Briar Hill

Briar Hill has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of Briar Hill's population is estimated at around 3,292 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 72 people (2.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,220 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 3,288, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 31 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,456 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 60.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking at population projections moving forward, a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australian statistical areas is forecast, with the suburb expected to grow by 1,152 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting recording a gain of 34.9% in total over the 16 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Briar Hill, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, Briar Hill has averaged approximately nine new dwelling approvals annually. Between financial years 2021 (FY-21) and 2025 (FY-25), around 45 homes were approved, with five more approved in FY-26 to date. Despite population decline, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, indicating a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average expected construction cost of new homes is $784,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment. This financial year has seen $2.8 million in commercial approvals registered, reflecting Briar Hill's residential character. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Briar Hill records significantly lower building activity, 59.0% below the regional average per person, which typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. This level is also beneath the national average, indicating an established area with potential planning limitations. New development consists of 57.0% detached houses and 43.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a shift from the current housing pattern of 86.0% houses, possibly due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. With around 364 people per dwelling approval, Briar Hill exhibits a developed market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Briar Hill is projected to grow by 1,148 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified eight projects likely affecting this region, including key initiatives like Hurstbridge Rail Line Upgrades (Watsonia-Eltham), Montmorency North Pavilion Refurbishment, 106-126 Main Street Greensborough Affordable Housing, and Greensborough College Sports Facilities Upgrade. The following list details those projects most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Briar Hill ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Briar Hill has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.2% as of December 2025, with estimated employment growth of 1.2% over the past year. This is based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data.

In December 2025, 1,857 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.6 percentage points lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation in Briar Hill was similar to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 37.5% of residents worked from home, although Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Key industries of employment among residents were health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training, with a notable specialization in the latter at 1.4 times the regional level.

In contrast, accommodation & food services employed only 4.2% of local workers compared to Greater Melbourne's 6.4%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in December 2025, employment increased by 1.2%, with labour force also increasing by 1.2%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. In comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 2.4%, labour force expand by 2.8%, and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. For future insights, Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Briar Hill's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and not accounting for localized population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2023, Briar Hill suburb had median income among taxpayers of $58,879 with average income standing at $78,023. These figures are above national averages of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively for Greater Melbourne. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% from July 2023 to March 2026, estimated median income is approximately $64,543 and average income is around $85,529 as of March 2026. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data from 2021, incomes in Briar Hill cluster around the 66th percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that 32.1% of locals (1,056 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to surrounding regions at 32.8%. After housing expenses, 85.3% of income remains for other expenses. Briar Hill's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Briar Hill, as per the latest Census, consisted of 85.6% houses and 14.4% other dwellings. This compares to Melbourne metro's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. The home ownership level in Briar Hill was 39.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 40.4% and rented dwellings at 20.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure for Briar Hill was $411, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Briar Hill's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Briar Hill has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 72.8% of all households, including 33.2% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 13.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 27.2%, with lone person households at 25.9% and group households making up 1.4%. The median household size is 2.4 people, smaller than Greater Melbourne's average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Briar Hill places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational qualifications in Briar Hill trail regional benchmarks, with 35.3% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 41.2% in SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are most common at 23.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.9%) and graduate diplomas (5.1%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 33.9% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (12.9%) and certificates (21.0%). Educational participation is high, with 27.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.8% in primary education, 7.1% in secondary education, and 4.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Briar Hill has 15 operational public transport stops, all serving bus routes. These stops are covered by five different routes, together offering 1,839 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated highly, with residents living an average of 184 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outside Briar Hill, primarily using cars (91%). On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 37.5% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, an average of 262 trips are made daily, equating to around 122 weekly trips per individual stop.

Briar Hill'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 throughout Briar Hill.

AreaSearch's assessment shows low prevalence of common health conditions among both young and old age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 58% of the total population, which amounts to around 1,896 people. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.1% and 8.1% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 68.7%, report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 22.1% (727 people), than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Briar Hill are above average, with national rankings largely in line with the general population.

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

Briar Hill, surveyed in June 2016, had a predominantly Australian-born population at 83.0%. It was also highly homogenous with 92.6% citizens and 89.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 44.3%.

Buddhism, however, was overrepresented at 1.5%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 4.2%. In terms of ancestry, English (27.2%) and Australian (24.8%) were substantially higher than regional averages of 20.1% and 18.4% respectively. Irish ancestry was also notable at 11.2%. Other ethnic groups with notable divergences included Macedonian at 0.8%, Italian at 5.8%, and Croatian at 0.8%.

Briar Hill's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Briar Hill is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 65-74 age group constitutes 11.5% of Briar Hill's population, compared to a lower percentage in Greater Melbourne, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 9.2%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 8.9% to 10.7%, but the 25 to 34 cohort has decreased from 11.1% to 9.2%. By 2041, Briar Hill's population is forecasted to experience substantial demographic changes. The 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow by 42%, adding 199 people and reaching a total of 677 from the previous 477. Conversely, the 0 to 4 cohort is expected to show minimal growth, with an increase of just 9% or 18 people.