Hampton

An assessment of population growth drivers in Hampton reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Hampton's population was approximately 20,435 as of February 2026. This figure represents a growth of 2,235 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 18,200. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 19,208 in June 2024 and an additional 264 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,597 persons per square kilometer, placing Hampton in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 12.3% growth since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (8.7%) and the SA3 area, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 84.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics project an above median growth, with the area expected to expand by 2,653 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 7.0% over the 17 years.

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

Hampton recorded approximately 283 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, 1,417 homes were approved, with an additional 79 approved in FY-26 as of now. On average, 0.2 people moved to the area each year for every dwelling built during these years, indicating that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand.

The average expected construction cost value of new properties is $556,000, reflecting a focus on premium segment development. This financial year has seen $10.2 million in commercial development approvals recorded, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial activity compared to Greater Melbourne, where Hampton has 57.0% more construction activity per person. New development consists predominantly of medium and high-density housing (91.0%), with detached dwellings making up the remaining 9.0%. This shift from the current housing mix of 61.0% houses is driven by reduced availability of development sites and changing lifestyle demands. There are approximately 63 people per dwelling approval in Hampton, indicating an expanding market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Hampton is projected to add 1,426 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Future projections show Hampton adding 1,426 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Hampton has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 35 such projects likely affecting the area. Notable ones include Hampton Community Hub, Bluff Road Hampton East Housing Development, Bayside Park Improvement and Habitat Linkage Plan, Highett Common. The following list details 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.

Employment performance in Hampton has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Hampton has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate is 5.4%. As of September 2025, 10,410 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is higher than Greater Melbourne's by 0.8%, at 5.5%.

Workforce participation is lower, at 67.8% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. Census responses show that 50.0% of residents work from home, possibly due to Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Leading employment industries are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Hampton specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

However, transport, postal & warehousing is under-represented, at 2.5% of Hampton's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 5.2%. The predominantly residential area offers limited local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Hampton's labour force increased by 0.7% while employment declined by 1.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.0%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Hampton's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.3% 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 latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Hampton SA2 is exceptionally high nationally. The median assessed income is $67,509 while the average income stands at $118,041. 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 2023, current estimates would be approximately $73,078 (median) and $127,779 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Hampton, between the 81st and 88th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that the $4000+ earnings band captures 31.8% of the community (6,498 individuals), differing from patterns across the region where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 32.8%. The substantial proportion of high earners (43.0% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout Hampton. High housing costs consume 15.3% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 87th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Hampton displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Hampton, as per the latest Census evaluation, 61.0% of dwellings were houses while 39.0% comprised other types such as semi-detached properties, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Melbourne metro's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hampton stood at 38.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.4% and rented ones at 26.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,000, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Hampton was $471 compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Hampton's median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,000 against the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially higher at $471 versus the national figure of $375.

Hampton has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 71.4% of all households, including 36.7% couples with children, 24.4% couples without children, and 9.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 28.6%, with lone person households at 26.4% and group households comprising 2.2%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Hampton demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Hampton's educational attainment exceeds national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 48.2% hold university qualifications, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. This high level of attainment is led by bachelor degrees (31.2%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.0%) and graduate diplomas (5.0%). Vocational pathways account for 22.2%, with advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates also at 11.1%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.5% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 7.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Hampton has 85 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 15 different routes that together facilitate 2,985 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's home to the nearest transport stop is 167 meters. Most residents commute outwards from Hampton. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation at 82%, with trains used by 8% and walking by 4%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 50% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 426 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 35 weekly trips per individual stop.

Hampton's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Hampton's health outcomes show remarkable results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 78% of the total population (16,041 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 7.5 and 7.1% of residents respectively, while 71.8% report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne.

Under-65s have better than average health outcomes. The area has 20.9% of residents aged 65 and over (4,268 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Hampton's population was found to be more linguistically diverse than most local markets, with 16.4% speaking a language other than English at home as of the latest data available. Additionally, 28.8% of Hampton's residents were born overseas. Christianity was identified as the predominant religion in Hampton, comprising 45.9% of its population.

However, Judaism appeared to be more prevalent in Hampton compared to Greater Melbourne, with 1.4% of Hampton's population identifying as Jewish versus 1.0% regionally. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English at 27.9%, Australian at 21.2%, and Irish at 9.2%. Notably, Russian (1.1%), Polish (1.3%), and Greek (2.8%) ethnicities were also overrepresented in Hampton compared to regional averages of 0.4%, 0.8%, and 2.7% respectively.

Hampton's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Hampton is 43 years, considerably higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and substantially exceeding the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 55-64 years are particularly prominent, comprising 14.9% of the population, while those aged 25-34 years are comparatively smaller at 8.1%. Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 year age group has grown from 5.7% to 7.3%, and the 15 to 24 year cohort has increased from 12.5% to 14.1%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 year cohort has declined from 16.3% to 14.7%, and the 5 to 14 year group has dropped from 13.0% to 11.4%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Hampton's age structure. The 65 to 74 year age cohort is projected to increase solidly by 505 people (23%) from 2,217 to 2,723. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 74% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. On the other hand, the 0 to 4 year and 55 to 64 year cohorts are expected to experience population declines.