Blackburn South

Blackburn South is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

The estimated population of Blackburn South is 11,001 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 62 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,939. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 10,986 in June 2025, following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS, and an additional 42 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,081 persons per square kilometer, placing Blackburn South in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth during recent periods.

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 VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted employing weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, Blackburn South is expected to grow by 439 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of approximately 3.9% in total over the 16-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Blackburn South averaged approximately 44 new dwelling approvals annually. Between financial years FY-21 and FY-25, around 224 homes were approved, with an additional 26 approved in FY-26 to date. Despite population decline during this period, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average construction cost of new properties is approximately $703,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment. In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $2.2 million, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn South has significantly less development activity, with 52.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties.

New building activity comprises approximately 73.0% detached dwellings and 27.0% attached dwellings, sustaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. Blackburn South reflects a low density area, with around 293 people per approval. Population forecasts indicate Blackburn South will gain approximately 424 residents by 2041, based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Fourteen projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include Mirrabooka Reserve Pavilion Redevelopment, Wurundjeri Walk Master Plan, Raleigh Street Road Reconstruction Renewal Program, and Blackburn South Exclusive Townhouse Collection. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Blackburn South recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Blackburn South has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 5.5% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.5%. As of December 2025, 5,655 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 0.7% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation is lower at 64.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. A high proportion of residents, 39.6%, work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Blackburn South has a notable concentration in education & training, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 7.9% compared to the regional average of 9.7%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 1.5%, while labour force grew by 2.4%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4% over the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Blackburn South's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

Blackburn South's median income among taxpayers was $54,679 in financial year 2023. The suburb's average income stood at $79,321 during the same period. These figures compare to Greater Melbourne's median and average incomes of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. By March 2026, estimates based on a 9.62% Wage Price Index growth suggest median income could reach approximately $59,939 and average income $86,952. Census data indicates household income ranks at the 56th percentile ($1,861 weekly), while personal income is at the 39th percentile. Income distribution shows 28.8% of Blackburn South's population falls within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, mirroring the surrounding region where 32.8% occupy this bracket. High housing costs consume 15.5% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 58th percentile. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Blackburn South's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 75.7% houses and 24.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Blackburn South stood at 39.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.9% and rented ones at 24.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,251, surpassing Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Blackburn South was $410, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Blackburn South's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents surpassed the national figure of $375.

Blackburn South has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 70.7% of all households, including 37.7% couples with children, 22.0% couples without children, and 9.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 29.3%, with lone person households at 26.1% and group households comprising 3.3%. The median household size is 2.6 people, aligning with Greater Melbourne's average.

Blackburn South shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Blackburn South has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above, with 42.6% holding university qualifications. This exceeds the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian average of 33.4%. The area's educational advantage is reflected in its strong showing for Bachelor degrees (26.5%), postgraduate qualifications (11.5%), and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational pathways are also well-represented, with 23.7% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (12.6%).

The area's educational participation is high, with 30.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (9.7%), secondary education (8.2%), and tertiary education (6.7%).

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

Blackburn South has 47 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 11 different routes that together facilitate 1,916 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents on average located 225 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to its residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 84% of residents, while trains are used by 7%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, 39.6%, work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 273 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 40 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Blackburn South is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Blackburn South exhibits superior health outcomes, as evaluated by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

The prevalence of common health conditions among its general population is low but exceeds the national average for older, at-risk cohorts. Approximately 58% (~6,394 people) of Blackburn South's residents have private health cover, a rate significantly higher than the national average. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 7.4% and 7.3% of residents respectively. Conversely, 70.1% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents display low chronic condition prevalence. The area has a higher proportion of seniors (aged 65 and over), at 21.2% (2,332 people), than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

Blackburn South 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 South has a high cultural diversity, with 38.0% of its population born overseas and 37.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Blackburn South, comprising 44.0% of people. Buddhism is overrepresented, making up 5.4% compared to Greater Melbourne's 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.3%), Australian (18.1%), and Chinese (17.9%), which is significantly higher than the regional average of 6.5%. Notably, Sri Lankan, Greek, and Vietnamese ethnicities are also overrepresented at 0.9%, 3.9%, and 1.3% respectively.

Blackburn South's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Blackburn South is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. The 85+ age group makes up 4.2% of the population in Blackburn South, compared to a lower percentage in Greater Melbourne. Meanwhile, the 25-34 age cohort comprises 10.5%, which is less than the Greater Melbourne figure. According to post-2021 Census data, the 35-44 age group has increased from 13.2% to 14.3%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has decreased from 14.4% to 12.9%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Blackburn South. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 15%, reaching 1,636 people from 1,419. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 57% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0-4 and 15-24 age cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.