Altona

Population growth drivers in Altona are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Altona's population was around 14,665 as of February 2026. This reflected an increase of 1,109 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,556. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,233 in June 2024 and an additional 299 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 829 persons per square kilometer, similar to averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Altona had a compound annual growth rate of 1.1%, outpacing its SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 75.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch used VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted employing weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends projected an above median growth for the area, with an expected expansion of 2,090 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 11.3% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Altona among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Altona has received approximately 123 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 616 homes. As of FY-26, 43 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.6 new residents arrive per year for each new home approved between FY-21 and FY-25. The average construction value of these dwellings is $430,000.

In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $145.8 million. Altona's construction rates are similar to Greater Melbourne's on a per person basis. Recent construction comprises 30% standalone homes and 70% townhouses or apartments. This shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 64% houses) indicates decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyle needs. With around 146 people per dwelling approval, Altona is considered a growth area.

By 2041, it is projected to add 1,657 residents based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. Current construction levels are expected to meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling population growth beyond current forecasts.

Altona has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

AreaSearch has identified 23 projects that could impact the area, with key ones being Maidstone Street Level Crossing Removal (Altona), Level Crossing Removal - Maidstone Street Altona, Altona / Racecourse Road Ford Crossing Rebuild, and Altona Pier Redevelopment. The following list provides details on 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 analysis of employment trends sees Altona performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Altona has a well-educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 2.3% as of September 2025, which is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.4%.

There were 8,226 residents employed while the workforce participation rate was on par with Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 40.1% of residents worked from home. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. The area has a high specialization in public administration & safety, employing 1.5 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance employs only 11.3% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 14.2%. The ratio of 0.6 workers per resident indicates a higher-than-average level of employment opportunities locally. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 5.4%, while the labour force grew by 5.8%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Altona's employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.4% 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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Altona SA2 is extremely high nationally. The median income is $67,816 and the average income stands at $83,362. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's figures of a median income of $57,688 and an average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Altona SA2 would be approximately $73,411 (median) and $90,239 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 72nd percentile ($945 weekly), while household income sits at the 56th percentile. Income brackets indicate that 28.5% of the community falls into the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band (4,179 individuals). After housing costs, 85.1% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Altona's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 63.9% houses and 36.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is compared to Melbourne metro's 63.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Altona stood at 38.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.1% and rented ones at 30.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,200, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Altona was $390, matching Melbourne metro's figure. Nationally, Altona's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents exceeded the national average of $375.

Altona features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 67.2% of all households, including 28.7% couples with children, 27.5% couples without children, and 9.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 32.8%, with lone person households at 30.6% and group households making up 2.4% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Altona shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates of 35.5% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and the SA4 region rate of 32.0%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 22.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.1%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 29.8% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas comprise 11.0% and certificates make up 18.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 26.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 6.3% in secondary education, and 4.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Altona has 76 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 10 different routes that collectively facilitate 3,658 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's location to the nearest transport stop is 190 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility in the area. As a predominantly residential region, most residents commute outward. Car remains the primary mode of transportation for 82% of residents, with train use at 10%. On average, there are 1.1 vehicles per dwelling, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 40.1% of Altona's residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 522 trips per day, equating to approximately 48 weekly trips per individual stop.

Altona's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Health outcomes data shows excellent results in Altona, with AreaSearch's assessment revealing low mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, particularly among younger cohorts. Approximately 61% of Altona's total population (8,916 people) has private health cover, compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 7.8% and 7.7% of residents respectively.

69.0% of Altona's residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Under-65 population health outcomes in Altona are better than average. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over (21.1%, or 3,094 people) compared to Greater Melbourne's 15.1%. While health outcomes among seniors in Altona are above average, they rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Altona has a higher level of cultural diversity compared to most other local markets, with 29.2% of its population born overseas and 20.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Altona, making up 49.5% of the population. However, Islam has an overrepresentation in Altona compared to Greater Melbourne, with 2.0% of the population identifying as Muslim compared to 5.6%.

The top three ancestry groups in Altona are English (23.7%), Australian (20.1%), and Irish (8.8%). There are notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Maltese is overrepresented at 4.5% compared to 1.1% regionally, Croatian at 1.3% compared to 0.7%, and Macedonian at 0.9% compared to 0.7%.

Altona's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Altona is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. The 45-54 age group comprises 15.0% of the population, compared to Greater Melbourne's proportion. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort makes up 9.1%, which is less prevalent than in Greater Melbourne. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has increased from 8.2% to 9.9%, while the 75-84 cohort has risen from 6.5% to 7.7%. However, the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 11.6% to 9.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest substantial demographic changes in Altona. Notably, the 55-64 group is projected to grow by 30%, reaching 2,265 people from 1,740. Conversely, the 25-34 and 0-4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.