Botanic Ridge

Botanic Ridge lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

As of Feb 2026, the population of Botanic Ridge is estimated at around 8,673, reflecting an increase of 1,934 people since the 2021 Census. The 2021 Census reported a population of 6,739 in the suburb. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population as 7,206 following examination of ABS data released in June 2024 and an additional 159 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,408 persons per square kilometer, above the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Botanic Ridge's growth rate of 28.7% since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (9.9%) and state averages, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 77.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including natural growth and overseas migration being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 using 2022 as the base year, or VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 adjusted employing a method of weighted aggregation for areas not covered by ABS data. Future population trends forecast a significant increase in Botanic Ridge's top quartile national statistical area, with an expected expansion of 2,363 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an overall increase of 10.3% over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Botanic Ridge was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data indicates Botanic Ridge experienced approximately 88 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 443 homes. As of FY-26, 62 approvals have been recorded. The average population increase per dwelling built in the area between FY-21 and FY-25 was 10.6 people per year. This demand outpaces supply, potentially influencing prices and competition among buyers.

New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost of $372,000. In FY-26, there have been approximately $17.6 million in commercial approvals, indicating steady investment activity in the area. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Botanic Ridge records around 10.0% less building activity per person but ranks among the 76th percentile nationally, suggesting strong developer confidence. New building activity comprises predominantly detached dwellings (94.0%) with a smaller proportion of townhouses or apartments (6.0%), maintaining the area's suburban character focused on family homes.

With approximately 149 people per dwelling approval, Botanic Ridge exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Botanic Ridge is projected to add around 896 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified eight projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones are Cranbourne West Precinct Structure Plan, Brompton Estate, Botanic Ridge Secondary College, and Brompton Lodge Precinct Structure Plan. The following 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.

Employment conditions in Botanic Ridge rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Botanic Ridge has a skilled workforce with the construction sector being notably well-represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.2% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.7%. As of December 2025, 5,633 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.6%, below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation was high at 123.7% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. A moderate 22.6% of residents worked from home, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Leading employment industries were construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. The area had a strong specialization in construction, with an employment share 1.9 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services were under-represented at 4.9% compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited, as indicated by the working population vs resident population count. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 4.7% while labour force grew by 5.2%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne had 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 suggest potential future demand within Botanic Ridge. National employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Botanic Ridge's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not consider localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Botanic Ridge has an average income of $68,646 and a median income of $61,127. This is higher than Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023 until September 2025 (which is an estimated increase of 8.25%), the current estimates for Botanic Ridge are approximately $66,170 median and $74,309 average income. Census data indicates that incomes in Botanic Ridge rank highly nationally, between the 85th and 91st percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The predominant income bracket is $1,500 - $2,999, with 44.5% of locals (3,859 people) falling into this category. There's also a substantial proportion of high earners, with 36.4% earning above $3,000 per week. Housing costs consume 16.0% of income in Botanic Ridge, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 90th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Botanic Ridge is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Botanic Ridge's dwellings, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 95.9% houses and 4.1% other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and others. This contrasts with Melbourne metro's composition of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Botanic Ridge was at 17.0%, with mortgaged properties at 70.6% and rented ones at 12.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,200, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Botanic Ridge was $404, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Botanic Ridge's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Botanic Ridge features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 91.2% of all households, including 54.5% couples with children, 27.3% couples without children, and 8.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 8.8%, with lone person households at 7.6% and group households making up 1.3%. The median household size is 3.2 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

The educational profile of Botanic Ridge exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 20.1%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 44.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (15.2%) and certificates (29.5%). Educational participation is high at 31.4%, with 13.3% in primary education, 6.7% in secondary education, and 3.5% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.3% in primary education, 6.7% in secondary education, and 3.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Botanic Ridge has 13 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by two routes that together facilitate 186 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as moderate, with residents typically residing 416 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential zone, most commuters travel outward, predominantly using cars (96%). On average, there are 2.0 vehicles per dwelling, exceeding the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, 22.6% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 26 trips per day, equating to approximately 14 weekly trips per stop.

Botanic Ridge'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 Botanic Ridge. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts.

Private health cover was found to be high at approximately 54% of the total population (~4,680 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne. The most common medical conditions in the area were asthma and mental health issues, impacting 9.1 and 7.7% of residents respectively. 75.8% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 3.6% of residents aged 65 and over (312 people), which is lower than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

Botanic Ridge ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Botanic Ridge showed lower cultural diversity, with 82.8% born in Australia, 91.7% being citizens, and 90.0% speaking English only at home as of 2016 Census data. Christianity was the predominant religion at 39.8%. Judaism, at 0.3%, was overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%.

Ancestry showed Australian (30.9%) and English (29.0%) groups higher than regional averages of 18.4% and 20.1% respectively. Other ancestry was lower at 6.8% versus the region's 14.6%. Hungarian (0.6%), Dutch (2.3%), and New Zealand (0.9%) ethnicities were notably overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.3%, 1.2%, and 0.5% respectively.

Botanic Ridge hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Botanic Ridge's median age is 30 years, which is younger than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Botanic Ridge has a higher proportion of residents aged 0-4 (15.2%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (2.4%). This concentration of 0-4 residents is significantly higher than the national average of 5.7%. According to data from the 2021 Census, Botanic Ridge's median age has decreased by 2.2 years since the previous census due to an increase in younger residents. Notably, the proportion of residents aged 35-44 has grown from 17.2% to 22.6%, while the proportion of residents aged 0-4 has increased from 10.9% to 15.2%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 55-64 has declined from 8.7% to 5.1%, and the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has decreased from 18.1% to 15.7%. Population forecasts for Botanic Ridge in 2041 indicate significant demographic changes, with the strongest projected growth in the 45-54 age group at 32%, adding 255 residents to reach a total of 1,062. In contrast, the 25-34 age group is expected to decrease by 14 residents.