Ashburton

Ashburton is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Ashburton's population is estimated at around 8,521 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase from the 7,952 people recorded in the 2021 Census, a rise of 569 people (7.2%). The resident population was estimated at 8,404 by AreaSearch following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 137 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,918 persons per square kilometer, placing Ashburton in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, ending Feb 2026, Ashburton has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.5%, outpacing its SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

For future projections, AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia's projections released in 2024 using 2022 as the base year for each SA2 area. By 2041, Ashburton is expected to grow by 314 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 2.3% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Ashburton when compared nationally

Ashburton averaged approximately 94 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 471 homes. As of FY26, 26 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.2 new residents per year arrived per new home between FY21 and FY25. This indicates that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current expectations.

The average construction value of new properties was $871,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY26, there have been $16.3 million in commercial approvals, indicating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Ashburton has 108.0% more construction activity per person, offering buyers greater choice while showing robust developer interest in the area. New building activity comprises 44.0% detached houses and 56.0% attached dwellings, reflecting a shift towards compact living that appeals to downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This is a significant change from the current housing mix of 76.0% houses. Ashburton has approximately 161 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Ashburton is expected to grow by 197 residents through to 2041.

At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include Ashburton Place (former Ashburton Shopping Centre site), Ashburton Baptist Church Redevelopment, Glen Iris Community Health Hub, and Ashburton Village Precinct Structure Plan (Ashburton Activity Centre). The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Ashburton remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Ashburton has a highly educated workforce. The unemployment rate was 4.7% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.5%. As of December 2025, 4667 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate was 4.8%, similar to Greater Melbourne's rate.

Workforce participation was also broadly similar to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. According to Census responses, 50.5% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Leading employment industries were professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Professional & technical services showed notable concentration, with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction had limited presence, with only 5.3% of employment compared to the regional average of 9.7%. The area's predominantly residential nature suggests limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 2.5%, while the labour force also grew by 2.5%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at around 4.7%. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 2.4% and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points during this period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ashburton's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023. Ashburton's median income among taxpayers was $61,918, with an average of $93,828. Nationally, this is high compared to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. By September 2025, estimates suggest the median income will be approximately $67,026 and the average will be around $101,569, based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. Census 2021 data shows Ashburton's household incomes rank at the 94th percentile with a weekly income of $2,743. Income distribution indicates that 34.8% of residents (2,965 individuals) fall within the $4000+ range, differing from broader area trends where the $1,500 - 2,999 category is predominant at 32.8%. Economic strength is evident with 46.5% of households earning weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting higher consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Ashburton is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Ashburton's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 76.3% houses and 23.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ashburton was at 38.9%, with the rest of dwellings either mortgaged (35.5%) or rented (25.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,000, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Ashburton was recorded at $455, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Ashburton's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Ashburton features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 77.7 percent of all households, including 45.5 percent couples with children, 21.8 percent couples without children, and 9.5 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 22.3 percent, with lone person households at 19.8 percent and group households comprising 2.4 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Ashburton demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Ashburton's residents aged 15+ have a higher educational attainment than national averages: 53.6% hold university qualifications compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 33.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.2%) and graduate diplomas (6.0%). Vocational pathways account for 18.1% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.5% and certificates at 8.6%. Educational participation is high: 32.5% are currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.6% in primary, 9.3% in secondary, and 7.6% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.6% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 7.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Ashburton shows that there are currently 30 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 8 individual routes providing service. Collectively, these routes facilitate 3,357 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in Ashburton is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 221 meters from their nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward for work or other purposes. The dominant mode of transportation remains the car, used by 79% of residents, while 10% use the train and 5% walk to their destinations.

On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling in Ashburton. According to the 2021 Census, a high percentage of residents, specifically 50.5%, work from home, which may be reflective of COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 479 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 111 weekly trips per individual stop.

Ashburton's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Ashburton based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence with younger cohorts particularly seeing low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 64% of the total population (5,434 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 7.6% and 7.0% of residents respectively, while 72.6% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 72.6% across Greater Melbourne.

Working-age residents show low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 18.7% of residents aged 65 and over (1,593 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but rank lower nationally compared to the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Ashburton was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Ashburton's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 28.8% born overseas and 23.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Ashburton, comprising 44.3% of its population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented in Ashburton, making up 0.6% compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.8%), Australian (21.4%), and Chinese (10.0%). There are also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Hungarian is overrepresented at 0.6% in Ashburton compared to 0.3% regionally, Sri Lankan remains steady at 0.8%, and Greek is similarly represented at 2.7%.

Ashburton's median age exceeds the national pattern

Ashburton's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and slightly older than Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Ashburton has a notably over-represented cohort of 15-24 year-olds at 16.4%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 8.1%. According to the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 12.8% to 16.4%, and the 65 to 74 cohort has grown from 8.7% to 9.8%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has declined from 14.7% to 12.3%. Demographic projections suggest significant changes in Ashburton's age profile by 2041. The 75-84 cohort is expected to grow by 41%, adding 216 residents to reach 745. Residents aged 65 and older are projected to represent 72% of the population growth, while declines are anticipated for the 0-4 and 55-64 age cohorts.