Delahey

Delahey has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Delahey's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, was around 7,859 as of May 2026. This reflected a decrease from the 2021 Census figure of 8,077 people, indicating a drop of 218 individuals (approximately 2.7%). The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,859 in June 2025 and an additional four validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of approximately 2,239 persons per square kilometer, which exceeded the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration primarily drove population growth in the area, contributing roughly 84.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilised the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 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. Future population trends indicated a slight increase below the median of Australian statistical areas. By 2041, based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, the area was expected to grow by approximately 421 persons, reflecting an overall increase of around 5.4% over the 16-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Delahey is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Delahey has received approximately one dwelling approval per year over the past five financial years, totalling seven homes. As of FY26, one approval has been recorded so far. The population decline in recent years has resulted in adequate development activity relative to other areas, benefiting buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $340,000.

This financial year, there have been $23.2 million in commercial approvals, indicating steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Delahey has significantly less development activity, 94% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. The recent building activity consists entirely of detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. Developers are constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies, reflecting persistent strong demand for family homes.

Delahey has a mature, established population density of approximately 8014 people per approval. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Delahey is expected to grow by 421 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Delahey has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 44thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified five projects that could affect the region. Notable ones are Delahey Village Shopping Centre Expansion & Refurbishment, Kings Park Reserve Sports Facilities Upgrades, Greenwich Park Estate, and Copperfield Estate. The following details those most relevant.

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The labour market performance in Delahey lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Delahey has a skilled workforce with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented. The unemployment rate was 7.4% in December 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 2.1% over the past year. As of that date, 4,176 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.7% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation was lower at 67.7%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 16.3% of residents worked from home. Employment is concentrated in retail trade, manufacturing, and health care & social assistance. Notably, transport, postal & warehousing has an employment level 2.1 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services have limited presence with only 4.6% employment compared to the regional average of 10.1%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 2.1%, labour force grew by 4.2%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 2.4%, labour force grow by 2.8%, and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. 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, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Delahey's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.2% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

The Delahey SA2's income level is below the national average according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Delahey SA2 is $46,865 and the average income stands at $54,701. These figures compare to those of Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Delahey SA2 would be approximately $51,373 (median) and $59,963 (average) as of March 2026. Census data reveals individual incomes lag at the 13th percentile ($611 weekly), while household income performs better at the 34th percentile. Looking at income distribution, 32.9% of Delahey SA2's population (2,585 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 32.8% in the same category. After housing expenses, 85.0% of income remains for other expenses.

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

Dwelling structure in Delahey, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 76.2% houses and 23.7% other dwellings. In comparison, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Delahey was 36.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.9% and rented dwellings at 23.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,517, below Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Delahey was $350, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Delahey's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Delahey has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 76.9% of all households, including 38.2% couples with children, 21.1% couples without children, and 16.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 23.1%, with lone person households at 21.4% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Delahey faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 18.7%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.9%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 28.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 8.9% and certificates at 20.0%. Educational participation is high, with 27.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 8.3% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 5.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Delahey has 30 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by five different routes that together facilitate 1633 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 199 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards daily, primarily by car (89%), with a smaller percentage using trains (7%). On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling, higher than the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, 16.3% of residents work from home, which might be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency across all routes averages 233 trips per day, leading to approximately 54 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Delahey faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across all age cohorts but more so among older adults. Private health cover is very low at approximately 47% of the total population (around 3,678 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 7.9 and 6.9% of residents respectively. About 71.0% of residents claim to be completely free of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. The under-65 population has better than average health outcomes. Delahey has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 20.2%, or 1,584 people, compared to 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Delahey has a population where 50.4% were born overseas, and 62.2% speak a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Delahey, with 55.5%. Buddhism comprises 11.3%, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (21.3%), Australian (11.4%), and Vietnamese (10.9%). Notably, Maltese (6.2%) and Macedonian (4.5%) are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 1.1% and 0.7%, respectively. Filipino representation is also higher at 5.6% compared to the region's 1.3%.

Delahey's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Delahey is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Delahey has a notably higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (12.4% locally) and a lower proportion of those aged 35-44 (12.2%). According to post-2021 Census data, the 65-74 age group grew from 10.3% to 12.4%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 4.1% to 6.1%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group declined from 13.5% to 10.7%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Delahey. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 49%, reaching 711 people from 477, with residents aged 65 and older accounting for 84% of the anticipated growth. Meanwhile, the 25-34 and 0-4 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.