The suburbs Aussies never want to leave

These suburbs are home to perhaps Australia’s happiest homeowners, who never want to leave and are cashing in big time.

These suburbs are the home to perhaps Australia’s happiest homeowners, families, couples, singles and retirees who stay put in their residences for decades at a time, often ensuring they become property multi-millionaires in the process.

According to exclusive data from real estate data firm PropTrack, these are the locations in which homes are most tightly.

And it seems all these suburbs have two things in common, great homes and a great community spirit.

Battery Hill in Caloundra is Australia's most loyal suburb, according to new figures, with the average hold period for house 21 years.

THE ADELAIDE SUBURBS NO ONE WANTS TO LEAVE

Househunters hoping to snap up a house in Millswood might need a back-up plan.

Latest PropTrack data shows homeowners in the inner-south suburb hold on to their houses for an average of almost 18 years, making it the longest hold period for any locality in SA.

Crafers West in the Adelaide Hills followed close behind, with owners hanging on to homes for 17.8 years, while owners in St Morris, stayed for an average of 17.6 years.

Kensington Gardens (17.3 years), Minlaton in the central Yorke Peninsula (16.9 years), Hamley Bridge (16.7 years), Yorketown in the southern Yorke Peninsula (16.6 years), Leabrook (16.5 years), Rose Park (16.4 years) and Kingswood (16.3 years) rounded out the top 10.

Alistair Loudon of Ouwens Casserly Real Estate Adelaide, said he was not surprised to see Millswood take out the top spot, with he himself drawn to live in a tightly held suburb 17 years ago.

Mark Stojani and his sister Diana Coyle at their old family home in Millswood. The suburb has been named the most tightly held locality in the state, with the family having owned the property for over 50 years. Picture: Keryn Stevens

“You have tree-lined streets, character homes, big blocks on either site of Goodwood Rd and you’re close to all amenities with excellent neighbours and community,” he said.

“So I’m not surprised by the data at all and would argue that this figure is moving up consistently because there’s been such a lack of stock over such a long period of time.

“Basically, since the pandemic in early 2020, people are more likely to stay in their home for longer and just won’t make that move because, why would you, if there’s nothing better on the market?”

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THE BRISBANE SUBURBS NO ONE WANTS TO LEAVE

A tiny coastal suburb north of Brisbane has claimed the title of Australia’s most loyal suburb, with the average homeowner staying put for an eye-opening 21 years.

Statistics from PropTrack reveal Battery Hill in Caloundra is where the average time spent in the same property outstrips the rest of the country, leaving few options for house-hungry buyersMacgregor in Brisbane’s south comes a close second out of Queensland’s suburbs, with an average hold period of 21.2 years, followed by Mount Ommaney, Barellan Point, and North Maclean at 19 years.

Darren Ide of Image Property, who has sold real estate in Battery Hill for nearly 19 years, said most people had never heard of the suburb, despite its enviable location only walking distance from the beach between Dicky Beach and Moffat Beach

“It’s a small area,” he said.

“Very tightly held, and lots of owner-occupiers.

“It’s one of those areas that’s really been left alone because a lot of people go to the more popular suburbs like Currimundi, Dicky Beach, and Moffat Beach.

“I always get a lot of comments; ‘Battery Hill? Where’s that?’, but you can still walk to the beach and there’s a big price difference between it and Moffatt.”

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THE SYDNEY SUBURBS NO ONE WANTS TO LEAVE

It’s the Heights of family living.

Peakhurst Heights has been named Sydney’s most loyal suburb in an exclusive data set pinpointing postcodes that families never want to leave.

Found 22km to the south of the CBD, on the banks of the Georges River, Peakhurst Heights topped a list of 20 of Sydney’s favourite suburbs, as measured by PropTrack data on average hold periods.

PropTrack economist Paul Ryan said the 20.7 years that people stayed put in the suburb’s homes – nearly double the Sydney average – indicated it was likely very family friendly, and suited a range of life circumstances.

Peakhurst Heights is the No. 1 Sydney suburb no one wants to leave.

“There will be a lot of people who have raised their children there, and if you have everything you need – why would you move?” Mr Ryan said.

The loyalty to and love for Peakhurst Heights has paid off financially for homeowners there with the median prices of houses jumping around 60 per cent in the past five years: from a median house price in June 2019 of $1,022,500 to $1.625m in April 2024.

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THE VICTORIAN SUBURBS NO ONE WANTS TO LEAVE

Victoria is home to some Australia’s happiest suburbs, with homeowners staying put for decades at a time and many of them becoming property millionaires in the process.

From Parkville to St Helena in Melbourne’s north, the typical homebuyer stays put for 20-plus years – longer than almost any other suburb in the nation.

And owners who have stuck by their suburb for the past two decades appear to have been rewarded, with many turning a family home once worth a few hundred grand into a million-dollar or even multimillion-dollar address.

While across Melbourne the typical house owner sells up every 12.38 years, there are 10 suburbs where they hang on for at least 18 years.

PropTrack data shows Parkville tops the list in Victoria at 21.26 years, with the typical house price in the suburb surging from $807,500 to $2.369m since it was last on the market.

Home to Melbourne Zoo and Melbourne University as well as several hospitals, only Battery Hill on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast boasted a longer typical ownership at 21.6 years.

St Helena in Melbourne’s north east was second for Victoria at 20.3 years and ninth nationwide, with homeowners having also become millionaires as the price rose from $384,000 to $1.175m.

While across Melbourne the typical house owner sells up every 12.38 years, there are 10 suburbs where they hang on for at least 18 years.

MORE on the Melbourne and Victorian suburbs no one wants to leave.

Originally published as The suburbs Aussies never want to leave