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

The population of Blackburn North as of November 2025 is estimated at around 7,782. This figure reflects an increase of 155 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 7,627 in the Blackburn North statistical area (Lv2). The latest resident population estimate for Blackburn North, based on AreaSearch's examination of ERP data released by the ABS in June 2024 and validation of new addresses since the Census date, is 7,696. This equates to a density ratio of 2,871 persons per square kilometer, placing Blackburn North (SA2) in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 96.0% of overall population gains during recent periods for this area.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 utilises the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusting them employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Blackburn North (SA2) is expected to grow by 867 persons to the year 2041, reflecting a gain of 15.1% in total over the 17-year period, based on aggregated SA2-level projections.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates Blackburn North has seen approximately 7 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 37 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved so far in FY-26. Each year, an average of 3.9 people moved to the area for each dwelling built during this period.

This demand outpaces supply, typically putting upward pressure on prices and increasing competition among buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $781,000, indicating developers focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY-26, $9.5 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn North has significantly less development activity, 89.0% below regional average per person. This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings, though building activity has accelerated in recent years. Nationally, this activity is also lower, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. New building activity shows 33.0% detached dwellings and 67.0% townhouses or apartments.

This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers, marking a significant departure from existing housing patterns which are currently 83.0% houses. Blackburn North has around 667 people per approval, indicating a mature, established area. Population forecasts suggest Blackburn North will gain 1,175 residents by 2041. Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects that may impact the area. Notable projects are Blackburn Activity Centre, Blackburn Square, Eastland Shopping Centre Stage 6 Development, and The Pines Retirement Living. Relevant projects are detailed 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. Its unemployment rate was 4.1% as of an unspecified past year.

Employment growth over the previous year was estimated at 3.9%. As of September 2025, 4,427 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, which is 0.5% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation in Blackburn North is similar to Greater Melbourne's at 64.1%.

Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade. Construction employment is under-represented compared to Greater Melbourne, with only 7.7% of Blackburn North's workforce. The area offers limited local employment opportunities. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 3.9%, while labour force grew by 3.1%, resulting in a 0.8 percentage point decrease in unemployment. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Blackburn North's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, based on a simple weighting 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 has a higher income level compared to national averages. The latest Australian Taxation Office (ATO) data aggregated by AreaSearch shows Blackburn North's median income among taxpayers was $49,958 in financial year 2023, with an average income of $72,534. This compares to Greater Melbourne's figures of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $54,080 (median) and $78,518 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Blackburn North are at the 59th percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that 29.1% of individuals earn between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, mirroring the surrounding region where 32.8% fall into this bracket. 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 nationally. 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 the remaining 16.8% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. This contrasts with Melbourne's metropolitan area, where 60.2% of dwellings are houses and 39.8% are other types. 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, surpassing Melbourne's metro average of $2,300. The median weekly rent in Blackburn North was recorded as $431, compared to Melbourne's metro figure of $412. Nationally, Blackburn North's 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 constitute 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 2.5.

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 notably high level of educational attainment among residents aged 15 and above, with 42.4% holding university qualifications. This figure exceeds the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian state average of 33.4%. The area's educational advantage is evident 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 represented by advanced diplomas (11.7%) and certificates (12.3%).

Blackburn North's educational participation is high, 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 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. There are 11 different bus routes serving these stops, together offering 2,210 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents on average located just 169 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 315 bus trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 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 shows strong performance throughout Blackburn North.

Both young and old age cohorts exhibit low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 55% of the total population (~4,317 people). The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 6.9 and 6.4% of residents respectively. Seventy-three point four percent declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 73.9% across Greater Melbourne. Sixteen point six percent of residents are aged 65 and over (1,291 people), which is lower than the 17.7% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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 level of 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, making up 45.2% of people. However, Buddhism is notably overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 4.1% versus 6.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.1%), Chinese (18.5%), and Australian (18.4%). Notably, Greek ethnicity is overrepresented at 3.7%, Sri Lankan at 0.6%, and Vietnamese at 1.5%, compared to regional percentages of 3.0%, 0.8%, and 1.3% 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, the 45-54 age cohort is notably over-represented in Blackburn North at 14.1%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 10.9%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has grown from 12.2% to 14.2% of the population, while the 5-14 cohort has declined from 14.5% to 13.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Blackburn North. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 22%, adding 236 people, reaching a total of 1,334 from the current 1,097. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 5-14 age groups are expected to decrease in number.