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 per AreaSearch's analysis using ABS population updates and validated new addresses, the estimated population of Blackburn North was around 7,782 as of February 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 155 people (approximately 2%) since the Census in 2021, which recorded a population of 7,627. AreaSearch's estimate is based on a resident population of 7,696 from June 2024 ERP data and an additional 17 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 2,871 persons per square kilometer, placing Blackburn North in the upper quartile compared to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. The primary driver for this growth was overseas migration, contributing around 96% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting them using weighted aggregation methods to estimate population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on these projections, Blackburn North is expected to experience a population increase slightly below the national median statistical area average by 2041. The suburb is projected to gain an additional 856 persons by this year, reflecting a total growth of approximately 15.1% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Blackburn North according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Blackburn North saw approximately 7 new home approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval data. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 37 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved so far in FY-26. On average, 3.9 people moved to the area for each dwelling built over these years.

This high demand outpaces supply, typically putting upward pressure on prices and increasing competition among buyers. Developers focus on the premium market, constructing new properties at an average expected cost of $781,000. In FY-26, $9.5 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn North has significantly less development activity, being 89.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings, although building activity has accelerated recently. Blackburn North's new building activity comprises 33.0% detached dwellings and 67.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from its current housing pattern of 83.0% houses. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

Blackburn North has around 667 people per approval, indicating a mature, established area. Population forecasts suggest Blackburn North will gain 1,172 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects expected to impact the region. Notable initiatives include Blackburn Activity Centre, Blackburn Square, Eastland Shopping Centre Stage 6 Development, and The Pines Retirement Living. Relevant projects are listed below.

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. The unemployment rate was 4.1% as of September 2025, which is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.0%.

Out of its 4,444 residents in work, 37.9% were found to work from home based on Census responses. The area's employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade, while construction is under-represented at 7.7%. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 4.0% while labour force increased by 3.1%, leading to a decrease in unemployment of 0.8 percentage points.

Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project an expansion of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with local employment growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Blackburn North's employment mix suggests a potential increase in local employment by 7.0% over five years and 14.4% over ten years.

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

Blackburn North suburb's income level is higher than average nationally. According to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023, Blackburn North's median income among taxpayers is $49,958 and average income stands at $72,534. Greater Melbourne's figures are $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Blackburn North would be approximately $54,080 (median) and $78,518 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Blackburn North cluster around the 59th percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that 29.1% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, mirroring the surrounding region's 32.8%. Notably, 31.2% earn above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 15.4% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 67th percentile. The area'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

In Blackburn North, as per the latest Census evaluation, 83.3% of dwellings were houses, with 16.8% being semi-detached homes, apartments, or other types. This contrasts with Melbourne's metropolitan area, where 67.9% were houses and 32.1% were 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 was $2,400, higher than Melbourne's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Blackburn North was $431, compared to Melbourne's $390. Nationally, Blackburn North's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and 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 comprise 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 account for 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's residents aged 15+ have higher university qualification rates than Australia (42.4% vs 30.4%) and Victoria (33.4%). Bachelor degrees are most common at 27.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.0%). Vocational pathways account for 24.0%, with advanced diplomas at 11.7% and certificates at 12.3%. Educational participation is high, with 31.3% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.8% in primary, 8.4% in secondary, and 6.3% in 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 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These are covered by 11 routes that together facilitate 2,210 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is excellent, with residents on average 169 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 84%, followed by trains at 7% and buses at 6%. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 37.9% of residents work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 315 trips per day, equating to about 53 weekly trips per 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 shows low prevalence of common health conditions among both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover is high, at approximately 55% of the total population (around 4,317 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 6.9 and 6.4% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 73.4%, report no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Blackburn North has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 17.2% (1,338 people), than Greater Melbourne's 15.1%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, aligning with national rankings for 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 is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 4.1% of Blackburn North's population versus 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.1%), Chinese (18.5%), and Australian (18.4%). Notably, Greek (3.7%) and Sri Lankan (0.6%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 2.7% and 0.8%, 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 the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn North has an over-representation of the 45-54 cohort at 14.0% locally, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 10.6%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 12.2% to 14.5%, and the 65 to 74 cohort has increased from 6.9% to 8.2%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has declined from 14.5% to 12.9%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Blackburn North. The 45 to 54 group is projected to grow by 21%, adding 232 people, reaching 1,322 from 1,089. Meanwhile, the 5 to 14 age group is expected to decrease by 22 residents.