Blackburn

Blackburn has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Blackburn's population was approximately 23,723 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,617 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 22,106. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates: Blackburn had an estimated resident population of 23,471 as of June 2024 and gained 528 validated new addresses after the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,755 persons per square kilometer, placing Blackburn in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessment. Blackburn's 7.3% growth since the census is close to the SA4 region's 8.3%, indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 96.0% 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 the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting using a weighted aggregation method to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Blackburn is expected to increase by approximately 2,736 persons based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of around 10.5% over the 17-year period.

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

Blackburn has granted approximately 162 residential properties approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 810 homes were approved, with a further 67 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, about 0.7 people have moved to the area per dwelling built over these years.

This indicates that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current expectations. The average expected construction cost of new properties is approximately $403,000. In FY-26, there have been around $136.4 million in commercial approvals, suggesting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn has seen 17.0% less new development per person but ranks among the 77th percentile of areas assessed nationally for new building activity. The types of dwellings approved show a shift towards higher-density housing.

Around 43.0% are detached dwellings, while medium and high-density housing makes up approximately 57.0%. This focus on denser living creates more affordable entry points, appealing to downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a notable change from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently around 72.0% houses. With approximately 149 people per approval, Blackburn reflects an area experiencing development growth. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Blackburn is expected to grow by about 2,484 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.

Blackburn has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 34 projects that may impact this region. Notable initiatives include 104 Main Street Blackburn Townhouses, Blackburn Activity Centre, 33 Esdale Street Townhouses, and Whitehorse Housing Target Implementation. The following list details 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.

Employment performance in Blackburn has been broadly consistent with national averages

Blackburn has an educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate was 4.1% in September 2025, below Greater Melbourne's 4.7%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.6%. As of September 2025, 13,302 residents were employed with a workforce participation rate similar to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading industries included health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Blackburn showed strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

However, construction was under-represented at 6.9% compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Blackburn's employment levels increased by 3.6%, labour force grew by 2.9%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.0% with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. Statewide, Victoria showed employment growth of 1.13% year-on-year to 25-November-2025, adding 41,950 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, slightly above the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia projected a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Blackburn's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Blackburn SA2 had a median income of $54,699 and an average income of $79,417. These figures are high compared to national averages and Greater Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $61,350 (median) and $89,074 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census reveals Blackburn's household, family, and personal incomes cluster around the 67th percentile nationally. Income analysis indicates that 28.8% of residents earn between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (6,832 people), with a significant 32.8% earning above $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 14.2% of income, and strong earnings place Blackburn's residents in the 72nd percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Blackburn is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Blackburn's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, comprised 71.6% houses and 28.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 60.2% houses and 39.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Blackburn stood at 39.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.3% and rented ones at 24.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,300, aligning with Melbourne metro's average. Median weekly rent was $420, compared to Melbourne metro's $412. Nationally, Blackburn's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,300 versus the Australian average of $1,863. Rents in Blackburn were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Blackburn has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 71.1% of all households, including 36.7% couples with children, 24.4% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 28.9%, with lone person households at 25.2% and group households comprising 3.6%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.5.

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

Blackburn's educational attainment significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 48.1% of residents aged 15 years and above hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's national average of 30.4% and Victoria's (VIC) rate of 33.4%. This high level of educational attainment positions Blackburn strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 29.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 13.4% and graduate diplomas at 4.8%.

Vocational pathways account for 21.9% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and above, with advanced diplomas comprising 10.6% and certificates making up 11.3%. Educational participation is notably high in Blackburn, with 31.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.3% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 7.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Blackburn has 126 active public transport stops. These are served by 21 different routes offering a total of 10,551 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 176 meters.

On average, there are 1,507 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 83 weekly trips per individual stop.

Blackburn's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Blackburn. Both young and old age cohorts experienced low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover was found to be exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population (14,091 people), compared to 56.0% across Greater Melbourne. The most common medical conditions in the area were asthma and mental health issues, impacting 7.2 and 7.1% of residents respectively, while 72.2% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 73.9% across Greater Melbourne. As of 2021, the area had 18.3% of residents aged 65 and over (4,334 people). Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Blackburn 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

Blackburn's population shows high cultural diversity, with 34.5% born overseas and 32.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Blackburn, accounting for 43.3% of its population. Buddhism is notably overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 3.8% versus 6.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.0%), Australian (19.7%), and Chinese (15.0%), with the latter being lower than the regional average of 22.0%. Some ethnic groups have notable divergences in representation: Sri Lankan is overrepresented at 0.6% versus 0.8%, Greek at 2.1% versus 3.0%, and Korean at 0.6% versus 0.7%.

Blackburn's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Blackburn has a median age of 40, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's figure of 38. The 55-64 age cohort is notably over-represented in Blackburn at 12.3%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 11.8%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 12.9% to 14.6% of Blackburn's population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age cohort has declined from 12.8% to 11.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Blackburn's age profile. The 65 to 74 age group is projected to expand by 621 people (29%), from 2,158 to 2,780. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 55% of total population growth. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.