Heatherton vs Oakleigh South Heatherton vs Clarinda Heatherton vs Moorabbin
Full data on Bentleigh East Full data on Heatherton
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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