Hillside

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

Hillside's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, stands at 16,120 as of February 2026. This figure represents a decrease of 62 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 16,182. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 16,120 in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This results in a population density of 2,061 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Natural growth contributed approximately 52.0% 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 by this data, AreaSearch employs the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on these projections, a significant population increase in top quartile statistical areas is forecast nationally, with Hillside expected to grow by 4,243 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 26.3% over the 17 years.

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. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, a total of 174 homes were approved, with an additional 6 so far in FY26.

The population decline in recent years suggests that new supply has likely been meeting demand, providing good options for buyers. New properties are constructed at an average value of $90,000, below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing choices. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Hillside has significantly lower building activity, with 92.0% fewer approvals per person. This limited new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties. The area's market reflects maturity, possibly due to planning constraints, as it is below the national average in terms of dwelling approvals.

Recent development has been exclusively detached houses, maintaining Hillside's suburban character and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 5648 people per dwelling approval, Hillside indeed indicates a highly mature market. By 2041, Hillside is projected to grow by 4243 residents, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. If current development rates persist, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Hillside 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 17 projects likely affecting this region. Notable ones include Woodlea Master-Planned Community, Calder Park Drive Interchange, Aintree Indoor Sports Facility, and Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis places Hillside well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Hillside's workforce is skilled with the construction sector being notably represented. The unemployment rate was 3.5% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.6%. As of September 2025, 10,119 residents were employed and the unemployment rate was 1.2% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

Workforce participation in Hillside was 77.7%, higher than Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 24.0% of residents worked from home. Leading employment industries were construction, retail trade, and health care & social assistance. Construction had a particularly high share of employment at 1.5 times the regional level, while professional & technical services employed only 5.7% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 10.1%.

The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data. In the 12 months prior, employment increased by 4.6%, labour force by 5.2%, and unemployment rose by 0.6 percentage points. This compared to Greater Melbourne where employment grew by 3.0%, labour force expanded by 3.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 estimated that national employment would expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with significant variations between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Hillside's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.7% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not account for localised population projections.

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

The Hillside SA2 has a median taxpayer income of $62,589 and an average income of $73,055 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is higher than the national average, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $67,753 (median) and $79,082 (average). According to Census 2021 income data, household income ranks at the 78th percentile ($2,212 weekly), while personal income sits at the 52nd percentile. The earnings profile shows that 37.6% of locals (6,061 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly income category. A significant 30.2% earn above $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of their 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, consisted of 88.8% houses and 11.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hillside was at 31.8%, similar to Melbourne metro's level. The remaining dwellings were mortgaged (54.0%) or rented (14.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Hillside was $1,920, below the Melbourne metro average of $2,000. Median weekly rent was recorded at $380, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. 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 constitute 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 comprise the remaining 13.4%, with lone person households at 12.4% and group households making up 1%. The median household size is 3.2 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 33.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.9%) and certificates (22.1%). Educational participation is high, with 32.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.3% in primary education, 10.0% in secondary education, and 6.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Hillside has 45 active public transport stops, all bus services. These are covered by four routes offering 1,261 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically 289 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward; cars remain dominant at 92%. Average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 2.0, above regional averages. In 2021 Census data, 24% of residents worked from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 180 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 28 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Hillside 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

Hillside shows superior health outcomes as per AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Common health conditions are less prevalent among its general population compared to national averages, but higher among older, at-risk cohorts. Approximately 55% (~8,930 people) have private health cover, a rate significantly higher than the national average. The most frequent medical conditions are asthma (7.6%) and mental health issues (5.9%), with 74.7% of residents reporting no medical ailments, compared to Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. Under-65s in Hillside have better-than-average health outcomes. Only 12.1% (~1,948 people) are aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Melbourne's 15.1%, but still ranking below the national average for this age group.

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 shows high cultural diversity, with 30.9% born overseas and 35.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Hillside at 66.1%, compared to 43.0% across Greater Melbourne. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (16.0%), Other (15.7%), and English (12.5%), with notable differences from regional averages.

Maltese representation is higher in Hillside at 9.0%, compared to the region's 1.1%. Similarly, Croatian and Macedonian groups have higher representations of 2.8% and 3.6% respectively, against regional averages of 0.7% each.

Hillside's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Hillside has a median age of 37, which is equal to Greater Melbourne's figure and comparable to Australia's 38 years. The 45-54 age group comprises 15.9% of Hillside's population compared to Greater Melbourne. Meanwhile, the 25-34 cohort makes up 12.1%. Between 2021 and present, the 55-64 age group has grown from 11.5% to 14.1%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 2.5% to 3.9%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group declined from 14.3% to 11.3%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 16.9% to 15.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Hillside's age structure. Notably, the 55-64 group is expected to grow by 53% (1,195 people), reaching a total of 3,468 from its current figure of 2,272.