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 is 11,087 as of May 2026. This figure shows an increase of 148 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 10,939. The rise is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data and validated new addresses. The population density is 3,079 persons per square kilometer, placing Blackburn South in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. Overseas migration primarily drove recent population growth in the area.

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 VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Blackburn South is expected to grow by 445 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 3.9%.

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

Blackburn South has granted approximately 44 residential property approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 224 homes. As of FY-26, 26 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 at an average construction cost value of $514,000. This financial year, Blackburn South has registered $2.2 million in commercial approvals, reflecting its residential nature.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, Blackburn South records significantly lower building activity (53.0% below regional average per person), which typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. New building activity comprises 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 430 residents by 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 very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Fourteen projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. Notable projects 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 considered most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Blackburn South has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Blackburn South has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 5.5% in December 2024, with estimated employment growth of 1.5%. As of December 2025, the unemployment rate is 6.5%, 0.7% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation is lower at 65.2%. A significant 39.6% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training, with a notable concentration in the latter at 1.3 times the regional average. Construction is under-represented, at 7.9% compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%.

Local employment opportunities appear limited based on Census data. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 1.5%, labour force by 2.3%, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 2.4% and a 0.3 percentage point unemployment increase. 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 employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

Blackburn South SA2's median income among taxpayers was $56,741, and average income stood at $78,595 in the financial year 2023. These figures were higher than Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164 for the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated median income would be approximately $62,199 and average income would be around $86,156 as of March 2026. According to census data, Blackburn South SA2's household income ranked at the 56th percentile ($1,861 weekly), while personal income was at the 39th percentile. Income analysis showed that 28.8% of the population (3,193 individuals) fell within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region where 32.8% were in the same category. High housing costs consumed 15.5% of income, but strong earnings placed disposable income at the 58th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it 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, had 75.7% houses and 24.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Blackburn South was at 39.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.9% and rented ones at 24.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,251, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Blackburn South was $410, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Blackburn South's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Blackburn South has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical 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 comprise the remaining 29.3%, with lone person households at 26.1% and group households making up 3.3%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Melbourne average.

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

Blackburn South's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15+, 42.6% hold 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% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary, 8.2% in secondary, and 6.7% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is moderate 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 1,916 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents on average being located 225 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents in this predominantly residential area commute outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 84% of residents, while train use stands at 7%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a significant 39.6% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 273 trips per day across all routes, translating to roughly 40 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Blackburn South is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Blackburn South exhibits superior health outcomes as per AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

The prevalence of common health conditions is low among its general population but exceeds the national average for older, at-risk cohorts. Approximately 58% (~6,474 people) of Blackburn South residents have private health cover, a notably high rate. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (7.4%) and mental health issues (7.3%), while 70.1% claim to be free from medical ailments, compared to Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. Working-age residents show low chronic condition prevalence. Blackburn South has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 21.2% (2,347 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally 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 level of 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, comprising 44.0% of the population. Buddhism makes up 5.4% of Blackburn South's population, which is higher than the Greater Melbourne average of 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups in Blackburn South are English (19.3%), Australian (18.1%), and Chinese (17.9%). This last figure is significantly higher than the regional average of 6.5%. Some other ethnic groups also show notable differences: Sri Lankan at 0.9% versus the regional average of 0.8%, Greek at 3.9% compared to 2.7%, and Vietnamese at 1.3% against a regional average of 1.9%.

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 also older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The percentage of people aged 85 and above in Blackburn South is 4.2%, compared to the figure for Greater Melbourne. However, the 25-34 age group is less prevalent at 10.4%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the population of people aged 35 to 44 has increased from 13.2% to 14.2%. Conversely, the percentage of people aged 45 to 54 has declined from 14.4% to 12.8%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Blackburn South. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 16%, reaching a total of 1,646 people from 1,424. Notably, the combined population of people aged 65 and above will account for 56% of the total population growth in Blackburn South, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the populations of people aged 15-24 and 0-4 are expected to decline.