Blackburn

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

Blackburn's population, as of Feb 2026, is approximately 23,736. This figure represents an increase of 1,630 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 22,106. The growth is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 23,471 in June 2024 and an additional 527 validated new addresses since the Census date. Blackburn's population density stands at 2,756 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. The area's 7.4% growth since census is within 2.5 percentage points of the national average (9.9%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 96.0% of Blackburn's overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 released in 2023, adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Blackburn is projected to increase its population by approximately 2,736 persons based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 10.4% over the 17-year period.

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

Blackburn has recorded approximately 162 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 810 homes have been approved, with an additional 73 approved so far in FY-26. On average, over these five years, only 0.7 people per year moved to the area for each dwelling built, indicating that new construction is matching or outpacing demand.

The average expected construction cost value of new properties is $403,000. This financial year has seen $136.4 million in commercial approvals, suggesting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn has 17.0% less new development per person but ranks among the 77th percentile nationally for assessed areas. The breakdown of new building activity shows 43.0% detached dwellings and 57.0% medium and 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 72.0% houses. Blackburn reflects a developing area with approximately 149 people per approval. Looking ahead, Blackburn is projected to grow by 2,471 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Given 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 impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of 34 projects that could affect the 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 likely to be 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 a highly educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate is 4.1%. Over the past year, estimated employment growth was 3.6%.

As of September 2025, 13,302 residents are in work and the unemployment rate is 0.6% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation is broadly similar to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 43.7% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training.

Blackburn shows strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. However, construction is under-represented, with only 6.9% of Blackburn's workforce compared to 9.7% in Greater Melbourne. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparing working population and resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.6% and labour force increased by 2.9%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.7 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.0%, labour force growth of 3.3%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Blackburn. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Blackburn's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.4% over ten years.

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

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2023, Blackburn SA2's median income among taxpayers is $56,752. The average income is $78,656. Nationally, this is very high compared to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year ended June 2023, current estimates would be approximately $61,434 (median) and $85,145 (average) as of September 2025. From the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes in Blackburn cluster around the 67th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that 28.8% of residents (6,835 people) earn between $1,500 to $2,999 weekly, reflecting patterns seen in the surrounding region where 32.8% similarly occupy this range. A significant 32.8% of Blackburn residents earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 14.2% of income. Strong earnings rank 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

In Blackburn, as per the latest Census evaluation, 71.6% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 28.4% being semi-detached, apartments, or other dwellings. In comparison, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Blackburn's home ownership rate was 39.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.3% and rented ones at 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 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 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, which aligns with 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's educational attainment significantly exceeds broader standards, with 48.1% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to the national average of 30.4% and Victoria's average of 33.4%. This high level of educational attainment positions Blackburn favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 29.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%). Vocational pathways account for 21.9% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas making up 10.6% and certificates 11.3%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.3% in primary, 8.6% in secondary, 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, indicating excellent accessibility. In this predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward using their cars, which remain the dominant mode of transportation at 79%. Train usage stands at 11%, with an average vehicle ownership of 1.2 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 43.7% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

On average, there are 1,074 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 59 weekly trips per individual stop. The map provided displays the locations of the 100 nearest stops to the specified 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 excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are low, especially among younger cohorts who have a very low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is high at approximately 58% of Blackburn's total population (around 13,861 people). The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 7.2 and 7.1% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 72.2%, report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have notably low chronic condition prevalence. Blackburn has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 18.8% (4,467 people) than Greater Melbourne's 15.1%. While health outcomes among seniors are strong, they 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 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 main religion in Blackburn, accounting for 43.3%. Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 3.8% versus 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.0%), Australian (19.7%), and Chinese (15.0%), with Chinese being substantially higher than the regional average of 6.5%. Sri Lankan, Greek, and Korean ethnicities show notable divergences in representation compared to regional averages: Sri Lankan at 0.6% versus 0.8%, 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. The 55-64 age cohort is notably over-represented in Blackburn at 12.4%, compared to the Greater Melbourne average, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 11.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 12.9% to 14.8% of Blackburn's population, while the 65-74 cohort has risen from 8.2% to 9.4%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has declined from 12.8% to 11.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Blackburn's age profile. The 65-74 cohort is expected to expand by 553 people (25%), growing from 2,226 to 2,780. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are projected to account for 53% of total population growth, reflecting Blackburn's aging demographic trend. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 35-44 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.