Jacana

Population growth drivers in Jacana are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

The Jacana statistical area (Lv2) population is estimated at around 2,682 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 495 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,187 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of 2,505 residents following examination of ABS' latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 49 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,438 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Jacana's 22.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.7%), along with the state, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 77.0% 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 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 applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking at population projections moving forward, exceptional growth is predicted over the period with the area expected to increase by 1,510 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 43.4% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Jacana recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, Jacana has experienced around 31 dwellings receiving development approval annually over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 158 homes between FY20 and FY24. In FY26 so far, eight approvals have been recorded. Over these five years, an average of only 0.1 people per year moved to the area for each dwelling built.

New construction has matched or outpaced demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations. The average construction value of new properties is $508,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. This financial year, there have been $19.6 million in commercial approvals, showing steady commercial investment activity. Relative to Greater Melbourne, Jacana maintains similar construction rates per person, supporting market stability aligned with regional patterns. This activity is significantly above the national average, indicating robust developer interest in the area. New development consists of 20% detached dwellings and 80% townhouses or apartments, providing accessible entry options appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

This shift reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring more diverse housing options. With around 78 people per dwelling approval, Jacana shows characteristics of a growth area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Jacana is expected to grow by 1,163 residents through to 2041. Construction is maintaining pace with projected growth, although buyers may encounter growing competition as population increases.

Jacana 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 has identified 14 projects that could impact this region. Notable ones include Banksia Gardens Social Housing Development, Hume Central Redevelopment, Suburban Rail Loop North - Broadmeadows Station, and Hume Central - Broadmeadows Central Activities Area. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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The labour market performance in Jacana lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Jacana's workforce is well-educated with strong representation from manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate was 10.9% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 3.2%.

As of September 2025, 1,078 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 6.3%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 4.7%. Workforce participation in Jacana was 52.9%, lagging behind Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading employment industries included health care & social assistance, transport, postal & warehousing, and construction. Transport, postal & warehousing had a significant presence with an employment share of 2.3 times the regional level.

Professional & technical services had limited presence at 6.1% compared to the regional 10.1%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities. In the 12 months prior, employment increased by 3.2%, and labour force grew by 2.8%, reducing unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. This contrasted with Greater Melbourne where employment grew by 3.0% but unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov showed Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, compared to the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 projected a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Jacana's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, although this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not account for localized population projections.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

The suburb of Jacana had a lower than average national income level in financial year 2023 according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. Its median income among taxpayers was $46,707 and the average income stood at $56,546. These figures compare to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $50,560 (median) and $61,211 (average). Census 2021 income data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Jacana fell between the 12th and 27th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals 33.3% of Jacana's population (893 individuals) had incomes within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, similar to the metropolitan region where 32.8% fell into this bracket. Housing affordability pressures were severe in Jacana with only 82.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 26th percentile nationally.

Jacana is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Jacana's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 81.9% houses and 18.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 87.6% houses and 12.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Jacana was at 30.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.2% and rented ones at 38.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, below Melbourne metro's average of $1,834. Median weekly rent in Jacana was $335, compared to Melbourne metro's $369. Nationally, Jacana's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Jacana features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 69.2 percent of all households, including 29.6 percent couples with children, 21.3 percent couples without children, and 14.8 percent single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 30.8 percent, with lone person households at 24.8 percent and group households comprising 6.0 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 3.2.

Jacana shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

Jacana Trail residents aged 15 and above have university degrees at a rate of 27.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 37.0%. This difference suggests potential for educational development. Bachelor degrees are the most common (16.8%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 28.3% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.3%) and certificates (18.0%).

Educational participation is high, with 30.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (7.1%), secondary education (6.3%), and tertiary education (6.3%).

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

The transport analysis indicates that Jacana has 17 operational transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by seven distinct routes, together facilitating 1,416 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of public transport in Jacana is deemed excellent, with residents on average residing 156 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, services run an average of 202 trips across all routes, translating to roughly 83 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Jacana is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Jacana faces significant health challenges with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across all age groups but to a considerably higher degree among older cohorts. Approximately 49% of Jacana's total population (~1,320 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.1 and 7.8% of residents respectively. Conversely, 70.1% of Jacana residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 76.3% across Greater Melbourne. Jacana has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.2%, with 434 people falling into this category compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.8%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges requiring more attention than the broader population.

Jacana is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Jacana's population shows high cultural diversity, with 48.9% born overseas and 52.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, comprising 38.3%, while Islam is slightly overrepresented at 19.4% compared to Greater Melbourne's 24.1%. The top three ancestral groups are Other (31.2%), Australian (16.7%), and English (13.9%).

Notably, Lebanese (3.4%) and Vietnamese (2.8%) populations are higher than regional averages of 4.2% and 0.9%, respectively, while Maltese is slightly lower at 1.6%.

Jacana's population is younger than the national pattern

Jacana's median age is 35 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Melbourne's 37 and the national average of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 21.8% of Jacana's population, higher than Greater Melbourne's but lower than the national average of 14.5%. The 5-14 age group is less prevalent in Jacana at 8.8%. Between 2021 and present, the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 14.5% to 15.7%, while the 0 to 4 cohort has decreased from 6.1% to 5.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant growth in the 45-54 age group, with an increase of 184 people (76%) from 244 to 429.