Ardeer - Albion

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

Ardeer - Albion's population is around 7,991 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 489 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 7,502 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,955 from the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 123 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,741 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Ardeer - Albion's growth rate of 6.5% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's rate of 2.1%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 81.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises 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 are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking at population projections moving forward, a significant population increase is forecast for the area, expected to expand by 1,699 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 20.8% in total over the 16 years.

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

Ardeer-Albion has seen approximately 47 residential properties approved annually. Between FY21 and FY25238 homes were approved, with a further 29 approved in FY26 to date. The population decline in recent years suggests that the new supply has likely been meeting demand, providing good options for buyers.

The average construction cost of new properties is $253,000, which is below regional levels, indicating more affordable housing choices. This financial year, $15.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Ardeer-Albion shows 106.0% higher construction activity per capita. The building activity has slowed recently, with new developments comprising 22.0% standalone homes and 78.0% medium and high-density housing. This shift from the area's existing housing (currently 64.0% houses) indicates decreasing developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles requiring diverse, affordable housing options. With around 225 people per dwelling approval, Ardeer-Albion is developing as a market.

Future projections estimate an addition of 1,663 residents by 2041, with building activity keeping pace with growth projections despite potential increased competition among buyers as the population grows.

Ardeer - Albion has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 48thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 20 projects that could impact this region. Notable ones include Vietnamese Museum Australia, Sunshine Superhub and Albion Station Upgrade, Sunshine Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre, River Valley. The following list details those likely 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.

Ardeer - Albion shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Albion-Ardeer has an educated workforce with varied sector representation. The unemployment rate was 7.4% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 3.4%. As of December 2025, 4,312 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.7% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation is similar to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 24.8% of residents work from home. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, transport, postal & warehousing, and construction. Albion-Ardeer specializes in transport, postal & warehousing with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level, but has lower representation in professional & technical services at 6.4% compared to the regional average of 10.1%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 3.4% while labour force grew by 4.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.7 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase in employment over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Albion-Ardeer's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 30th 2023 shows Ardeer - Albion SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $50,646 and an average of $57,767. This is below the national average. Greater Melbourne's median was $57,688 with an average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% from July 1st 2023 to March 31st 2026, estimated incomes would be approximately $55,518 (median) and $63,324 (average). Census 2021 income data ranks Ardeer - Albion's household, family, and personal incomes modestly, between the 25th and 29th percentiles. The largest earnings segment is 30.0% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (2,397 residents), consistent with broader regional trends of 32.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 22nd percentile.

Ardeer - Albion displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Ardeer-Albion's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 63.7% houses and 36.4% other dwellings. This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ardeer-Albion was at 28.0%, with the rest mortgaged (29.9%) or rented (42.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,700, below Melbourne metro's average of $2,000 and Australia's average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Ardeer-Albion was $320, lower than Melbourne metro's $390 and the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 59.1% of all households, including 22.2% couples with children, 22.0% couples without children, and 12.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 40.9%, with lone person households at 34.6% and group households comprising 6.3%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

The educational profile of Ardeer - Albion exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's educational profile is distinct regionally, with university qualification rates at 31.2% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA3 area average of 23.9%. This indicates the community's emphasis on higher education, led by bachelor degrees at 19.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.6%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 29.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (11.5%) and certificates (17.7%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 8.7% in primary education, 6.6% in tertiary education, and 5.4% pursuing secondary education.

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

Ardeer-Albion has 34 active public transport stops, all bus services. These are covered by 9 different routes, offering a total of 2887 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically living 208 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards daily. Car remains the primary mode at 75%, while train usage stands at 15%. Average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 0.9, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 24.8% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 412 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 84 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Ardeer - Albion is lower than average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Ardeer Albion faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch through mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is found to be very low at approximately 48% of the total population (~3,851 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (8.1%) and arthritis (7.3%), while 72.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 16.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,316 people), higher than the 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Ardeer - Albion is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Ardeer-Albion, as of 2021 data, has a population where 51.3% speak languages other than English at home and 50.1% were born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, comprising 44.1%. Buddhism's presence is higher here at 6.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (21.9%), English (15.1%), and Australian (13.2%). Polish (2.1%) Vietnamese (8.1%) and Maltese (3.7%) ethnicities are notably overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.8%, 1.9% and 1.1% respectively.

Ardeer - Albion's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Ardeer - Albion's median age is 36 years, nearly matching Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and slightly below Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Ardeer - Albion has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (20.7%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.8%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.6%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of residents aged 75 to 84 has increased from 4.8% to 6.1%, while the proportion of those aged 25 to 34 has decreased from 21.4% to 20.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Ardeer - Albion's age profile. The 55-64 age group is projected to grow by 45%, adding 315 residents to reach a total of 1,010. Meanwhile, the 5-14 age group is expected to grow by a modest 3%, with an increase of 24 people.