Top 20 Australian Suburbs for Families 2023

• A family suburb has several definitions, including the majority of properties being owner occupied
• Also, there must be at least 2.5 people on average per household
• Otago in Hobart ranks top of the list

New research commissioned by Well Money has revealed the top 20 family-friendly suburbs in Australia.

The research involved considering every suburb in the nation, before filtering all those that weren’t deemed to be a ‘family suburb’.

What is a ‘family suburb’?

There are several metrics that determine a family suburb. They include:

• located within a capital city
• has a median house price between $200,000 and $1.5 million
• at least 70% owner-occupied
• at least 60% of dwellings are freestanding houses
• at least 2.5 people on average per household
• a SEIFA education score of at least 6

SEIFA refers to the Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) and is a product developed by the ABS that ranks areas across Australia in terms of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage. An education score above six means its in the top half nationally in terms of educational and occupational status.

Scott Spencer, Well Money CEO, said that while housing affordability is still a concern, home ownership is still a realistic goal for many families.

“There’s no doubt it can be tough for families on average incomes to buy into a family-friendly suburb in a capital city. That said, it’s not impossible, as the data in this report makes clear,” he said.

“Families should take heart from the downturn in property prices we’re currently seeing in many parts of the country, because that reduces the deposit hurdle.

“Of course, with interest rates rising, people’s borrowing capacity is falling. Thankfully, though, it seems we’re getting close to the end of this rate tightening cycle. Also, with unemployment very low at the moment, most families have a steady income.”

Scott Spencer, Well Money CEO

Mr Spencer added that despite lifestyle changes, many Australians feel that raising a family and buying a house go hand-in-hand.

“Even though very few of us live on a quarter-acre block these days, most of us still want a house with a yard where we can host barbecues and play with the kids,” he said.

“It’s also clear that many families still aspire to home ownership. Buying a house is still widely seen as a rite of passage, alongside having children.”

Top 20 Australian suburbs for families

Suburb by suburb

1. Otago 7017 (TAS)

2. Seaford Heights 5169 (SA)

3. Kinglake West 3757 (VIC)

4. Wonga Park 3115 (VIC)

5. Tea Tree Gully 5091 (SA)

6. One Tree Hill 5114 (SA)

7. Banjup 6164 (WA)

8. Netherby 5062 (SA)

9. Westbourne Park 5041 (SA) 

10. Bullaburra 2784 (NSW)

11. Seventeen Mile Rocks 4073 (QLD)

12. Stirling 5152 (SA)

13. Bungarribee 2767 (NSW)

14. Valley Heights 2777 (NSW)

15. North Warrandyte 3113 (VIC)

16. Carine 6020 (WA)

17. New Gisborne 3438 (VIC)

18. Upper Kedron 4055 (QLD)

19. Blackmans Bay 7052 (TAS)

20. Howden 7054 (TAS)

For other family suburbs across Australia, check out our articles for Sydney, Melbourne Canberra, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.