Blackburn

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area around the suburb of Blackburn, its population is estimated at around 15,954 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,476 people (10.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,478 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 15,775 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 510 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,704 persons per square kilometer, placing Blackburn in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Blackburn's 10.2% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%), along with the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the area. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 96.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking at population projections moving forward, an above median population growth of national statistical areas is projected for Blackburn, with the suburb expected to grow by 1,880 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 8.1% in total over the 17 years.

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

Blackburn has seen approximately 154 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 773 homes. In FY26 so far, there have been 71 approvals recorded. On average, 0.5 new residents per year have arrived for each new home built between FY21 and FY25. This indicates that supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more buyer choices while supporting potential population growth above projections.

The average construction value of new properties is $781,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In Blackburn's commercial sector, $126.9 million in approvals have been registered this financial year, indicating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn shows moderately higher development activity at 21.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This preserves reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. Recent construction comprises 43.0% detached dwellings and 57.0% attached dwellings.

This shift towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways, attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This marks a significant departure from the current housing pattern of 66.0% houses, suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. The location has approximately 106 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Blackburn is forecasted to gain around 1,299 residents by 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 a total of 28 projects that may 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 outlines those most likely to be 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 4.1% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 3.5%. As of September 2025, 8,858 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.6% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

Workforce participation is at 68.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 46.5% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries are 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.

However, construction is under-represented, with only 6.5% of Blackburn's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. In the 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 3.5%, labour force grew by 2.7%, and unemployment rate fell by 0.7 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% 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, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released on June 30, 2023, Blackburn had a median income among taxpayers of $57,251 and an average income of $83,123. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to the national median of $57,688 and average of $75,164 in Greater Melbourne. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since June 30, 2023, current estimates for Blackburn's median income would be approximately $61,974 and the average at $89,981 by September 2025. Census data from 2021 shows that incomes in Blackburn cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. Income distribution reveals that 28.8% of Blackburn's population (4,594 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to the broader area where 32.8% occupy this bracket. Economic strength is evident with 33.4% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 13.4% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 74th percentile for disposable income. The area'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). In comparison, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Blackburn was at 40.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.2% and rented ones at 26.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Blackburn was $2,208, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000. The 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%. 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 exceeds national averages significantly; 50.9% of residents aged 15+ hold university qualifications compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. The area's high proportion of bachelor degrees (30.9%) contributes to this advantage, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.7%) and graduate diplomas (5.3%). Vocational pathways account for 20.8%, with advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 10.7%. Educational participation is notably high; 30.8% of residents are currently enrolled in formal education, including secondary education (8.7%), primary education (8.4%), and tertiary education (8.0%).

Educational participation is notably 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 are serviced by 21 routes that collectively provide 6973 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 179 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from Blackburn. Car is the dominant mode of transport at 78%, while train usage stands at 13%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.2.

According to the 2021 Census, 46.5% of residents work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 996 trips per day across all routes, 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. Based on AreaSearch's assessment, mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups.

The prevalence of common health conditions was exceptionally low. Private health cover was found to be high at approximately 60% of the total population (9,510 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne. Mental health issues impacted 7.5% of residents, while asthma affected 7.2%. A total of 71.5% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area had 19.6% of residents aged 65 and over (3,126 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, broadly in line with national rankings.

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 showed high cultural diversity, 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, accounting for 42.2%. Notably, Buddhism had a higher representation in Blackburn compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 3.6% versus 4.2%.

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups were English (23.5%), Australian (20.4%), and Chinese (13.3%), with the latter being significantly higher than the regional average of 6.5%. Some other ethnic groups also had notable differences in representation: Sri Lankan at 0.5% versus 0.8%, Indian at 3.6% versus 4.2%, and Korean at 0.5% versus 0.3%.

Blackburn's median age exceeds the national pattern

Blackburn's median age is 41 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and slightly above Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn has a notably higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (12.8%) and a lower proportion of those aged 25-34 (12.0%). According to the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group increased from 13.3% to 14.9%, while the 5-14 cohort decreased from 11.9% to 10.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Blackburn's age profile will change significantly. The 65-74 cohort is projected to grow by 22%, adding 348 residents to reach 1,944. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 57% of the population growth. Conversely, populations in the 0-4 and 15-24 age groups are projected to decline.