St Albans (Vic.)

St Albans has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of St Albans (Vic.) is around 39,229. This figure represents an increase of 1,187 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 38,042. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 38,766 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 370 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 3,057 persons per square kilometer, placing St Albans (Vic.) in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 3.1% since the 2021 census exceeded that of its SA3 area at 2.6%, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 89.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth for the area.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, making adjustments employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb of St Albans (Vic.) is expected to expand by 6,407 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 15.2% in total over the 17 years.

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

St Albans has seen approximately 139 dwelling approvals annually, with a total of 697 approved over the past five financial years from FY21 to FY25. In FY26, up until now, there have been 53 dwellings approved. The average construction cost for new properties is $314,000.

This year has seen $122.9 million in commercial approvals registered. Compared to Greater Melbourne, St Albans has a higher construction rate per person, at 21.0% above the regional average over the past five years. The dwelling approvals indicate a population of approximately 342 people per dwelling approved, suggesting a low-density market. Future projections estimate St Albans will add 5,944 residents by 2041. The current development levels appear aligned with future requirements, maintaining stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

Future projections show St Albans adding 5,944 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Existing development levels seem aligned with future requirements, maintaining stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 36 projects that could impact this region. Notable ones include St Albans Activity Centre Precinct Structure Plan, Sunshine Energy Park, Sunshine Health, Wellbeing and Education Precinct, Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre. The following list details those most likely to be 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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates St Albans faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

St Albans has a skilled workforce with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented. The unemployment rate was 9.4% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.8%. As of December 2025, 17,538 residents were in work, while the unemployment rate was 4.7%, above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation lagged at 58.3% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. Only 13.3% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment was concentrated in health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and transport, postal & warehousing, with a strong specialization in the latter at 2.1 times the regional level. However, professional & technical employment was limited at 4.6% compared to the regional average of 10.1%.

The predominantly residential area offered limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 2.8%, labour force grew by 4.2%, and unemployment rose by 1.3 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 2.4%, labour force expand by 2.8%, and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to St Albans's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ended June 2023 shows median income in St Albans suburb was $42,109 and average income was $47,865. This is lower than Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. By September 2025, estimated median income in St Albans would be approximately $45,583 and average income would be around $51,814, based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year ended June 2023. Census 2021 data indicates household, family and personal incomes in St Albans fall between the 3rd and 13th percentiles nationally. Predominant income cohort spans 28.7% of locals (11,258 people) in $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to metropolitan region at 32.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 82.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 13th percentile nationally.

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

St Albans' dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 74.7% houses and 25.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Albans stood at 36.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.7% and rented ones at 37.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,500, below Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in St Albans was $325, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, St Albans' mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

St Albans features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 71.5% of all households, including 30.6% couples with children, 20.8% couples without children, and 17.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 28.5%, with lone person households at 23.4% and group households comprising 5.2%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Educational outcomes in St Albans fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 22.3%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 15.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 26.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.0%) and certificates (16.4%). Educational participation is high, with 33.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 9.4% in primary, 7.8% in secondary, and 6.6% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 33.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.4% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 6.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transportation in St Albans indicates there are 133 active transport stops currently operating within the area. These stops serve a variety of bus routes, with a total of 12 individual routes providing service. Collectively, these routes facilitate 5,299 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in the area is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 221 meters from their nearest transport stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents in St Albans commute outward. The car remains the primary mode of transportation for these residents at 79%, while 14% use the train.

On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling in the area. According to the 2021 Census data, which may reflect conditions influenced by COVID-19, only 13.3% of residents work from home. The service frequency across all routes averages 757 trips per day, translating to approximately 39 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the locations of the 100 nearest transport stops to the area's centrepoint.

St Albans'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

Health data for St Albans shows positive outcomes overall. Mortality rates and health conditions are largely in line with national benchmarks. Prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population but higher among older, at-risk cohorts.

Private health cover is extremely low, at approximately 46% of the total population (~17,994 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and diabetes, affecting 6.5 and 6.4% of residents respectively. 74.2% of residents declare no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. St Albans has a higher proportion of seniors, with 19.9% aged 65 and over (7,806 people), compared to 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

St Albans is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

St Albans has a high level of cultural diversity, with 64.2% of its population born overseas and 76.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in St Albans, accounting for 45.6% of people. However, Buddhism is notably overrepresented, comprising 17.5% of the population compared to the Greater Melbourne average of 4.2%.

In terms of ancestry, Vietnamese individuals make up 25.2% of St Albans' population, which is significantly higher than the regional average of 1.9%. The category 'Other' also has a high representation at 20.7%, compared to the regional average of 14.6%. Meanwhile, Australian ancestry is underrepresented at 7.7%, lower than the regional average of 18.4%. Other ethnic groups with notable overrepresentation include Maltese (4.3% vs regional 1.1%), Croatian (2.4% vs regional 0.7%), and Serbian (1.4% vs regional 0.4%).

St Albans's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

St Albans's median age is 36 years, nearly matching Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years. This is modestly under the Australian median of 38 years. Relative to Greater Melbourne, St Albans has a higher concentration of 65-74 year-olds at 10.2%, but fewer 35-44 year-olds at 12.7%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 5.8% to 6.8% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 10.7% to 10.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests St Albans's age profile will evolve significantly. The 55 to 64 cohort is projected to grow by 29%, adding 1,326 residents to reach 5,877. In contrast, the 5 to 14 group is expected to contract by 190 residents.