Montmorency - Briar Hill
Statistical Area - sa2

Montmorency - Briar Hill has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Montmorency - Briar Hill's population was 16,539 as of Aug 2021. By Aug 2025, the population is around 16,998, an increase of 459 people (2.8%). This growth is inferred from ABS estimates of 16,958 in June 2024 and 112 new addresses since the Census date. The population density is 1,413 persons per square kilometer. The area's 2.8% growth since the census is within 2.2 percentage points of its SA3 area (5.0%). Overseas migration contributed approximately 60.4% 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 uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using 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. By 2041, Montmorency - Briar Hill's population is forecasted to increase by 5,989 persons, a total increase of 35.0% over the 17 years.

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

Montmorency - Briar Hill has received approximately 57 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics provides this data on a financial year basis. Between FY20 and FY25, the area saw 289 home approvals, with 9 already approved in FY26. Despite population decline, development activity has been relatively stable, maintaining adequate housing supply compared to demand, resulting in a balanced market with varied buyer choices.

New homes are being constructed at an average cost of $784,000, indicating a focus on premium properties. This financial year, $20.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Montmorency - Briar Hill has significantly lower construction rates (56.0% below the regional average per person), supporting stronger demand and values for established properties. This limited new supply is also below the national average, suggesting an established area with potential planning constraints. Recent constructions comprise 59.0% standalone homes and 41.0% townhouses or apartments, expanding medium-density options across different price brackets. This marks a notable shift from the current housing composition of 84.0% houses, reflecting decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles.

The area has approximately 349 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established location. Population forecasts predict Montmorency - Briar Hill will gain 5,948 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Montmorency - Briar Hill has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 28 projects that may affect the region. Notable projects include Hurstbridge Rail Line Upgrades between Watsonia and Eltham, Montmorency North Pavilion Refurbishment, Level Crossing Removal - North Eastern Program Alliance along the Hurstbridge corridor, and Plenty River Trail Upgrades. The following list details those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Montmorency - Briar Hill performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Montmorency - Briar Hill's workforce is well-educated with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 1.9% in June 2025, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.6%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.1%. As of June 2025, 9,530 residents were employed, with a participation rate similar to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training, with a particular specialization in the latter at 1.4 times the regional level. Transport, postal & warehousing had limited presence, at 3.2% compared to the regional 5.2%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.1%, labour force by 1.5%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5% and unemployment rose by 0.5 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows VIC employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Montmorency - Briar Hill's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch reports that Montmorency - Briar Hill had a median income of $59,944 and an average income of $79,435 among taxpayers in the financial year 2022. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. As of March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $66,004 (median) and $87,466 (average), based on a 10.11% growth in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2022. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Montmorency - Briar Hill cluster around the 72nd percentile nationally. The earnings profile indicates that 31.8% of residents (5,405 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week, reflecting a pattern similar to Melbourne's metropolitan region where 32.8% of residents also fall within this bracket. Notably, 30.6% of Montmorency - Briar Hill residents are high earners with incomes above $3,000 per week, demonstrating strong economic capacity in the suburb. Housing expenses account for 13.5% of income. Residents rank within the 74th percentile for disposable income, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

In Montmorency - Briar Hill, as per the latest Census, 84.2% of dwellings were houses while 15.8% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This compares to Melbourne metro's 76.0% houses and 24.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Montmorency - Briar Hill stood at 41.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.3% and rented ones at 17.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, aligning with Melbourne metro's average, while the median weekly rent was $415, compared to Melbourne metro's $399. Nationally, Montmorency - Briar Hill's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Montmorency - Briar Hill has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households compose 74.3% of all households, including 34.5% couples with children, 27.3% couples without children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for 25.7%, with lone person households at 24.3% and group households comprising 1.5%. The median household size is 2.5 people, aligning with the Greater Melbourne average.

Educational achievement in Montmorency - Briar Hill places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

The area's educational profile is notable regionally. University qualification rates exceed both the Australian average of 30.4% and the SA4 region average of 32.8%, indicating a strong emphasis on higher education. Bachelor degrees are most common at 24.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.4%) and graduate diplomas (5.3%).

Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 30.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas comprise 12.3% and certificates 18.2%. Educational participation is high, at 27.9%, including 10.1% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 4.7% pursuing tertiary education. Seven schools operate within Montmorency - Briar Hill, educating approximately 2,816 students. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1107. Education provision is balanced, with six primary schools and one secondary school serving distinct age groups.

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

Montmorency - Briar Hill has 58 active public transport stops. These include both train and bus services. There are 11 individual routes operating in the area, collectively serving 5,780 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents typically located 270 meters from their nearest stop. On average, there are 825 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 99 weekly trips per individual stop.

Montmorency - Briar Hill's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data shows Montmorency - Briar Hill residents have a relatively positive health status.

Common health conditions are seen at standard levels across both young and old age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high, at approximately 59% of the total population of 10,096 people. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (8.4%) and asthma (8.0%). 68.1% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 69.3% in Greater Melbourne. 22.0% of residents are aged 65 and over (3,746 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 19.8%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average and align with the general population's health profile.

In terms of cultural diversity, Montmorency - Briar Hill records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Montmorency-Briar Hill's cultural diversity aligns with the wider region's average. In this suburb, 82.6% were born in Australia, 92.1% are citizens, and 89.2% speak English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion here, comprising 45.3% of the population.

The most notable overrepresentation is Judaism, which makes up 0.1% compared to Greater Melbourne's 0.2%. Regarding ancestry, the top three groups are English (27.4%), Australian (24.8%), and Irish (10.4%). There are also notable divergences in Italian (6.2% vs regional 7.7%), Macedonian (0.8% vs 1.1%), and Maltese (0.8%) representation.

Montmorency - Briar Hill hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Montmorency-Briar Hill is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's median age of 38. The population aged 65-74 makes up 11.7%, compared to the Greater Melbourne figure. Meanwhile, those aged 25-34 constitute 8.2%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has grown from 9.6% to 11.1%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 6.7% to 7.7%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group has declined from 10.0% to 8.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes in Montmorency-Briar Hill. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 82%, reaching 2,392 people from the current 1,315. In contrast, the 0-4 age cohort shows minimal growth of just 4% (an increase of 35 people).