Blackburn South

Blackburn South is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Blackburn South's population was 10,939 as of the 2021 Census. By Nov 2025, it had increased to around 11,074, a rise of 135 people (1.2%). This growth is inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 11,079 in June 2024 and 35 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was 3,076 persons per square kilometer, placing Blackburn South in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessment. Overseas migration was the primary driver of this growth.

AreaSearch is using 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 via weighted aggregation to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Blackburn South is expected to grow by 424 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 3.9% over the 17-year period, based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Blackburn South according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Blackburn South has recorded approximately 44 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling 224 homes. As of FY-26, 11 approvals have been recorded. The population decline in recent years suggests that new supply has likely kept pace with demand, offering buyers good choice while developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties averaging $514,000 in construction cost value. This financial year, $2.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating the area's residential nature.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn South records significantly lower building activity, 53.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. The new building activity comprises approximately 73.0% standalone homes and 27.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character focused on family homes. Blackburn South reflects a low density area with around 304 people per approval.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Blackburn South is projected to grow by 429 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Fourteen projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. Key initiatives include Mirrabooka Reserve Pavilion Redevelopment, Wurundjeri Walk Master Plan, Raleigh Street Road Reconstruction Renewal Program, and Blackburn South Exclusive Townhouse Collection. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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Blackburn South has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Blackburn South has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 5.1% as of September 2024, with an estimated employment growth of 2.6%.

As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 5.1%, which is 0.4% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation in Blackburn South is 60.3%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Employment in education & training is particularly notable, at 1.3 times the regional average.

However, construction employment is under-represented, with only 7.9% of Blackburn South's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 2.6%, while labour force grew by 2.4%, reducing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a corresponding rise in unemployment. State-wide, Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year to November 25, adding 41,950 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Blackburn South's industry mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

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

Blackburn South SA2 had one of Australia's highest incomes according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. For financial year 2022, Blackburn South's median taxpayer income was $54,679 and average income was $79,321. Greater Melbourne's figures were $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $61,328 (median) and $88,966 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16%. Census data showed household income ranked at the 56th percentile ($1,861 weekly), with personal income at the 39th percentile. Income analysis revealed that 28.8% of Blackburn South's population (3,189 individuals) fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, similar to surrounding regions' 32.8%. High housing costs consumed 15.5% of income, but strong earnings placed disposable income at the 58th percentile. Blackburn South's SEIFA income ranking was in the 8th decile.

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

Blackburn South's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 75.7% houses and 24.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 60.2% houses and 39.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Blackburn South stood at 39.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.9% and rented ones at 24.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,251, lower than Melbourne metro's average of $2,300. The median weekly rent in Blackburn South was $410, slightly higher than Melbourne metro's figure of $412. Nationally, Blackburn South's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 70.7% of all households, including 37.7% couples with children, 22.0% couples without children, and 9.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 29.3%, with lone person households at 26.1% and group households comprising 3.3%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.5.

Blackburn South shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Blackburn South has a higher educational attainment than the national average. Among residents aged 15 and above, 42.6% have university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 26.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational pathways account for 23.7% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates at 12.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 6.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Blackburn South has 47 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 11 different routes that together facilitate 2,430 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents on average located 225 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 347 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to approximately 51 weekly trips per individual stop.

Blackburn South's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Blackburn South's health metrics closely align with national benchmarks. The prevalence of common health conditions among its general population is somewhat typical but higher than the national average among older cohorts.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population (6,577 people), compared to 56.0% across Greater Melbourne. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 7.4% and 7.3% of residents respectively. Conversely, 70.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 73.9% in Greater Melbourne. Blackburn South has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 21.2% (2,349 people), compared to 17.7% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges requiring more attention than the broader population.

Blackburn South is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Blackburn South has a high cultural diversity, with 38.0% of its population born overseas and 37.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Blackburn South, making up 44.0% of people there, compared to Greater Melbourne's overall figure of 59.2% as of June 2018 (Australian Bureau of Statistics). Buddhism, however, is more prevalent in Blackburn South at 5.4%, compared to the regional average of 6.0%.

The top three ancestry groups in Blackburn South are English at 19.3%, Australian at 18.1%, and Chinese at 17.9%. Notably, Sri Lankan, Greek, and Vietnamese ethnicities have higher representations in Blackburn South than in Greater Melbourne: Sri Lankan at 0.9% vs 0.8%, Greek at 3.9% vs 3.0%, and Vietnamese at 1.3% vs 1.2%.

Blackburn South's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Blackburn South is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 75-84 age group constitutes 7.5% of the population in Blackburn South, compared to a lower prevalence of the 25-34 cohort at 9.9%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 13.2% to 14.3%, while the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 14.4% to 13.1%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes in Blackburn South. The 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow by 14%, adding 203 people and reaching a total of 1,650 from the current 1,446. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 59% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.