Moorabbin

Population growth drivers in Moorabbin are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of Moorabbin's population is estimated at around 6,989 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 702 people (11.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,287 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 6,896 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 314 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,526 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Moorabbin's 11.2% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (5.6%), along with the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 86.0% 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 any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising 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. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. As we examine future population trends, an above median population growth is projected for the suburb of Moorabbin, with the area expected to expand by 1,550 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 20.9% over the 17 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Moorabbin has experienced around 92 dwellings receiving development approval each year over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 461 homes. So far in FY-26, 16 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.2 new residents arrive per new home built annually between FY-21 and FY-25.

New construction has matched or outpaced demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations. The average value of new homes constructed is $465,000, moderately above regional levels, indicating an emphasis on quality construction. This year, $46.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Moorabbin has 161.0% more development activity per person, creating greater choice for buyers and reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. New development consists of 14.0% standalone homes and 86.0% attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This shows a considerable change from the current housing mix, which is currently 77.0% houses. With around 59 people per dwelling approval, Moorabbin exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

Looking ahead, AreaSearch estimates that Moorabbin is expected to grow by 1,457 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.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 29 projects that may impact the area. Notable ones include Bluff Road Hampton East Redevelopment, Southpoint Highett, Key Industrial Park - Stage 3, and Westfield Southland Ongoing Upgrades. The following list details those likely to be 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.

Moorabbin shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Moorabbin has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate is 6.2%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, there are 3,633 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 1.4% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation in Moorabbin is lower at 68.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. Census data shows that 38.9% of residents work from home, which may have been influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The leading employment industries among Moorabbin residents are health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade.

However, the transport, postal & warehousing industry is under-represented with only 3.2% of Moorabbin's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 5.2%. There are approximately 1.7 workers for every resident in Moorabbin, indicating that it functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.1% while employment decreased by 0.8%, leading to a rise in unemployment of 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw an increase in employment by 2.4% and a growth in the labour force by 2.8%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Moorabbin's employment mix indicates that local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though these estimates are based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released on June 30, 2023, Moorabbin had a median income among taxpayers of $59,740 with an average level of $75,126. These figures are above national averages and compare to Melbourne-wide levels of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% from financial year 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income is approximately $64,669 and average income is around $81,324. Census 2021 data shows Moorabbin's incomes cluster at the 69th percentile nationally. In terms of income distribution, 29.9% (2,089 individuals) earn between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, consistent with metropolitan trends of 32.8%. Notably, 30.9% earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing costs consume 16.8% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 66th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Moorabbin, as per the latest Census, consisted of 76.8% houses and 23.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Moorabbin was at 30.2%, similar to Melbourne metro, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.7% and rented ones at 30.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Moorabbin was $2,300, higher than the Melbourne metro average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure in Moorabbin was $431, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Moorabbin's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 70.2% of all households, including 34.4% couples with children, 23.6% couples without children, and 10.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 29.8%, with lone person households at 25.8% and group households at 4.1%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Moorabbin places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 39.8% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and Victoria's rate of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 26.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.4%) and graduate diplomas (3.9%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 28.3% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 12.8% and certificates for 15.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.5% in primary education, 7.0% in secondary education, and 5.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Moorabbin has 60 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 20 different routes that together facilitate 3,999 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest transport stop for residents is 148 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility. As a predominantly residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 83% of residents, while trains are used by 8%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.2.

According to the 2021 Census, 38.9% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 571 trips per day, equating to approximately 66 weekly trips per individual stop.

Moorabbin's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance across Moorabbin.

AreaSearch's assessment shows low prevalence of common health conditions among both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover is high at approximately 56% of the total population (~3,948 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues and arthritis, affecting 7.6 and 7.0% of residents respectively. 71.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. As of August 2021, Moorabbin has 18.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,271 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Moorabbin was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Moorabbin has a high cultural diversity, with 35.4% of its population born overseas and 29.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Moorabbin, comprising 44.8% of people. Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 4.3% of Moorabbin's population against the regional average of 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (21.0%), Australian (19.0%), and Other (11.9%). Notably, Polish (2.0%) is overrepresented compared to the regional figure of 0.8%, as are Russian (1.9% vs 0.4%) and Greek (4.7% vs 2.7%).

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

The median age in Moorabbin 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, Moorabbin has a notably higher percentage of people aged 75-84 (6.7% locally) but fewer people aged 25-34 (11.6%). Post-2021 Census data shows that the 15-24 age group grew from 9.7% to 12.6%, while the 25-34 cohort declined from 13.2% to 11.6%. The 45-54 group also decreased, from 13.9% to 12.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Moorabbin. Notably, the 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 56%, adding 261 people and reaching a total of 730 from its current figure of 468. The 0-4 age group will experience more modest growth of 2%, with an increase of just 8 residents.