Sandhurst

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

The population of the Sandhurst statistical area (Lv2) is estimated at around 5,301 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 90 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,211 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 5,283, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,672 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Sandhurst has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.7%, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth that contributed approximately 52.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For 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. An above median population growth is projected for the area, with an expected increase of 1,183 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 23.4% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Sandhurst is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Sandhurst has seen virtually no dwelling approvals in recent years. Only four homes were approved between financial year 2021 and 2025, with another four approved so far in financial year 2026.

The population decline over recent years has maintained adequate housing supply relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $487,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Sandhurst has significantly less development activity. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties, though recent construction activity has intensified. Nationally, this activity is also lower, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. All new construction in Sandhurst consists of standalone homes, sustaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. As of now, there are approximately 2667 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market.

Sandhurst has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

No factors influence an area's performance more than changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects likely to impact this area. Notable projects include Endeavour Cove Marina Masterplan Redevelopment (Planning Scheme Amendment C205king), Ballarto Road Upgrade, Harbour Plaza Redevelopment, and Industrial Quarter (iQ) Cranbourne West, with the following list detailing those most relevant.

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Sandhurst performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Sandhurst has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 1.8% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 2.7%.

As of September 2025, 3079 residents were employed at a 2.8% lower unemployment rate than Greater Melbourne's 4.7%, and workforce participation was higher at 71.3%. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Manufacturing showed strong specialization with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level, while transport, postal & warehousing had limited presence at 3.3% compared to 5.2% regionally. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census working population vs resident population comparison.

In the past year, employment increased by 2.7% alongside labour force growth of 2.6%, keeping unemployment relatively stable. Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.0%, labour force growth of 3.3%, with unemployment rising to 4.7%. State-level data from 25-Nov showed VIC employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest Sandhurst's employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.1% over ten years based on industry-specific projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2023, the suburb of Sandhurst's median income among taxpayers is $70,666. The average income in Sandhurst is $80,113. This places Sandhurst among the highest income suburbs in Australia. In comparison, Greater Melbourne has a median income of $57,688 and an average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Sandhurst's median income would be approximately $76,496 as of September 2025, with the average estimated to be around $86,722. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Sandhurst rank highly nationally, between the 85th and 94th percentiles. Income analysis shows that the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket dominates with 32.7% of residents (1,733 people). This pattern is similar to regional levels where 32.8% of residents fall within this income range. A substantial proportion of high earners (44.2%) in Sandhurst have incomes above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity throughout the locality. Housing accounts for 14.4% of income. Strong earnings rank residents within the 94th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Sandhurst's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 91.0% houses and 9.0% other dwellings such as semi-detached properties, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is in contrast to Melbourne metro's structure which comprised 79.8% houses and 20.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sandhurst was at 28.6%, closely aligned with Melbourne metro's figure. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (57.9%) or rented (13.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,383, significantly higher than Melbourne metro's average of $1,800 and Australia's national average of $1,863. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure in Sandhurst was recorded at $530, substantially higher than Melbourne metro's $356 and the national figure of $375.

Sandhurst features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 89.1% of all households, including 49.3% couples with children, 32.4% couples without children, and 7.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 10.9%, with lone person households at 9.6% and group households comprising 0.9%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.5.

Sandhurst demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Sandhurst's educational qualifications trail Greater Melbourne's benchmarks, with 29.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 37.0%. This gap indicates potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 19.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.6%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 35.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 15.8% and certificates at 19.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.1% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 4.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Sandhurst has five active public transport stops serving a mix of buses. These stops are operated by two routes offering 433 weekly passenger trips in total. The accessibility of these services is limited, with residents living an average of 671 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 61 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to approximately 86 weekly trips per individual stop.

Sandhurst's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Sandhurst's health outcomes data shows exceptional results with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 58% of the total population (3,097 people), compared to 52.3% across Greater Melbourne.

The most common medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, impacting 7.7 and 6.5% of residents respectively, while 74.1% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 65.0% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 17.1% of residents aged 65 and over (906 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Sandhurst was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Sandhurst has a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 18.7% speaking a language other than English at home and 31.7% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Sandhurst, making up 49.3%. However, Judaism is overrepresented, comprising 0.6%, compared to 0.3% regionally.

The top three ancestry groups are English (26.7%), Australian (21.9%), and Other (10.5%). Notably, South African (1.9%) and Sri Lankan (1.0%) groups are overrepresented in Sandhurst compared to regional averages of 0.5% and 0.4%, respectively. Additionally, the Welsh group is slightly more prominent at 0.8%.

Sandhurst's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Sandhurst is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 65-74 age group constitutes a strong 11.6% of the population compared to Greater Melbourne, while the 25-34 cohort makes up only 7.1%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75-84 age group has grown from 2.9% to 4.5%, and the 15-24 cohort has increased from 10.6% to 12.0%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort has declined from 15.2% to 13.7%, and the 35-44 group has dropped from 16.3% to 15.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Sandhurst. Leading this shift, the 65-74 age group is projected to grow by 61% (372 people), reaching a total of 987 from its current figure of 614. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 53% of the total population growth, reflecting Sandhurst's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0-4 and 35-44 cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.