Armadale
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Armadale's population is approximately 10,071 as of August 2025. This represents an increase of 735 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 9,336. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses between June 2024 and the Census date. Armadale's population density stands at 4,619 persons per square kilometer, placing it within the top 10% nationally. Between the Census and August 2025, Armadale's population growth rate is approximately 7.9%, close to the national average of 8.6%. Overseas migration contributed about 92.3% of this growth.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by these data, AreaSearch employs Victorian government projections from 2023, adjusted using a weighted aggregation method to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas until 2041. Based on these projections, Armadale's population is expected to increase by approximately 229 persons by 2041, reflecting a total growth of about 1.5% over the 17 years.

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

Armadale has averaged approximately 57 new dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, there were 285 home approvals, with one so far in FY26. Armadale's population has declined recently, suggesting that new supply has likely kept pace with demand, offering buyers good choice.

The average expected construction cost of new properties is $1,504,000, indicating a focus on the premium market by developers. In the current financial year, there have been $44.3 million in commercial approvals, reflecting high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Armadale records roughly half the building activity per person and ranks among the 66th percentile of areas assessed nationally. Recent construction comprises 6.0% detached houses and 94.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from existing housing patterns (currently 26.0% houses). This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

With around 297 people per dwelling approval, Armadale shows a developing market. Looking ahead, Armadale is expected to grow by 155 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Armadale has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects expected to influence the area. Notable ones are Amara Armadale, Heirloom Armadale, Mercer Armadale, and Malvern Gardens. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Armadale demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Armadale has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 2.9%, lower than the Greater Melbourne average of 4.6%.

In June 2025, 6,552 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8% below Greater Melbourne's rate. Workforce participation is standard at 68.6%. Dominant employment sectors include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Armadale specializes in professional & technical jobs, exceeding the regional average by 1.8 times.

Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 5.3% compared to the regional average of 9.7%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.7, indicating ample local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 6.5%, while labour force grew by 7.0%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, slightly higher than the national average of 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Armadale's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.4% over five years and 14.9% over ten years.

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 ending June 2022 shows median income in Armadale at $74,816 and average income at $137,272. This compares to Greater Melbourne's median income of $54,892 and average income of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% from July 2022 to March 2025, estimated current incomes would be approximately $82,380 (median) and $151,150 (average). The 2021 Census indicates individual earnings in Armadale are at the 96th percentile nationally ($1,361 weekly). Income brackets show that 28.8% of locals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, aligning with the regional trend where this cohort represents 32.8%. Notably, 37.7% earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 14.8% of income, and residents rank within the 79th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Armadale features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Armadale's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 25.5% houses and 74.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 16.9% houses and 83.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Armadale stood at 30.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.7% and rented ones at 45.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,479, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,287. The median weekly rent in Armadale was $421, slightly above Melbourne metro's figure of $425. Nationally, Armadale's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Armadale features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 54.4% of all households, including 18.7% couples with children, 27.5% couples without children, and 7.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 45.6%, with lone person households at 39.6% and group households comprising 5.9%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 1.9.

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

Armadale has a significantly higher proportion of residents aged 15 and above with university qualifications compared to national and state averages. Specifically, 61.1% of Armadale's residents hold such qualifications, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and Victoria's average of 33.4%. This indicates a substantial educational advantage for the area, positioning it well for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 39.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.9%) and graduate diplomas (5.1%).

Vocational pathways account for 17.1% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 10.0% and certificates 7.1%. Educational participation is notably high in Armadale, with 25.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.1% in tertiary education, 6.2% in primary education, and 5.4% pursuing secondary education. The five schools in Armadale have a combined enrollment of 1,168 students. Armadale's schools demonstrate exceptional educational performance, with an ICSEA score of 1177, placing them among the most advantaged nationally. The educational mix includes one primary school and four K-12 schools. Note that for schools showing 'n/a' in enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 66 active transport stops operating within Armadale. These comprise a mix of train, light rail, and bus services. Eight individual routes serve these stops, collectively providing 6561 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 136 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 937 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 99 weekly trips per individual stop.

Armadale's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Armadale with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover found to be exceptionally high at approximately 83% of the total population (8,379 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.7 and 7.3% of residents respectively. A total of 73.3% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, matching the figure across Greater Melbourne. As of September 2021, 20.7% of Armadale's population is aged 65 and over (2,088 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 16.3%. Health outcomes among seniors in Armadale are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Armadale was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Armadale, surveyed in 2016, had a higher proportion of residents speaking languages other than English at home, with 19.7%, compared to the majority of local markets. Overseas-born individuals made up 30.0% of Armadale's population. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 41.4%.

Judaism, however, had a higher representation in Armadale at 7.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 5.1%. The top three ancestry groups were English (25.0%), Australian (19.2%), and Other (10.3%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Polish residents made up 2.4% versus the regional average of 1.9%, Russian was also at 0.9%, matching regionally, while Hungarian stood at 0.5%.

Armadale's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Armadale is close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years, which is also equivalent to Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Armadale has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (20.7%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (7.4%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of Armadale's population aged 75 to 84 has increased from 7.2% to 8.8%, while those aged 15 to 24 have risen from 10.6% to 11.9%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 45 to 54 has decreased from 12.6% to 11.4%. By 2041, Armadale's age composition is expected to shift significantly. The number of residents aged 85 and above is projected to grow by 101%, reaching 614 from the current figure of 306. This growth will be driven primarily by an aging population, with those aged 65 and above comprising 87% of the projected growth. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for residents aged 55-64 and those under the age of 5.