Alphington - Fairfield

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Alphington - Fairfield's population is around 9,823 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 829 people (9.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,994 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,688 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 125 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 3,399 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Alphington - Fairfield's 9.2% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (8.7%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 76.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising 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. As we examine future population trends, exceptional growth, placing it in the top 10 percent of Australian statistical areas, is predicted over the period with the area expected to grow by 4,308 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 42.5% in total over the 17 years.

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 has seen around 41 new homes approved each year, with 206 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 17 so far in FY-26. With an average of 1.1 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply and demand appear well-balanced, creating stable market conditions, although recent figures show this has accelerated to 8.1 people per dwelling over the past 2 financial years, suggesting increasing demand and tightening supply. Development projects average $513,000 in construction value, showing that developers are focusing on the premium market with high-end developments. Additionally, $13.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, indicating steady commercial investment activity.

Relative to Greater Melbourne, Alphington - Fairfield records somewhat elevated construction (28.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period), maintaining good buyer choice while supporting existing property values, though building activity has slowed in recent years. New building activity consists of 42.0% detached houses and 58.0% medium and high-density housing. This trend toward denser development provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. With around 318 people per dwelling approval, Alphington - Fairfield shows a developing market.

Looking ahead, Alphington - Fairfield is expected to grow by 4,173 residents through to 2041 (based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 17 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Alphington Village, Paper House Alphington, Samma Place, Ivanhoe, and the Fairfield Station Precinct Redevelopment, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

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

Alphington - Fairfield possesses a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of 4.6%, and 4.9% estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 6,032 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 0.1% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation is fairly standard (76.1% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%). Based on Census responses, a high 50.5% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area shows particularly strong specialization in professional & technical, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 5.5% versus the regional average of 9.7%. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of Census working population to local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 4.9% while the labour force increased by 4.5%, resulting in unemployment falling by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Alphington - Fairfield. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Alphington - Fairfield's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.8% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Alphington - Fairfield SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $71,409 with the average level standing at $101,740. This is exceptionally high nationally and compares to levels of $57,688 and $75,164 across Greater Melbourne respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $77,300 (median) and $110,134 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Alphington - Fairfield, between the 73rd and 85th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 26.3% of residents (2,583 people), consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 32.8% in the same category. Economic strength emerges through 36.7% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 14.2% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 75th percentile for disposable income and 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

Dwelling structure within Alphington - Fairfield, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 51.9% houses and 48.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Alphington - Fairfield was in line with that of Melbourne metro, at 31.5%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (30.2%) or rented (38.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Melbourne metro average at $2,200, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $381, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Alphington - Fairfield's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are exceeding 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 dominate at 60.5% of all households, comprising 28.8% couples with children, 23.2% couples without children, and 7.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 39.5%, with lone person households at 33.5% and group households comprising 5.9% of the total. The median household size of 2.3 people 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 significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 54.8% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in VIC. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 31.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.9%) and graduate diplomas (7.2%). Vocational pathways account for 17.9% of qualifications among those aged 15+ - advanced diplomas (8.4%) and certificates (9.5%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.8% of residents 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 reveals 61 active transport stops operating within Alphington - Fairfield, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 10 individual routes, collectively providing 3,102 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 131 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 67%, with 13% by train and 8% cycling. Vehicle ownership averages 1.0 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A high 50.5% of residents work from home (2021 Census; 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

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Alphington - Fairfield, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 71% of the total population (7,013 people). This compares to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 10.3% and 8.0% of residents, respectively, while 70.7% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 15.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,520 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings 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 was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 23.3% of its population born overseas and 19.9% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Alphington - Fairfield is Christianity, which makes up 37.1% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Judaism, which comprises 0.3% of the population, compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Alphington - Fairfield are English, comprising 23.2% of the population, Australian, comprising 20.3% of the population, and Irish, comprising 10.9% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Greek is notably overrepresented at 5.6% of Alphington - Fairfield (vs 2.7% regionally), Italian at 7.4% (vs 5.2%) and Macedonian at 0.9% (vs 0.7%).

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

The 38-year median age in Alphington - Fairfield is close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and similarly equivalent to the Australian median of 38. Relative to Greater Melbourne, Alphington - Fairfield has a higher concentration of 55 - 64 residents (12.5%) but fewer 5 - 14 year-olds (9.6%). Since the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 3.9% to 5.0% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 14.4% to 13.0% and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 10.8% to 9.6%. By 2041, Alphington - Fairfield is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. Leading the demographic shift, the 45 to 54 group will grow by 55% (705 people), reaching 1,982 from 1,276.