Highton

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

Highton's population was approximately 25,727 as of February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 1,693 people, a 7.0% rise from the 2021 Census which reported a population of 24,034. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 25,611 in June 2024 and an additional 248 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 633 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Highton has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.6%, outperforming the Rest of Vic. Overseas migration contributed approximately 51.9% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth were positive factors.

AreaSearch is using 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 utilises the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing 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. By 2041, the area is forecasted to grow by 7,863 persons, reflecting a gain of 30.1% in total over the 17 years based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Highton among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Highton has seen approximately 142 new homes approved each year over the past five financial years, totalling 714 homes. As of FY-26, 34 approvals have been recorded. On average, 2.5 new residents per dwelling were added annually between FY-21 and FY-25. The average construction cost value for these dwellings was $386,000.

In FY-26, $120.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered. Compared to the rest of Victoria, Highton has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 39th percentile nationally. Recent construction comprises 76% detached houses and 24% medium and high-density housing.

The estimated population density is 421 people per dwelling approval. By 2041, Highton's population is projected to grow by 7,747 residents. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth.

Highton has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 39 projects likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives include Highton Urban Design Framework, 22-24 Barrabool Road Development, Wandana Estate, and Morven Townhomes. The following list details projects of particular relevance.

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

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Employment conditions in Highton demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Highton has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.2%, lower than the Rest of Vic.'s 3.8%. Over the past year, employment stability has been relatively high.

As of September 2025, 14,234 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.6% below the regional average. Workforce participation is at 69.5%, higher than Rest of Vic.'s 61.4%. According to Census data, 26.3% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade.

Notably, education & training has a high concentration with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 0.8% compared to the regional average of 7.5%. Local employment opportunities appear limited based on Census data comparisons between working population and resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.2%, with employment decreasing by 0.3%, keeping unemployment broadly flat. This contrasts with Rest of Vic., where employment fell by 0.7% and unemployment rose marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth rates of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Highton's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not account for localized population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023, Highton SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $54,610. The average income stood at $68,773, which was above the national average. In comparison, Rest of Vic had median and average incomes of $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimated median and average incomes for Highton as of September 2025 would be approximately $59,115 and $74,447 respectively. The 2021 Census showed that household, family, and personal incomes in Highton clustered around the 66th percentile nationally. Income analysis revealed that 30.7% of individuals earned between $1,500 and $2,999 per week, mirroring the region where 30.3% fell into this bracket. The area demonstrated affluence with 32.8% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. After housing costs, residents retained 87.8% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. Highton's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.

Highton is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Highton's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 88.6% houses and 11.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Vic. had 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Highton was at 40.0%, with the rest being mortgaged (39.7%) or rented (20.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, above Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Highton was $365, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $285 and the national average of $375.

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

Family households comprise 74.5% of all households, including 37.4% couples with children, 28.7% couples without children, and 7.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 25.5%, with lone person households at 22.0% and group households making up 3.5%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

Educational achievement in Highton places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

In Highton, a significant proportion of residents aged 15 years and above have attained university qualifications, with 38.5%. This figure exceeds the broader benchmark of 21.7% in Rest of Vic., and is higher than the SA3 area's 27.3%. The area's educational advantage is evident across various qualifications: Bachelor degrees lead at 25.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 8.8% and graduate diplomas at 4.2%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 29.9% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.2%) and certificates (17.7%). Educational participation is notably high in Highton, with 33.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.2% pursuing tertiary education, 9.9% primary education, and 8.2% secondary education.

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

Highton has 79 active public transport stops serviced by 15 routes. These routes collectively provide 3,054 weekly passenger trips. Residents have good accessibility to these stops, with an average distance of 285 meters to the nearest one. Most residents commute outward from Highton, which is primarily residential. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 93%. The area has an average vehicle ownership of 1.7 per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 26.3% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. There are approximately 436 trips per day across all routes, equating to about 38 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Highton, as per AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups.

Private health cover is high at approximately 53% of the total population (~13,712 people), compared to 50.5% in Rest of Vic. The most common conditions are asthma (8.4%) and mental health issues (7.9%), with 70.9% reporting no medical ailments, compared to 63.4% in Rest of Vic. Health outcomes for those under 65 are better than average. The area has a lower proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 15.4%, compared to 23.9% in Rest of Vic. Senior health outcomes align with national rankings, mirroring the general population's trends.

In terms of cultural diversity, Highton records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Highton's population composition aligns with the broader regional average, with 80.6% born in Australia, 88.9% being citizens, and 87.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Highton, comprising 50.1% of its population. Notably, Hinduism is overrepresented in Highton compared to the rest of Victoria, with 1.8% versus 0.7%.

The top three ancestral groups are English (28.1%), Australian (25.4%), and Irish (9.9%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Scottish at 9.5% in Highton compared to 8.8% regionally, Dutch at 1.8% versus 1.7%, and Croatian at 0.9% versus 0.4%.

Highton's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Highton is 37 years, which is lower than Rest of Vic.'s average of 43 and close to Australia's national average of 38 years. The age profile reveals that those aged 15-24 are prominent at 17.5%, while the 65-74 group is smaller at 8.4%. This concentration of young adults is higher than the national average of 12.5%. Between 2021 and present, Highton's median age has decreased by 1.4 years from 38 to 37, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Key changes include an increase in the 25-34 age group from 11.6% to 14.6%, and an increase in the 15-24 cohort from 15.6% to 17.5%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 11.5% to 9.5%, and the 45-54 group has dropped from 12.8% to 11.1%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Highton. Notably, the 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 67% (2,513 people), reaching 6,264 from an initial 3,750. In contrast, the 65-74 cohort shows minimal growth of just 2% (43 people).