Broadmeadows

Population growth drivers in Broadmeadows are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Broadmeadows's population is around 15,948 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 2,089 people (15.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,859 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,787 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 427 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,806 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Broadmeadows's 15.1% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 76.9% of overall 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 utilizing 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. Regarding demographic trends, exceptional growth, placing in the top 10 percent of national statistical areas, is predicted over the period, with the area expected to increase by 8,934 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 48.7% in total over the 17 years.

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

Broadmeadows has averaged around 156 new dwelling approvals annually, totalling 781 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 38 approvals have been recorded. With an average of only 0 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $288,000—below regional norms—reflecting more affordable housing options for purchasers. There have also been $76.5 million in commercial approvals this financial year, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity.

When measured against Greater Melbourne, Broadmeadows records 14.0% less building activity (per person) while it places among the 88th percentile of areas assessed nationally. New development consists of 20.0% detached houses and 80.0% attached dwellings. This trend toward denser development provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This shows a considerable change from the current housing mix (currently 70.0% houses), reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. With around 92 people per dwelling approval, Broadmeadows shows characteristics of a growth area.

Future projections show Broadmeadows adding 7,772 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Development is keeping a reasonable pace with projected growth, though buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

Broadmeadows 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 38 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Assembly Broadmeadows, Parkview Broadmeadows, Banksia Gardens Social Housing Development, and Hume Central Redevelopment, 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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Broadmeadows faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Broadmeadows possesses a skilled workforce, with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented, an unemployment rate of 12.0%, and 4.1% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 5,628 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 7.3% above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, showing room for improvement, and workforce participation lags significantly (54.0% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%). Based on Census responses, a low 13.5% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and transport, postal & warehousing. The area has a particular employment specialization in transport, postal & warehousing, with an employment share of 2.0 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 5.0% versus the regional average of 10.1%. The ratio of 0.9 workers for each resident, as at the Census, indicates substantial local employment opportunities.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, the 12-month period saw employment increasing by 4.1% alongside a labour force decrease of 0.6%, resulting in unemployment falling by 3.9 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, and unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Broadmeadows. 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 Broadmeadows's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.8% 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 place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

The Broadmeadows SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $41,755 and an average of $48,371 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is below the national average, 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 $45,200 (median) and $52,362 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Broadmeadows all fall between the 3rd and 11th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows the predominant cohort spans 29.3% of locals (4,672 people) in the $800 - 1,499 category, diverging from the broader area where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 32.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 78.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 8th percentile.

Broadmeadows displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure within Broadmeadows, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 69.7% houses and 30.2% 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 Broadmeadows lagged that of Melbourne metro, at 23.6%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (26.4%) or rented (50.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well below the Melbourne metro average at $1,419, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $331, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Broadmeadows's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Broadmeadows features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 69.5% of all households, comprising 31.6% couples with children, 17.9% couples without children, and 17.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 30.5%, with lone person households at 25.0% and group households comprising 5.6% of the total. The median household size of 2.8 people is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Educational outcomes in Broadmeadows fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (26.2%) substantially below the Greater Melbourne average of 37.0%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 16.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 27.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (16.7%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 37.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.3% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 6.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 94 active transport stops operating within Broadmeadows, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 26 individual routes, collectively providing 7,882 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 242 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 75%, with 14% by train and 5% by bus. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A relatively low 13.5% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 1,126 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 83 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Broadmeadows is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Broadmeadows faces significant health challenges, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~7,352 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 mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.7% and 6.8% of residents, respectively, while 73.0% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 12.7% of residents aged 65 and over (2,030 people), which is lower than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, though they rank lower nationally than the broader population.

Broadmeadows is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Broadmeadows is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country, with 53.9% of its population born overseas and 65.8% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Broadmeadows is Islam, which makes up 36.4% of the population. This compares to 5.6% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Broadmeadows are Other, comprising 39.2% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 14.6%, Australian, comprising 13.9% of the population, and English, comprising 11.7% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 20.1%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Lebanese is notably overrepresented at 8.6% of Broadmeadows (vs 0.8% regionally), Samoan at 1.3% (vs 0.3%) and Vietnamese at 2.1% (vs 1.9%).

Broadmeadows's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

With a median age of 33, Broadmeadows is materially younger than the Greater Melbourne figure of 37 and is substantially under Australia's 38 years. Relative to Greater Melbourne, Broadmeadows has a higher concentration of 25 - 34 residents (18.6%) but fewer 45 - 54 year-olds (10.2%). Since the 2021 Census, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 14.5% to 16.1% of the population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 20.1% to 18.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Broadmeadows. The 45 to 54 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 81%, adding 1,305 residents to reach 2,924.