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 November 2025, is approximately 23,736. This figure represents an increase of 1,630 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 22,106. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 23,471 as of June 2024 and an additional 528 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 relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area has seen a 7.4% growth since the census, which is within 2.3 percentage points of the national average (9.7%). 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 released in 2023, adjusting using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Blackburn is expected to increase its population by just below the median of national statistical areas by 2041, with an anticipated expansion of 2,736 persons, reflecting a gain of 10.4% in total over the 17 years.

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 were approved. In FY-26 so far, 73 homes have been approved.

The average number of people moving to the area per dwelling built over these five years is approximately 0.7. New construction in Blackburn is matching or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations. The average expected construction cost value for new properties is $403,000. In FY-26, there have been $136.4 million in commercial approvals, indicating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn has 17.0% less new development per person but ranks among the 77th percentile of areas assessed nationally for new building activity.

The breakdown of dwelling types shows 43.0% detached dwellings and 57.0% medium and high-density housing. This shift towards higher-density living creates more affordable entry points, suiting downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This is a notable change from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 72.0% houses. Blackburn reflects a developing area with around 149 people per approval. Looking ahead, Blackburn is expected to grow by approximately 2,471 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. 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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 34 projects likely impacting the region. Notable 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. 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 that date, 13,302 residents were employed. Workforce participation was similar to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. Notably, 43.7% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Leading employment industries in Blackburn are health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

The area specializes particularly in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, construction is under-represented at 6.9% compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. Limited local employment opportunities are suggested by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, 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%, labour force growth of 3.3%, with a rise in unemployment of 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. 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, though this is a simple weighting 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 for financial year 2023 indicates Blackburn SA2's median income among taxpayers is $56,752 and the average is $78,656. Nationally, these figures are 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 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $61,434 (median) and $85,145 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Blackburn cluster around the 67th percentile nationally. The income analysis shows that 28.8% of residents (6,835 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, reflecting patterns seen in the surrounding region where 32.8% occupy this range. Significantly, 32.8% earn above $3,000 weekly, indicating pockets of prosperity that contribute to robust local economic activity. Housing accounts for 14.2% of income, with residents ranking 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

Blackburn's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 71.6% houses and 28.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% 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, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000. The median weekly rent was $420, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Blackburn's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households compose 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 constitute 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 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 is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15+, 48.1% hold university qualifications, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. This educational advantage positions Blackburn favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 29.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%).

Vocational pathways account for 21.9% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.6% and certificates at 11.3%. Educational participation is high, with 31.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 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 accessibility of these stops is rated as excellent; residents typically live within 176 meters of the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 79%, with trains used by 11% of residents. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 43.7% of residents work from home, which may be partially due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 1,074 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 59 weekly trips per stop. A map accompanies this data, 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 results based on AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are low, especially among younger cohorts. Approximately 58% of Blackburn's total population (~13,861 people) has private health cover. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (7.2%) and mental health issues (7.1%), while 72.2% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Blackburn has 18.3% of residents aged 65 and over (4,336 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 14.9%. Senior 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's cultural diversity is notable, 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, accounting for 43.3% of the population. However, Buddhism stands out as overrepresented in Blackburn compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 3.8% versus 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups in Blackburn are English (22.0%), Australian (19.7%), and Chinese (15.0%), with the latter significantly higher than the regional average of 6.5%. Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Sri Lankan is overrepresented 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. Blackburn has an over-representation of the 55-64 age cohort at 12.3%, compared to Greater Melbourne's average. Conversely, those aged 25-34 are under-represented at 11.8%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 12.9% to 14.6% of Blackburn's population, while the 5-14 cohort has declined from 12.8% to 11.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in Blackburn's age profile. The 65-74 age group is expected to expand by 620 people (29%), growing from 2,159 to 2,780. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 55% of total population growth. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 35-44 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.