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 23,859 as of May 2026, showing an increase of 1,753 people since the 2021 Census. The population in 2021 was 22,106. This growth is inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 23,732 in June 2025 and validated new addresses since then. Blackburn's population density was 2,771 persons per square kilometer as of May 2026. The area's 7.9% growth since the Census positions it close to its SA4 region's growth rate of 8.9%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 93.1% of Blackburn's recent population gains.

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 uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Blackburn is expected to gain around 2,652 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of approximately 10.6% over the 16-year period.

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

Blackburn has approved approximately 162 residential properties annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 810 homes were approved, with an additional 95 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, about 0.7 people have moved to the area each year for every dwelling built during these five years.

This suggests that new construction is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current expectations. The average expected construction cost of new properties in Blackburn is around $403,000. In FY-26 alone, there have been approximately $136.4 million worth of commercial approvals, indicating strong momentum in commercial development. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn has seen about 17.0% less new development per person. However, it ranks among the 77th percentile of areas assessed nationally for new building activity.

In terms of housing types, Blackburn's new building activity is composed of approximately 43.0% detached dwellings and 57.0% medium to high-density housing. This shift towards higher-density living creates more affordable entry points, benefiting downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This trend 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 a developing area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Blackburn is projected to grow by about 2,525 residents by 2041. 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.

Blackburn has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of 34 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects 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.

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Employment performance in Blackburn has been broadly consistent with national averages

Blackburn has an educated workforce with professional services well represented, an unemployment rate of 4.3%, and estimated employment growth of 2.7% over the past year. As of December 2025, 13,325 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.4% compared to Greater Melbourne's 4.8%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Melbourne at 69.9%.

Census responses show 43.7% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Major employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Blackburn specializes in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level but has fewer construction jobs at 6.9% compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. Local employment opportunities appear limited as working population is lower than resident population.

Between December 2024 and December 2025, Blackburn's employment levels increased by 2.7%, labour force by 2.5%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 2.4% with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Blackburn's employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows Blackburn SA2's median income among taxpayers is $56,752, with an average of $78,656. Nationally, this is high compared to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimates for March 2026 would be approximately $62,212 (median) and $86,223 (average). The 2021 Census reveals Blackburn's incomes cluster around the 67th percentile nationally. Income analysis shows the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 28.8% of residents (6,871 people), reflecting surrounding regions where 32.8% occupy this range. Significantly, 32.8% earn above $3,000 weekly, indicating prosperity driving local economic activity. Housing accounts for 14.2% of income, with strong earnings ranking residents within 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

The dwelling structure in Blackburn, as per the latest Census, consisted of 71.6% houses and 28.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Blackburn was at 39.8%, with the rest being mortgaged (35.3%) or rented (24.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Blackburn was $2,300, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure in Blackburn was $420, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Blackburn's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Blackburn has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 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 make up the remaining 28.9%, with lone person households at 25.2% and group households comprising 3.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, which matches the Greater Melbourne average.

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 has an educational attainment level significantly higher than national averages. As of a specific date (not specified in the original text), 48.1% of Blackburn residents aged 15 and above held university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. This high educational attainment is largely driven by Bachelor degrees, with 29.9% of residents holding one. Postgraduate qualifications and graduate diplomas account for another 18.2% (13.4% + 4.8%).

Vocational pathways are also well-represented, making up 21.9% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 10.6% and certificates at 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, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 23 different routes that together facilitate 7,519 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's home to the nearest transport stop is 176 meters. Most residents commute outwards from Blackburn. Cars remain the primary mode of transport for 79% of residents, while 11% use trains. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 43.7% of residents work from home, which may be partly due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes is an average of 1,074 trips per day, equating to approximately 59 weekly trips per individual stop. A map accompanies the report, showing the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Blackburn's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Blackburn's health outcomes show notable success, with AreaSearch finding low mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, especially among younger residents.

Approximately 58% (~13,933 people) have private health cover. Common conditions include asthma (7.2%) and mental health issues (7.1%), while 72.2% report no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Blackburn has 18.5% of residents aged 65 and over (4,416 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Seniors' health outcomes are strong but rank lower nationally compared to the broader population.

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 has a high cultural diversity, with 34.5% of its population born overseas and 32.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Blackburn, comprising 43.3% of people. Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 3.8% of Blackburn's population versus 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.0%), Australian (19.7%), and Chinese (15.0%), the latter being substantially higher than the regional average of 6.5%. Some ethnic groups have notable divergences in representation: Sri Lankan is at 0.6% compared to 0.8% regionally, Greek at 2.1% versus 2.7%, and Korean at 0.6% versus 0.3%.

Blackburn's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Blackburn has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's median age of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn has a notably higher proportion of people aged 55-64 (12.2%) but a lower proportion of those aged 25-34 (12.3%). Between 2021 and the present, the population aged 15-24 increased from 12.9% to 14.8%, while the 5-14 age group decreased from 12.8% to 10.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Blackburn's age profile. The 65-74 age cohort is projected to expand by 25% from 2,175 to 2,721 people. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 52% of total population growth. Conversely, the 0-4 and 35-44 cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.