Blackburn North

An assessment of population growth drivers in Blackburn North reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of May 2026, the estimated population of Blackburn North is around 7,792 people, reflecting an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 7,627. This growth of 165 people (2.2%) is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 7,747 residents following examination of ABS's latest Education Regional Population data release in June 2025 and validation of 19 new addresses since the Census date. Blackburn North's population density stands at approximately 2,875 persons per square kilometer, placing it within the upper quartile compared to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration accounted for roughly 96% of recent population gains in the suburb. AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 adjusted to SA2 levels for areas not covered by ABS data.

These projections indicate that Blackburn North is expected to grow by around 839 persons by 2041, reflecting a total gain of approximately 10.2% over the 16-year period. This projected growth is slightly below the median rate for statistical areas across Australia.

The level of residential development activity in Blackburn North is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Between FY-21 and FY-25, Blackburn North saw approximately 37 new home approvals. In FY-26 so far, there have been 3 approvals. This averages out to around 7 new homes approved each year.

The population has declined in recent years, but the new supply has likely kept pace with demand, offering buyers good choice. The average construction value of these properties is $781,000, indicating a focus on the premium market by developers. In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $9.5 million, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn North has significantly less development activity, at 89.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. However, building activity has accelerated in recent years. Nationally, this activity is also lower than the national average, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints.

New building activity in Blackburn North consists of 33.0% detached dwellings and 67.0% townhouses or apartments. This shift towards higher-density living creates more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers, marking a significant departure from the existing housing pattern of 83.0% houses. With around 640 people per approval, Blackburn North is a mature, established area. Population forecasts indicate it will gain 794 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Blackburn North has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified six projects likely impacting the region. Notable ones are Blackburn Activity Centre, Blackburn Square, Eastland Shopping Centre Stage 6 Development, and The Pines Retirement Living. The following details these projects in order of relevance:.

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

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Employment performance in Blackburn North has been broadly consistent with national averages

Blackburn North has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 4.3% as of December 2025, which is 0.4% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.3%.

Approximately 4,319 residents were employed in December 2025, with workforce participation similar to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. A high proportion of residents, 37.9%, worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade, while construction is under-represented at 7.7% compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%.

Over the year to December 2025, employment increased by 2.3%, labour force grew by 2.1%, leading to a 0.2 percentage point decrease in unemployment. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Blackburn North's industry mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Blackburn North suburb's median income among taxpayers was $49,958 in financial year 2023. The average income stood at $72,534 during the same period. Greater Melbourne's figures were $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. By March 2026, estimates suggest median income to be approximately $54,764 and average income around $79,512, based on a 9.62% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Blackburn North cluster around the 59th percentile nationally. In this suburb, 29.1% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly. Surrounding regions have 32.8% in this earnings band. Notably, 31.2% earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing costs consume 15.4% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 67th percentile nationally. Blackburn North's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Blackburn North, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 83.3% houses and 16.8% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Melbourne metro's structure, which was 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Blackburn North stood at 38.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.4% and rented ones at 21.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,400, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure for Blackburn North was recorded at $431, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Blackburn North's median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 75.4% of all households, including 42.5% couples with children, 22.1% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 24.6%, with lone person households at 20.8% and group households comprising 3.6%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Blackburn North has a higher proportion of residents with university qualifications than Australia and Victoria. As of the latest data, 42.4% of Blackburn North's population aged 15 and above hold such qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. The area's educational advantage is reflected in its Bachelor degree holders (27.7%), postgraduate qualification holders (10.7%), and graduate diploma holders (4.0%). Vocational pathways are also prominent, with 24.0% of qualifications being advanced diplomas (11.7%) or certificates (12.3%).

Educational participation is notably high in Blackburn North, with 31.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.8% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 6.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Blackburn North has 41 operational public transport stops, all serving buses. These are covered by 11 different routes, offering a total of 2,210 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport access, with an average distance of 169 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards daily. Cars remain the primary mode at 84%, followed by train at 7% and bus at 6%. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 37.9% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Daily service frequency averages 315 trips across all routes, equating to about 53 weekly trips per individual stop.

Blackburn North's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance across Blackburn North.

AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence shows both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is very high, at approximately 55% of the total population, which amounts to around 4,323 people. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 6.9 and 6.4% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 73.4%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents exhibit low chronic condition prevalence. Blackburn North has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 17.0% (1,324 people), than the 15.0% seen in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Blackburn North is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Blackburn North has a high cultural diversity, with 36.6% of its population born overseas and 39.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Blackburn North, comprising 45.2% of its population. Buddhism, however, is more prevalent in Blackburn North compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 4.1% versus 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.1%), Chinese (18.5%), and Australian (18.4%). Notably, Greek (3.7%) and Vietnamese (1.5%) are overrepresented in Blackburn North compared to the regional averages of 2.7% and 1.9%, respectively.

Blackburn North's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Blackburn North is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years, and close to Australia's national average of 38 years. The 45-54 age cohort is over-represented in Blackburn North at 13.9%, compared to the Greater Melbourne average, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 11.2%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group has increased from 12.2% to 14.4%, and the 5-14 age group has declined from 14.5% to 12.4%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Blackburn North. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 17%, adding 180 people, reaching a total of 1,264 from the current figure of 1,083. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are expected to decrease in number.