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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
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Belgrave has an estimated 3,862 residents, down from 3,894 at the 2021 Census. The population has thinned by an average 0.9% a year over five years, slower than 95% of areas nationally. That puts 947 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to AreaSearch's evaluation of regional ABS releases alongside 6 validated new addresses recorded following the Census date, the suburb of Belgrave has an estimated population of 3,862 as of Aug 2026. Relative to the 3,894 residents documented in the 2021 Census, this indicates a reduction of 32 people (0.8%). The updated figure draws upon ABS ERP figures published in June 2025 together with local address additions. At 946 persons per square kilometer, the suburb of Belgrave demonstrates a population density consistent with typical benchmarks across AreaSearch locations. Furthermore, natural increase served as the primary demographic driver in recent times, accounting for roughly 53.0% of total population additions.
Demographic projections for the suburb of Belgrave utilise 2024 ABS/Geoscience Australia SA2 modelling anchored to 2022, complemented where necessary by 2023 Victorian Government LGA projections aggregated via population-weighted distributions to SA2 boundaries. Age-specific trends from this framework extend across 2032 to 2041. Over this timeframe, overall numbers for the suburb of Belgrave are forecast to contract by 99 persons by 2041. In contrast, older demographics will expand, headlined by an increase of 111 people within the 75 to 84 cohort.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Detail
Analysis of ABS building approvals indicates an average of approximately 3 residential approvals per annum in Belgrave, totaling 15 approvals across the preceding 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), with 2 recorded to date in FY-25. Given local demographic contractions, this flow of residential supply has maintained alignment with demand, preserving buyer options. New homes show an average construction value of $574,000, exceeding standard regional metrics and highlighting an emphasis on higher-end builds. Meanwhile, commercial approvals reached $44.8 million during this financial year, reflecting substantial capital commitment to local commerce.
Residential building volume in Belgrave sits 83.0% below the Greater Melbourne per-capita average, creating a supply constraint that tends to support pricing and demand across established stock. This restrained pace is similarly subdued against nationwide levels, indicating an established urban footprint alongside potential planning constraints. All recent residential activity has comprised detached homes, reinforcing low-density characteristics sought after by buyers desiring space. The current ratio of 2579 residents per dwelling approval underscores a subdued development environment. Given forecasts pointing to a stable or declining resident count, Belgrave is anticipated to experience reduced pressure on housing demand, creating advantageous conditions for prospective purchasers.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Belgrave
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 29 current infrastructure and development projects close to Belgrave, worth an estimated $925 million. 7 are already under construction and 6 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, sports & recreation and transport & logistics. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Local capital programs and strategic planning exert a profound influence on community outcomes. Currently, AreaSearch has identified no major infrastructure projects expected to impact the immediate locality. Notable regional developments include the Angliss Hospital Expansion, Dandenong Ranges Environmental Protection Program, South East Melbourne Recycled Water Supply Infrastructure Upgrades, and Yarra Ranges Council Drainage Infrastructure Program.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Angliss Hospital Expansion
A $112 million major redevelopment featuring a new four-storey, all-electric tower. The expansion delivers a 32-bed inpatient unit, four state-of-the-art operating theatres, a new central sterile supply department, and expanded outpatient and allied health services. Major structural works were completed in July 2025, and the project is currently in the fit-out and final construction phase to increase surgical capacity for the Knox and Yarra Ranges communities.
Kings Park Masterplan
Knox City Council's long-term master plan to upgrade Kings Park, a key sporting and recreation precinct. Stage 1 delivers a fully fenced dog park featuring two distinct off-leash zones, sealed path circuits, picnic seating, drinking fountains, and site drainage improvements. Future stages for parkland enhancement remain subject to council planning and annual capital works budgeting.
Woolworths Ferntree Gully eCommerce Expansion
A comprehensive 14-week upgrade project to enhance the store's direct-to-boot operations and eCommerce capabilities. The initiative focused on expanding store facilities and improving click-and-collect services through major store extension, civil works, installation of new precast panels, structural steel frameworks, a new canopy, and significant refrigeration and cool room works. All construction was executed within a live trading environment to minimize disruption to daily store operations.
Ferntree Gully Village Creative Placemaking Plan
Community-driven arts and cultural development project transforming public spaces in Ferntree Gully Village through murals, sculptures, lightbox galleries, and parklet upgrades to enhance safety, community connection, and local pride.
Ferntree Gully Station Street Infrastructure Upgrade
Road renewal program for Station Street, Ferntree Gully from Wyuna Street to Alpine Street. The $790,000 project includes road pavement patching, full asphalt resurfacing, stormwater drainage upgrades, replacement of concrete kerbs, channels, and vehicle crossings, concrete infills where necessary, and other associated minor works to support local businesses.
Bluett Reserve Playground Upgrade
As part of the 2025-26 capital works program, Knox City Council is investing in the renewal of local playgrounds, including the one at Bluett Reserve in Ferntree Gully. The project aims to improve the recreational facilities for the local community.
Ferntree Gully Community Housing
A 79-unit medium density development consisting of 41 one-bedroom units, 38 two-bedroom units, and 6 three-bedroom units, located on the site of the old Ferntree Gully Primary School. Part of the Nation Building and Economic Stimulus Project, jointly funded by Federal and State Governments. Residents are involved in a community vegetable garden and linked with local community activities through partnerships with Mountain District Learning Centre.
Burwood Highway-McMahons Road Intersection Upgrade
Upgraded intersection at Burwood Highway, McMahons Road and Clyde Street in Ferntree Gully completed in 2024. Includes extra lanes in each direction on Burwood Highway, new traffic lights with dedicated pedestrian crossings, more street lights, dedicated right turn lanes, shared left turn and through lanes, and a dedicated left turn lane into Clyde Street with improved business access. Improves safety, reduces crashes, and enhances traffic flow.
2,174 residents of Belgrave are employed, from a labour force of 2,291. Unemployment sits at 5.1%, with participation at 73.2%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.7% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 2,885, about 75% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Belgrave possesses an educated labour force with significant employment in essential services, showing an unemployment rate of 5.1% and a 1.0% annual lift in employment based on aggregated statistical indicators. In March 2026, employed residents numbered 2,174, while unemployment tracked 0.3% above the 4.8% seen in Greater Melbourne. Labour force participation stood at 73.2%, slightly outperforming Greater Melbourne's 70.1%. Notably, 36.1% of local workers reported working from home in the Census, though prevailing Covid-19 restrictions must be acknowledged. Local workforce participation is heavily clustered in health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction.
Concentration in education & training is pronounced, with local representation reaching 1.6 times the broader metropolitan level. Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing comprises just 3.1% of the workforce, below the 5.2% share in Greater Melbourne. Given the disparity between working and resident populations in Census returns, this predominantly residential setting offers comparatively few employment opportunities within its borders. Over the 12 months leading to March 2026, SALM and ABS metrics show local employment expanded by 1.0% alongside a 1.3% growth in the labour pool, generating a 0.2 percentage point rise in the jobless rate. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded a 2.1% increase in employment, 2.3% growth in the labour force, and a 0.2 percentage point lift in unemployment. Applying Jobs and Skills Australia's Mar-26 industry projections—which anticipate nationwide employment growth of 6.6% across five years and 13.7% over ten years—to Belgrave's sectoral composition indicates potential local employment gains of 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on structural weighting alone.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Belgrave is $2,202 a week (about $115,000 a year), with median personal income at $959 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $60,426 a year against an average of $78,144. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
Aggregated ATO statistics for financial year 2023 highlight that taxpayer earnings in Belgrave sit well above the national benchmark. Median taxable income reached $60,426 while the average stood at $78,144, outperforming Greater Melbourne benchmarks of $57,688 and $75,164. Adjusting for a 9.62% rise in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023 yields updated estimates of $66,239 (median) and $85,661 (average) for March 2026. Across household, family, and individual brackets, Census data places local incomes between the 74th and 78th percentiles nationwide. The $1,500 - 2,999 weekly band accounts for 34.9% of residents (1,347 individuals), comparable to 32.8% regionally.
Furthermore, 31.3% earn more than $3,000 weekly, and households retain 86.9% of their income after meeting housing costs, supporting a SEIFA income placement in the 7th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Belgrave had 1,414 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 99% detached houses and 0% apartments. 60% are owned with a mortgage, 8% rented and 32% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $401 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,863 a month. Rent absorbs 18.2% of household income here and mortgage repayments 19.5%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Census evaluations reveal that Belgrave's housing stock consists of 99.2% standalone houses and 0.8% other dwellings, in sharp contrast to Melbourne metro where standalone houses account for 67.9% and other dwellings represent 32.1%. Outright home ownership matches the metropolitan level at 32.1%, while 60.3% of homes are mortgaged and 7.5% are rented. The median monthly mortgage payment of $1,863 sits below Melbourne metro's $2,000 and aligns with the national figure of $1,863. Conversely, median weekly rents of $401 exceed both the Melbourne metro benchmark of $390 and the Australian average of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Belgrave counted 1,414 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.7 people each. 37% are couples with children, against 27% couples without children. 19% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.5 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families constitute the vast majority of local households at 78.6%, including 36.5% couple families with children, 27.0% couples without children, and 13.8% single parent homes. The remaining 21.4% consists of non-family arrangements, split between single-occupant households (18.8%) and group dwellings (2.8%). The median household size of 2.7 people slightly exceeds the Greater Melbourne metric of 2.6.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
37.3% of adults in Belgrave hold a university qualification, including 22.6% with a bachelor degree and 9.3% with postgraduate qualifications, higher than 90% of areas nationally. A further 20.9% hold a vocational qualification. 3 schools serve the area, with 1,573 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 1,084 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Tertiary educational attainment in Belgrave is elevated, with 37.3% of individuals aged 15+ possessing higher education degrees, significantly exceeding the 23.8% recorded across the SA3 area and 30.4% nationally. This educational profile is led by bachelor degrees at 22.6%, postgraduate qualifications at 9.3%, and graduate diplomas at 5.4%. In addition, technical and vocational skills are widely held, with 33.9% of adults holding credentials, comprising 13.0% with advanced diplomas and 20.9% holding certificate qualifications. Formal study engagement is substantial throughout the community, with 28.7% of residents attending an educational institution. This proportion includes 10.1% attending primary school, 7.6% in secondary school, and 4.9% enrolled in tertiary programs.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Belgrave reaches 37 stops on 29 routes, timetabled for about 5,200 services a week. The typical home sits about 240 m from its nearest stop. Buses carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 1.6 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Public transport connectivity in Belgrave is supported by 37 bus stops spread across 29 transit routes, providing 5,222 weekly scheduled trips. Transport access remains strong, with the average distance to a stop measuring 239 meters. Commuting patterns reflect the area's residential role, with private vehicle travel accounting for 88% of journeys and train travel representing 7%. Dwellings maintain an average of 1.6 vehicles, exceeding regional rates, while 36.1% of workers worked from home during the 2021 Census under prevailing pandemic circumstances. Transit schedules provide an average of 746 daily services across all operational routes, delivering approximately 141 services each week per bus stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
68.6% of residents in Belgrave report no long-term health condition. 4.4% need daily assistance with core activities, and 57.7% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 4.7 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
General health conditions among Belgrave residents track favourably against national benchmarks, showing relatively low illness prevalence across age groups and strong private hospital cover held by approximately 58% of the populace (~2,227 people). Mental health conditions and asthma represent the most frequently reported diagnoses, affecting 11.2% and 8.4% of the population respectively, while 68.6% of residents reported having no medical ailments compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Chronic ailments show elevated prevalence among working-age individuals. Seniors aged 65 and over represent 16.0% of the community (617 people) and exhibit exceptional health profiles that surpass national norms.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Belgrave is largely Australian-born, at 80.9% of residents, with 7.2% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (30.4%) and Australian (25.1%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Belgrave demonstrates relatively modest cultural diversity metrics, with 80.9% of residents Australian-born, 91.1% holding citizenship, and 92.8% speaking only English at home. Christianity represents the most common religious affiliation at 26.6% of the population. In relative terms, Judaism exhibits a distinct presence at 0.2% locally, compared against 1.0% across Greater Melbourne. English ancestry leads the community at 30.4% (surpassing the regional benchmark of 20.1%), followed by Australian ancestry at 25.1% (compared to 18.4% across the region) and Irish ancestry at 9.7%. Other distinct cultural backgrounds include Dutch representation at 3.1% (versus 1.2% regionally), Polish at 1.0% (versus 0.8%), and French ancestry at 0.9% (versus 0.5%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Belgrave is 38. 22.4% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
Age distributions in Belgrave closely parallel Greater Melbourne, showing a maximum variance of 5.5 percentage points across broad brackets. The median age is an estimated 38 as at August 2026, holding steady from the 2021 Census and remaining 1 year above the 37 recorded for Greater Melbourne at that time. Growth has centered on retirement-aged residents (65+), rising from 13.1% to an estimated 16.0%. Demographic modelling through 2041 suggests senior cohorts will account for primary expansion, adding 131 residents (21%) to reach 749, while younger adult and youth cohorts will decline.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Belgrave
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, Local governments Daily | May 2026 5 months ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 6 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (3,894 at the 2021 Census → 3,862 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL20188). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.