Brighton (Vic.)
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Brighton Vic's population was around 24,190 as of Aug 2025. This showed an increase of 1,432 people (6.3%) since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 22,758. The change was inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 24,107 in Jun 2024 and additional 237 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 2,950 persons per square kilometer, placing Brighton in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch. Brighton's growth of 6.3% since the 2021 census exceeded its SA3 area's 5.2%, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was the primary driver for this population growth.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024, with 2022 as the base year, for each SA2 area. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch used VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting them using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, Brighton is expected to have a population increase just below the median of national statistical areas by 2041, with an expected expansion of 2,574 persons and a total gain of 10.3% over the 17 years.

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

Brighton has received approximately 172 dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics generates this data on a financial year basis, indicating 862 homes over the past five financial years from FY-20 to FY-25, with 17 approved so far in FY-26. Despite population decline, new supply has likely kept pace with demand, offering varied choices for buyers. The average construction cost of new properties is $1,769,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment.

In FY-26, commercial approvals have reached $50.7 million, indicating robust commercial development momentum. Brighton maintains similar construction rates per person compared to Greater Melbourne, preserving market equilibrium. Current building activity shows 16.0% standalone homes and 84.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a shift from the current housing pattern of 57.0% houses. This trend suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and affordability needs. With around 216 people per dwelling approval, Brighton exhibits a developing market.

By 2041, Brighton is projected to grow by 2,491 residents. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Brighton has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

The performance of a region can greatly be influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 29 such projects that may significantly impact this area. Notable among these are Star of the Sea College Nano Nagle Centre, Sole by mckimm, 467 New Street Residential Development, and New Street Brighton Social Housing. The following list details those projects deemed most relevant.

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

Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.2%, Brighton has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Brighton Vic., as of June 2025, has a highly educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate is 3.2%.

Over the past year, employment has been relatively stable. In June 2025, 12,695 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate 1.5% lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.6%. Workforce participation is at 59.4%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (1.8 times the regional average), health care & social assistance, and retail trade.

Construction shows lower representation at 7.0% versus the regional average of 9.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Brighton's labour force increased by 1.4%, while employment declined by 0.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 3.5% and unemployment increase by 0.5 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Vic. employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Brighton's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.3%% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

As per AreaSearch's latest data released on 28 June 2022 for financial year 2022, Brighton's median income among taxpayers is $73,381, with an average of $170,500. This places Brighton in the top percentile nationally, compared to Greater Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. By March 2025, estimates suggest Brighton's median income will be approximately $80,800 and average $187,738, based on a 10.11% growth since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census reports that household, family, and personal incomes in Brighton rank between the 94th and 94th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows 37.8% of residents (9,143 people) earn over $4,000 weekly, unlike regional trends where 32.8% fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 47.0% exceeding $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 13.9% of income, and strong earnings rank residents in 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 report, consisted of 57.1% houses and 42.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Melbourne metro had 62.6% houses and 37.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Brighton stood at 46.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.9% and rented ones at 24.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,467, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $3,000. Weekly rent median was $600 in Brighton, compared to Melbourne metro's $520. Nationally, Brighton's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and 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 constitute 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, smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.5.

Brighton 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 is notably high, with 52.7% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 34.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.8%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational pathways account for 19.5% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 11.0% and certificates 8.5%. Educational participation is high, with 28.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.1% in secondary education, 8.6% in primary education, and 7.2% pursuing tertiary education. There are 12 schools serving 5,515 students in Brighton, which demonstrates exceptional educational performance with an ICSEA score of 1151, placing local schools among the most advantaged nationally. The educational mix includes 6 primary, 1 secondary, and 5 K-12 schools. Brighton functions as an education hub, offering 22.8 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 14.5, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Brighton has 118 active public transport stops. These include train and bus services. There are 17 routes in total.

They provide 8,736 weekly passenger trips combined. The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 183 meters. All routes together make an average of 1,248 trips per day, which equals about 74 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Brighton is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Brighton shows above-average health outcomes for both younger and older age groups, with low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 89% of Brighton's total population (21,625 people) has private health cover, compared to 78.5% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis, affecting 7.3% of residents, and asthma, impacting 6.4%.

A total of 72.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 72.0% across Greater Melbourne. Brighton has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 27.1% (6,550 people) compared to Greater Melbourne's 22.9%. Health outcomes among seniors in Brighton are particularly strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

Brighton was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Brighton was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 16.4% speaking a language other than English at home and 28.4% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Brighton, comprising 49.3%. Judaism is overrepresented in Brighton at 3.8%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 3.1%.

Top ancestry groups are English (27.3%), Australian (20.1%), and Irish (10.1%). Polish is notably overrepresented at 1.5% versus the regional average of 1.4%, Russian remains similar at 0.9%, and Hungarian is slightly higher at 0.5% compared to 0.4%.

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 10.6% of the population. This is higher than the 7% seen in Greater Melbourne's 25-34 age group. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has grown from 8.4% to 10.6%, while those aged 15-24 have increased from 11.7% to 13.6%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 15.1% to 13.3%, and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 11.7% to 10.7%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Brighton. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 107%, adding 1,071 residents to reach a total of 2,075. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 88% of the population growth, highlighting ongoing demographic aging trends. However, population declines are projected for those aged 0-4 and 5-14.