Chelsea - Bonbeach

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

Chelsea - Bonbeach's population was around 16,036 as of Feb 2026. This shows an increase of 832 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,204. The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 15,882 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,958 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile nationally. Over the past decade, Chelsea - Bonbeach had a compound annual growth rate of 1.2%, outperforming its SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 86.4% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, it utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, Chelsea - Bonbeach is projected to expand by 2,828 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 16.7% over 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Chelsea - Bonbeach when compared nationally

Chelsea-Bonbeach has recorded approximately 69 residential property approvals each year over the past five financial years, totalling 349 homes. As of FY26, 11 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.6 new residents per year per dwelling were constructed between FY21 and FY25, indicating balanced supply and demand with stable market conditions. However, this has increased to 4.3 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $425,000, slightly above the regional average.

In FY26, there have been $19.1 million in commercial approvals, indicating steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Chelsea-Bonbeach shows 17.0% lower construction activity per person and ranks among the 58th percentile of areas assessed nationally. New building activity comprises 38.0% detached houses and 62.0% townhouses or apartments, promoting higher-density living for affordability and suitability for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. The area has approximately 263 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Chelsea-Bonbeach is projected to gain 2,674 residents by 2041. Construction activity is maintaining pace with population growth, but increasing competition among buyers can be expected as the population increases.

Chelsea - Bonbeach has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Five projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. These include The Dell by Stockland, Bonbeach Station Precinct Redevelopment & Level Crossing Removal, Bonbeach Lifesaving Club Redevelopment, and Rossdale Golf Course Redevelopment Aspendale.

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

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The labour market performance in Chelsea - Bonbeach lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Chelsea-Bonbeach has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. The unemployment rate was 6.6% in September 2025, which is 2.0% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation was 68.2%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 71.0%.

A significant 34.4% of residents worked from home according to Census responses. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. The area specializes in construction with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level. Accommodation & food services are under-represented at 4.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 6.4%.

Over the year ending September 2025, employment remained stable while labour force increased by 0.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a smaller rise in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Chelsea-Bonbeach's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, assuming constant population projections.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows that Chelsea - Bonbeach SA2 has one of the highest incomes in Australia. The median assessed income is $66,832, while the average income stands at $80,482. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's figures of a median income of $57,688 and an average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year ending June 2023, current estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $72,346 and the average income around $87,122 by September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, personal income ranks at the 74th percentile ($962 weekly), while household income sits at the 48th percentile. Distribution data indicates that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 31.5% of residents (5,051 people), similar to the metropolitan region where 32.8% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 47th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Chelsea-Bonbeach's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 36.5% houses and 63.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Chelsea-Bonbeach was 30.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.4% and rented ones at 31.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,065, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $381, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Chelsea-Bonbeach's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Chelsea - Bonbeach features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 62.1% of all households, including 25.7% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 10.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 37.9%, with lone person households at 34.8% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Chelsea - Bonbeach shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's university qualification rate is 32.7%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 46.0%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 22.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (12.6%) and certificates (21.8%), are held by 34.4% of residents aged 15 and above. Educational participation is high, with 25.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 8.9% in primary, 5.9% in secondary, and 4.0% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 25.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.9% in primary education, 5.9% in secondary education, and 4.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Chelsea-Bonbeach has 52 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are utilized by 10 individual routes, facilitating 3,401 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 227 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily, primarily using cars (87%). Train usage stands at 7%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, below the regional average.

In 2021 Census data, 34.4% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 485 trips per day, equating to approximately 65 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Chelsea - Bonbeach is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Chelsea-Bonbeach faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (9,541 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.4 and 8.4% of residents respectively. Sixty-six point seven percent of residents declared themselves 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 20.9% of residents aged 65 and over (3,343 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Chelsea-Bonbeach has a higher than average cultural diversity, with 13.8% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 24.8% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Chelsea-Bonbeach, comprising 45.0% of the population. However, Judaism is overrepresented, making up 0.5% compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne.

The top three ancestry groups are English (28.4%), Australian (23.3%), and Irish (9.5%). Notably, Russian (1.0%) and Polish (1.0%) are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.4% and 0.8%, respectively. Hungarian is also slightly overrepresented at 0.4% compared to the regional average of 0.3%.

Chelsea - Bonbeach's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Chelsea-Bonbeach is 42 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The age group of 65-74 years is strongly represented at 10.5%, compared to Greater Melbourne, while the 15-24 age group is less prevalent at 8.5%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 6.0% to 7.3% of the population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 age group has declined from 14.2% to 12.5%. Population forecasts for Chelsea-Bonbeach by 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 60%, reaching 1,868 people from the current 1,165. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 57% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age groups are expected to experience population declines.