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

As of Nov 2025, the Highett statistical area (Lv2) has an estimated population of around 13,336. This reflects a growth of 1,320 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,016. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 12,807 in Jun 2024, along with an additional 361 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,614 persons per square kilometer, placing Highett in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Highett's growth rate of 11.0% since the 2021 census exceeded its SA4 region (8.5%) and the national average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 80.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises 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. Considering projected demographic shifts, Highett is forecasted to experience significant population increase. By 2041, based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the area is expected to expand by 3,447 persons, reflecting an overall increase of 20.5% over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates Highett has seen approximately 155 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 775 homes. As of FY-26, 14 approvals have been recorded. The average population increase per dwelling built in the area between FY-21 and FY-25 is 0.9 people, suggesting new supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand, offering ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $620,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $10.8 million, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development. The new development mix consists 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. This represents a significant change from the current housing mix, which is currently 53.0% houses. Highett has approximately 46 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Highett is expected to grow by 2,731 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 has identified 15 projects likely to impact 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. Its unemployment rate was 5.4% as of September 2025.

The area showed relative employment stability over the past year, according to AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, 7,184 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.8% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation in Highett was fairly standard at 68.4%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. The dominant employment sectors among Highett residents included professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

Highett showed particular strength in professional & technical services, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing employed just 3.1% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 5.2%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as 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%, but employment declined by 0.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.1 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.0% and the labour force expand by 3.3%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. State-level data from 25-Nov showed Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. Nationally, employment growth was 0.14%, and the unemployment rate was 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 estimated that national employment would expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Highett's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not account for localized population projections.

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 income of $84,795 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to 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, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $69,944 (median) and $91,791 (average). In the 2021 Census, Highett's household, family, and personal incomes ranked highly nationally, between the 73rd and 81st percentiles. Income distribution shows that 29.8% of locals (3,974 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week, similar to the metropolitan region where 32.8% fall into this bracket. A substantial proportion of Highett residents (33.5%) have high earnings above $3,000 per week. High housing costs consume 15.9% of income, but strong earnings 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 strong rates of outright home ownership

Highett's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 53.3% houses and 46.6% other dwellings including semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. Home ownership in Highett stood at 31.0%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 41.0% and rented ones at 28.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,300, while the median weekly rent was $430. Nationally, Highett's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Highett has a typical household mix, with a median household size of 2.4 people

Family households account for 67.9 percent of all households, including 32.3 percent couples with children, 24.2 percent couples without children, and 10.5 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 32.1 percent, with lone person households at 29.6 percent and group households making up 2.6 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people.

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

Highett's educational attainment is notably higher than broader national averages. Among residents aged 15+, 42.8% have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. This includes 28.4% with bachelor degrees, 10.2% with postgraduate qualifications, and 4.2% with graduate diplomas. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 27.3% of residents holding such qualifications – including 12.5% with advanced diplomas and 14.8% with certificates.

Educational participation is high in Highett, with 28.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This comprises 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

Highett has 54 active public transport stops, serving a mix of train and bus routes. These stops are covered by 17 individual routes, offering a total of 3,181 weekly passenger trips. Highett's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents located an average of 158 meters from the nearest stop.

The service frequency averages 454 trips per day across all routes, which equates 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 quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Highett shows better-than-average health outcomes, with low prevalence rates for common conditions across both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 60% of Highett's total population (8,036 people) has private health cover. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 8.0% of residents and asthma impacting 7.9%. Notably, 71.0% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 0% in Greater Melbourne overall. Highett has 16.7% of its population aged 65 and over (2,227 people), with seniors experiencing health outcomes that are above average and largely consistent with the general population's health profile.

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 was found to have higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 21.4% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 31.2% born overseas. The dominant religion in Highett is Christianity, comprising 43.5% of the population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented in Highett at 2.0%, compared to none across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (25.1%), Australian (21.0%), and Other (9.7%). Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Polish is overrepresented at 1.5% in Highett (vs none regionally), Russian at 1.1% (vs none), and Hungarian at 0.5% (vs none).

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 average of 38 years. 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 12.8%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 9.9% to 11.2% of Highett's population. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has declined from 12.1% to 11.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Highett's age profile. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to expand by 550 people (27%) from 2,013 to 2,564. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age group is expected to grow modestly by 6% (44 people).