Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie
Statistical Area - sa2

Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie's population is around 17,189 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,147 people since the Census in 2021, which recorded a population of 16,042. The change is inferred from ABS estimates: 17,162 residents by June 2024 and an additional 374 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 3,515 persons per square kilometer, placing Aberfeldie in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. The area's 7.1% growth since the census is within 1.8 percentage points of the national average (8.9%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 93.3% 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 by this data, AreaSearch employs VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, Aberfeldie is expected to have above median population growth nationally, increasing by 2,664 persons to reach 19,853 by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 15.3% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Essendon West - Aberfeldie has averaged 116 new dwelling approvals annually since FY2021. Over the past five financial years (FY21 to FY25), 581 homes were approved, with an additional 13 approved in FY26 as of now. The average population growth per year for each dwelling built over these years was 0.3 people, indicating that new supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand.

The average construction value of new homes is $621,000, suggesting a focus on the premium market. In FY26, commercial development approvals totalled $495,000, predominantly residential in nature. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Essendon West - Aberfeldie has approximately 75% of construction activity per person and ranks at the 56th percentile nationally among assessed areas. Recent construction comprises 30.0% detached houses and 70.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a shift from existing patterns (currently 54.0% houses). This higher-density living creates more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

With around 277 people per dwelling approval, the area shows a developing market. By 2041, Essendon West - Aberfeldie is projected to grow by 2,631 residents. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects likely impacting this region. Key projects include LUMA Sunshine North, Buckley Street Level Crossing Removal, Niddrie (Keilor Road) Activity Centre Structure Plan, and Airport Toyota Expansion. Below is a list detailing those most relevant.

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.

The employment environment in Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Essendon West - Aberfeldie has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 3.7% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 6.6%. There were 10,414 residents employed while the unemployment rate was 0.9% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation was similar to Greater Melbourne at 67.7%. Dominant employment sectors included health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and construction.

Public administration & safety had an employment share 1.3 times the regional level. Manufacturing showed lower representation at 5.4% compared to the regional average of 7.2%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census data. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 6.6% while labour force grew by 7.1%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.5 percentage points. Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a similar unemployment rate increase. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in May 2025, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Essendon West - Aberfeldie's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.8% over five years and 13.7% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie has high incomes nationally. The median income is $64,292 and the average is $101,289. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. By September 2025, estimates suggest median income will be approximately $72,110 and average income $113,606, based on a 12.16% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie's incomes rank between the 78th and 80th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. Income brackets indicate that 29.0% of locals (4,984 people) earn $1,500 to $2,999 weekly, aligning with regional trends where this cohort represents 32.8%. Notably, 36.4% earn above $3,000 weekly, reflecting prosperity and robust economic activity. Housing accounts for 13.4% of income, and residents rank in the 80th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie, as per the latest Census, 54.2% of dwellings were houses while 45.8% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. This is in contrast to Melbourne's metropolitan area where 42.6% of dwellings are houses and 57.4% are other types. Home ownership in Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie stood at 37.6%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 32.3% and rented ones making up 30%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,400, higher than Melbourne's average of $2,200. The median weekly rent in the area was $382 compared to Melbourne's $370. Nationally, Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,400 against Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were also higher at $382 versus the national figure of $375.

Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 69.3% of all households, including 36.7% couples with children, 22.6% couples without children, and 9.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 30.7%, with lone person households at 27.9% and group households comprising 2.8%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.3.

Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The educational qualification rate in Essendon (West) is 40.9%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 57.1%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 26.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 9.6% and graduate diplomas at 4.4%. Vocational credentials are held by 25.6% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.9% and certificates at 14.7%. Educational participation is high, with 29.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 8.9% in secondary, 8.5% in primary, and 7.6% in tertiary education.

Essendon (West) has a robust network of 8 schools serving approximately 3,058 students. The area has significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1101. Educational provision is split between 4 primary and 4 secondary institutions, with school capacity exceeding typical residential needs at 17.8 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 12.5, indicating Essendon (West) serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Public transport analysis shows 67 active transport stops operating within Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie. These include a mix of light rail and bus services. Eleven individual routes serve these stops, collectively providing 6,151 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 187 metres from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 878 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 91 weekly trips per stop.

Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie. Both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 72% of the total population, which consists of 12,324 people.

This compares to 67.2% across Greater Melbourne, with a national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and arthritis, impacting 7.2 and 6.8% of residents respectively. 72.8% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.0% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 17.6% of residents aged 65 and over, totaling 3,033 people, which is higher than the 16.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Essendon West-Aberfeldie has a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 24.3% of its population born overseas and 24.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Essendon West-Aberfeldie, accounting for 61.0% of the population, compared to 50.0% across Greater Melbourne. The top three ancestry groups are English (18.6%), Australian (18.0%), and Italian (14.0%).

Notably, Croatian is overrepresented at 1.5%, Maltese at 2.3%, and Greek at 4.1%.

Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie has a median age of 40, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's figure of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne's average, the 55-64 cohort is notably over-represented in Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie at 13.4%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 12.9%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has grown from 4.6% to 5.5% of the population. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort has declined from 11.9% to 10.6%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Essendon (West) - Aberfeldie's age profile will change significantly. The 55-64 age cohort is projected to expand by 732 people (32%) from 2,306 to 3,039. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 53% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.