Sandringham (Vic.)

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

Sandringham's population is estimated at 12,004 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,078 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,926. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 11,558 residents following examination of ABS data released in June 2024 and validation of 175 new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,226 persons per square kilometer, placing Sandringham in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 9.9% growth since the 2021 census exceeded both its SA4 region (8.7%) and SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 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 aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to grow by 1,328 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 7.3% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Sandringham when compared nationally

Sandringham has seen approximately 99 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years ending FY26. This totals an estimated 498 homes, with 16 approvals recorded so far in FY26. Despite population decline, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. New properties are constructed at an average value of $647,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment.

This financial year has seen $27.2 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Sandringham maintains similar development levels per capita, though activity has increased recently. Current new development consists of 18.0% detached dwellings and 82.0% attached dwellings, marking a significant shift from the existing housing pattern of 50.0% houses. This trend may indicate diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and affordability needs. With around 73 people per dwelling approval, Sandringham exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

AreaSearch projects an addition of 882 residents by 2041, suggesting current construction levels should meet demand and potentially enable growth beyond forecasts.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 29 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Sanctuary Sandringham, Miramar, The Coterie, and Beach Point Sandringham. Below is a list of projects expected to be most relevant.

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

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Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.8%, Sandringham has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Sandringham has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. As of December 2025, the unemployment rate is 3.8%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.8%. Workforce participation in Sandringham is 63.6%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%.

A significant portion, 49.7%, of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (1.6 times the regional average), health care & social assistance, and education & training sectors. Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing has lower representation at 2.7% compared to the regional average of 5.2%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population.

Between December 2024 and November 2025, Sandringham's labour force decreased by 0.5%, while employment decreased by 1.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 2.4% and labour force expand by 2.8%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years for national employment. Applying these projections to Sandringham's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations and do not account for localised population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Sandringham had a median taxpayer income of $67,491 and an average income of $117,806. Nationally, these figures rank in the top percentile. In Greater Melbourne, the median is $57,688 and the average is $75,164. By September 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 8.25%, Sandringham's median income is estimated to be approximately $73,059 and the average $127,525. The 2021 Census places household, family, and personal incomes in Sandringham between the 83rd and 85th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 29.6% of residents earn over $4,000 per week (3,553 individuals), contrasting with the regional leading bracket of $1,500 - $2,999 at 32.8%. The suburb's affluence is evident with 41.1% earning over $3,000 weekly, supporting premium retail and services. Housing accounts for 14.2% of income, while residents rank in the 85th percentile for disposable income. Sandringham's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Sandringham displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Sandringham's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 50.2% houses and 49.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sandringham stood at 40.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.2% and rented ones at 26.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,708, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Sandringham was $460, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Sandringham's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863, and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 68.1% of all households, including 31.9% couples with children, 28.1% couples without children, and 7.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 31.9%, with lone person households at 30.0% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.4 people, smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Sandringham's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 48.3% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 30.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.2%) and graduate diplomas (5.2%). Vocational pathways account for 23.3% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 12.1% and certificates at 11.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.9% in primary education, 8.5% in secondary education, and 6.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Sandringham has 46 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are serviced by 11 individual routes, collectively providing 4,281 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 191 meters, indicating excellent accessibility. In this primarily residential area, most residents commute outward using different modes of transport: car (80%), train (10%), and walking (5%). On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, a high percentage of residents work from home, which could be attributed to COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 611 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 93 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Sandringham's health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with very low prevalence across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 73% of Sandringham's total population (8,777 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and the national average of 55.7%. The most common conditions are arthritis (7.8%) and mental health issues (6.9%), while 70.7% declare no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Melbourne's 72.6%.

Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Sandringham has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 27.1% (3,253 people), compared to 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are strong and align with national rankings.

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

Sandringham's population has above-average cultural diversity, with 12.5% speaking a language other than English at home and 27.0% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Sandringham, comprising 47.9%. However, Judaism is notably overrepresented at 0.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (29.9%), Australian (21.2%), and Irish (10.6%). Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Russian is overrepresented at 0.6% versus the regional average of 0.4%, Scottish at 9.5% compared to 5.6%, and Hungarian at 0.4% against a regional average of 0.3%.

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

Sandringham's median age is 47 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and the national average of 38 years. The age group of 55-64 has strong representation at 15.4%, compared to Greater Melbourne, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 6.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75 to 84 age group grew from 7.0% to 10.1% of the population between 2016 and 2021. During this period, the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 11.1% to 12.8%, while the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 16.0% to 14.3%. The 5 to 14 age group also dropped from 11.9% to 10.4%. Demographic modeling suggests that Sandringham's age profile will significantly change by 2041, with the 85+ cohort projected to grow by 84%, adding 461 residents to reach 1,014. Senior residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 87% of population growth, emphasizing demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age cohorts.