Brighton East

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

The population of the Brighton East statistical area (Lv2) is estimated to be around 16,815 as of November 2025. This represents an increase of 58 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,757. The change is inferred from the resident population of 16,580 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 142 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,965 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth for the area 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, AreaSearch uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, the Brighton East (SA2) is projected to experience above median population growth nationally. By 2041, it is expected to expand by 3,004 persons, reflecting a gain of 22.1% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Brighton East when compared nationally

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Brighton East has experienced around 108 dwellings receiving development approval per year. Over the past five financial years, between FY21 and FY25, an estimated 541 homes were approved, with a further 23 approved so far in FY26. The average number of people moving to the area for each dwelling built over these five years was approximately 0.6 per year.

This suggests that supply is meeting or surpassing demand, providing greater buyer choice while supporting potential population growth above projections. New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $638,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY26, $6.2 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. The current new building activity shows 19.0% detached dwellings and 81.0% medium and high-density housing.

This shift towards higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and caters to downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a notable change from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 68.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. Brighton East has an approximate population density of 211 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. Looking ahead, Brighton East is expected to grow by 3,724 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Construction activity is maintaining a reasonable pace with projected growth, although buyers may encounter growing competition as population increases.

Brighton East 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 49 projects that could impact the region. Notable projects include Ormond Station Development at Ormond Place, Bayside Gallery Building Works, Milli Brighton East, and Bluff Road Hampton East Housing Development. The following list 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.

The employment environment in Brighton East shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Brighton East has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 3.0%.

Over the past year, it has shown relative employment stability. As of September 2025, 9,084 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.7% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. The workforce participation rate is somewhat lower at 61.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical services, health care & social assistance, and retail trade.

Notably, employment levels in professional & technical services are at 1.5 times the regional average. However, transport, postal & warehousing has limited presence with only 2.4% of employment compared to the regional average of 5.2%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census working population vs resident population data. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.5%, but employment declined by 0.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a smaller rise in unemployment. State-level data as of 25-Nov shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. This is compared to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that while national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Brighton East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.3% over ten years. However, it is important to note that this extrapolation does not take into account localised population projections.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2023, Brighton East had median income among taxpayers of $63,051 with average income standing at $109,274. Nationally, these figures place Brighton East in the top percentile. Comparing to Greater Melbourne's levels of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. As of September 2025, estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $68,253 and $118,289, based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year ended June 2023. According to Census figures from 2021, household, family, and personal incomes in Brighton East rank highly nationally, between the 81st and 91st percentiles. Income brackets indicate 33.8% of population (5,683 individuals) falls within $4000+ range, differing from broader area where $1,500 - $2,999 category predominates at 32.8%. Brighton East demonstrates affluence with 44.9% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 15.7% of income, yet strong earnings place disposable income at the 90th percentile nationally. Area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Brighton East displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with strong rates of outright home ownership

Brighton East's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings including semi-detached properties, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. Home ownership in Brighton East stood at 43.2%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 36.3% and rented ones at 20.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,300, and the median weekly rent figure was recorded as $600. Nationally, Brighton East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Brighton East has a typical household mix, with a median household size of 2.6 people

Family households account for 74.0% of all households, including 39.8% that are couples with children, 23.8% that are couples without children, and 9.8% that consist of single parents. Non-family households make up the remaining 26.0%, with lone person households at 24.1% and group households comprising 1.9%. The median household size is 2.6 people.

Brighton East demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Brighton East's educational attainment exceeds national and state averages. Among residents aged 15+, 49.2% possess university qualifications compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 32.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.1%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%). Vocational pathways account for 20.7% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates at 9.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.1% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.5% in secondary education, 10.3% in primary education, and 6.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Brighton East has 61 active public transport stops, serving a mix of lightrail and bus routes. These stops are served by 10 individual routes, providing a total of 4,247 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents typically located 201 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 606 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 69 weekly trips per individual stop.

Brighton East's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Brighton East residents show relatively positive health outcomes, with common conditions seen across both young and elderly populations. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 70%, compared to the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (7.6%) and mental health issues (6.4%). A significant majority, 71.7%, report no medical ailments, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's 0% figure. As of a recent study, 21.9% of residents are aged 65 and over, which is broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Brighton East was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Brighton East has a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 30.7% of its population born overseas and 21.6% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Brighton East, making up 45.2% of its population. However, Judaism is significantly overrepresented, comprising 9.7% compared to none across Greater Melbourne.

The top three ancestry groups are English (23.4%), Australian (20.1%), and Other (10.9%). Notably, Polish (2.5%) Russian (1.6%), and Hungarian (0.5%) ethnicities are overrepresented in Brighton East compared to the regional average of none percent each.

Brighton East hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Brighton East is 45 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Brighton East has a higher proportion of residents aged 45-54 (15.7%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (6.3%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15-24 has increased from 12.3% to 15.1%, while the population aged 5-14 has decreased from 14.5% to 13.0%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Brighton East's age structure. The number of residents aged 85 and above is projected to grow by 91%, reaching 1,444 from 756, while the population aged 0-4 will increase by a modest 8%, adding 55 people.