Brighton East

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Brighton East's population is around 17,541 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,001 people (6.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,540 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,261 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 157 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 3,126 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Brighton East's 6.1% growth since the census positions it within 2.6 percentage points of the SA4 region (8.7%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of 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. Looking at population projections moving forward, an above-median population growth of statistical areas across the nation is projected, with the area expected to expand by 2,663 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 13.6% in total over the 17 years.

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

Brighton East has experienced around 153 dwellings receiving development approval per year, with 767 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 79 so far in FY-26. With an average of only 0.3 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply is meeting or surpassing demand, providing greater buyer choice and supporting potential for population growth above projections. New dwellings are developed at an average construction cost of $581,000, revealing that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. Additionally, $6.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, demonstrating the area's primarily residential nature.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, Brighton East has similar development levels (per person), preserving market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas. New development consists of 20.0% standalone homes and 80.0% medium and high-density housing. This trend toward denser development provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing (currently 71.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. With around 156 people per dwelling approval, Brighton East shows characteristics of a low density area.

Population forecasts indicate Brighton East will gain 2,383 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.

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

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 50 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Bayside Gallery Building Works, 111 Carpenter Brighton Townhomes, 24 Burrows Street Brighton, and Ormond Station Development (Ormond Place), 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 conditions in Brighton East demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Brighton East features a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of just 2.6%, and relative employment stability over the past year. As of December 2025, 9,279 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 2.1% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation is somewhat below standard (66.5% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%). Based on Census responses, a high 49.1% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. The area shows particularly strong specialization in professional & technical, with an employment share of 1.6 times the regional level. Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing shows lower representation at 2.6% versus the regional average of 5.2%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.3% while employment declined by 0.4%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Brighton East. 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 Brighton East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.2% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

The Brighton East SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $66,255 and an average of $113,323 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is exceptionally high nationally, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $71,721 (median) and $122,672 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Brighton East, between the 84th and 94th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows the $4000+ bracket dominates with 35.0% of residents (6,139 people), differing from patterns across the metropolitan region where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 32.8%. Economic strength emerges through 46.6% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 15.0% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 94th percentile for disposable income and 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

Dwelling structure within Brighton East, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 71.0% houses and 29.1% 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 Brighton East was well beyond that of Melbourne metro, at 42.5%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (36.6%) or rented (20.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Melbourne metro average at $3,335, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $602, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Brighton East's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 76.9% of all households, comprising 41.7% couples with children, 24.5% couples without children, and 10.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 23.1%, with lone person households at 21.1% and group households comprising 2.0% of the total. The median household size of 2.7 people is 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 significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 49.6% 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 32.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.4%). Vocational pathways account for 20.6% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (9.5%).

Educational participation is notably 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

Public transport analysis reveals 58 active transport stops operating within Brighton East, comprising a mix of light rail and buses. These stops are serviced by 10 individual routes, collectively providing 4,247 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 202 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 86%, with 6% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. A high 49.1% of residents work from home (2021 Census; 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 demonstrates above-average health outcomes, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. A fairly standard level of common health conditions is seen across both young and old age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 78% of the total population (13,681 people). This compares to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.0% and 6.4% of residents, respectively, while 72.5% 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 20.9% of residents aged 65 and over (3,671 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with 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 is more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 30.6% of its population born overseas and 21.6% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Brighton East is Christianity, which makes up 45.1% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 9.4% of the population, substantially higher than the Greater Melbourne average of 1.0%.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Brighton East are English, comprising 23.3% of the population, Australian, comprising 20.3% of the population, and Other, comprising 10.8% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Polish is notably overrepresented at 2.4% of Brighton East (vs 0.8% regionally), Russian at 1.6% (vs 0.4%) and Hungarian at 0.5% (vs 0.3%).

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

With a median age of 44, Brighton East notably exceeds the Greater Melbourne figure of 37 and substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. The 45 - 54 age group shows strong representation at 15.8% compared to Greater Melbourne, whereas the 25 - 34 cohort is less prevalent at 6.2%. Following the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 12.6% to 15.7% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 14.7% to 13.2%. Demographic modeling suggests Brighton East's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. Leading the demographic shift, the 45 to 54 group will grow by 19% (531 people), reaching 3,310 from 2,778. The 5 to 14 group displays more modest growth at 1%, adding only 17 residents.