Blackburn

Blackburn has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Blackburn's population is estimated at around 15,954 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,476 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,478 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 15,775 residents following examination of ABS data released in June 2024 and an additional 510 validated new addresses since the Census date. Blackburn's population density stands at 2,704 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb experienced a growth rate of 10.2% between the 2021 census and Feb 2026, exceeding the national average of 9.9%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 96.0% of overall population gains during this period.

AreaSearch's projections for Blackburn are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to these projections, Blackburn is expected to grow by 1,907 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 10.8% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Blackburn has experienced around 154 dwellings receiving development approval annually over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 773 homes. So far in FY-26, 78 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.5 new residents arrive per year for each new home constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating that supply is meeting or surpassing demand.

The average construction value of new properties is $781,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment. In this financial year, $126.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn shows moderately higher development activity, with 21.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. Recent construction comprises 43.0% detached dwellings and 57.0% attached dwellings, marking a significant shift from existing housing patterns of 66.0% houses. This location has approximately 106 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market.

Population forecasts estimate Blackburn will gain 1,728 residents through to 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 28 projects that could impact the area. Notable projects include 104 Main Street Blackburn Townhouses, Blackburn Activity Centre, 33 Esdale Street Townhouses, and Whitehorse Housing Target Implementation. 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.

The labour market in Blackburn demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Blackburn has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 4.3% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.6%. As of December 2025, 8,875 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.4% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation was somewhat lower at 68.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. According to Census responses, 46.5% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Leading employment industries include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Blackburn has a notable concentration in professional & technical services, with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction is under-represented, with only 6.5% of Blackburn's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. Many residents may commute elsewhere for work based on Census data comparing working population to local population. In the 12-month period ending May-25, employment increased by 2.6% while labour force grew by 2.3%, leading to a 0.2 percentage point decrease in unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Blackburn's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Blackburn suburb had median taxpayer income of $57,251 and average income of $83,123 in financial year 2023. Nationally, these figures are high compared to Melbourne's $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. By September 2025, estimates suggest median income will be approximately $61,974 and average income $89,981, accounting for 8.25% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. Census 2021 data shows Blackburn incomes cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. Income distribution indicates 28.8% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, similar to the broader area's 32.8%. High weekly earnings are evident in 33.4% of households, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 13.4% of income, with Blackburn residents ranking at the 74th percentile for disposable income. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Blackburn displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Blackburn's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 66.0% houses and 34.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Blackburn stood at 40.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.2% and rented ones at 26.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,208, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Blackburn was $411, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Blackburn's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Blackburn has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 69.1% of all households, including 33.9% couples with children, 25.5% couples without children, and 8.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 30.9%, with lone person households at 27.2% and group households comprising 3.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Blackburn's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 50.9% have university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 30.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.7%) and graduate diplomas (5.3%). Vocational pathways account for 20.8% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 10.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.7% in secondary education, 8.4% in primary education, and 8.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Blackburn has 85 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 21 different routes that together facilitate 6,973 weekly passenger trips. The transport accessibility in Blackburn is rated as excellent, with residents on average located just 179 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward. Cars remain the dominant mode of transportation for these outward commutes at 78%, while 13% use trains. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling in Blackburn.

According to the 2021 Census, 46.5% of residents work from home, which may be partly due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 996 trips per day, equating to approximately 82 weekly trips per individual stop.

Blackburn's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Blackburn. AreaSearch's assessment found very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups.

The rate of private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (9,510 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne. The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.5 and 7.2% of residents respectively. 71.5% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents showed low chronic condition prevalence. The area had 19.9% of residents aged 65 and over (3,174 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Blackburn 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

Blackburn's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 33.4% born overseas and 28.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Blackburn as of 2016, making up 42.2% of its population. Buddhism, however, was overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 3.6% of Blackburn's population versus the regional average of 4.2%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups in Blackburn were English (23.5%), Australian (20.4%), and Chinese (13.3%), which was substantially higher than the regional average of 6.5%. Notably, Sri Lankan (0.5% vs 0.8% regionally), Indian (3.6% vs 4.2%), and Korean (0.5% vs 0.3%) ethnic groups were also overrepresented in Blackburn as of 2016.

Blackburn's median age exceeds the national pattern

Blackburn's median age is 41 years, which is notably higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and slightly above Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (12.8% locally), but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.1%). According to the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group has increased from 13.3% to 15.0%, while the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 11.9% to 10.3%. By 2041, Blackburn's age profile is expected to change significantly. The 65-74 age group is projected to grow by 24%, adding 388 residents to reach 1,984. Residents aged 65 and older are anticipated to represent 54% of the population growth. Conversely, population declines are forecast for the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups.