St Helena

An assessment of population growth drivers in St Helena reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Drawing on ABS population revisions for the surrounding region alongside newly verified addresses from AreaSearch since the Census, the suburb of St Helena is projected to have a population of 3,016 by May 2026. This represents a growth of 126 people (4.4%) from the 2,890 people counted in the 2021 Census. This adjustment stems from a resident total of 3,016, calculated by AreaSearch using the June 2025 ABS ERP update and 65 new validated addresses confirmed since the Census. Such population numbers yield a density of 1,839 persons per square kilometer, outstripping the typical density across Australian localities monitored by AreaSearch. The suburb of St Helena's post-census growth of 4.4% lags the broader SA3 region (5.5%) by 1.1 percentage points, indicating competitive local momentum. The primary catalyst for demographic expansion was overseas arrivals, who accounted for roughly 70.0% of the overall population increases in the latest intervals.

For each SA2 territory, AreaSearch uses projections published by the ABS and Geoscience Australia in 2024, anchored to a 2022 baseline. In instances where SA2 areas lack this coverage, projections are sourced from the 2023 VIC State Government Regional/LGA releases, adjusted using a weighted aggregation method to translate LGA growth trends to SA2 divisions. These aggregated growth rates by age bracket are also projected forward for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on these anticipated demographic transitions, the suburb of St Helena is projected to experience top-tier expansion, placing it in the highest 10 percent of all statistical zones analyzed by AreaSearch, with an expected gain of 1,164 residents by 2041 under the aggregated SA2 models, showing an overall rise of 38.6% across the 16 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in St Helena, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

According to building approval figures from the ABS allocated to specific local zones, property development in St Helena has run at an average of roughly 4 residential approvals annually, yielding a total of 22 completed dwellings over the last 5 financial years. Thus far in FY-26, 4 approvals have been registered. With an average of 1.2 new residents per new home arriving between FY-21 and FY-25, residential supply and demand appear closely aligned, yielding stable market conditions, though this has risen to 5.4 people per dwelling over the last 2 financial years, pointing to rising local interest and a possible shortfall in housing. Newly approved homes carry an average construction value of $488,000, showing that builders are targeting the higher-end sector with premium offerings. Furthermore, commercial approvals worth $1.2 million have been registered during this financial year, underscoring the dominant residential character of the neighborhood.

In comparison to the broader Greater Melbourne region, construction activity in St Helena is considerably lower, sitting 78.0% below the metropolitan per-capita average. This limited addition of new inventory generally bolsters demand and values for existing properties, even though development has ticked upward recently. This volume also trails the national benchmark, reflecting the established character of the area and indicating possible zoning constraints. New residential planning consists of 60.0% standalone houses and 40.0% medium and high-density dwellings, showing a broadening selection of medium-density choices to provide options across different price points, ranging from conventional family properties to more economical compact designs. This represents a distinct shift from the current housing stock, which is 84.0% detached houses, pointing to a scarcity of vacant land and adapting to changing lifestyle choices and affordability constraints. With approximately 401 people for every building approval, St Helena displays the traits of a mature property market.

Looking forward, the suburb of St Helena is projected to add 1,164 residents by 2041, based on the latest quarterly calculations from AreaSearch. If construction volumes remain at current levels, the addition of new dwellings may not keep pace with population growth, potentially heightening competition among purchasers and supporting upward pressure on values.

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

Local infrastructure projects, major developments, and urban planning decisions have a significant influence on local performance. In total, AreaSearch has highlighted 5 projects that are expected to influence the neighborhood. Significant initiatives include St Helena Place, the Nillumbik Play Space Renewal Projects, the Watsonia-Eltham Hurstbridge Rail Line Upgrades, and the Nillumbik Waste Management Facility Upgrade, with details provided below for the most significant undertakings.

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

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Employment conditions in St Helena demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

The local workforce is characterized by high levels of education, with professional services representing a major sector, an unemployment rate of only 2.4%, and an estimated job growth rate of 2.9% over the prior year, based on AreaSearch compilations of local data. As of March 2026, there are 1,723 employed local residents, with the local unemployment rate sitting 2.3% below the Greater Melbourne level of 4.8%, while participation in the labor force matches the metropolitan average of 70.2%. Census data reveals that a substantial 33.3% of workers performed their duties from home, though this may reflect temporary pandemic restrictions.

The main industries employing local residents are healthcare & social assistance, construction, and education & training. The suburb exhibits a notable concentration in the construction sector, employing workers at a rate 1.4 times the metropolitan baseline. On the other hand, accommodation & food services is underrepresented, employing 3.9% of the local workforce compared to the metropolitan average of 6.4%. This heavily residential neighborhood seems to provide few local employment options, as shown by the comparison of local workers to resident numbers in the Census.

Based on AreaSearch assessments of SALM and ABS statistics aggregated from surrounding regions, the latest 12-month window experienced a 2.9% rise in employment alongside a 3.3% expansion of the labor force, resulting in a 0.4 percentage point increase in the unemployment rate. In comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 2.1% and the labor force expand by 2.3%, with its unemployment rate increasing by 0.2 percentage points. Employment forecasts issued by Jobs and Skills Australia in May-25 provide additional context on future demand trends in the area. These five and ten-year forecasts have been applied to the local workforce structure to model future growth. While national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, the rate of change varies widely by sector. Applying these industry projections to the local mix suggests employment for residents will grow by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, noting that this is a simple weighted projection for comparison and does not integrate localized population models.

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

According to the latest postcode-level tax data from the ATO for the 2023 financial year, taxpayers in St Helena earn a median income of $61,023 and an average income of $75,433. These figures are high on a national scale, compared to a median of $57,688 and an average of $75,164 across Greater Melbourne. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since the 2023 financial year, current estimates point to a median of roughly $66,893 and an average of $82,690 as of March 2026. According to 2021 Census data, household, family, and individual incomes in St Helena are positioned high nationally, falling between the 70th and 81st percentiles. Income distribution data shows the weekly earnings range of $1,500 - 2,999 contains 28.9% of local residents (representing 871 taxpayers), matching wider trends where 32.8% of the broader region falls into this bracket. Local economic strength is highlighted by the 35.8% of households earning more than $3,000 per week, which supports high consumer demand. Residents retain 89.4% of their income after meeting housing expenses, showing strong disposable funds, and the area is placed in the 8th decile on the SEIFA index.

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

The mix of housing in St Helena at the latest Census consisted of 84.0% standalone houses and 16.0% alternative dwellings such as townhouses, apartments, or other structures, compared to 67.9% houses and 32.1% alternative formats throughout metropolitan Melbourne. Furthermore, home ownership in St Helena was significantly higher than the metropolitan average at 42.8%, with the remaining properties being held under a mortgage (43.4%) or rented (13.9%). The median monthly payment for home loans in the area was higher than the Melbourne metropolitan average at $2,167, whereas the median weekly rent was recorded at $163, compared to metropolitan benchmarks of $2,000 and $390. Across the nation, mortgage outlays in St Helena are notably higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rental costs are significantly lower than the national figure of $375.

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

Families make up the vast majority of households at 78.9%, consisting of 42.3% couples with children, 28.2% couples without children, and 7.9% single-parent households. Non-family households represent the remaining 21.1%, with single-person households at 19.4% and group homes at 0.5% of the total. The median household size of 2.7 people is slightly higher than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in St Helena sits below the wider regional levels, with 32.4% of residents aged 15+ holding a tertiary degree, compared to 41.2% across the SA3 area. This difference points to opportunities for local skills development and further education. Bachelor degrees are the most common qualification at 21.5%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 6.3% and graduate diplomas at 4.6%. Vocational and technical qualifications are common, with 32.0% of the population aged 15+ holding trade credentials, consisting of advanced diplomas at 11.3% and certificates at 20.7%.

Enrolment in education is high, with 28.7% of local residents currently participating in formal study. This comprises 11.0% attending primary school, 7.6% in high school, and 4.6% undertaking tertiary studies.

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

Public transport services include 11 active stops operating within St Helena, consisting of bus services. These locations are served by 4 unique routes, which together accommodate 2,092 passenger journeys weekly. Transport access is classified as highly convenient, with residents living an average of 191 meters from the nearest stop. Given the residential nature of the suburb, most workers commute to other areas, with private vehicles remaining the primary mode of travel at 92%. Dwellings average 1.8 motor vehicles, exceeding the metropolitan average. A significant 33.3% of workers performed their jobs from home, according to the 2021 Census, which may reflect pandemic-related conditions.

Service frequency averages 298 runs per day across all routes, which corresponds to roughly 190 weekly runs for each individual stop.

The level of general health in St Helena is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

St Helena exhibits favorable health profiles, according to AreaSearch indicators for mortality and chronic illness, with common health conditions occurring at low rates across the general community, though tracking higher than the national baseline within older, vulnerable demographics, while private medical insurance coverage is very high at approximately 57% of the population, representing about 1,707 individuals.

The most frequent health diagnoses in the locality were arthritis and mental health conditions, affecting 9.8% and 7.6% of the population respectively, while 67.3% of residents reported having no chronic medical conditions, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Residents under 65 years of age show better health profiles than the national average. Individuals aged 65 and over constitute 24.9% of the population (representing 750 residents), which exceeds the 15.0% proportion in Greater Melbourne. Senior health metrics present some issues, though they compare favorably on a national scale relative to the broader population.

In terms of cultural diversity, St Helena records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Cultural diversity in St Helena aligns closely with the regional average, with 81.6% of residents born in Australia, 91.5% holding citizenship, and 86.7% speaking only English at home. The predominant religious affiliation is Christianity, accounting for 53.5% of residents, compared to 43.0% across Greater Melbourne.

Regarding parental country of birth, the three largest ancestry groups in St Helena are English at 26.2% of the population, which is notably above the regional level of 20.1%, Australian at 23.6%, which is notably above the regional level of 18.4%, and Italian at 9.5%. There are also notable differences in the concentration of other backgrounds: Macedonian accounts for 1.6% of residents (compared to 0.7% in the region), Maltese represents 1.9% (compared to 1.1% regionally), and Hungarian is at 0.4% (compared to 0.3% regionally).

St Helena hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in St Helena is 46 years, which is significantly higher than the Greater Melbourne average of 37 years and the national median of 38 years. Compared to metropolitan Melbourne, the 55 - 64 age bracket is overrepresented at 15.2%, whereas the 25 - 34 age bracket is underrepresented at 6.2%. Since the 2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 75 to 84 has risen from 6.9% to 8.9%, and the 15 to 24 cohort has increased from 11.0% to 12.1%. In contrast, the 25 to 34 age bracket has fallen from 7.5% to 6.2%. Projections for 2041 suggest notable demographic transitions in St Helena, with the 55 to 64 cohort expected to grow by 214 people (47%), rising from 458 to 673.