Brighton (Vic.)

An assessment of population growth drivers in Brighton reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Brighton's population is approximately 24,424 as of May 2026. This figure represents a growth of 1,666 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 22,758. The increase is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 24,343 in June 2025 and an additional 287 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,978 persons per square kilometer, placing Brighton in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. Brighton's growth rate of 7.3% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 6.0%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 96.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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. Population projections indicate an increase just below the median of national statistical areas, with Brighton expected to expand by 2,508 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of 9.9% over the 16-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Brighton when compared nationally

Brighton has received approximately 223 dwelling approvals per year. Between financial years FY-21 and FY-25, a total of 1,116 homes were approved, with an additional 66 approved in FY-26 so far. Despite recent population decline, development activity has been relatively adequate.

The average value of new dwellings is $891,000, indicating that developers are targeting the premium market segment. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $50.7 million, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Brighton's development levels per person are similar, maintaining market equilibrium with surrounding areas. New developments consist of 16.0% standalone homes and 84.0% medium and high-density housing, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This shift from the area's existing housing (57.0% houses) suggests decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles.

With around 216 people per dwelling approval, Brighton shows a developing market. Population forecasts indicate an increase of 2,424 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond projections.

Brighton has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 31 projects likely to affect the area. Notable ones include Star of the Sea College Nano Nagle Centre, 467 New Street Residential Development, Metro Tunnel Network Upgrades - Sandringham (2025), Werribee and Williamstown Cross-City Service (Q4 2028), and New Street Brighton Social Housing (late 2023). 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 performance in Brighton exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Brighton has a highly educated workforce with professional services being well represented. The unemployment rate was 2.9% in December 2025, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Employment stability over the past year has been relatively stable.

As of December 2025, 12,629 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate 1.8% below that of Greater Melbourne. Workforce participation in Brighton was 61.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 50.8% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and retail trade sectors.

Brighton has a strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level, but construction shows lower representation at 7.0% compared to the regional average of 9.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the year to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.3%, employment declined by 0.4%, and unemployment remained largely unchanged in Brighton, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Brighton's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not consider local population projections.

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

The Brighton SA2 has a median taxpayer income of $72,357 and an average of $160,486 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Nationally, this is exceptionally high compared to Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $79,318 (median) and $175,925 (average). From the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes rank highly in Brighton, between the 93rd and 94th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows that 37.8% of residents (9,232 people) fall into the $4000+ bracket, differing from metropolitan patterns where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 32.8%. Economic strength is evident through 47.0% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 13.9% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 94th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Brighton displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Brighton's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 57.1% houses and 42.8% 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 was at 46.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.9% and rented ones at 24.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Brighton was $3,467, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Brighton was recorded at $600, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Brighton's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 70.3% of all households, including 32.3% couples with children, 28.7% couples without children, and 8.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 29.7%, with lone person households at 27.9% and group households comprising 1.7%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Brighton's residents aged 15+ have a higher proportion with university qualifications (52.7%) compared to Australia (30.4%) and Victoria (33.4%). Bachelor degrees are most common at 34.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.8%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational pathways account for 19.5% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 11.0% and certificates at 8.5%. Educational participation is high, with 28.9% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.1% in secondary education, 8.6% in primary education, and 7.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Brighton has 120 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 18 different routes that together facilitate 5,454 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in Brighton is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 183 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outwards. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 80% of residents, while trains are used by 9%, and walking by 6%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling in Brighton.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, specifically 50.8%, work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 779 trips per day, equating to approximately 45 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the locations of the 100 nearest stops to the centrepoint.

Brighton's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Brighton's health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 87% of Brighton's total population (21,346 people) has private health cover, compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 7.3 and 6.4% of residents respectively. A total of 72.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Brighton has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 27.1%, with 6,628 people, compared to 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, broadly aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Brighton's cultural diversity is notable, with 16.4% of its population speaking languages other than English at home and 28.4% born overseas. Christianity is the dominant religion in Brighton, accounting for 49.3%. However, Judaism is significantly overrepresented at 3.8%, compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne.

Regarding ancestry, the top groups are English (27.3%), Australian (20.1%), and Irish (10.1%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Polish (1.5% vs regional 0.8%), Russian (0.9% vs 0.4%), and Hungarian (0.5% vs 0.3%) are overrepresented in Brighton.

Brighton hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Brighton's median age is 48 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 75-84 are particularly prominent, making up 10.7% of the population, while those aged 25-34 comprise only 7.5%. Between 2021 and now, the percentage of those aged 75-84 has increased from 8.4% to 10.7%, while the 15-24 age group has grown from 11.7% to 13.8%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has declined from 15.1% to 12.9%, and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 11.7% to 10.4%. Population forecasts for Brighton in 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes, with the strongest growth projected for those aged 85 and above, increasing by 93% to reach 2,013 residents. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 78% of population growth, reflecting ongoing demographic aging trends. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 0-4 and 55-64.