Selby

Selby has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Based on analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) population updates for Selby, as of Nov 2025 the suburb's estimated population is around 1,619. This reflects a decrease of 7 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,626. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of Selby's resident population at 1,611 following examination of ABS' latest Education Region Population (ERP) data release in June 2024 and an additional 3 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 246 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed approximately 53.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for Selby's Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2) area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the Victorian State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation from Local Government Area (LGA) to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Selby's population is projected to decline by 46 persons according to this methodology. However, growth is anticipated in specific age cohorts, led by the 75 to 84 age group which is projected to grow by 60 people.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates Selby averaged approximately one new dwelling approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated six homes. As of FY26, one approval has been recorded. Despite population decline during this period, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. The average expected construction cost value for new properties is $962,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment.

This financial year, Selby has registered $23.9 million in commercial approvals, indicating steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Selby has significantly less development activity, 81.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. The area's development activity is also under the national average, suggesting its established nature and potential planning limitations. All new construction in Selby has been detached houses, preserving its low-density character and attracting space-seeking buyers.

With an estimated 1616 people per dwelling approval, Selby maintains a quiet, low-activity development environment. Given stable or declining population forecasts, the area may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Selby has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

No changes can significantly affect a region's performance like alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that could potentially impact this area. Notable projects include South East Melbourne Recycled Water Supply Infrastructure Upgrades, Additional VLocity Trains, EastLink Freeway Noble Park Section, and Cranbourne Line Upgrade, with the following list detailing those most likely to be relevant.

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AreaSearch analysis places Selby well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Selby has a well-educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.0%, having seen an estimated employment growth of 1.5% over the past year (AreaSearch data).

As of June 2025, there are 951 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.7% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation stands at 68.6%, close to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key industries for Selby residents are education & training, construction, and health care & social assistance, with education & training being particularly specialized (1.7 times the regional level). Conversely, finance & insurance has lower representation (1.8% vs regional average of 4.9%).

The area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 1.5%, labour force by 1.3%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points (AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data). By comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.5% over the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (Sep-22) project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Selby's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not account for localized population projections.

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

Selby had a median taxpayer income of $56,582 and an average income of $73,173 according to latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. This was higher than national averages, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $54,892 and average income of $73,761. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $63,462 (median) and $82,071 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, Selby's household incomes ranked at the 82nd percentile with weekly earnings of $2,282. Income distribution showed that 35.1% (568 individuals) fell within the $1,500 - $2,999 earnings band, consistent with broader trends in the area showing 32.8% in the same category. Economic strength was evident with 33.9% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounted for 13.4% of income, while strong earnings placed residents within the 84th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.

Selby is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Selby's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted entirely of houses with no other types recorded. This is in contrast to Melbourne metro's figures which showed 93.8% houses and 6.3% other dwellings. Selby's home ownership rate was 32.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 60.6% and rented ones at 7.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Selby was $1,983, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $1,950. Similarly, the median weekly rent in Selby was $400, compared to Melbourne metro's $380. Nationally, Selby's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 82.8% of all households, including 44.9% that are couples with children, 25.7% that are couples without children, and 11.1% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 17.2%, with lone person households at 13.8% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.7.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 33.8% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA3 area average of 23.8% and the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 20.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.2%) and graduate diplomas (5.0%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 37.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 14.5% and certificates at 22.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 10.0% in primary, 9.5% in secondary, and 4.8% in tertiary education. Selby Primary School serves the local area, enrolling 149 students. The school demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA score: 1122). There is one school focused exclusively on primary education; secondary options are available in nearby areas. The area has fewer school places per 100 residents (9.2) compared to the regional average (15.5), with some students likely attending schools outside Selby.

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

The analysis of public transport in Selby shows that there are nine active transport stops currently operating. These stops offer a mix of bus services. Ten individual routes service these stops collectively providing 603 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as moderate, with residents typically located 505 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, across all routes, there are 86 trips per day, which equates to approximately 67 weekly trips per individual stop.

Selby's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Selby's health data shows positive results with low prevalence rates for common conditions among its general population compared to national averages. However, older and at-risk cohorts have higher prevalence rates.

Private health cover is high in Selby, with approximately 56% of residents (~902 people) having it, compared to Greater Melbourne's 52.4%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common conditions, affecting 10.6% and 8.4% respectively. 66.5% of residents report no medical ailments, similar to Greater Melbourne's 66.9%. Selby has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 15.7% (254 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 19.4%. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

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

Selby's population shows low cultural diversity, with 84.3% born in Australia, 91.6% being citizens, and 94.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the dominant religion, comprising 27.2%. Judaism, at 0.7%, is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne's 0.1%.

The top three ancestral groups are English (29.2%), Australian (28.1%), and Irish (9.4%). Notably, Dutch (3.1%) and Hungarian (1.0%) populations exceed regional averages of 3.2% and 0.3%, respectively, while French (0.9%) is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 0.5%.

Selby's median age exceeds the national pattern

Selby has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's figure of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne's average, Selby has an over-representation of the 45-54 age cohort (14.9%) and an under-representation of the 25-34 age group (7.5%). Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 4.0% to 5.2%, while the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 10.1% to 7.5%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Selby's age profile. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 48 people (58%), reaching 133. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are projected to account for 88% of total population growth, reflecting Selby's aging demographic trend. Meanwhile, the 25-34 and 55-64 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.