Hughesdale

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Hughesdale's population is around 8,090 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 527 people (7.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,563 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,088 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 25 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 4,024 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, making land in the area a highly sought-after resource. Hughesdale's 7.0% growth since the census positions it within 1.7 percentage points of the SA4 region (8.7%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 88.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising 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 from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. As we examine future population trends, a significant population increase in the top quartile of national statistical areas is forecast, with the area expected to expand by 1,848 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, recording a gain of 22.8% in total over the 17 years.

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

Hughesdale has averaged around 14 new dwelling approvals per year, with 74 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 8 so far in FY-26. With an average of 2.2 people moving to the area per new home constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), reflecting robust demand that underpins property values, new homes are being built at an average cost of $457,000—slightly above the regional average—suggesting a focus on quality developments. Additionally, $1.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, suggesting a predominantly residential focus.

When measured against Greater Melbourne, Hughesdale has significantly less development activity (71.0% below regional average per person). This scarcity of new homes typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. This activity is likewise lower than nationally, reflecting market maturity and pointing to possible development constraints. New building activity consists of 64.0% detached dwellings and 36.0% townhouses or apartments, showing an expanding range of medium-density options that create a mix of opportunities across price brackets, from traditional family housing to more affordable compact alternatives. At around 569 people per approval, Hughesdale remains a mature, established area.

Looking ahead, Hughesdale is expected to grow by 1,846 residents through to 2041 (based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 23 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Suburban Rail Loop East, VicTrack Oakleigh Housing Development, Hughesdale Village Precinct Structure Plan (ongoing implementation), and Legacy Oakleigh Residential Development, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

Hughesdale has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Hughesdale possesses a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation and an unemployment rate of 5.2%. As of December 2025, 4,771 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 0.5% above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation is on par with Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. Based on Census responses, a high 41.5% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in professional & technical services, with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average. Meanwhile, construction has a limited presence with 7.2% employment compared to 9.7% regionally. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.3% alongside a 1.3% employment decline, resulting in the unemployment rate rising by 0.9 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne, where employment rose by 2.4%, the labour force grew by 2.8%, and unemployment rose 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Hughesdale. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Hughesdale's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.4% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Hughesdale SA2's median income among taxpayers is $59,914, with an average of $78,898. This is well above average nationally, and compares to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $64,857 (median) and $85,407 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Hughesdale cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows the predominant cohort spans 30.8% of locals (2,491 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, aligning with the surrounding region where this cohort likewise represents 32.8%. Economic strength emerges through 32.2% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 15.0% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 71st percentile for disposable income and 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

Dwelling structure within Hughesdale, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 53.6% houses and 46.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Hughesdale was beyond that of Melbourne metro, at 32.3%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (32.3%) or rented (35.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Melbourne metro average at $2,167, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $416, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Hughesdale's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 69.4% of all households, comprising 33.1% couples with children, 24.9% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 30.6%, with lone person households at 25.3% and group households comprising 5.4% of the total. The median household size of 2.5 people 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

Educational attainment in Hughesdale significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 46.8% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in VIC. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 29.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.1%) and graduate diplomas (4.0%). Vocational pathways account for 21.7% of qualifications among those aged 15+; advanced diplomas (9.9%) and certificates (11.8%).

Educational participation is notably 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

Public transport analysis reveals 33 active transport stops operating within Hughesdale, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 20 individual routes, collectively providing 3,134 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 180 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 71%, with 16% by train and 4% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A high 41.5% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 447 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 94 weekly trips per individual stop.

Hughesdale's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Hughesdale, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Younger cohorts in particular see very low prevalence of common health conditions, and the rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 58% of the total population (~4,724 people).

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.4 and 6.9% of residents, respectively, while 73.2% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 17.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,400 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne, though ranking 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 scores highly on cultural diversity, with 40.3% of its population born overseas and 41.7% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Hughesdale is Christianity, which makes up 48.0% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 1.0% of the population, compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Hughesdale are English, comprising 17.1% of the population, Australian, comprising 16.4% of the population, and Other, comprising 12.2% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Greek is notably overrepresented at 10.9% of Hughesdale (vs 2.7% regionally), Sri Lankan at 1.1% (vs 0.8%) and Russian at 0.6% (vs 0.4%).

Hughesdale's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The 38-year median age in Hughesdale is close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and equivalent to the Australian median of 38. Relative to Greater Melbourne, Hughesdale has a higher concentration of 25 - 34 residents (18.1%) but fewer 5 - 14 year-olds (8.7%). Since the 2021 Census, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 16.7% to 18.1% of the population, while the 65 to 74 cohort increased from 7.0% to 8.3%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 10.9% to 8.7% and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 14.5% to 12.2%. By 2041, Hughesdale is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. Leading the demographic shift, the 25 to 34 group will grow by 23% (342 people), reaching 1,807 from 1,464. The 5 to 14 group displays more modest growth at 1%, adding only 4 residents.