Portland (Vic.)

Portland is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of Nov 2025, Portland's population is estimated at around 10,086, reflecting an increase of 70 people since the 2021 Census. The ABS ERP estimate for the suburb was 9,924 in June 2024. This growth was primarily driven by overseas migration. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for SA2 areas. For areas not covered, they use VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation to SA2 levels.

Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas until 2041. By 2041, the suburb is projected to increase by 744 persons, a total increase of 6.2% over 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Portland, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Portland has experienced approximately 31 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling around 159 homes. As of FY26, nine approvals have been recorded. The average new resident count per year per dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25 is 0.2, suggesting supply meets or exceeds demand. New homes are being built at an average cost of $454,000.

This financial year has seen $5.6 million in commercial development approvals. The area's residential character is maintained with 80% standalone homes and 20% medium to high-density housing.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 712 people, reflecting Portland's quiet development environment. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Portland is projected to grow by 629 residents by 2041. Current construction levels should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Portland has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 32ndth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects that may impact this region: Portland Renewable Fuels Project, Portland Energy Park, Portland Foreshore Multipurpose Facility, and Portland North Employment Precinct. The following details the ones most relevant.

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

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While Portland retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.3%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Portland has a balanced workforce with representation across white and blue collar jobs. Key sectors include health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade.

Manufacturing is particularly prominent, employing 1.9 times the regional average. Construction employment stands at 7.4%, below Rest of Vic.'s 10.4%. As of June 2025, Portland's unemployment rate is 3.3%, with 4,442 residents employed and a participation rate of 52.0%. This is 0.5% lower than Rest of Vic.'s unemployment rate but lags behind in workforce participation.

Between Jul-24 and Jun-25, Portland's labour force decreased by 1.9%, employment declined by 1.3%, leading to a 0.6 percentage point drop in unemployment. In contrast, Rest of Vic. saw an employment decline of 0.9% and labour force decrease of 0.4%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's Sep-22 national employment forecasts project a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Portland's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Portland's median income is $46,478 and the average income is $57,067. This is lower than Rest of Vic.'s figures, which are a median income of $48,741 and an average income of $60,693. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% from financial year 2022 to September 2025, current estimates for Portland would be approximately $52,130 (median) and $64,006 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Portland are between the 9th and 13th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 27.7% of locals (2,793 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to the surrounding region where this cohort represents 30.3%. Despite modest housing costs allowing for 87.3% income retention, Portland's total disposable income ranks at just the 13th percentile nationally.

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

In Portland, as per the latest Census evaluation, 88.4% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 11.6% being other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. In contrast, Non-Metro Vic. had no recorded houses or other dwellings at that time. Home ownership in Portland stood at 41.7%, with mortgaged properties making up 30.6% and rented dwellings accounting for 27.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,083, aligning with Non-Metro Vic.'s average. Weekly rent was recorded at $250 in Portland, unlike Non-Metro Vic., which had no reported figures. Nationally, Portland's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Portland features high concentrations of lone person households, with a median household size of 2.2 people

Family households constitute 63.1% of all households, including 20.4% couples with children, 29.7% couples without children, and 12.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 36.9%, with lone person households at 34.0% and group households comprising 2.9% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people.

Portland faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The university qualification rate in the area is 13.4%, significantly lower than the Victorian average of 33.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.5%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.1%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 39.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 9.4% and certificates at 29.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 25.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.4% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 1.9% pursuing tertiary education. Portland has a robust network of 9 schools educating approximately 1,726 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 960) offering balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 5 primary, 3 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. There are 17.1 school places per 100 residents, indicating strong educational infrastructure serving both local and surrounding communities. Note that where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Portland has 59 active public transport stops in operation, serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are serviced by 8 individual routes that collectively provide 254 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is rated as good, with residents typically located 261 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 36 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 4 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Portland is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Portland faces significant health challenges with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. Approximately 49% (~4,987 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (12.5%) and mental health issues (10.0%). About 59.2% report no medical ailments, contrasting with 0% in Rest of Vic.. Portland has 26.5% (2,672 people) of residents aged 65 and over. Senior health outcomes present some challenges but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

Portland is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Portland's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 90.0% of its population being citizens, 89.8% born in Australia, and 96.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in Portland, comprising 45.3% of people. Judaism, however, is overrepresented in Portland at 0.1%, compared to None% across Rest of Vic..

The top three ancestry groups are English (33.2%), Australian (32.0%), and Scottish (9.4%). Notably, Dutch (1.6%) and German (4.4%) are overrepresented in Portland compared to their regional counterparts, which are None%. Maltese is also notable at 0.5%, with no representation regionally.

Portland hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Portland's median age at 47 years is higher than both Victoria's average (43) and Australia's national average (38). The age profile shows a prominent group of 65-74 year-olds, making up 14.6% of the population, which is greater than Victoria's average and significantly higher than the national figure of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of 75 to 84-year-olds has increased from 7.5% to 8.5%, while the 45 to 54 age group has decreased from 13.0% to 11.9%. By 2041, Portland's population is expected to see significant shifts. The 25 to 34-year-old cohort is projected to grow by 32%, reaching 1,314 people from the current 998. Meanwhile, those aged 65 and above are set to comprise 51% of the total population growth. Conversely, declines in population are expected for the 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 age groups.