Abbotsford (Vic.)

Abbotsford lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

By Nov 2025, Abbotsford's population is estimated at around 10,419, reflecting a 14.6% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 9,088 people. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and ABS ERP data released in June 2024, showing an estimated resident population of 10,294. The suburb's density ratio is 5,987 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% nationally. Growth since 2021 exceeded national (8.9%) and state averages. Overseas migration contributed approximately 83.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 adjusted to SA2 levels for areas not covered by ABS data.

Population growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Abbotsford is projected to increase by 6,036 persons, reflecting a 56.7% total increase over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Abbotsford among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Abbotsford shows around 49 new homes approved annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 247 homes were approved, with one more approved so far in FY-26. Each dwelling built over the past five financial years has gained an average of 2.8 new residents per year, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

The average expected construction cost value for new homes is $736,000, reflecting a focus on premium segment properties. This financial year, Abbotsford has recorded $87.8 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting significant local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Abbotsford has around 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 79th percentile nationally. Recent construction comprises 7.0% detached houses and 93.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a focus on higher-density living that caters to downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

Abbotsford has around 141 people per approval, indicating a developing area with population forecasts estimating an increase of 5,911 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Abbotsford has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified 52 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include New Johnston, 198 Noone Street Development Site, 35-41 Spensley Street Royal Hotel, and Victoria Gardens Expansion. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment performance in Abbotsford exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Abbotsford has a highly educated workforce with the technology sector being well-represented. Its unemployment rate was 3.9% as of June 2025.

Employment growth in the past year was estimated at 6.2%. This is based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. As of June 2025, 7,958 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 0.8% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation in Abbotsford was 77.6%, higher than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%.

Leading employment industries included professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area had a strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share of 1.8 times the regional level. Construction employed only 5.0% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. There were 1.2 workers for every resident as at the Census, indicating Abbotsford functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 6.2% while labour force increased by 7.2%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a 0.5 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment expansion at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Abbotsford's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not consider localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

Abbotsford's median income among taxpayers was $68,277 according to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022. The average income stood at $88,427 in the same period. These figures compare to Greater Melbourne's median and average incomes of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. By September 2025, estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $76,579 and $99,180 based on a 12.16% increase from financial year 2022's Wage Price Index growth. Census data shows individual earnings in Abbotsford stand at the 96th percentile nationally, with weekly earnings of $1,354. Income distribution reveals that 35.4% of locals (3,688 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, similar to the broader area where this cohort represents 32.8%. A substantial proportion of high earners, 33.3%, have incomes above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity in the district. High housing costs consume 17.2% of income, but despite this, disposable income remains at the 75th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Abbotsford features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Abbotsford's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 10.2% houses and 89.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Melbourne metro had 12.8% houses and 87.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Abbotsford stood at 15.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.5% and rented ones at 56.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, lower than Melbourne metro's $2,326. Median weekly rent in Abbotsford was $425, compared to Melbourne metro's $451. Nationally, Abbotsford's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Abbotsford features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 47.9% of all households, including 12.4% couples with children, 29.9% couples without children, and 4.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 52.1%, with lone person households at 40.7% and group households comprising 11.4%. The median household size is 1.9 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.0.

Educational achievement in Abbotsford places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Abbotsford is higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15+, 62.7% hold university qualifications compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. The most common qualification is a Bachelor degree at 39.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (18.2%) and graduate diplomas (5.0%). Vocational pathways account for 18.3% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.2% and certificates at 9.1%.

A total of 24.8% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 11.7% in tertiary education, 3.5% in primary education, and 2.8% in secondary education. Abbotsford Primary School and Sophia Mundi Steiner School serve a combined total of 327 students. The area's socio-educational advantages are reflected in its ICSEA score of 1130. Educational provision includes one primary school and one K-12 school, with limited local capacity at 3.1 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 10.3.

Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Abbotsford has 24 operational public transport stops offering a variety of services including trains, light rail, and buses. These stops are served by 32 unique routes that facilitate a total of 12,243 weekly passenger trips. The city's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents on average being situated just 180 meters from the nearest transport stop.

Across all routes, service frequency averages at 1,749 trips per day, which translates to approximately 510 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Abbotsford is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Abbotsford shows better-than-average health outcomes with low prevalence of common conditions among its general population, but higher rates are seen among older and at-risk cohorts. Private health cover is exceptionally high here, at approximately 62% (6,425 people), compared to 69.8% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common conditions, affecting 11.8% and 9.1% of residents respectively.

71.0% of residents report no medical ailments, similar to Greater Melbourne's 70.6%. The area has fewer seniors, with 9.6% (1,000 people) aged 65 and over, compared to Greater Melbourne's 12.1%. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

Abbotsford was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Abbotsford, as per the census conducted on 9 August 2016, exhibited higher cultural diversity than most local areas. A total of 24.8% of its residents spoke a language other than English at home, while 35.9% were born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Abbotsford, with 25.7% of people identifying as Christian.

Notably, Judaism was overrepresented in Abbotsford compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 0.9% versus 0.8%. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (23.4%), Australian (16.5%), and Irish (11.2%). Some ethnic groups showed significant differences: Vietnamese were more prevalent at 3.4%, French remained similar at 0.8%, and Hungarian was slightly higher at 0.4%.

Abbotsford's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Abbotsford's median age is 33, which is younger than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Abbotsford has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (34.4%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (3.8%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the proportion of residents aged 35 to 44 has increased from 19.6% to 20.7%, while the proportion of those aged 25 to 34 has decreased from 36.1% to 34.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest substantial demographic changes in Abbotsford, with the strongest projected growth in the 45 to 54 age group, which is expected to grow by 126%, adding 1,334 residents to reach a total of 2,397.