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 16,067 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 14,478 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch data showing a resident population of 15,985 in June 2025 and an additional 537 validated new addresses since the Census date. Blackburn's population density as of May 2026 is estimated at 2,723 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb experienced a growth rate of 11.0% between the 2021 Census and May 2026, exceeding both the SA4 region (8.9%) and state averages. Overseas migration contributed approximately 96.0% of overall population gains during recent periods in Blackburn.

AreaSearch projections for Blackburn are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, while areas not covered use VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 adjusted to SA2 levels using weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Blackburn is projected to have above median population growth with an expected increase of 1,833 persons by 2041, reflecting a total gain of 10.9% over the 16-year period from May 2026.

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

Blackburn has received around 154 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years from FY-20 to FY-24. This totals an estimated 773 homes. In FY-26, up until now, 92 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.1 new residents arrive per year for each new home built between FY-21 and FY-25.

The average construction cost of new properties is $781,000. Commercial approvals this financial year amount to $126.9 million. Blackburn shows moderately higher development activity compared to Greater Melbourne, with 20.0% more approvals per person over the past five years. Recent construction comprises 43.0% detached dwellings and 57.0% attached dwellings. This shift from the current housing pattern of 66.0% houses suggests diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences.

There are approximately 108 people per dwelling approval in Blackburn, indicating an expanding market. Population forecasts estimate Blackburn will gain 1,751 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond projections.

Blackburn 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 28 projects likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives 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. Its unemployment rate was 4.3% as of an unspecified past year. Employment grew by an estimated 2.9% over this period.

As of December 2025, Blackburn's unemployment rate is 0.4% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation in Blackburn is somewhat below standard at 67.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 46.5% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Leading employment industries include professional & technical services, 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 appear to commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over a 12-month period ending in an unspecified date, employment increased by 2.9% while labour force grew by 2.7%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. 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 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 latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2023, Blackburn suburb had median income among taxpayers at $57,251 and average income stood at $83,123. These figures are high nationally compared to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% from financial year ended June 2023 to March 2026, estimated current incomes would be approximately $62,759 (median) and $91,119 (average). Census 2021 income data shows Blackburn's household, family, and personal incomes cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. Income distribution indicates 28.8% of residents (4,627 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, similar to 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, and residents rank 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 latest Census showed 66.0% houses and 34.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Blackburn was 40.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.2% and rented at 26.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,208, above Melbourne metro's $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 and rents surpassed the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 account for 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, 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 residents aged 15+ have an educational attainment rate of 50.9%, exceeding the national average of 30.4% and Victoria's average of 33.4%. This high level of qualifications positions Blackburn favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 30.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.7%) and graduate diplomas (5.3%). Vocational pathways account for 20.8% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas making up 10.1% and certificates 10.7%.

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 stops are served by 21 different routes that together facilitate 6,973 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's home to the nearest transport stop is 179 meters. Most residents commute outwards due to Blackburn being primarily residential. Cars remain the dominant mode of transportation at 78%, with trains used by 13% of residents. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 46.5% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, an average of 996 trips are made daily, 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 shows Blackburn performed strongly in health metrics based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions had very low prevalence across all age groups.

Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (9,577 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne. Mental health issues impacted 7.5% of residents, while asthma affected 7.2%. Seventy-one point five percent declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. Nineteen point six percent were aged 65 and over (3,149 people), higher than the 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, ranking broadly in line with the general population nationally.

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, accounting for 42.2%. Buddhism, however, showed an overrepresentation at 3.6%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 4.2%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (23.5%), Australian (20.4%), and Chinese (13.3%), which was significantly higher than the regional average of 6.5%. There were notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Sri Lankan at 0.5% (vs regional 0.8%), Indian at 3.6% (vs 4.2%), and Korean at 0.5% (vs 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 years and slightly above Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn has a notably higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (12.5%) and a lower proportion of those aged 25-34 (12.9%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15-24 has increased from 13.3% to 15.0%, while the 5-14 age group has decreased from 11.9% to 10.0%. By 2041, Blackburn's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 65-74 cohort is expected to grow by 24%, adding 381 residents to reach 1,940. Residents aged 65 and older are anticipated to represent 52% of the population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 0-4 and 35-44 years old.