Surrey Hills

Surrey Hills is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

The estimated population of the suburb of Surrey Hills was around 13,847 as of February 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 192 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,655. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 13,792 in June 2024, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS, and an additional 98 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,125 persons per square kilometer, placing Surrey Hills in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the suburb is expected to have expanded by 777 persons, reflecting an increase of approximately 7.5% over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Surrey Hills had approximately 49 dwelling approvals per year. Between FY21 and FY25, around 245 homes were approved, with 12 more in FY26 by June. The population has declined recently, but development activity has been relatively adequate.

New properties are expected to cost about $1,620,000 on average, indicating a focus on premium segment dwellings. This year, $11.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered.

Detached houses make up 55.0% of new developments, with attached dwellings at 45.0%, offering varied housing options. Surrey Hills has about 356 people per dwelling approval, indicating a developed market. By 2041, AreaSearch estimates Surrey Hills will grow by 1,036 residents. Current construction levels should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially exceeding current forecast growth.

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

Twenty-eight infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include Tunstall Village, 359-365 Canterbury Road Retail Development, 426-430 Canterbury Road Development, and 560-566 Whitehorse Road Development.

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

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Surrey Hills ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Surrey Hills has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate is 2.5%, with estimated employment growth of 2.6% in the past year (AreaSearch data). As of September 2025, 8,261 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 2.1% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

Workforce participation is similar to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. Notably, 51.0% of residents work from home (Census data). Key industries include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Surrey Hills specializes in professional & technical jobs with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level, while construction has limited presence at 5.8%, compared to the regional average of 9.7%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census data on working population vs resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 2.6% while labour force grew by 2.4%, reducing unemployment by 0.3 percentage points (AreaSearch analysis). In Greater Melbourne, employment grew by 3.0%, labour force expanded by 3.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Surrey Hills' employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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

The suburb of Surrey Hills had a median taxpayer income of $63,722 and an average income of $116,893 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This places it in the top percentile nationally, compared to Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. By September 2025, estimates based on an 8.25% Wage Price Index growth suggest a median income of approximately $68,979 and an average income of $126,537 in Surrey Hills. The 2021 Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Surrey Hills rank between the 85th and 90th percentiles nationally. Income distribution indicates that 32.8% of residents (4,541 people) earn over $4,000 per week, contrasting with the surrounding region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket is most common at 32.8%. The suburb exhibits significant affluence, with 44.0% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. Housing accounts for 13.8% of income, and residents rank highly in disposable income, placing them in the 91st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Surrey Hills displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Surrey Hills' dwellings were 67.0% houses and 33.0% other types (semi-detached, apartments, 'other') in the latest Census, compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% others. Home ownership was higher at 42.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.3% and rented at 22.0%. Median monthly mortgage repayments were $3,000, above Melbourne's $2,000 average, and median weekly rent was $462, compared to Melbourne's $390. Nationally, Surrey Hills' mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Surrey Hills has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 74.0% of all households, including 38.9% couples with children, 25.6% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 26.0%, with lone person households at 23.2% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Melbourne average.

Surrey Hills 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 Surrey Hills exceeds broader benchmarks significantly. As of 2016, 55.9% of residents aged 15 years or older held university qualifications, compared to the Australian average of 30.4% and the Victorian average of 33.4%. This high level of educational attainment positions Surrey Hills favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common qualification at 33.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 16.3% and graduate diplomas at 5.9%.

Vocational pathways account for 17.4% of qualifications among those aged 15 years or older, with advanced diplomas making up 9.6% and certificates comprising 7.8%. Educational participation is notably high in Surrey Hills, with 32.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of 2016. This includes 10.3% in secondary education, 8.7% in tertiary education, and 8.6% pursuing primary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Surrey Hills indicates that there are currently 53 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops offer a mix of light rail and bus services. There are 13 individual routes that collectively facilitate 6,053 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport options is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 244 meters from their nearest transport stop. As Surrey Hills is primarily residential, most commuting patterns involve outward travel. The dominant mode of transportation remains the car at 78%, followed by train use at 11% and walking at 4%.

On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling in the area. According to the 2021 Census data, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions, a high proportion of residents, specifically 51.0%, work from home. The service frequency across all routes averages approximately 864 trips per day, equating to roughly 114 weekly trips per individual stop.

Surrey Hills's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Surrey Hills' health outcomes show notable results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 73% of the total population (10,076 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions were asthma and mental health issues, affecting 7.1 and 6.9% of residents respectively. Overall, 73.2% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Surrey Hills has 21.4% of residents aged 65 and over (2,963 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, with national rankings broadly inline with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Surrey Hills was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Surrey Hills had a higher cultural diversity compared to most other local areas, with 27.5% of its population born overseas and 20.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Surrey Hills as of 2016, making up 45.5% of the population. Judaism, however, was notably overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 0.3% of Surrey Hills' population versus 1.0%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups in Surrey Hills were English (25.4%), Australian (20.5%), and Chinese (10.5%). Some ethnic groups showed significant differences: Hungarian was overrepresented at 0.4% compared to 0.3% regionally, Welsh at 0.7% versus 0.4%, and Sri Lankan at 0.5% versus 0.8%.

Surrey Hills's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Surrey Hills is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. The 15-24 age group makes up 16.8% of the population in Surrey Hills, compared to Greater Melbourne. The 25-34 age group, however, is less prevalent at 8.8%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has grown from 14.5% to 16.8%, while the 75-84 cohort has increased from 5.3% to 7.4%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 15.7% to 14.4%, and the 5-14 group has dropped from 12.6% to 11.5%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Surrey Hills. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 43% (439 people), reaching 1,464 from 1,024. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 70% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0-4 and 55-64 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.