Highton

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the suburb of Highton's estimated population as of May 2026 is around 22,654. This reflects an increase of 1,918 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 20,736. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 22,636 residents following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2025 and an additional 261 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,988 persons per square kilometer, above the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Highton's growth of 9.2% since the 2021 census exceeded the Rest of Vic.'s 4.3%, marking it as a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 52.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth being positive factors. AreaSearch projections for Highton use ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 adjusted using weighted aggregation methods for areas not covered by the ABS data.

Population growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, significant population increases in the top quartile of regional areas nationally are forecasted, with Highton expected to increase by 6,519 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 28.7% over the 16 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Highton among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers for Highton shows approximately 145 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 728 homes. As of FY-26, 73 approvals have been recorded. On average, 2.6 new residents per year have been associated with each dwelling in this period. The average construction cost value for new homes is $798,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment.

In FY-26, commercial approvals amount to $116.3 million, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to other Victorian areas, Highton records around 66% of building activity per person and ranks at the 43rd percentile nationally, suggesting limited buyer options but strong demand for established dwellings. New development consists mainly of detached dwellings (76.0%) with a smaller proportion of medium and high-density housing (24.0%), preserving Highton's suburban character with an emphasis on family homes.

The population is estimated at around 383 people per approval, indicating a mature market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Highton's population is projected to grow by 6,501 residents by 2041. Given current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Highton 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 29 projects expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Wandana Estate, Highton Urban Design Framework, 22-24 Barrabool Road Development, and Epworth Geelong Innovation and Education Precinct. 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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Highton ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Highton has a highly educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 1.9% in December 2025, lower than Regional Vic.'s 3.7%. Workforce participation was high at 69.1%, compared to Regional Vic.'s 61.0%.

A significant 26.5% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. The leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. Notably, education & training had an employment share 1.5 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing was under-represented at 0.7% compared to Regional Vic.'s 7.5%. Over a 12-month period ending in December 2025, Highton's labour force decreased by 0.4%, with employment declining by 0.3%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate of 0.2 percentage points.

In comparison, Regional Vic. saw an employment decline of 0.6% and a labour force decline of 0.7%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Highton's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Highton is slightly above average nationally. The median income is $53,843 and the average is $69,979. This contrasts with Regional Vic.'s figures of a median income of $50,954 and an average of $62,728. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $59,023 (median) and $76,711 (average) as of March 2026. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Highton cluster around the 67th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that 30.6% of the community earn between $1,500 and $2,999 (6,932 individuals), consistent with broader trends across the region showing 30.3% in the same category. A substantial proportion of high earners (31.7%) indicates strong economic capacity throughout Highton. After housing costs, residents retain 87.5% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Highton is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Highton's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 87.4% houses and 12.6% other dwellings. In comparison, Regional Vic. had 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Highton was at 39.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.9% and rented ones at 21.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, higher than Regional Vic.'s average of $1,430. The median weekly rent in Highton was $360, lower than the national figure of $375. Nationally, Highton's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863.

Highton has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 73.2% of all households, including 36.3% couples with children, 28.3% couples without children, and 7.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 26.8%, with lone person households at 23.2% and group households making up 3.7%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Regional Vic. average of 2.4.

Highton 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 Highton is notably high, with 39.4% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications as of the latest data available. This compares to 21.7% in the rest of Victoria and 27.3% in the SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 25.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 9.2% and graduate diplomas at 4.3%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 30.7% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas at 12.6% and certificates at 18.1%. Educational participation is high, with 32.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 10.3% in primary, 8.3% in secondary, and 7.9% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 8.3% in secondary education, and 7.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Highton has 74 active public transport stops served by 15 routes. These provide a total of 1,826 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy good transport accessibility, with an average distance of 255 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area, with cars being the dominant mode at 93%. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 26.5% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency across all routes averages 260 trips per day, equating to approximately 24 weekly trips per individual stop.

Highton'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 Highton based on AreaSearch's assessment conducted on March 15th, 2021. Both young and old age cohorts showed low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover was found to be high at approximately 54% of the total population (~12,344 people), compared to 50.5% across Regional Vic.. The most common medical conditions were asthma and mental health issues, impacting 8.3 and 7.9% of residents respectively, while 70.5% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% across Regional Vic.. The under-65 population demonstrated better than average health outcomes. The area had 17.1% of residents aged 65 and over (3,873 people), lower than the 23.9% in Regional Vic.. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Highton records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Highton's cultural diversity is notable, with 20.1% of its population born overseas and 13.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Highton, making up 49.9% of people. While Judaism comprises only 0.1% of Highton's population, this is an overrepresentation compared to Regional Vic's 0.1%.

The top three ancestral groups are English (28.0%), Australian (25.0%), and Irish (10.0%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Scottish is overrepresented at 9.4% in Highton versus 8.8% regionally, Croatian at 0.9% versus 0.4%, and Dutch at 1.7% compared to the regional figure of 1.7%.

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

Highton's median age is 38, which is lower than the Regional Vic. figure of 43 but equivalent to the national norm of 38. The 15-24 age group comprises 15.0% of Highton's population, higher than Regional Vic., while the 65-74 cohort makes up 8.9%. Post the 2021 Census, younger residents have decreased the median age by 1 year to 38. The 25-34 age group has grown from 12.0% to 14.0%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 13.4% to 15.0%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort declined from 11.4% to 9.7%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 12.9% to 11.6%. By 2041, Highton's age composition is projected to shift notably. The 25-34 cohort is expected to grow by 66%, adding 2,099 residents to reach 5,271. The 65-74 group shows modest growth of 1%, adding only 25 residents.