Hughesdale

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

Hughesdale's population is approximately 8,134 as of May 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 571 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 7,563. The change is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 8,132 in June 2025 and an additional 24 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4,046 persons per square kilometer, placing Hughesdale in the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. Hughesdale's growth rate of 7.5% since the census is within 0.5 percentage points of its SA4 region (8.0%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 88.7% 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 utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends project an above median growth, with Hughesdale expected to expand by 1,734 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 21.3% over the 16-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Hughesdale according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Hughesdale averaged approximately 14 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY2021 and FY2025, 74 homes were approved, with an additional 12 approved in FY2026 as of the current date. Each dwelling built over these years resulted in an average of 2.2 new residents per year, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

The average construction value for new homes was $457,000, which is moderately higher than regional levels, suggesting a focus on quality construction. In FY2026, $1.2 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Hughesdale has significantly lower construction activity, with 71.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. The area's construction activity is also below national averages, likely due to its maturity and possible planning constraints.

Recent construction comprises 64.0% detached houses and 36.0% townhouses or apartments, offering a mix of housing options across different price points. Hughesdale has approximately 569 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. By 2041, the area is projected to grow by 1,732 residents (latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth in the future.

Hughesdale has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence regional performance. AreaSearch identified 23 potential impact projects. Key initiatives include Suburban Rail Loop East, VicTrack Oakleigh Housing Development, ongoing Hughesdale Village Precinct Structure Plan implementation, and Legacy Oakleigh Residential Development. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Hughesdale remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Hughesdale has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. The unemployment rate was 5.2% as of December 2025. In this month, 4771 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.5% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation in Hughesdale is similar to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 41.5% of residents worked from home, with Covid-19 lockdown impacts considered. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. Professional & technical has a particularly high representation at 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 7.2% compared to the regional average of 9.7%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in December 2025, labour force decreased by 0.3% and employment decreased by 1.3%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Hughesdale's employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.4% over ten years based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

Income data from AreaSearch for financial year 2023 shows Hughesdale SA2 has high national median assessed income of $59,914. Average income is $78,898. Greater Melbourne's median and average incomes are lower at $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, estimated current median and average incomes for Hughesdale as of March 2026 are approximately $65,678 and $86,488. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Hughesdale cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate that 30.8% of locals (2,505 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly. A significant 32.2% earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 15.0% of income. Residents rank within the 71st percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Hughesdale's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 53.6% houses and 46.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hughesdale was higher than Melbourne metro at 32.3%, with the remaining dwellings being mortgaged (32.3%) or rented (35.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Hughesdale was $2,167, above Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $416, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Hughesdale's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Hughesdale features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 69.4% of all households, including 33.1% couples with children, 24.9% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 30.6%, with lone person households at 25.3% and group households comprising 5.4%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Hughesdale's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 46.8% have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. The area has a strong representation of bachelor degree holders at 29.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.1%) and graduate diplomas (4.0%). Vocational pathways account for 21.7% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.9% and certificates at 11.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.6% in primary education, 8.3% in tertiary education, and 6.5% pursuing secondary education.

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

Hughesdale has 33 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are covered by 20 different routes, offering 3,134 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 180 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Car remains the primary mode of transport at 71%, followed by train at 16% and walking at 4%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 41.5% of residents work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 447 trips per day, equating to approximately 94 weekly trips per individual stop.

Hughesdale's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Hughesdale.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were assessed by AreaSearch. Prevalence of common health conditions was low among the general population, but higher than the national average for older, at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover was very high, at approximately 58% of the total population (around 4,750 people). The most common medical conditions were mental health issues and asthma, affecting 7.4% and 6.9% of residents respectively. A total of 73.2% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. Hughesdale has 16.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,351 people), which is higher than the 15.0% in Greater Melbourne but ranks lower nationally than the broader population.

Hughesdale is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Hughesdale's population shows high cultural diversity, with 40.3% born overseas and 41.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Hughesdale, accounting for 48.0% of its population. While Judaism comprises only 1.0%, this is similar to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%.

The top three parental ancestry groups are English (17.1%), Australian (16.4%), and Other (12.2%). Notably, Greek ancestry is overrepresented at 10.9% compared to the regional average of 2.7%, Sri Lankan at 1.1% versus 0.8%, and Russian at 0.6% against 0.4%.

Hughesdale's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Hughesdale is close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and equivalent to Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Hughesdale has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (18.5%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.7%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the percentage of residents aged 25-34 has increased from 16.7% to 18.5%, while the proportion of those aged 65-74 has risen from 7.0% to 8.1%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 5-14 has declined from 10.9% to 8.7%, and the proportion of those aged 45-54 has dropped from 14.5% to 12.4%. By 2041, Hughesdale is projected to experience significant changes in its age composition. The demographic shift will be led by the 25-34 age group, which is expected to grow by 22%, reaching 1,838 residents from the current figure of 1,504. Meanwhile, the number of residents aged 5-14 is projected to decrease by 3 people.