Highett

Highett lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

The population of Highett is estimated at around 13,376 as of February 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,360 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,016. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 12,807 in June 2024 and an additional 395 validated new addresses since the Census date. Highett's population density is 3,624 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb experienced an 11.3% growth since the 2021 census, exceeding the SA4 region's 8.7% and the national average, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 80.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for Highett, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusting them employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Considering projected demographic shifts, Highett is forecasted to experience significant population increase, with an expected expansion of 3,452 persons by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 20.1% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Highett among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Highett shows approximately 155 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 775 homes. As of FY26, 14 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.9 people per year moved to the area for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand. The average construction cost value of new homes is $620,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment.

This financial year has seen $10.8 million in commercial development approvals, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development. New developments consist of 15.0% detached dwellings and 85.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a shift towards higher-density living to create more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. The current housing mix is 53.0% houses, indicating a significant change in development trends. Highett has approximately 46 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Highett is expected to grow by 2,684 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.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 15 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Sanctuary Sandringham, Suburban Rail Loop East - Cheltenham Station, Highett Common, and Early 3191 Sandringham Townhouses. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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The employment landscape in Highett shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Highett has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 5.4%. Over the past year, employment has remained relatively stable.

In Highett, 7,197 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.7% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation in Highett is on par with Greater Melbourne at 71.0%. According to Census responses, 44.2% of Highett residents work from home, potentially impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns. The dominant employment sectors are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

Highett shows strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing employs only 3.1% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 5.2%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Highett's labour force increased by 0.6%, while employment declined by 0.4%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.0 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.0% and a labour force expansion of 3.3%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Highett's employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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

The suburb of Highett had a median taxpayer income of $64,613 and an average of $84,795 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This was among the highest in Australia, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $69,944 (median) and $91,791 (average) as of September 2025. From the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census Data 2021, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Highett, between the 73rd and 81st percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows the predominant cohort spans 29.8% of locals (3,986 people) with weekly earnings between $1,500 - 2,999, mirroring the metropolitan region where 32.8% occupy this bracket. A substantial proportion of high earners, 33.5%, have weekly earnings above $3,000, indicating strong economic capacity throughout the district. High housing costs consume 15.9% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 73rd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

In Highett, as per the latest Census evaluation, 53.3% of dwellings were houses while 46.6% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This differs from Melbourne metropolitan area's dwelling structure which was 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Highett stood at 31.0%, similar to Melbourne metro's level. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (41.0%) or rented (28.0%). Highett's median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,300, higher than the Melbourne metro average of $2,000. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent in Highett was $430 compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Highett's median mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,300 compared to Australia's average of $1,863. Similarly, Highett's median rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 67.9% of all households, including 32.3% couples with children, 24.2% couples without children, and 10.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 32.1%, with lone person households at 29.6% and group households comprising 2.6%. The median household size is 2.4 people, smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Highett is notably higher than national averages. As of 2016, 42.8% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 28.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 10.2% and graduate diplomas at 4.2%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 27.3% of residents holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 12.5% and certificates at 14.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of 2016. This includes 9.5% in primary education, 7.1% in secondary education, and 5.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Highett shows that there are 54 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with 17 individual routes providing service. In total, these routes facilitate 3,181 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 158 meters from their nearest transport stop. Highett is primarily residential, and most residents commute outward using various modes of transportation. Cars remain the dominant mode at 82%, while trains account for 9% and walking for 4%.

The average vehicle ownership per dwelling in Highett is 1.1, which is below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a high percentage of residents, specifically 44.2%, work from home, which may be partly due to COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 454 trips per day, equating to approximately 58 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Highett is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Highett demonstrates above-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were found to be low among the general population, nearing the nation's average for older, at-risk cohorts.

The rate of private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (8,060 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne. The most common medical conditions were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 8.0 and 7.9% of residents respectively, while 71.0% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. Highett has 17.1% of residents aged 65 and over (2,287 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Highett's population showed high cultural diversity, with 21.4% speaking a language other than English at home and 31.2% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Highett, representing 43.5%. Judaism was notably more prevalent in Highett at 2.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (25.1%), Australian (21.0%), and Other (9.7%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Polish at 1.5% vs regional 0.8%, Russian at 1.1% vs 0.4%, and Hungarian at 0.5% vs 0.3%.

Highett's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Highett's median age is 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's median age of 38. The 45-54 age group is notably over-represented in Highett at 15.1%, compared to the Greater Melbourne average, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 12.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 9.9% to 11.4% of Highett's population, while the 75-84 cohort has grown from 5.0% to 6.3%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has decreased from 12.1% to 10.9%. Demographic projections suggest significant changes in Highett's age profile by 2041. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to expand by 543 people (27%) from 2,019 to 2,563. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age group is expected to grow by a modest 9% (69 people).