Essendon

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

As of February 2026, Essendon's population is estimated at around 22,995, reflecting an increase of 1,755 people since the 2021 Census. The population in 2021 was reported as 21,240. This growth represents an 8.3% increase and is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 22,391 following examination of ABS data up to June 2024, along with validation of 342 new addresses since the Census date. Essendon's population density stands at 3,733 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. Essendon's growth rate of 8.3% since census is within 1.6 percentage points of the national average (9.9%). Overseas migration contributed approximately 91.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in June 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, Essendon is expected to experience population growth just below the median of Australian statistical areas. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to grow by 2,610 persons by 2041, reflecting an increase of 8.7% over the 17-year period.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, Essendon has averaged approximately 116 new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 580 homes were approved, with an additional 53 approved so far in FY26. On average, about 0.6 new residents arrive per new home each year during this period, indicating that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand.

The average construction value of these properties is $852,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment. This financial year has also seen $2.0 million in commercial approvals, reflecting Essendon's residential nature. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Essendon shows around 60% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 56th percentile of areas assessed nationally. New development consists of approximately 25.0% standalone homes and 75.0% attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This shift reflects reduced availability of development sites and addresses changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements, differing from the current housing mix at around 47.0% houses.

Essendon has approximately 276 people per dwelling approval, indicating a developing market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Essendon is expected to grow by 2,006 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Local infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects likely impacting the region. 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 with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate was 3.9% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.3%. As of December 2025, there are 14,006 residents in work and the unemployment rate is 0.9% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation is at 74.8%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. According to Census responses, 39.7% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. The leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Essendon has a particular specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

However, manufacturing is under-represented, at only 4.9% compared to Greater Melbourne's 7.2%. 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 levels increased by 4.3%, while labour force grew by 4.6%, causing a slight rise in unemployment rate to 3.1%. In comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 2.4%, labour force grow by 2.8%, and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Essendon's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, assuming consistent industry-specific growth patterns.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023 indicates Essendon had a median taxpayer income of $64,219 and an average of $103,276. These figures place Essendon in the top percentile nationally, compared to Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since June 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $69,517 (median) and $111,796 (average). According to Census 2021 income data, Essendon ranks between the 74th and 84th percentiles nationally for household, family, and personal incomes. Income distribution shows that 30.3% of Essendon residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, consistent with metropolitan trends at 32.8%. Notably, 34.6% earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing expenses account for 14.0% of income, while strong earnings place residents in the 76th percentile for disposable income. Essendon'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, consisted of 47.2% houses and 52.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares 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. Median weekly rent in Essendon was $380, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Essendon's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and 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 constitute 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 significantly higher than the national average. As of 2016, 45.1% of residents aged 15 years and above held university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4%. This educational advantage is reflected in the types of degrees held: Bachelor degrees are most common at 29.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.9%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%). Vocational pathways also contribute significantly to educational attainment, with advanced diplomas accounting for 11.3% and certificates for 12.7%.

Educational participation is notably high in Essendon, with 28.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of 2016. 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 individual routes, collectively facilitating 8,789 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 162 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential zone, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 77%, while train usage stands at 11%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, below the regional average.

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 a national average of 55.7%.

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 had 19.2% of residents aged 65 and over (4,415 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 has a higher overseas-born population than most local markets, with 25.5%. It also has a higher proportion speaking languages other than English at home, at 24.6%. Christianity is the predominant religion in Essendon, accounting for 57.0%, compared to 43.0% in Greater Melbourne.

The top three ancestral groups are English (19.8%), Australian (17.6%), and Italian (12.1%), with Italians being more represented than the regional average of 5.2%. Notably, Maltese people make up 1.9% of Essendon's population, higher than the regional average of 1.1%. Croatians also exceed their regional representation at 1.2%, compared to 0.7%. Similarly, Greeks are more represented in Essendon at 3.7%, compared to the regional average of 2.7%.

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

The median age in Essendon is 39 years, which is 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 over-represented cohort of 65-74 year-olds (10.1% locally) and under-represented 35-44 year-olds (12.9%). Post-2021 Census data shows the 75 to 84 age group grew from 4.5% to 6.2%, while the 65 to 74 cohort increased from 8.8% to 10.1%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group declined from 10.9% to 9.9%. Population forecasts for Essendon in 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes. The 55 to 64 group is expected to grow by 25%, reaching 3,449 people from 2,759. Residents aged 65 and older represent 57% of anticipated growth. Meanwhile, the 25 to 34 and 0 to 4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.