Ashburton (Vic.)
Statistical Area - sa2

Ashburton is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Ashburton Vic's population was 8,489 as of Aug 2025. From 2021 Census figure of 7,952, it reflects an increase of 537 people (6.8%). This growth is inferred from ABS estimate of 8,403 in June 2024 and additional 136 validated addresses since Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,989 persons per square kilometer, placing Ashburton in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessment. Over past decade, Ashburton showed resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 0.5%, outpacing its SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with base year 2022. For areas not covered, they utilise Vic State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation method. Future population projections anticipate lower quartile growth nationally. Ashburton is expected to grow by 319 persons to 2041 based on latest numbers, reflecting a total increase of 2.7% over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Ashburton when compared nationally

Ashburton has recorded approximately 95 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis: 478 homes over the past five years from FY20 to FY25, with 13 approved so far in FY26. The average new resident arrival per new home over these five years is 0.2 per year, indicating that supply meets or exceeds demand. This supports buyer choice and potential population growth above projections.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $871,000, suggesting developers focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY26, commercial approvals totalled $16.3 million, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Ashburton has 112.0% more building activity per person, offering greater buyer choice, although recent periods have seen some moderation in development activity. New development consists of 45.0% detached dwellings and 55.0% medium and high-density housing, providing accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This shift from the area's existing housing (currently 76.0% houses) reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring more diverse, affordable housing options. With around 161 people per approval, Ashburton reflects a developing area.

Looking ahead to 2041, Ashburton is expected to grow by 233 residents. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified nine projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Ashburton Station Accessibility Upgrade, Ashburton Primary School Modernisation, High Street Bus Priority Improvements, and Glen Iris Community Health Hub. The following list details those most relevant:.

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

Employment performance in Ashburton has been broadly consistent with national averages

Ashburton Vic has high educational attainment with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate was 4.5% in June 2021, below Greater Melbourne's 4.6%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.9%. As of June 2025, 4646 residents are employed and unemployment is 0.2% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Dominant sectors include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, education & training.

Professional & technical jobs are particularly notable, at 1.6 times the regional average. Construction, however, is under-represented at 5.3% compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 3.9%, labour force by 3.1%, reducing unemployment by 0.8 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 3.5% with a slight unemployment increase. State-wide in Vic, employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year to Sep-25, adding 39,880 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ashburton's mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.1% over five years and 14.5% over ten years.

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

Ashburton's median taxpayer income was $61,918 and average was $93,828 in financial year 2022. This is exceptionally high nationally, compared to Greater Melbourne's median income of $54,892 and average income of $73,761. As of March 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% would be approximately $68,178 (median) and $103,314 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Ashburton's household, family, and personal incomes ranked highly nationally, between the 79th and 94th percentiles. Income analysis showed that 34.8% of the community earned $4000+ (2,954 individuals), differing from regional patterns where $1,500 - 2,999 dominated with 32.8%. A substantial proportion, 46.5%, earned above $3,000/week, indicating strong economic capacity throughout the suburb. After housing costs, residents retained 86.8% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 9th decile.

Ashburton is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In Ashburton, as per the latest Census data, 76.3% of dwellings were houses while 23.6% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This contrasts with Melbourne metro's figures of 55.5% houses and 44.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ashburton stood at 38.9%, similar to Melbourne metro, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.5% and rented dwellings at 25.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,000, aligning with the Melbourne metro average, while median weekly rent was $455 compared to Melbourne metro's $3,000 and $451 respectively. Nationally, Ashburton's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, recorded in June 2021, with rents substantially above the national figure of $375 as of the same period.

Ashburton features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 77.7% of all households, including 45.5% couples with children, 21.8% couples without children, and 9.5% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 22.3%, with lone person households at 19.8% and group households making up 2.4%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.5.

Ashburton demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Ashburton's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages, with 53.6% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. This significant educational advantage is primarily attributed to bachelor degrees (33.4%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.2%) and graduate diplomas (6.0%). Vocational pathways account for 18.1% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 9.5% and certificates at 8.6%. Educational participation is high, with 32.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.6% in primary, 9.3% in secondary, and 7.6% pursuing tertiary education.

Ashburton's three schools have a combined enrollment of 1,047 students as of the latest data available, with an Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) score of 1154, indicating high levels of educational advantage compared to national averages. The three schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. School places per 100 residents stand at 12.3, lower than the regional average of 19.3, suggesting some students may attend schools outside Ashburton.

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

Transport analysis indicates 30 operational stops in Ashburton offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 8 separate routes, collectively facilitating 3,397 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents generally situated 219 meters from the nearest stop.

Services average 485 trips daily across all routes, translating to approximately 113 weekly trips per individual stop.

Ashburton's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance across Ashburton with low prevalence of common health conditions among the general population. Among older, at-risk cohorts, the prevalence nears the national average. Private health cover is exceptionally high in Ashburton, at approximately 68% of the total population (5,789 people), compared to 77.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 7.6% and 7.0% of residents respectively. 72.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 73.8% across Greater Melbourne. Ashburton has 18.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,544 people), lower than the 19.4% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of the broader population.

Ashburton 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

Ashburton's population, as of the 2016 Census, had 28.8% born overseas and 23.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Ashburton, with 44.3%. Judaism's proportion stood at 0.6%, higher than Greater Melbourne's 0.9%.

Top ancestry groups were English (22.8%), Australian (21.4%), and Chinese (10.0%). Notably, Hungarian (0.6% vs regional 0.3%), Sri Lankan (0.8% vs 0.7%), and Greek (2.7% vs 3.4%) groups had higher representations in Ashburton compared to the region.

Ashburton's median age exceeds the national pattern

Ashburton's median age is 41 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and slightly above Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Ashburton has a notably higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (16.0%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (8.2%). According to the 2021 Census, Ashburton's population shifted with the age group 15-24 growing from 12.8% to 16.0%, while the 65-74 cohort increased from 8.7% to 9.8%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort decreased from 14.7% to 12.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Ashburton's age profile. The 75-84 cohort is expected to grow by 50%, adding 246 residents to reach 741. Residents aged 65 and older are projected to represent 78% of the population growth, while the 55-64 and 0-4 cohorts are anticipated to decline in population.