Brighton East

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

Brighton East's population was approximately 17,485 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 945 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,540. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,261 in June 2024 and an additional 136 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,116 persons per square kilometer, placing Brighton East in the upper quartile relative to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 5.7% since the census is within 2.8 percentage points of the SA4 region (8.5%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration 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 the 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 years 2032 to 2041. According to population projections, Brighton East is expected to experience above median growth nationally, expanding by 2,663 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 13.9% over the 17-year period.

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

Brighton East has seen approximately 153 dwellings granted development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25767 homes were approved, with a further 74 approved in FY-26 as of now. The average population growth per dwelling built over these years has been around 0.3 people annually, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering more buyer choices and supporting potential population growth beyond projections.

The average construction cost value for new dwellings is $581,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26 alone, $6.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting Brighton East's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Brighton East has similar levels of development per capita, maintaining market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas. New development in Brighton East consists of 20% standalone homes and 80% medium to high-density housing. This shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 71% houses) indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and caters to changing lifestyles and demand for more diverse, affordable housing options.

With approximately 156 people per dwelling approval, Brighton East exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. Population forecasts estimate that Brighton East will gain around 2,439 residents by 2041 (based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, presenting good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Brighton East has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 50 projects that could affect the region. Notable projects include Bayside Gallery Building Works, 111 Carpenter Brighton Townhomes, 24 Burrows Street Brighton, and Ormond Station Development (Ormond Place). 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 conditions in Brighton East demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Brighton East has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.7% as of September 2025, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Over the past year, employment stability was relatively high.

As of September 2025, 9,314 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.9% below Greater Melbourne's rate and workforce participation at 67.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. Census data shows that 49.1% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and retail trade sectors. Brighton East has a particularly strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing shows lower representation at 2.6% compared to the regional average of 5.2%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.6%, while employment remained stable, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Brighton East's employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The Brighton East SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $66,255 and an average income of $113,323 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is notably higher than national averages, with Greater Melbourne's median income being $57,688 and average income $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $71,721 (median) and $122,672 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Brighton East rank highly nationally, between the 84th and 94th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 35.0% of residents (6,119 people) earn over $4,000 annually, differing from metropolitan patterns where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates at 32.8%. Economic strength is evident with 46.6% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting increased consumer spending. Housing expenses account for 15.0% of income, and residents' disposable income ranks in the 94th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Brighton East's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 71.0% houses and 29.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Brighton East stood at 42.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.6% and rented ones at 20.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,335, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Brighton East was $602, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Brighton East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Brighton East has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 76.9% of all households, including 41.7% couples with children, 24.5% couples without children, and 10.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 23.1%, with lone person households at 21.1% and group households making up 2.0%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Brighton East demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Brighton East's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 49.6% hold university qualifications, compared to the Australian average of 30.4% and Victoria's average of 33.4%. University qualifications are most common, with 32.9% holding bachelor degrees, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.4%). Vocational pathways account for 20.6%, including advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (9.5%).

Educational participation is high, with 32.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.5% in primary education, 10.5% in secondary education, and 6.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Brighton East has 58 operational public transport stops, serving a mix of lightrail and bus routes. These stops are served by 10 individual routes, collectively facilitating 4,247 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 202 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to the area's residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 86%, while train usage stands at 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 49.1% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 606 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 73 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Brighton East is notably higher than the national average with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Brighton East shows better-than-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are seen at a standard level across both young and old age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high, at approximately 78% of the total population (13,638 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and 55.7% nationally.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 7.0% and 6.4% of residents respectively. 72.5% of residents report being completely free of medical ailments, similar to the 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 20.4% (3,558 people), compared to 14.9% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, broadly in line with national rankings for the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Brighton East was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Brighton East has a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 30.6% of its population born overseas and 21.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Brighton East, comprising 45.1% of people. However, Judaism is significantly overrepresented, making up 9.4% of the population compared to Greater Melbourne's average of 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (23.3%), Australian (20.3%), and Other (10.8%). Notably, Polish (2.4%) and Russian (1.6%) populations in Brighton East exceed regional averages of 0.8% and 0.4%, respectively.

Brighton East hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Brighton East has a median age of 44, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and significantly exceeds the national norm of 38. The age group of 45-54 is strongly represented at 16.1% compared to Greater Melbourne, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 6.3%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15 to 24 has grown from 12.6% to 15.4%, whereas the 5 to 14 age group has declined from 14.7% to 13.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling indicates that Brighton East's age profile will change significantly. The 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow by 18%, adding 496 people to reach a total of 3,310 from the current 2,813. This growth is largely driven by an aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above contributing to 50% of the projected growth. Meanwhile, the 5 to 14 age cohort is expected to decline by 5 people.