Ardeer - Albion
Statistical Area - sa2

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 approximately 7,931 as of August 2025, marking a rise of 429 people since the 2021 Census figure of 7,502. This increase reflects an estimated resident population of 7,913 in June 2024 and 90 new addresses validated after the Census date. The population density is around 1,727 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Ardeer-Albion's growth of 5.7% since the 2021 census surpasses the SA3 area's 2.2%, indicating its status as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributes approximately 82.3% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses 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 employs VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends project above median growth for national statistical areas, with Ardeer-Albion expected to grow by 1,785 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 22.2% over these 17 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 received approximately 47 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics provides data on a financial year basis: 238 homes approved between FY21 to FY25, with 2 more approved in FY26 so far. Despite population decline, development activity has been sufficient relative to other areas, benefiting buyers due to affordable housing options averaging $334,000. This year has seen $15.1 million in commercial approvals, indicating steady investment activity.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, Ardeer-Albion has 105% more construction activity per capita. New developments consist of 22% standalone homes and 78% attached dwellings, marking a shift from the current 64% houses, likely due to diminishing land availability and changing lifestyle preferences. With around 225 people per dwelling approval, Ardeer-Albion is considered low density. Future projections estimate an increase of 1,762 residents by 2041, with development keeping pace with projected growth but potentially increasing competition for buyers as population expands.

Future projections show Ardeer - Albion adding 1,762 residents by 2041. Development is keeping reasonable pace with projected growth, though buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

Ardeer - Albion has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 26 projects expected to affect the region. Notable initiatives include Vietnamese Museum Australia, LUMA Sunshine North, Luma Sunshine North, and Sunshine Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre. The following list details projects most likely to be relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis reveals Ardeer - Albion recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Albion-Ardeer has an educated workforce with varied sector representation, a 7.1% unemployment rate, and 5.3% employment growth in the past year as of June 2025. There are 4,358 employed residents, with unemployment at 2.4% above Greater Melbourne's 4.6%.

Participation is lower at 58.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key sectors include health care & social assistance, transport, postal & warehousing, and construction. Transport, postal & warehousing has a high share of employment, at 1.8 times the regional level. Professional & technical services have limited presence, with 6.4% compared to the regional 10.1%.

Over June 2024 to June 2025, employment increased by 5.3%, labour force by 5.7%, raising unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw 3.5% employment growth and a 0.5 percentage point rise in unemployment. By September 2025, Victorian employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with the state rate at 4.7%. Nationally, employment grew by 0.26%, with a 4.5% unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Albion-Ardeer's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Ardeer - Albion's median taxpayer income was $47,951 and average income was $55,597 in financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is below the national average of that time. In Greater Melbourne, the median income was $54,892 and average income was $73,761. By March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $52,799 (median) and $61,218 (average), based on a 10.11% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Ardeer - Albion rank modestly, between the 25th and 29th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 30.0% of residents earn $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (2,379 residents), which is consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region at 32.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Ardeer - Albion, with only 81.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 23rd percentile.

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

In Ardeer-Albion, as per the latest Census, dwelling structures were 63.7% houses and 36.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Compared to Melbourne metro's figures of 81.3% houses and 18.7% other dwellings, Ardeer-Albion had a higher proportion of non-household dwellings. Home ownership in Ardeer-Albion was 28.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.9% and rented ones at 42.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,700, aligning with Melbourne metro's average. However, the median weekly rent figure in Ardeer-Albion was $320, lower than Melbourne metro's $346. Nationally, Ardeer-Albion's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially lower than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 59.1 percent of all households, including 22.2 percent couples with children, 22.0 percent couples without children, and 12.4 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 40.9 percent, with lone person households at 34.6 percent and group households comprising 6.3 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.9.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with 31.2% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, exceeding the SA3 area average of 23.9%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.6%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas comprise 11.5% and certificates make up 17.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.7% in primary education, 6.6% in tertiary education, and 5.4% pursuing secondary education. Ardeer - Albion's 4 schools have a combined enrollment of 698 students. The area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1018) with balanced educational opportunities. All 4 schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. School places per 100 residents stand at 8.8, lower than the regional average of 14.3, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Ardeer-Albion has 34 operational public transport stops offering train and bus services. These stops are served by 8 distinct routes, facilitating a total of 3,938 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents residing an average of 208 meters from the nearest stop.

All routes combined offer 562 daily trips on average, equating to around 115 weekly trips per individual stop.

Ardeer - Albion's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Health data shows positive health outcomes for Ardeer - Albion residents. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population but higher than the national average for older, at-risk cohorts.

Private health cover is very low in the area, with approximately 48% of the total population (~3,775 people) having it, compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and arthritis, affecting 8.1% and 7.3% of residents respectively. 72.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 73.5% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 16.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,319 people), lower than the 17.9% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those for the broader 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 has one of the most culturally diverse populations in the country, with 51.3% speaking a language other than English at home and 50.1% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, making up 44.1% of people in Ardeer-Albion. Buddhism, however, comprises only 6.9%, lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 12.5%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other at 21.9%, English at 15.1% (higher than the regional average of 9.9%), and Australian at 13.2%. Notably, Polish is overrepresented at 2.1% compared to the region's 1.1%, Vietnamese at 8.1% versus 15.7%, and Maltese at 3.7% against a regional figure of 4.6%.

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

Ardeer - Albion's median age is nearly 36 years, close to 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 (20.0%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.9%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 35 to 44 has grown from 17.0% to 18.1%, while those aged 75 to 84 have increased from 4.8% to 5.9%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 has decreased from 21.4% to 20.0%. By 2041, demographic projections suggest significant changes in Ardeer - Albion's age profile. The strongest growth is projected for the 45 to 54 cohort, with a 39% increase adding 341 residents to reach 1,218. Meanwhile, the 5 to 14 cohort is expected to grow by a modest 3%, an increase of 18 people.