Blackburn

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Blackburn's population is around 23,736 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,630 people (7.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 22,106 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 23,471 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 527 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,756 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Blackburn's 7.4% growth since the census positions it within 2.5 percentage points of the national average (9.9%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 96.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Anticipating future population dynamics, a population increase just below the median of national statistical areas is expected, with the area expected to expand by 2,736 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, recording 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 around 162 residential properties granted approval annually, with 810 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 80 so far in FY-26. With an average of only 0.7 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), new construction is matching or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $403,000. There have also been $136.4 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating strong commercial development momentum.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn has 17.0% less new development (per person) while it places among the 77th percentile of areas assessed nationally. New building activity shows 43.0% detached dwellings and 57.0% medium and high-density housing. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing (currently 72.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. At around 149 people per approval, Blackburn reflects a developing area.

Looking ahead, Blackburn is expected to grow by 2,471 residents through to 2041 (from 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

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 34 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include 104 Main Street Blackburn Townhouses, Blackburn Activity Centre, 33 Esdale Street Townhouses, and Whitehorse Housing Target Implementation, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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 showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of 4.3%, and 2.7% estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 13,325 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 0.4% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation is broadly similar to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. Based on Census responses, a high 43.7% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area shows particularly strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, construction is under-represented, with only 6.9% of Blackburn's workforce compared to 9.7% in Greater Melbourne. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 2.7% and the labour force increased by 2.5%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Blackburn. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Blackburn's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.4% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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 FY-23, the Blackburn SA2's median income among taxpayers is $56,752, with an average of $78,656. This is very high nationally, and compares to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $61,434 (median) and $85,145 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Blackburn cluster around the 67th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 28.8% of residents (6,835 people), reflecting patterns seen in the surrounding region where 32.8% similarly occupy this range. A significant 32.8% earn above $3,000 weekly, reflecting pockets of prosperity that drive robust local economic activity. Housing accounts for 14.2% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 72nd percentile for disposable income and 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

Dwelling structure within Blackburn, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 71.6% houses and 28.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Blackburn was well beyond that of Melbourne metro, at 39.8%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (35.3%) or rented (24.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Melbourne metro average at $2,300, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $420, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Blackburn's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 71.1% of all households, comprising 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 of 2.6 people 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

Educational attainment in Blackburn significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 48.1% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in VIC. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead 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+ – advanced diplomas (10.6%) and certificates (11.3%).

Educational participation is notably high, 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

Public transport analysis reveals 126 active transport stops operating within Blackburn, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 23 individual routes, collectively providing 7,519 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 176 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 79%, with 11% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling. A high 43.7% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 1,074 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 59 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

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

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Blackburn, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Younger cohorts in particular see very low prevalence of common health conditions, and the rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 58% of the total population (~13,861 people).

The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 7.2% and 7.1% of residents, respectively, while 72.2% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 18.8% of residents aged 65 and over (4,467 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, though they rank lower nationally than 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 scores highly on cultural diversity, with 34.5% of its population born overseas and 32.4% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Blackburn is Christianity, which makes up 43.3% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Buddhism, which comprises 3.8% of the population, compared to 4.2% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Blackburn are English, comprising 22.0% of the population, Australian, comprising 19.7% of the population, and Chinese, comprising 15.0% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 6.5%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Sri Lankan is notably overrepresented at 0.6% of Blackburn (vs 0.8% regionally), Greek at 2.1% (vs 2.7%) and Korean at 0.6% (vs 0.3%).

Blackburn's population is slightly older than the national pattern

With a median age of 40, Blackburn is somewhat higher than the Greater Melbourne figure of 37 and similarly marginally higher than Australia's 38 years. Compared to the Greater Melbourne average, the 55 - 64 cohort is notably over-represented (12.4% locally), while 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented (11.5%). In the period since 2021, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 12.9% to 14.8% of the population, while the 65 to 74 cohort increased from 8.2% to 9.4%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 12.8% to 11.1%. Demographic modeling suggests Blackburn's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 65 to 74 age cohort is projected to see notable expansion, increasing by 553 people (25%) from 2,226 to 2,780. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 53% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.