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 is approximately 17,541 as of February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 1,001 people, a 6.1% rise from the 2021 Census count of 16,540 residents. The growth is inferred from the Australian Bureau of Statistics' estimated resident population of 17,261 in June 2024 and an additional 157 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,126 persons per square kilometer, placing Brighton East in the upper quartile relative to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 6.1% growth since the census is within 2.6 percentage points of the SA4 region's 8.7%, indicating strong population growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth during recent periods in Brighton East.

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 Victoria's State Government Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. According to population projections, Brighton East is expected to experience above median growth nationally, with an increase of 2,663 persons projected by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers. This reflects a total gain of 13.6% 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. Between FY-21 and FY-25767 homes were approved, with a further 74 approved in FY-26 to date. The area is experiencing an average of 0.3 people moving in per dwelling built over the past five financial years (FY-21 to FY-25), suggesting that supply meets or exceeds demand, offering more buyer choices and potential for population growth beyond projections.

New dwellings are being developed at an average expected construction cost value of $581,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, $6.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's predominantly residential nature. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Brighton East has similar development levels per capita, maintaining market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas. New development comprises 20% standalone homes and 80% medium to high-density housing, providing accessible entry options appealing to downsizers, investors, and first-time buyers. This shift from the existing 71% houses indicates decreasing developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles requiring diverse, affordable housing options.

With around 156 people per dwelling approval, Brighton East exhibits low-density characteristics. AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects Brighton East to gain 2,383 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, presenting favorable 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 to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of fifty projects likely to impact the area. 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 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 an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.7% as of September 2025, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.7%. Workforce participation was 66.8%, below Greater Melbourne's 71.0%.

A significant 49.1% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key employment sectors include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Brighton East specializes in professional & technical roles with an employment share 1.6 times the regional average. Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing had lower representation at 2.6% versus the regional average of 5.2%.

Over the year 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 saw employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Brighton East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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 at $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25%, current estimates suggest a median income of approximately $71,721 and an average income of around $122,672 as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Brighton East rank highly nationally, with household, family, and personal incomes all falling between the 84th and 94th percentiles. The $4000+ income bracket dominates with 35.0% of residents (6,139 people), unlike metropolitan patterns where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket is prevalent 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' strong earnings place them in the 94th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it within 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 was 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. The median weekly rent in Brighton East was $602, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Brighton East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,335 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were 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 comprising 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

Educational attainment in Brighton East is notably high, with 49.6% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to the broader Australian average of 30.4% and Victoria's average of 33.4%. This educational advantage is largely driven by bachelor degrees, which account for 32.9% of all qualifications held by residents in this age group. Postgraduate qualifications make up another 12.3%, while graduate diplomas account for 4.4%. Vocational pathways are also significant, with advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates at 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 active public transport stops, comprising lightrail and buses. These stops are served by 10 routes, providing a total of 4,247 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 202 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode at 86%, while trains account for 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling, above 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 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. It has a typical level of common health conditions across both young and old age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 78% of the total population (13,681 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% figure for Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 20.9% (3,671 people), compared to 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average and align 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 had 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 was the predominant religion in Brighton East, accounting for 45.1% of the population. However, Judaism was significantly overrepresented at 9.4%, compared to Greater Melbourne's average of 1.0%.

The top three ancestral groups were English (23.3%), Australian (20.3%), and Other (10.8%). Notably, Polish (2.4% vs regional 0.8%), Russian (1.6% vs 0.4%), and Hungarian (0.5% vs 0.3%) groups were overrepresented in Brighton East.

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 the national norm of 38. The 45-54 age group makes up 15.8% of Brighton East's population, compared to Greater Melbourne's percentage. Meanwhile, the 25-34 cohort represents only 6.2%. According to the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group has increased from 12.6% to 15.7%, while the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 14.7% to 13.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Brighton East's age profile will change significantly. The 45-54 group is projected to grow by 19%, adding 531 people and reaching a total of 3,310 from the current 2,778. The 5-14 group is expected to grow modestly at 1%, with an increase of just 17 residents.