Maribyrnong
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Maribyrnong are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Maribyrnong's population is around 13,785 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,212 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,573 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,818 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 113 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,510 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Maribyrnong's growth of 9.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 8.9%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 80.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted 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. Based on the latest population numbers, Maribyrnong is forecasted to increase by 4,582 persons to 2041, with an overall increase of 33.5% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Maribyrnong among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Maribyrnong has recorded approximately 106 residential properties granted approval per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 530 homes were approved and another 83 have been approved so far in FY26. On average, about 1.1 new residents arrive per new home each year over these five years, suggesting a balance between supply and demand.

The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $472,000, which is slightly above the regional average. This financial year has seen $38.7 million in commercial approvals registered, indicating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Maribyrnong records around 68% of the building activity per person and ranks among the 93rd percentile nationally for development activity, which has picked up recently. The new development consists of approximately 6.0% detached dwellings and 94.0% medium and high-density housing, marking a significant shift from existing housing patterns (currently 34.0% houses). This trend may be due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs.

Maribyrnong reflects a transitioning market with around 275 people per approval. Population forecasts indicate that Maribyrnong will gain approximately 4,615 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Twenty-four projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly, primarily through changes in local infrastructure, major developments, and planning initiatives. Key projects include Thomas Holmes Street Affordable Housing, 191 Rosamond Road Mixed-Use Development, White St, and Calibre Maribyrnong. 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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The labour market in Maribyrnong shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Maribyrnong has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 3.2% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.7%. In June 2025, 9,475 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.4% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation in Maribyrnong was 71.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key industries for employment among residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and professional & technical services.

Finance & insurance has a particularly strong representation with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. However, construction is under-represented at 6.9% compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. Many Maribyrnong residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 5.7%, labour force grew by 5.8%, resulting in a slight rise of unemployment to 3.1%. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5% with unemployment rising to 5.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Maribyrnong's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.6% 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

Maribyrnong had a median income among taxpayers of $60,258 and an average level of $82,819 in financial year 2022. This is among the highest in Australia compared to Greater Melbourne's levels of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. By September 2025, current estimates suggest a median income of approximately $67,585 and an average income of $92,890 based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Maribyrnong cluster around the 72nd percentile nationally. Distribution data shows that 35.2% of locals (4,852 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, similar to regional levels where this cohort represents 32.8%. High housing costs consume 15.6% of income in Maribyrnong, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 68th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Maribyrnong's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 33.7% houses and 66.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 49.7% houses and 50.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Maribyrnong stood at 26.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.0% and rented ones at 38.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, lower than Melbourne metro's $2,100. The median weekly rent in Maribyrnong was $396, compared to Melbourne metro's $376. Nationally, Maribyrnong's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Maribyrnong features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 64.7% of all households, including 28.3% couples with children, 26.1% couples without children, and 8.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 35.3%, with lone person households at 29.7% and group households comprising 5.6%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which matches the Greater Melbourne average.

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

Maribyrnong's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. 44.4% of residents aged 15+ hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and the SA4 region's 32.0%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 29.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.5%). Vocational pathways account for 23.6% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.9% and certificates at 12.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.9% in tertiary education, 6.4% in secondary education, and 6.2% pursuing primary education. Maribyrnong's 3 schools have a combined enrollment reaching 1,781 students as of the latest data. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1087. Educational provision follows conventional lines, split between 1 primary and 2 secondary institutions.

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

Maribyrnong's public transport system comprises 79 active stops, offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 9 distinct routes, facilitating a total of 9,171 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents on average situated 210 meters from the nearest stop.

On an average day, there are 1,310 trips across all routes, translating to approximately 116 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Maribyrnong shows excellent health outcomes across all age groups, with very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is high at approximately 61% (8,450 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 56.7%. Nationally, the average is 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in Maribyrnong, affecting 7.1% and 6.8% of residents respectively. 76.6% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Melbourne's 72.7%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 13.3% (1,836 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 11.4%. Health outcomes among seniors in Maribyrnong are strong and broadly align with the general population's health profile.

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

Maribyrnong has a high level of cultural diversity, with 45.2% of its population born overseas and 49.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Maribyrnong, comprising 44.1% of people. Buddhism is overrepresented in Maribyrnong compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 10.5% versus 8.7%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (13.8%), English (13.4%), and Chinese (12.7%), which is higher than the regional average of 7.2%. Notably, Vietnamese (11.8%) and Croatian (1.4%) populations are overrepresented in Maribyrnong compared to the region at large, with percentages of 8.9% and 1.0%, respectively. Serbian population is also slightly higher at 0.9% versus 0.6%.

Maribyrnong's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Maribyrnong's median age is 36 years, nearly matching Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and modestly under the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Maribyrnong has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (21.9%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (7.0%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 has grown from 12.6% to 13.7%, while the proportion of residents aged 5 to 14 has declined from 8.7% to 7.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Maribyrnong's age profile will change significantly. The cohort aged 55-64 is projected to grow by 66%, adding 963 residents and reaching a total of 2,414.