Gisborne
Statistical Area - sa2

Gisborne lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Gisborne's population was around 15,600 as of August 2025. This showed an increase of 1,378 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,222. The change was inferred from ABS estimates of 15,438 in June 2024 and additional validated addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 73 persons per square kilometer. Gisborne's growth of 9.7% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area average (7.3%) and the national average, indicating significant growth. Interstate migration contributed approximately 52.7% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 using a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilized the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on these trends, a significant population increase was forecasted for the top quartile of statistical areas nationally, with Gisborne expected to grow by 5,602 persons to 2041, representing an increase of 34.9% over the 17-year period.

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

Gisborne has recorded approximately 192 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25961 homes were approved, with an additional 38 approved so far in FY-26. On average, each dwelling constructed over these years has resulted in 1.4 new residents per year.

This suggests a balanced supply and demand, maintaining stable market conditions. The average construction cost of new properties is $535,000. In terms of commercial development, $60.3 million in approvals have been recorded this financial year, indicating high local activity. Comparatively, Gisborne has seen 48.0% more development per person than the regional average over the past five years.

Nationally, this figure is well above average, reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. Recent construction comprises 97.0% detached dwellings and 3.0% medium to high-density housing, preserving Gisborne's traditional low density character and appealing to those seeking space for families. There are approximately 89 people per dwelling approval in Gisborne, indicating an expanding market. Population forecasts project a gain of 5,436 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially allowing growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Gisborne has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects that could impact this area. Notable projects include Willow Gisborne Community, Gisborne Futures Structure Plan, New Gisborne Development Plan Implementation, and C153 Willowbank Road Commercial Rezoning. The following list details those most relevant.

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

The exceptional employment performance in Gisborne places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Gisborne has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors, an unemployment rate of 1.6% as of June 2025, and an estimated employment growth of 4.0% over the past year. In comparison to Greater Melbourne's unemployment rate of 4.6%, Gisborne's is 3.1% lower, with a workforce participation rate of 66.8%.

Dominant employment sectors include construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training, with construction being particularly specialized at 1.6 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services are under-represented at 7.4%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Over the year ending June 2025, employment increased by 4.0% while labour force grew by 4.3%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment growth of 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%.

National employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local projections suggest Gisborne's growth may be approximately 6.4%% over five years and 13.2% over ten years.

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

Gisborne's median income among taxpayers was $60,423 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $78,690 during the same period. These figures compare to those for Greater Melbourne, which had a median income of $54,892 and an average income of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $66,532 and the average income around $86,646 as of March 2025. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Gisborne rank between the 73rd and 84th percentiles nationally. The largest segment of income earners comprises 31.4% earning $1,500 to $2,999 weekly, with a total of 4,898 residents falling into this bracket. This is similar to the metropolitan region where 32.8% of residents occupy this income bracket. Economic strength in Gisborne is evident through 36.7% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000. After housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Gisborne is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Gisborne's dwelling structure, as evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 91.3% houses and 8.7% other dwellings. In Melbourne metro, this was 94.7% houses and 5.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gisborne stood at 37.0%, similar to Melbourne metro's level. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (48.7%) or rented (14.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167 in the area, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,014. Weekly rent median was $430, compared to Melbourne metro's $400. Nationally, Gisborne's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,167 compared to the Australian average of $1,863. Rents in Gisborne were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Gisborne features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 81.5% of all households, with couples having children making up 43.3%, couples without children at 28.5%, and single parent families comprising 9.2%. Non-family households make up the remaining 18.5%, consisting of lone person households at 17.6% and group households at 1.0% of the total. The median household size is 2.8 people, which aligns with the Greater Melbourne average.

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

Educational qualifications in Gisborne trail regional benchmarks; 29.1% of residents aged 15+ hold university degrees compared to 37.0% in Greater Melbourne. This gap highlights potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees lead at 18.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 36.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (13.2%) and certificates (23.5%).

Educational participation is notably high; 32.6% of residents are currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.5% in primary education, 9.6% in secondary education, and 4.4% pursuing tertiary education. A robust network of eight schools operates within Gisborne, educating approximately 2,813 students; the area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1060). The educational mix includes five primary, one secondary, and two K-12 schools. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to parent campus.

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

Gisborne has 76 active public transport stops, operating a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 14 routes that together facilitate 977 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is limited, with residents typically situated 754 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 139 daily trips across all routes, equating to roughly 12 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Gisborne is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Gisborne shows better-than-average health outcomes with low prevalence of common conditions among its general population.

However, it has higher rates among older and at-risk groups compared to national averages. Approximately 59% (9,266 people) of Gisborne's total population have private health cover, which is exceptionally high. The most common medical conditions are asthma (8.0%) and mental health issues (7.3%), while 70.6% of residents report no medical ailments compared to 69.3% in Greater Melbourne. Gisborne has a lower percentage of residents aged 65 and over at 17.6% (2,750 people), compared to 18.7% in Greater Melbourne.

Gisborne is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Gisborne's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 86.6% of its population born in Australia, 92.8% being citizens, and 94.5% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Gisborne is Christianity, comprising 48.6% of the population. However, Judaism appears overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to the Greater Melbourne average of 0.1%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (29.2%), Australian (28.8%), and Irish (9.9%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences in representation: Maltese at 2.4% (vs regional 2.1%), Polish at 1.0% (vs 0.8%), and Macedonian at 0.3% (vs 0.2%).

Gisborne's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Gisborne has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to the Greater Melbourne average, Gisborne has an over-representation of the 5-14 cohort (15.5% locally) and an under-representation of the 25-34 age group (7.1%). Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group grew from 11.5% to 13.5%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 5.2% to 6.7%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group declined from 7.9% to 7.1%. Demographic projections suggest Gisborne's age profile will significantly change by 2041, with the 45-54 cohort expected to expand notably, growing by 1,085 people (49%) from 2,237 to 3,323.