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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
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Selby has an estimated 1,603 residents. The population has thinned by an average 0.9% a year over five years, slower than 96% of areas nationally. That puts 244 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
Analysis of ABS population updates for the wider region and new addresses verified by AreaSearch since the Census estimates that the suburb of Selby has a population of 1,603 in May 2026. This represents a reduction of 23 residents (1.4%) relative to the 1,626 individuals recorded during the 2021 Census. The calculation is based on the resident count of 1,603, calculated by AreaSearch using the ABS June 2025 ERP release and 4 validated new addresses added since the Census. This population size results in a density of 244 persons per square kilometer, indicating low density and potential space for future construction.
Population gains in the locality were mostly driven by natural increase, which made up approximately 53.0% of the population growth over recent periods. AreaSearch relies on ABS and Geoscience Australia projections for individual SA2 regions published in 2024 using 2022 as the base year. For SA2 regions lacking these projections, AreaSearch uses VIC State Government Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted via weighted aggregation of population changes from LGA to SA2 levels. Estimated growth rates by age category from these aggregations are also applied to all locations for the years 2032 to 2041. Looking at future demographic trends, projections show a shrinking total population, with the suburb of Selby expected to lose 31 residents by 2041 under this approach. Conversely, expansion is anticipated in particular age brackets, led by the 75 to 84 cohort, which is expected to rise by 48 individuals.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Detail
AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approvals allocated from statistical areas shows that the suburb of Selby has averaged approximately 1 residential approval annually, with an estimated total of 7 dwellings authorized over the past 5 financial years. Thus far in FY-26, 1 approvals have been registered. As the population has contracted during the previous period, the volume of housing remains sufficient for demand, supporting a balanced market with choices for buyers, while new builds carry an average construction cost of $962,000, showing that developers are focused on the upscale market with premium housing.
Compared with Greater Melbourne, building activity in the suburb of Selby is significantly lower, tracking 78.0% below the regional per capita average. This lack of new construction generally supports demand and prices for existing properties. Construction levels are also below the national average, showing the established nature of the locality and hinting at potential planning limitations. Additionally, recent building approvals have consisted entirely of separate houses, preserving the classic low-density character of the area with an emphasis on spacious family homes. The estimate of 1605 people per residential approval highlights the quiet, low-activity building environment. With stable or contracting population projections, the suburb of Selby could see reduced housing pressure, offering favorable conditions for purchasers.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Selby
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 16 current infrastructure and development projects close to Selby, worth an estimated $468 million. 4 are already under construction and 4 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, sports & recreation and transport & logistics. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Local infrastructure projects, planning initiatives, and major developments can significantly impact a suburb. AreaSearch has identified no projects expected to influence the locality. Major regional works include South East Melbourne Recycled Water Supply Infrastructure Upgrades, Additional VLocity Trains, EastLink Freeway Noble Park Section, and the Cranbourne Line Upgrade.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Angliss Hospital Expansion
A $112 million major redevelopment featuring a new four-storey, all-electric tower. The expansion delivers a 32-bed inpatient unit, four state-of-the-art operating theatres, a new central sterile supply department, and expanded outpatient and allied health services. Major structural works were completed in July 2025, and the project is currently in the fit-out and final construction phase to increase surgical capacity for the Knox and Yarra Ranges communities.
Kings Park Masterplan
Knox City Council's long-term master plan to upgrade Kings Park, a key sporting and recreation precinct. Stage 1 delivers a fully fenced dog park featuring two distinct off-leash zones, sealed path circuits, picnic seating, drinking fountains, and site drainage improvements. Future stages for parkland enhancement remain subject to council planning and annual capital works budgeting.
Mount Dandenong Tourist Road Landslide Repair Works
Critical repair works to address landslide damage caused by severe weather in July 2024. Works include geotechnical stabilization, drainage infrastructure upgrades, and road surface restoration to restore full safety and functionality.
Woolworths Ferntree Gully eCommerce Expansion
A comprehensive 14-week upgrade project to enhance the store's direct-to-boot operations and eCommerce capabilities. The initiative focused on expanding store facilities and improving click-and-collect services through major store extension, civil works, installation of new precast panels, structural steel frameworks, a new canopy, and significant refrigeration and cool room works. All construction was executed within a live trading environment to minimize disruption to daily store operations.
Ferntree Gully Village Creative Placemaking Plan
Community-driven arts and cultural development project transforming public spaces in Ferntree Gully Village through murals, sculptures, lightbox galleries, and parklet upgrades to enhance safety, community connection, and local pride.
Ferntree Gully Station Street Infrastructure Upgrade
Road renewal program for Station Street, Ferntree Gully from Wyuna Street to Alpine Street. The $790,000 project includes road pavement patching, full asphalt resurfacing, stormwater drainage upgrades, replacement of concrete kerbs, channels, and vehicle crossings, concrete infills where necessary, and other associated minor works to support local businesses.
Ferntree Gully Community Housing
A 79-unit medium density development consisting of 41 one-bedroom units, 38 two-bedroom units, and 6 three-bedroom units, located on the site of the old Ferntree Gully Primary School. Part of the Nation Building and Economic Stimulus Project, jointly funded by Federal and State Governments. Residents are involved in a community vegetable garden and linked with local community activities through partnerships with Mountain District Learning Centre.
Bluett Reserve Playground Upgrade
As part of the 2025-26 capital works program, Knox City Council is investing in the renewal of local playgrounds, including the one at Bluett Reserve in Ferntree Gully. The project aims to improve the recreational facilities for the local community.
943 residents of Selby are employed, from a labour force of 975. Unemployment sits at 3.3%, with participation at 73.9%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.4% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 1,239, about 77% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data, the suburb of Selby has a well-educated labor force with strong representation in essential services, an unemployment rate of just 3.3%, and an estimated job growth rate of 1.9% over the past year. In March 2026943 local citizens are employed, with the unemployment rate tracking 1.5% below the Greater Melbourne average of 4.8%, while participation in the workforce is standard at 73.9% compared to 70.2% in Greater Melbourne. Census records indicate that a high proportion of residents, 35.1%, worked from home, though this may reflect COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.
The primary employment sectors for local workers are education & training, construction, and health care & social assistance. The local workforce is highly concentrated in education & training, with a share that is 1.7 times the regional average. Conversely, finance & insurance is under-represented, employing only 1.8% of the local workforce compared to 4.9% across Greater Melbourne. The mostly residential character of the suburb of Selby suggests local employment opportunities are limited, as shown by the comparison of Census working population to resident population. Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data from wider statistical areas, local employment rose by 1.9% and the labor force grew by 2.0% during the 12 months ending March 2026, keeping the unemployment rate stable. This differs from Greater Melbourne, where jobs rose by 2.1%, the workforce grew by 2.3%, and unemployment increased by 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia in May-25 provide context for future trends in the suburb of Selby. These five and ten-year forecasts are mapped to the local employment mix to project growth. While national jobs are projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, trends vary widely by sector. Applying these industry projections to the local workforce mix suggests employment in the suburb of Selby will rise by 6.4% over five years and 13.2% over ten years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Selby is $2,282 a week (about $119,000 a year), with median personal income at $898 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $56,582 a year against an average of $73,173. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
Taxpayer income records from the ATO at the postcode level, compiled by AreaSearch for financial year 2023, show a median income of $56,582 and an average of $73,173. This is above the national average, contrasting with a median of $57,688 and an average of $75,164 across Greater Melbourne. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated figures for March 2026 are $62,025 for the median and $80,212 for the average. According to the 2021 Census, household incomes are high, placing at the 82nd percentile with a weekly median of $2,282.
Income brackets show the largest cohort consists of 35.1% of residents (562 people) earning $1,500 - 2,999, mirroring the wider region where 32.8% fall into this bracket. Local affluence is high, with 33.9% earning more than $3,000 weekly, which helps sustain high-end retail and services. Housing costs consume 13.4% of income, while strong wages place residents in the 84th percentile for disposable income, and the SEIFA index ranks the area in the 8th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Selby had 546 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 100% detached houses and 0% apartments. 61% are owned with a mortgage, 7% rented and 32% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $400 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,983 a month. Rent absorbs 17.5% of household income here and mortgage repayments 20.1%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
According to the last Census, the housing mix in the suburb of Selby consisted of 100.0% detached houses and no other dwellings, compared to 67.9% houses and 32.1% alternative dwellings across metropolitan Melbourne. The home ownership rate in the suburb of Selby was higher than the Melbourne metropolitan average, sitting at 32.3%, with remaining households holding a mortgage (60.6%) or renting (7.1%). The median monthly mortgage cost of $1,983 was below the Melbourne metro average of $2,000, while the median weekly rent was $400 compared to $390 in metro Melbourne.
Nationally, local mortgage payments exceed the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents are above the national average of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Selby counted 546 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.9 people each. 45% are couples with children, more than in 89% of areas nationally, against 26% couples without children. 14% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.6 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families make up the majority of households at 82.8%, consisting of couples with children at 44.9%, couples without children at 25.7%, and single parent households at 11.1%. Non-family households account for the remaining 17.2%, with single person households representing 13.8% and group households making up 3.4% of the total. The median household size of 2.9 people exceeds the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
33.8% of adults in Selby hold a university qualification, including 20.6% with a bachelor degree and 8.2% with postgraduate qualifications, higher than 99% of areas nationally. A further 22.7% hold a vocational qualification. 1 school serves the area, with 149 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 1,122 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
The local academic profile is strong compared to the region, with university graduation rates at 33.8% of residents aged 15 and over, exceeding the SA3 average of 23.8% and the national rate of 30.4%, showing high educational attainment. Bachelor degrees are the most common qualification at 20.6%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 8.2% and graduate diplomas at 5.0%. Vocational qualifications are also prominent, with 37.2% of residents aged 15 and over holding trade credentials, consisting of advanced diplomas at 14.5% and certificates at 22.7%. Enrolment in education is high, with 31.1% of the population currently undertaking formal study.
This comprises 10.0% of residents in primary school, 9.5% in secondary school, and 4.8% in higher education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Selby reaches 9 stops on 7 routes, timetabled for about 480 services a week. The typical home sits about 510 m from its nearest stop. Households keep an average of 2.0 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Public transport analysis identifies 9 active bus stops within the suburb of Selby. These stops are served by 7 separate routes, providing a total of 476 passenger trips weekly. Transport access is moderate, with residents living an average of 505 meters from their nearest stop. Because the area is mainly residential, most workers commute out of the suburb, and cars remain the primary transport method at 90%. Average vehicle ownership is 2.0 per household, exceeding the regional average. Additionally, 35.1% of residents worked from home, according to 2021 Census data, which may reflect pandemic-era conditions.
Services run at an average frequency of 68 trips per day across all routes, which equals approximately 52 weekly trips per stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
66.5% of residents in Selby report no long-term health condition. 3.6% need daily assistance with core activities, and 55.7% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 4.5 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
AreaSearch assessment of death rates and chronic illness indicates that residents in the suburb of Selby experience favorable health outcomes. Although common health issues are low in the general community, they exceed national averages in older, high-risk groups, and the rate of private health insurance is high, covering approximately 56% of the population (~893 people). Asthma and mental health issues are the most frequent medical conditions, affecting 8.4% and 10.6% of residents respectively, while 66.5% reported no chronic medical issues compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Residents under the age of 65 experience better health outcomes than average.
The suburb of Selby has 16.6% of its population aged 65 and over (266 people), which is higher than the Greater Melbourne average of 15.0%. Senior health outcomes present some difficulties and rank lower nationally than the rest of the local population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Selby is largely Australian-born, at 84.3% of residents, with 5.6% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (29.2%) and Australian (28.1%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
The suburb of Selby has lower cultural diversity than average, with 84.3% of residents born in Australia, 91.6% holding citizenship, and 94.4% speaking only English at home. The leading religion is Christianity, accounting for 27.2% of the local population. The most prominent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which accounts for 0.7% of residents compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne. Regarding family background, the three largest ancestry groups are English at 29.2% (well above the regional average of 20.1%), Australian at 28.1% (well above the regional average of 18.4%), and Irish at 9.4%.
Other ethnic backgrounds show notable differences, with Dutch ancestry overrepresented at 3.1% (compared to 1.2% regionally), Hungarian ancestry at 1.0% (compared to 0.3% regionally), and French ancestry at 0.9% (compared to 0.5% regionally).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Selby is 40. 22.0% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The median age of 40 in the suburb of Selby is slightly higher than the Greater Melbourne average of 37 and marginally above the national median of 38. Compared to metropolitan averages, the 45 - 54 age group is over-represented at 14.8%, while the 25 - 34 cohort is under-represented at 8.1%. Since 2021, the 75 to 84 cohort has increased from 4.0% to 5.6% of the population, and the 15 to 24 cohort rose from 12.5% to 13.9%, while the 25 to 34 bracket fell from 10.1% to 8.1%.
Age projections suggest significant demographic shifts by 2041. The cohort aged 85 and over is projected to grow by 40 people (133%), rising from 30 to 71. The combined 65 and over age groups will represent 86% of total population growth, showing an aging trend. Conversely, the 25 to 34 and 55 to 64 brackets are projected to shrink.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Selby
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Aug 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to May 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to May 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Jun 2026 2 months ago headline measures · May 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Aug 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Aug 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, Local governments Daily | May 2026 3 months ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 5 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 this month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 4 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for May 2026, not a 2021 count (1,626 at the 2021 Census → 1,603 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to May 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL22258). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.