Alphington - Fairfield

Population growth drivers in Alphington - Fairfield are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Alphington-Fairfield's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, is approximately 9,823 as of February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 829 people (9.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,994. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,688 in June 2024 and an additional 125 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,399 persons per square kilometer, placing Alphington-Fairfield in the upper quartile compared to other Australian locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 9.2% since the 2021 census exceeded that of the SA3 area (8.7%), indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 76.2% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth.

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 uses the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting them employing weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends predict exceptional growth, placing Alphington-Fairfield in the top 10 percent of Australian statistical areas. The area is expected to grow by 4,308 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 42.5% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Alphington - Fairfield recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Alphington-Fairfield saw approximately 41 new homes approved annually. Between FY21 and FY25206 homes were approved, with 13 more approved in FY26 as of the present time. On average, 1.1 people moved to the area per dwelling built over those five years, indicating balanced supply and demand. However, this figure has increased to 8.1 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing demand and tightening supply.

The average construction value for development projects was $513,000, indicative of a focus on premium market developments. This year, there have been $13.8 million in commercial approvals registered, demonstrating steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Alphington-Fairfield has seen elevated construction levels, with 28.0% more approvals per person over the past five years, supporting property values and buyer choice. However, building activity has slowed recently.

Of new buildings approved, 42.0% were detached houses, while 58.0% were medium to high-density housing, reflecting a trend towards denser development. With around 318 people per dwelling approval, the market is showing signs of growth. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Alphington-Fairfield is expected to gain 4,173 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Alphington - Fairfield has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 32ndth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Alphington Village, Paper House Alphington, Samma Place, Ivanhoe, and Fairfield Station Precinct Redevelopment. The following list details those likely most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Alphington - Fairfield has been broadly consistent with national averages

Alphington-Fairfield has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. The unemployment rate was 4.6% in September 2025, aligning with Greater Melbourne's 4.7%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.2%.

As of September 2025, 5,981 residents were employed, with a workforce participation rate of 75.4%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. Census responses indicated that 50.5% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. The area has a strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 5.5% compared to the regional average of 9.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 5.2%, labour force grew by 4.7%, leading to a 0.4 percentage point decrease in unemployment. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.0% and a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment over the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Alphington-Fairfield's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do 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

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Alphington - Fairfield SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $71,409 and an average income of $101,740. These figures are notably high compared to national averages of $57,688 and $75,164 in Greater Melbourne. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $77,300 (median) and $110,134 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Alphington - Fairfield's household, family, and personal incomes rank between the 73rd and 85th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 26.3% of residents (2,583 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 income bracket, which is consistent with broader regional trends showing 32.8% in the same category. Economic strength is evident with 36.7% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 14.2% of income, and residents rank within the 75th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

In Alphington-Fairfield, as per the latest Census evaluation, 51.9% of dwellings were houses while 48.1% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Melbourne metropolitan area's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Alphington-Fairfield was similar to Melbourne metro at 31.5%, with the rest being mortgaged (30.2%) or rented (38.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,200, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure stood at $381, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Alphington-Fairfield's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Alphington - Fairfield features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 60.5% of all households, including 28.8% couples with children, 23.2% couples without children, and 7.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute 39.5%, with lone person households at 33.5% and group households making up 5.9%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Alphington - Fairfield places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Alphington-Fairfield is notably higher than national averages. As of the latest data, 54.8% of residents aged 15 years and above hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 31.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.9%) and graduate diplomas (7.2%). Vocational pathways account for 17.9%, with advanced diplomas at 8.4% and certificates at 9.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.8% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.1% in tertiary education, 8.0% in primary education, and 6.8% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows 61 active transport stops operating within Alphington - Fairfield. These are served by a mix of buses on 10 individual routes, collectively providing 3,102 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 131 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to the area's residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode at 67%, with 13% using train and 8% cycling. Vehicle ownership averages 1.0 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 50.5% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 443 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 50 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

AreaSearch's assessment shows Alphington - Fairfield has excellent health outcomes. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 71% of the total population (7,013 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 10.3 and 8.0% of residents respectively. 70.7% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes for the under-65 population are better than average. The area has 15.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,520 people). Health outcomes among seniors align with national rankings and are broadly in line with the general population.

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

Alphington-Fairfield, as per the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census Data from June 2016, had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas. Overseas-born residents constituted 23.3%, while those speaking languages other than English at home comprised 19.9%. Christianity was the predominant religion, with 37.1% of people adhering to it.

However, Judaism showed an overrepresentation, being 0.3% compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%. The top three ancestry groups were English (23.2%), Australian (20.3%), and Irish (10.9%). Notably, Greeks (5.6%) and Italians (7.4%) were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 2.7% and 5.2%, respectively. Macedonians also showed a slight overrepresentation at 0.9%.

Alphington - Fairfield's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Alphington-Fairfield was 38 years as of the 2021 Census, close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and equivalent to Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Alphington-Fairfield had a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (12.5%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.6%). Between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, the proportion of residents aged 75-84 increased from 3.9% to 5.0%, while the proportions for ages 45-54 decreased from 14.4% to 13.0% and for ages 5-14 dropped from 10.8% to 9.6%. By 2041, Alphington-Fairfield's age composition is expected to shift notably, with the 45-54 age group projected to grow by 55%, reaching 1,982 residents from 1,276.