Brighton (Vic.)

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Brighton's population is around 24,836 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 2,078 people (9.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 22,758 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 24,107 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 288 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 3,028 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Brighton's 9.1% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (8.7%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. 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, a population increase just below the median of national statistical areas is expected, with the area expected to expand by 2,574 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, recording a gain of 7.4% in total over the 17 years.

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

Brighton has experienced around 223 dwellings receiving development approval per year, with 1,116 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 52 so far in FY-26. With population declining over recent years, development activity has been adequate in relative terms, which is a positive for buyers, while new dwellings are developed at an average construction cost of $891,000, revealing that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. Additionally, $50.7 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, Brighton has similar development levels (per person), preserving market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas. New development consists of 16.0% standalone homes and 84.0% 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 57.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. With around 216 people per dwelling approval, Brighton shows a developing market.

Population forecasts indicate Brighton will gain 1,845 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 has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 36 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Star of the Sea College Nano Nagle Centre and 600-604 North Road Mixed-Use (52 apartments + 4 retail), with the below list 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 performance in Brighton exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Brighton features a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of just 2.9%, and relative employment stability over the past year. As of December 2025, 12,629 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.8% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation lags significantly (62.5% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%). Based on Census responses, a high 50.8% 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 1.8 times the regional level. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 7.0% versus the regional average of 9.7%. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of Census working population to local 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. 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's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.6% 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 SA2 shows 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 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 $78,326 (median) and $173,726 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Brighton, between the 93rd and 94th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows the $4000+ bracket dominates with 37.8% of residents (9,388 people), differing from patterns across the metropolitan region where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 32.8%. Economic strength emerges 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 and 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

Dwelling structure within Brighton, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 57.1% houses and 42.8% 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 was well beyond that of Melbourne metro, at 46.6%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (28.9%) or rented (24.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Melbourne metro average at $3,467, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $600, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Brighton's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 70.3% of all households, comprising 32.3% couples with children, 28.7% couples without children, and 8.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 29.7%, with lone person households at 27.9% and group households comprising 1.7% of the total. The median household size of 2.4 people 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

Educational attainment in Brighton significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 52.7% 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 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+ – advanced diplomas (11.0%) and certificates (8.5%).

Educational participation is notably 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.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 120 active transport stops operating within Brighton, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 18 individual routes, collectively providing 5,454 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 183 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 80%, with 9% by train and 6% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling. A high 50.8% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 779 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 45 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

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

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Brighton, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 87% of the total population (21,706 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 7.3% and 6.4% of residents, respectively, while 72.2% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 28.1% of residents aged 65 and over (6,973 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with 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 was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 16.4% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 28.4% born overseas. The main religion in Brighton is Christianity, which makes up 49.3% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 3.8% of the population, compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Brighton are English, comprising 27.3% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 20.1%, Australian, comprising 20.1% of the population, and Irish, comprising 10.1% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Polish is notably overrepresented at 1.5% of the population (vs 0.8% regionally), Russian at 0.9% (vs 0.4%) and Hungarian at 0.5% (vs 0.3%).

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

At 48 years, Brighton's median age is significantly above the Greater Melbourne average of 37 and similarly considerably older than Australia's 38 years. The age profile shows 75 - 84 year-olds are particularly prominent (11.1%), while the 25 - 34 group is comparatively smaller (6.8%) than in Greater Melbourne. This 75 - 84 concentration is well above the national 6.1%. In the period since 2021, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 8.4% to 11.1% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 11.7% to 13.8%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 15.1% to 12.8% and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 11.7% to 10.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Brighton. The 85+ cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 89%, adding 977 residents to reach 2,075. Senior residents (65+) will drive 84% of population growth, underscoring demographic aging trends. On the other hand, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 cohorts.