Burnside

Burnside lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Burnside's population is around 6,681 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 881 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,800 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,449 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 209 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,620 persons per square kilometer. Burnside's growth rate of 15.2% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%). Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 48.1%.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, they utilise VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023. Exceptional growth is predicted over the period to 2041, with an expected increase of 3,602 persons, reflecting a total increase of 50.4%.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Burnside among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Burnside has recorded approximately 69 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, a total of 349 homes were approved, with an additional 27 approved so far in FY26. On average, each dwelling accommodates around 2.6 new residents per year over these five years, indicating strong demand which supports property values.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $446,000, reflecting quality-focused development. This financial year has seen $8.0 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting limited focus on commercial development compared to residential. Burnside's development activity is significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's regional average, with 55.0% fewer approvals per person, which generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes. This level of development is substantially higher than the national average, indicating strong developer confidence in the location. All recent development has been detached dwellings, sustaining Burnside's suburban identity and attracting buyers seeking space.

With around 117 people per dwelling approval, Burnside exhibits characteristics of a growth area. By 2041, Burnside is expected to grow by approximately 3,370 residents, with development keeping pace with projected growth despite increasing competition among buyers as the population expands.

Burnside has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects that could impact this region. Notable ones are Amora Estate Cairnlea, Western Freeway Upgrade from Melton to Caroline Springs, Lake Caroline Master Plan & Activation Strategy, and Modeina Estate. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Burnside has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Burnside's workforce is skilled with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 5.3% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 5.0%. As of September 2025, there were 3,356 employed residents, an unemployment rate of 5.3%, and workforce participation at 68.1%.

Residents working from home constituted a moderate 21.3% according to Census responses. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and transport, postal & warehousing. Burnside specializes in transport, postal & warehousing with an employment share of 2.0 times the regional level, but has lower representation in professional & technical services at 5.4% versus the regional average of 10.1%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data.

Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 5.0% while labour force grew by 6.0%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but industry-specific projections suggest Burnside's employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.1% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The Burnside SA2's income level is lower than average nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year ended 30 June 2023. Its median income among taxpayers was $48,562 and the average income stood at $56,335, compared to Greater Melbourne's of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year ended 30 June 2023, current estimates would be approximately $52,568 (median) and $60,983 (average) as of September 2025. From the Census conducted on 10 August 2021, household income ranked at the 57th percentile ($1,871 weekly), while personal income sat at the 23rd percentile. Looking at income distribution, the predominant cohort spanned 34.9% of locals (2,331 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, mirroring the broader area where 32.8% occupied this bracket. High housing costs consumed 16.7% of income, though strong earnings still placed disposable income at the 57th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 5th decile.

Burnside is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

As per the latest Census in Burnside, 85.3% of dwellings were houses, with 14.7% being other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In comparison, Melbourne metropolitan area had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Burnside stood at 31.1%, similar to Melbourne metro's rate, with mortgaged dwellings at 58.4% and rented ones at 10.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Burnside was $2,000, aligning with Melbourne metro's average, while the median weekly rent was $400 compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Burnside's median monthly mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents exceeded the national figure of $375 by $25.

Burnside features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 80.9% of all households, consisting of couples with children (51.5%), couples without children (18.6%), and single parent families (9.9%). Non-family households constitute the remaining 19.1%, with lone person households at 18.0% and group households comprising 1.1%. The median household size is 3.1 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Burnside performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

The area's university qualification rate is 25.0%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 18.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 30.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (19.3%).

Educational participation is high, with 33.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 11.7% in primary, 9.7% in secondary, and 5.3% in tertiary education.

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

Burnside has 20 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by four different routes that together facilitate 804 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is considered good, with residents typically living within 210 meters of the nearest stop. Most residents in this primarily residential area commute outward using their cars, which remain the dominant mode of transportation at 90%. Train usage accounts for 6% of commutes. On average, there are 1.7 vehicles per dwelling in Burnside, a figure higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 21.3% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 114 trips per day, equating to approximately 40 weekly trips per individual stop.

Burnside's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Burnside residents show relatively positive health outcomes, with AreaSearch's analysis indicating mortality rates and health conditions are broadly in line with national benchmarks. The prevalence of common health conditions is quite low among the general population but higher than the national average for older, at-risk cohorts. Private health cover is very low, at approximately 48% of the total population (~3,173 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 56.7% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (7.2%) and asthma (6.9%), while 73.3% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, similar to Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Burnside has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.6% (1,112 people) compared to Greater Melbourne's 15.1%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Burnside's population is culturally diverse, with 49.3% born overseas and 56.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Burnside, making up 60.5%. Buddhism comprises 5.9%, higher than Greater Melbourne's 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (23.0%), Australian (12.1%), and English (10.3%). Notably, Filipino (8.3%) Maltese (5.9%) and Serbian (1.6%) groups are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 1.3%, 1.1% and 0.4% respectively.

Burnside's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age of Burnside is 37 years, matching Greater Melbourne's figure and closely resembling Australia's median age of 38 years. The 15-24 age group comprises 16.3% of Burnside's population, higher than Greater Melbourne's percentage. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort makes up 11.1%, lower than Greater Melbourne's figure. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has risen from 12.9% to 16.3%. During this period, the 55-64 cohort decreased from 11.2% to 9.8%, and the 25-34 group fell from 12.4% to 11.1%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Burnside's age structure. Notably, the 15-24 age group is projected to increase by 53% (579 people), reaching a total of 1,670 from its current figure of 1,090.