Vermont

Housing & architecture

The housing stock in Vermont is overwhelmingly detached, with houses making up 86% of current listings, alongside a smaller mix of townhouses (9%) and apartments or units (5%). Expect to find a good deal of mid-to-late-20th-century brick veneer homes on generous blocks, along with a growing number of newer builds and knockdown-rebuilds on larger allotments as older properties are gradually renewed.

This housing profile reflects Vermont's character as a suburb built for families who want backyard space and room to grow, rather than higher-density living. Buyers after that classic quarter-acre feel, with proximity to good schools and parks, tend to be the ones most drawn to what Vermont offers.

The property market

Vermont's median house price currently sits at $1.16 million, with units and townhouses considerably more affordable at a median of $647,000. House values have grown 5.2% recently, a solid result that points to continued demand for the suburb's family-sized homes and leafy streets. Median rent across the suburb is $660 a week, which reflects healthy demand from tenants wanting access to Vermont's schools and lifestyle without necessarily buying in.

The gap between house and unit pricing is notable, and given units make up only a small slice of the market (5% of listings), they can represent a useful entry point for buyers wanting a foothold in the area without stretching to seven figures. Meanwhile, the dominance of house listings underscores Vermont's position as a low-density, family-first market rather than one geared toward investors chasing apartment yields.

Schools & families

Education is one of Vermont's strong suits, with options spanning both government and Catholic systems. Vermont Primary School and Vermont Secondary College serve local families through to the end of schooling, while St James' School and the Y9@E campus of Emmaus College add further choice nearby. This spread of schools, combined with the suburb's family-heavy demographic, makes Vermont a popular choice for parents planning to stay put through their children's school years.

Parks & recreation

Vermont's leafy character extends to its outdoor spaces, with reserves and pockets of bushland scattered through the suburb and surrounds offering walking tracks and sporting facilities. Its proximity to the Dandenong Ranges foothills also means residents are within easy reach of larger bushland areas for weekend walks, while local ovals and reserves cater to junior sport and everyday recreation closer to home.

Getting around

Vermont doesn't have its own train station, but nearby Nunawading and Mitcham stations on the Belgrave/Lilydale line give residents rail access into the city and out towards the Dandenongs. Bus routes connect through to neighbouring Vermont South, Forest Hill and Wantirna, linking residents to Eastland shopping centre and other retail and employment hubs in the area. For drivers, Vermont's position gives reasonably direct access to arterial roads leading toward the Eastern Freeway and EastLink, making the drive into the CBD or out to the outer east relatively straightforward outside peak times.

Shopping

Local shopping needs are well covered by strips and centres within Vermont and its immediate neighbours, with the larger Eastland shopping centre in nearby Ringwood and retail precincts in Forest Hill and Nunawading offering a broader range of major retailers, supermarkets and dining options just a short drive away.