Essendon

Essendon 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 Essendon's population is estimated at around 22,995 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,755 people (8.3%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,240 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 22,391 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 342 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,733 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Essendon's 8.3% growth since census positions it within 1.6 percentage points of the national average (9.9%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 91.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. 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 population increase just below the median of Australian statistical areas is expected, with the suburb of Essendon expected to grow by 2,662 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 10.0% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Essendon when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Essendon shows an average of 116 new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 580 homes were approved, with a further 38 approved so far in FY-26. The ratio of new residents to new homes over these years is around 0.6, indicating that supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand.

The average construction value of new properties is $852,000, reflecting a focus on the premium segment. This financial year has seen $2.0 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating Essendon's residential nature. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Essendon shows approximately 60% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 56th percentile nationally in terms of development activity. New development consists of 25.0% standalone homes and 75.0% attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a significant shift from the current housing mix, which is currently 47.0% houses.

Essendon has around 276 people per dwelling approval, indicating a developing market. Looking ahead, Essendon is expected to grow by 2,293 residents through to 2041, with new housing supply comfortably meeting demand at current development rates and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Essendon has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 23 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include LUMA Sunshine North, Buckley Street Level Crossing Removal, 881 Mt Alexander Road in Essendon, and Moonee Valley Racing Club Grandstand & Clubhouse Redevelopment. 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 Essendon shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Essendon has a highly educated workforce. Professional services are strongly represented, with an unemployment rate of 3.8%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.7% based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, 13,891 residents were in work, while the unemployment rate was 0.9% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation was fairly standard at 74.3%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 39.7% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Leading employment industries among residents included health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

The area had particular employment specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. Manufacturing was under-represented, with only 4.9% of Essendon's workforce compared to 7.2% in Greater Melbourne. The predominantly residential area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data during the year to September 2025, employment levels increased by 4.7% and labour force increased by 4.9%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In Greater Melbourne, employment rose by 3.0%, the labour force grew by 3.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offered further insight into potential future demand within Essendon. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, estimated national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Essendon's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did 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 2023, Essendon had a median income among taxpayers of $64,219 and an average income of $103,276. These figures place Essendon in the top percentile nationally compared to Greater Melbourne's median and average incomes of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimated median and average incomes for Essendon as of September 2025 would be approximately $69,517 and $111,796 respectively. Census 2021 income data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Essendon rank between the 74th and 84th percentiles nationally. In terms of income distribution, 30.3% (6,967 individuals) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band, consistent with metropolitan trends showing 32.8% in the same category. Notably, 34.6% earn above $3,000 weekly, indicating prosperity that contributes to robust local economic activity. Housing accounts for 14.0% of income, and residents rank within the 76th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Essendon displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Essendon's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 47.2% houses and 52.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Essendon stood at 33.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.3% and rented ones at 36.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,275, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Essendon was recorded at $380, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Essendon's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Essendon features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 63.8% of all households, including 31.3% couples with children, 23.6% couples without children, and 7.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 36.2%, with lone person households at 32.3% and group households comprising 4.0%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Essendon is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 45.1% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4%. This educational advantage suggests strong potential for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 29.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.9%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%).

Vocational pathways account for 24.0% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 11.3% and certificates at 12.7%. Educational participation is high, with 28.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.1% in primary education, 8.0% in tertiary education, and 7.7% pursuing secondary education.

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

Essendon has 122 active public transport stops offering a mix of train, light rail, and bus services. These stops are served by 20 different routes that collectively facilitate 8,789 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents located an average of 162 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential zone, most commuters travel outward. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 77%, while train usage stands at 11%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, below the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, 39.7% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 1,255 trips per day, equating to approximately 72 weekly trips per stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Essendon'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 Essendon. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 67% of the total population (15,512 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions were asthma and mental health issues, impacting 7.8 and 7.5% of residents respectively. 71.9% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 18.8% of residents aged 65 and over (4,323 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors were above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Essendon's population, born overseas, stands at 25.5%, significantly higher than most local markets. At home, 24.6% speak a language other than English. Christianity is the predominant religion in Essendon, with 57.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 43.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.8%), Australian (17.6%), and Italian (12.1%), exceeding regional averages of 5.2%. Notably, Maltese (1.9%) and Croatian (1.2%) have higher representation than the regional average of 1.1% and 0.7%, respectively. Greek representation is also notably high at 3.7%, compared to the region's 2.7%.

Essendon's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Essendon is 39 years, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Essendon has a notably higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (10.0% locally versus an average), while those aged 35-44 are under-represented (12.9%). Post-Census data from 21st June 2021 shows the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 4.5% to 6.0%, and the 65 to 74 cohort increased from 8.8% to 10.0%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has declined from 10.9% to 9.9%. Population forecasts for Essendon indicate significant demographic changes by 2041. The 75 to 84 age group is expected to grow by 54%, reaching 2,129 people from 1,379. Residents aged 65 and older are anticipated to represent 57% of the population growth. Meanwhile, the 25 to 34 and 0 to 4 age groups are projected to experience population declines.