Sale

Population growth drivers in Sale are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

As per AreaSearch's analysis of ABS population updates and new addresses validated since Feb 2026, the suburb of Sale has an estimated population of around 15,063. This figure represents a growth of 767 people (5.4%) from the 2021 Census total of 14,296. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 14,382 in Jun 2024 and an additional 237 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 344 persons per square kilometer. Sale's growth rate of 5.4% since the census is within 2.7 percentage points of its SA3 area (8.1%). Overseas migration contributed approximately 96.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in Jun 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting with weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on these projections, the suburb of Sale is forecasted to have a significant population increase in Australia's non-metropolitan top quartile. By 2041, it is expected to expand by 3,203 persons, reflecting an overall increase of 16.7% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Sale according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, indicates approximately 72 new homes approved annually in Sale over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 364 homes. As of FY-26, 17 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years (FY-21 to FY-25), an average of 0.9 people moved to the area per dwelling built.

New supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction cost value of new homes is $425,000, indicating a focus on premium properties. In FY-26, $43.3 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity.

Compared to the Rest of Vic., Sale has 15.0% less new development per person and ranks among the 37th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing homes. New building activity comprises 90.0% detached dwellings and 10.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 456 people, reflecting its quiet development environment. Looking ahead, Sale is projected to grow by 2,522 residents through to 2041, according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. Development is keeping reasonable pace with projected growth, though buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

Sale has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 11 projects likely influencing the area. Key projects are Sale College Facilities Improvement - Toilet Refurbishment & Years 7-12 Facilities Planning, Aqua Energy Leisure Centre Redevelopment, Swanlake Business Park, and Port of Sale East Bank Redevelopment Study. The following list details those 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.

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

Sale has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate is 5.5%, with an estimated employment growth of 6.2% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 6,727 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.8% higher than Regional Vic.'s rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation is similar to Regional Vic.'s 61.5%. Census responses indicate that only 10.5% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and retail trade. Notably, the area has a high concentration in public administration & safety, with employment levels at 2.1 times the regional average.

However, manufacturing has limited presence with only 4.0% employment compared to Regional Vic.'s 7.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population counts. Between December 2024 and 2025, employment levels increased by 6.2%, while the labour force grew by 5.2%, causing a reduction in unemployment rate of 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Vic.'s employment fell by 0.6%, with its labour force contracting by 0.7% and unemployment falling by only 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Sale's local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against Sale's current employment mix.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ended June 2023 indicates that income in Sale is lower than average nationally. The median income was $49,056 and the average was $63,836. In contrast, Regional Vic.'s figures were a median of $50,954 and an average of $62,728. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year ended June 2023, current estimates for Sale would be approximately $53,103 (median) and $69,102 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows household, family and personal incomes in Sale rank modestly, between the 22nd and 28th percentiles. Income distribution reveals that the largest segment is 28.5% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (4,292 residents), similar to the regional pattern where 30.3% fall within this range. After housing costs, 86.1% of income remains, ranking at the 25th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Sale is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Sale, as evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 84.8% houses and 15.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Regional Vic.'s 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. The home ownership level in Sale was at 36.4%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (29.9%) or rented (33.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Sale was $1,300, below Regional Vic.'s average of $1,430, and the median weekly rent figure was $280, compared to Regional Vic.'s $285. Nationally, Sale's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Sale features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households compose 63.8% of all households, including 23.4% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 12.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 36.2%, with lone person households at 33.4% and group households comprising 2.8%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Regional Vic average of 2.4.

Educational attainment in Sale aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 20.9%, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 38.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.5%) and certificates (26.8%). Educational participation is high at 27.8%, with 10.3% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis in Sale shows 69 active public transport stops operating, offering a mix of train services. These are served by 13 individual routes, providing a total of 460 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 217 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Sale's residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode at 90%, while 6% walk. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 10.5% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 65 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 6 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Sale is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data shows significant health challenges in Sale, as assessed by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Notably, common health conditions are prevalent across both younger and older age groups. The rate of private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population (~7,846 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area. Mental health issues and arthritis were found to be the most common medical conditions, affecting 10.7% and 9.9% of residents respectively. In contrast, 61.6% of residents reported being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 63.4% across Regional Vic.. The working-age population faces significant health challenges with higher chronic condition rates. The area has 22.2% of residents aged 65 and over (3,343 people), which is lower than the 23.9% in Regional Vic.. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Sale ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Sale's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 89.3% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (86.4%), and speaking English only at home (93.2%). Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 47.2% of Sale's population. The most notable overrepresentation was in the 'Other' category, which made up 0.7% compared to Regional Vic's 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were Australian (31.5%), English (30.6%), and Irish (8.7%). Notably, Dutch (1.9%) was overrepresented in Sale compared to Regional Vic (1.7%), as were Sri Lankan (0.3% vs 0.1%) and Scottish (8.2% vs 8.8%).

Sale's median age exceeds the national pattern

Sale's median age is 41 years, which is lower than Regional Vic.'s average of 43 but exceeds the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group constitutes 15.2% of Sale's population, higher than Regional Vic.'s percentage. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort makes up 10.2%, which is less prevalent compared to Regional Vic. Post-2021 Census data shows the 25-34 age group grew from 12.6% to 15.2%. The 45-54 cohort declined from 12.2% to 10.2%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 12.2% to 10.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Sale's age profile will significantly evolve. The 25-34 cohort is projected to grow by 43%, adding 984 residents to reach 3,274. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 15-24 and 55-64 cohorts.