St Albans (Vic.)

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

The population of the suburb of St Albans (Vic.) is estimated at around 38,796 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 754 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 38,042. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 38,725 in June 2025 and an additional 385 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,023 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, St Albans has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.1%, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 89.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises 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. Anticipating future population dynamics, an above median population growth is projected, with the suburb expected to expand by 6,100 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 15.5% in total over the 16 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 based on AreaSearch analysis. Between FY21 and FY25, around 697 homes were approved, with an additional 69 in FY26 to date. The population decline in recent years has been accompanied by adequate development activity relative to population changes, benefiting buyers.

New properties are constructed at an average cost of $314,000, comparable to broader regional development. Commercial approvals totalled $122.9 million in FY26. Compared to Greater Melbourne, St Albans has a 21.0% higher construction rate per person over the past five years, offering good buyer choice while supporting property values. However, this is below the national average, suggesting planning constraints and area maturity. New development consists of 22.0% detached houses and 78.0% attached dwellings, favouring higher-density living for affordability and suitability for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This marks a shift from the current 75.0% house dominance, potentially due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences.

The density market in St Albans is low, with approximately 342 people per dwelling approval. Future projections estimate an addition of 6,029 residents by 2041. Existing development levels appear 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 to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 36 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include St Albans Activity Centre Precinct Structure Plan, Sunshine Energy Park, Sunshine Health, Wellbeing and Education Precinct, Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre. The following details those most 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 was 58.3%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. Only 13.3% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and transport, postal & warehousing, with a strong specialization in the latter (2.1 times the regional level). Professional & technical employment was limited at 4.6%, compared to the regional level of 10.1%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. In the 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 2.8% and labour force by 4.2%, resulting in a 1.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. This compares to Greater Melbourne, where employment grew by 2.4%, labour force expanded by 2.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to St Albans' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.3% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

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 ending June 2023 shows median income in St Albans is $42,109, with average income at $47,865. This is lower than Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Using Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year ending June 2023, estimated median income as of March 2026 would be approximately $46,160, with average income around $52,470. Census data from 2021 indicates household, family and personal incomes in St Albans fall between the 3rd and 13th percentiles nationally. Income brackets show that 28.7% of locals (11,134 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, similar to Melbourne's metropolitan region at 32.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in St Albans, with only 82.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 13th percentile nationally.

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

In St Albans, as per the latest Census evaluation, 74.7% of dwellings were houses while 25.3% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Melbourne metro's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Albans stood at 36.4%, with the remainder under mortgage (25.7%) or rental agreements (37.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,500, lower than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure for St Albans was recorded at $325, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, St Albans' median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while 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 account for 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, which is 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 prominent, with 26.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 16.4%. Educational participation is 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 transport in St Albans indicates there are 133 active transport stops operating within the area, consisting solely of bus stops. These stops are served by 12 individual routes, collectively facilitating 5,299 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is rated as good, with residents typically situated 221 meters from their nearest transport stop. As a predominantly residential region, most residents commute outward. Car remains the primary mode of transportation at 79%, while train usage accounts for 14%. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 13.3% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 757 trips per day across all routes, equating to roughly 39 weekly trips per individual stop. A map accompanies this data, illustrating the 100 nearest stops to the location'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 shows St Albans residents have positive health outcomes, aligning with national benchmarks for mortality rates and health conditions. Common health conditions are low among the general population but higher among older, at-risk cohorts. Private health cover is low, at approximately 46% of the total population (~17,795 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 56.7% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (6.5%) and diabetes (6.4%). 74.2% of residents report 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 (19.4%, or 7,526 people) than Greater Melbourne (15.0%). Health outcomes among seniors present 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 culturally diverse population, with 64.2% born overseas and 76.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion, comprising 45.6%. Buddhism is overrepresented at 17.5%, higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 4.2%.

The top ancestry groups are Vietnamese (25.2%), Other (20.7%), and Australian (7.7%). Notably, Maltese (4.3%) Croatian (2.4%) and Serbian (1.4%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages.

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 and slightly below Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, St Albans has a higher percentage of residents aged 65-74 (9.8%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (12.8%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 5.8% to 6.7% of the population, while the 5 to 14 cohort has decreased from 10.7% to 9.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests St Albans's age profile will change significantly. The 55 to 64 cohort is projected to grow by 30%, adding 1,318 residents to reach 5,702. Conversely, the 5 to 14 group is expected to decrease by 160 residents.