Brighton vs Brighton East

Brighton East is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 48 in Brighton. In both, the large majority of households own their home, most homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Brighton: a median of $3.06 million, against $2.12 million in Brighton East. On these figures, Brighton East 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

Brighton

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (3 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 9)
  • has more childcare (18 vs 13)
  • But Brighton East carries lower crime risk (46/100 vs 65/100)

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

First-home buyers

Brighton East

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($2,122,500 vs $3,065,000)

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

Brighton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (96/100 vs 80/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Brighton

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (9 vs 2)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (43% vs 32%)
  • is more walkable (96/100 vs 80/100)
  • But Brighton East carries lower crime risk (46/100 vs 65/100)

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

Investors

Brighton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.6% vs 3.1%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Brighton Brighton East
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.

Brighton Brighton East
Walkability 96 / 80
Brighton — Walkability: 96/100 Brighton East — Walkability: 80/100
Safety 35 / 54
Brighton — Safety: 35/100 Brighton East — Safety: 54/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Brighton — Low fire risk: 100/100 Brighton East — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 60 / 65
Brighton — Low flood risk: 60/100 Brighton East — Low flood risk: 65/100

Demographics

Brighton has more residents (23,252 vs 16,757); Brighton skews older (48 vs 45).

Brighton Brighton East
Population 23,252
+28% vs other
 16,757
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.0% +4.7%
Median age 48 45
Median household income $140,920/yr
+6% vs other
 $132,288/yr
Median weekly rent $600/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Brighton Brighton East
0-4 3.9% / 4.4%
Brighton — 0-4: 3.9% Brighton East — 0-4: 4.4%
5-14 11.6% / 14.5%
Brighton — 5-14: 11.6% Brighton East — 5-14: 14.5%
15-19 6.6% / 7.3%
Brighton — 15-19: 6.6% Brighton East — 15-19: 7.3%
20-24 5.1% / 5.0%
Brighton — 20-24: 5.1% Brighton East — 20-24: 5.0%
25-34 7.9% / 6.8%
Brighton — 25-34: 7.9% Brighton East — 25-34: 6.8%
35-44 10.5% / 11.4%
Brighton — 35-44: 10.5% Brighton East — 35-44: 11.4%
45-54 15.1% / 15.8%
Brighton — 45-54: 15.1% Brighton East — 45-54: 15.8%
55-64 14.4% / 12.7%
Brighton — 55-64: 14.4% Brighton East — 55-64: 12.7%
65-74 12.4% / 9.6%
Brighton — 65-74: 12.4% Brighton East — 65-74: 9.6%
75-84 8.4% / 7.3%
Brighton — 75-84: 8.4% Brighton East — 75-84: 7.3%
85+ 4.1% / 5.1%
Brighton — 85+: 4.1% Brighton East — 85+: 5.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Brighton 45.4% couple families
Brighton — Couple Families: 45.4% Brighton — Lone Person: 38.9% Brighton — One Parent Families: 12.1% Brighton — Group Household: 2.5% Brighton — Other Families: 1.1%
Brighton East 52.2% couple families
Brighton East — Couple Families: 52.2% Brighton East — Lone Person: 31.6% Brighton East — One Parent Families: 13.0% Brighton East — Group Household: 2.5% Brighton East — Other Families: 0.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Brighton 24.5% renting
Brighton — Owned Outright: 46.5% Brighton — Mortgage: 29.0% Brighton — Renting: 24.5%
Brighton East 20.7% renting
Brighton East — Owned Outright: 43.0% Brighton East — Mortgage: 36.3% Brighton East — Renting: 20.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Brighton Brighton East
Bachelor Degree 26.2% / 23.5%
Brighton — Bachelor Degree: 26.2% Brighton East — Bachelor Degree: 23.5%
Postgraduate Degree 10.5% / 8.7%
Brighton — Postgraduate Degree: 10.5% Brighton East — Postgraduate Degree: 8.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 8.0%
Brighton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Brighton East — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0%
Certificate III & IV 4.7% / 5.3%
Brighton — Certificate III & IV: 4.7% Brighton East — Certificate III & IV: 5.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.6% / 3.2%
Brighton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.6% Brighton East — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.2%).

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.

Brighton Brighton East
England 5.4% / 4.5%
Brighton — England: 5.4% Brighton East — England: 4.5%
China 3.5% / 3.9%
Brighton — China: 3.5% Brighton East — China: 3.9%
New Zealand 1.6% / 1.4%
Brighton — New Zealand: 1.6% Brighton East — New Zealand: 1.4%
South Africa 1.2% / 1.8%
Brighton — South Africa: 1.2% Brighton East — South Africa: 1.8%
India 0.8% / 1.2%
Brighton — India: 0.8% Brighton East — India: 1.2%
Italy 0.8% / 0.7%
Brighton — Italy: 0.8% Brighton East — Italy: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Brighton 57.2% houses
Brighton — Houses: 57.2% Brighton — Townhouses: 22.4% Brighton — Flats / Apartments: 20.5%
Brighton East 67.9% houses
Brighton East — Houses: 67.9% Brighton East — Townhouses: 23.8% Brighton East — Flats / Apartments: 8.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Brighton Brighton East
Median house price $3,065,000 $2,122,500
Median unit price $923,000 $955,000
Median land price — $2,500,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 27 days
from 141 sales
 24 days
from 148 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

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

Brighton Brighton East
2 bed $880K / $850K
Brighton — 2 bed: $880K (110 sales) Brighton East — 2 bed: $850K (23 sales)

110 vs 23 sales

3 bed $1.75M / $1.2M
Brighton — 3 bed: $1.75M (43 sales) Brighton East — 3 bed: $1.2M (16 sales)

43 vs 16 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.

Brighton Brighton East
2 bed $1.6M / $1.43M
Brighton — 2 bed: $1.6M (12 sales) Brighton East — 2 bed: $1.43M (13 sales)

12 vs 13 sales

3 bed $2.45M / $1.72M
Brighton — 3 bed: $2.45M (65 sales) Brighton East — 3 bed: $1.72M (73 sales)

65 vs 73 sales

4 bed $3.33M / $2.3M
Brighton — 4 bed: $3.33M (83 sales) Brighton East — 4 bed: $2.3M (92 sales)

83 vs 92 sales

5 bed $5.1M / $2.9M
Brighton — 5 bed: $5.1M (28 sales) Brighton East — 5 bed: $2.9M (26 sales)

28 vs 26 sales

Zoning mix

Brighton Brighton East
Residential 79% 76%
Parks and recreation 9% 13%
Infrastructure and transport 9%
same for both
Commercial 3% 2%
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

Brighton Brighton East
New dwellings approved 473
across Bayside (Vic.)
same for both
Approvals change year on year -47%
same for both

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.

Brighton Brighton East
Houses 3.6%
$1,605/wk on $2.3M
 3.1%
$1,100/wk on $1.84M
Units 4.0%
$750/wk on $975K
 3.6%
$555/wk on $808K

Ranking within VIC

Brighton Brighton East
House price Higher than 99% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC
Income Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC
Schools Higher than 58% of VIC Higher than 1% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 99% of VIC Higher than 93% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 2% of VIC Higher than 8% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 99% of VIC Higher than 98% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 87% of VIC Higher than 84% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 43% of VIC Higher than 18% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 10% of VIC Higher than 2% of VIC

Liveability

Brighton is more walkable (96 vs 80); Brighton scores higher overall (80 vs 70).

Brighton Brighton East
Grade A
same for both
Score 80/100 70/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Brighton carries more crime risk (65 vs 46).

Brighton Brighton East
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
65/100
 Moderate
46/100
Flood Moderate
40/100
 Low
35/100
Coastal erosion High
76/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Brighton Brighton East
Inside the suburb 12 7
Rated above peers 3 0
Rated at peers 3 4
Rated below peers 2 0
Universities within 10 km 3
Monash Caulfield, 5.1 km
 2
Monash Caulfield, 4.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 4.1% 3.9%

Schools in Brighton

  • Brighton Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Joan of Arc School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Star of the Sea College Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • Brighton Grammar School Independent · Combined at peers
  • Elsternwick Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Firbank Grammar School Independent · Combined at peers

Schools in Brighton East

  • Brighton Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Gardenvale Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Finbar's School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • St Leonard's College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Haileybury College - Brighton Boys Independent · Combined
  • Haileybury College - Brighton Girls Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Brighton Brighton East
Supermarkets 4 0
Cafes & restaurants 50 6
Parks & reserves 16 9
Childcare 18 13
GPs 9 2
Pharmacies 9 3
Hospitals 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 9 1
Fuel stations 2
same for both
EV chargers 1 2
Beaches 1 0

Mobility

Brighton Brighton East
Walkability score 96/100 80/100
Distance to Melbourne 13.4 km 14.2 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 25 min 24 min
Public transport score 94/100
Rail · Bus
 80/100
Tram · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 530.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 181.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 3.2%
postcode 3186
 2.9%
postcode 3187
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 17
postcode 3186
 24
postcode 3187

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.

Brighton Brighton East
Worked from Home 51.4% / 50.1%
Brighton — Worked from Home: 51.4% Brighton East — Worked from Home: 50.1%
Car (driver) 38.4% / 42.1%
Brighton — Car (driver): 38.4% Brighton East — Car (driver): 42.1%
Train 3.9% / 2.3%
Brighton — Train: 3.9% Brighton East — Train: 2.3%
Car (passenger) 2.1% / 2.7%
Brighton — Car (passenger): 2.1% Brighton East — Car (passenger): 2.7%
Walked Only 2.8% / 1.5%
Brighton — Walked Only: 2.8% Brighton East — Walked Only: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (51.4%).

Setting

Brighton Brighton East
Elevation 19 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 31 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 918 m
1.0 km to a named beach
 2.6 km
2.6 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Brighton Brighton East
Connectivity score 77/100 76/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 9%
12,714 premises
 5%
7,493 premises

Climate

Brighton Brighton East
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)

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

Council rates

Brighton Brighton East
Average residential rate $2,086/yr
same for both
Council Bayside (Vic.)
same for both

Federal electorate

Brighton Brighton East
Division Goldstein
same for both
Member Tim Wilson
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Brighton

Beach Cafe Culture Coastal Easy Commute Luxury Middle-Ring Parks Professionals Townhouses Transport Hub

Brighton East

Coastal Luxury Middle-Ring Parks Professionals Townhouses Trams Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Brighton

Brighton vs Elwood Brighton vs Hampton Brighton vs Elsternwick Brighton vs Gardenvale

Other comparisons with Brighton East

Brighton East vs Bentleigh Brighton East vs Hampton Brighton East vs Caulfield South Brighton East vs Ormond Brighton East vs McKinnon Brighton East vs Moorabbin
Full data on Brighton Full data on Brighton East
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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