Hillside
Statistical Area - sa2

Hillside has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Hillside's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 16,120. This reflects a decrease from the 2021 Census figure of 16,182 people, a reduction of 62 individuals (0.4%). The change was inferred from ABS estimated resident population figures for June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,061 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Natural growth contributed approximately 52.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 uses the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting them using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics forecast a significant increase in the top quartile of statistical areas analysed, with Hillside expected to increase by 4,243 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, indicating an overall increase of 26.3% over the 17-year period.

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

Hillside has recorded approximately 34 residential properties granted approval each year. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, showing 174 homes over the past five financial years from FY21 to FY25, with none yet recorded in FY26. The population has fallen during this period, suggesting new supply has likely kept pace with demand, providing good choice for buyers.

New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost of $742,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Hillside has significantly less development activity, being 92.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes. Development activity is also lower than nationally, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. Recent development has been entirely comprised of detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

Hillside reflects a highly mature market, with around 5648 people per dwelling approval. Looking ahead, Hillside is expected to grow by 4243 residents through to 2041. Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 20 projects likely to affect this region. Notable initiatives include Woodlea Master-Planned Community, Aintree Indoor Sports Facility, Aintree North Recreation Reserve, and Calder Park Drive Interchange. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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

Hillside's skilled workforce has an unemployment rate of 3.3% in the construction sector, which is particularly prominent. Over the past year, employment growth was estimated at 5.1%.

As of June 2025, there are 10,394 residents employed with an unemployment rate of 3.3%, which is 1.3% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation in Hillside is 69.9%, higher than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include construction, retail trade, and health care & social assistance. Construction employs 1.5 times more residents compared to the regional level.

Professional & technical services employ only 5.7% of local workers, lower than Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 5.1%, while labour force grew by 5.8%, resulting in a slight rise in unemployment to 3.9%. By comparison, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 3.5% and an unemployment rate increase of 0.5 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%, slightly higher than the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Hillside's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.1% over five years and 12.7% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

Hillside's median income among taxpayers was $58,873 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $69,337 during the same period. This compares to figures for Greater Melbourne of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $64,825 (median) and $76,347 (average) as of March 2025. According to census data, household income ranks at the 79th percentile ($2,212 weekly), while personal income sits at the 52nd percentile. Income brackets indicate that 37.6% of locals (6,061 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 category. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 30.2% exceeding $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Hillside's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 88.8% houses and 11.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's figures of 90.9% houses and 9.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hillside was recorded at 31.8%, with mortgaged properties at 54.0% and rented dwellings at 14.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Hillside was $1,920, exceeding Melbourne metro's average of $1,800. Median weekly rent in Hillside was $380, compared to Melbourne metro's $351. Nationally, Hillside's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Hillside features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 86.6% of all households, including 52.9% couples with children, 19.7% couples without children, and 12.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 13.4%, with lone person households at 12.4% and group households making up 1.0%. The median household size is 3.2 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 3.0.

Educational attainment in Hillside aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 23.3%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 33.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (10.9%) and certificates (22.1%). Educational participation is high at 32.1%, including primary education (10.3%), secondary education (10.0%), and tertiary education (6.0%).

Hillside's three schools have a combined enrollment of 1,013 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1025) offering balanced educational opportunities. These schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available nearby. Local school capacity is limited at 6.3 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 16.3, leading many families to travel for schooling. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Hillside's public transport analysis shows 45 active stops operating within the area, all offering bus services. These stops are served by three distinct routes, collectively facilitating 2,083 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents on average situated 289 meters from their nearest stop.

Service frequency stands at 297 trips per day across all routes, translating to roughly 46 weekly trips per individual stop.

Hillside's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Hillside's health outcomes show notable results, with younger age groups having particularly low prevalence rates for common health conditions. Approximately 54% (~8,769 people) of Hillside residents have private health cover, compared to 50.8% in Greater Melbourne.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 7.6 and 5.9% of residents respectively. 74.7% of Hillside residents report no medical ailments, compared to 73.7% in Greater Melbourne. Hillside has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over (11.5%, or 1,847 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%.

Hillside 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

Hillside's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 30.9% born overseas and 35.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Hillside, comprising 66.1%, compared to 51.5% across Greater Melbourne. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (16.0%), Other (15.7%), and English (12.5%).

Notably, Maltese (9.0%) and Macedonian (3.6%) are overrepresented in Hillside compared to regional averages of 5.1% and 1.8%, respectively. Croatian representation is also notable at 2.8%, higher than the regional average of 1.4%.

Hillside's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Hillside's median age is 37, matching Greater Melbourne's figure and closely aligning with Australia's median age of 38. The strongest representation in Hillside's population lies within the 45-54 age group at 16.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort comprises a lesser proportion at 12.2%. From 2021 onwards, the 55-64 age group has risen from 11.5% to 13.7% of Hillside's population, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 2.5% to 3.6%. However, the 5-14 age group has decreased from 14.3% to 11.8%. By 2041, projections indicate significant changes in Hillside's age structure. Notably, the 55-64 cohort is expected to grow by 57%, adding 1,266 people to reach a total of 3,468 from the previous figure of 2,201. Meanwhile, the 5-14 cohort is projected to grow modestly by 2%, with an increase of 33 people.