Montmorency - Briar Hill

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 is around 17,069 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 530 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,539. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,042 in June 2025 and an additional 139 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,418 persons per square kilometer. Montmorency - Briar Hill's growth rate of 3.2% since the Census positions it within 2.3 percentage points of the SA3 area average (5.5%). Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 68.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises 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 are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking at population projections moving forward, a significant increase is forecast for the top quartile of national statistical areas, with Montmorency - Briar Hill expected to grow by 5,987 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 34.9% in total over the 16 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 approved approximately 49 residential properties annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, a total of 248 homes were approved. As of FY26, 30 homes have been granted approval.

The average expected construction cost value for new homes is $494,000, indicating a focus on premium market segments with higher-end properties. In terms of commercial development, $20.8 million in approvals have been recorded this financial year, suggesting balanced activity relative to Greater Melbourne. However, the area shows significantly reduced construction compared to regional averages, with 56.0% fewer dwellings constructed per person, which typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. This is also below national averages, reflecting the established nature of the area and potential planning limitations. New building activity comprises 59.0% standalone homes and 41.0% medium to high-density housing, offering a blend of attached housing types across various price ranges. This shift from the current 84.0% houses indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring more diverse, affordable housing options.

The area has approximately 349 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its established nature. Future projections estimate an addition of 5,960 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Montmorency - Briar Hill has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 25 projects that are likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Hurstbridge Rail Line Upgrades (Watsonia-Eltham), Montmorency North Pavilion Refurbishment, Plenty River Trail Upgrades, and Level Crossing Removal - North Eastern Program Alliance (Hurstbridge corridor). The following list details those projects considered most relevant.

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

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Montmorency - Briar Hill ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Montmorency - Briar Hill has a well-educated workforce with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 2.3% as of December 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.2%.

There were 9,474 residents in work by December 2025, with an unemployment rate of 2.5%, below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation was on par with Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. A high proportion, 38.6% of residents worked from home according to Census responses, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries for employment were health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training.

The area had notable concentration in education & training, with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average. Transport, postal & warehousing was under-represented, at 3.2% compared to Greater Melbourne's 5.2%. Limited local employment opportunities were indicated by Census data on working population vs resident population. Over the year to December 2025, employment increased by 1.2%, labour force by 1.3%, with unemployment essentially unchanged. By comparison, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, and a rise in unemployment of 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, May-25, 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 employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting 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

The median taxpayer income in Montmorency - Briar Hill SA2 is $63,611 and the average is $83,341 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This is notably higher than Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $69,730 (median) and $91,358 (average). Census 2021 data indicates that incomes in Montmorency - Briar Hill cluster around the 72nd percentile nationally. The income band of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 31.8% of individuals in the area, with 5,427 people falling within this range. This pattern is similar to that seen in the metropolitan region where 32.8% of residents earn within this income band. Economic strength is evident through 30.6% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, which supports elevated consumer spending. Housing expenses account for 13.5% of income. Residents rank in the 74th percentile nationally for disposable income. 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, with the remaining 15.8% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Montmorency - Briar Hill stood at 41.1%, with 41.3% mortgaged and 17.6% rented. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000. Median weekly rent was $415, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Montmorency - Briar Hill's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,167 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially higher at $415 compared to the national figure of $375.

Montmorency - Briar Hill has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 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 the remaining 25.7%, with lone person households at 24.3% and group households comprising 1.5% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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, with university qualification rates at 38.0% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and the SA4 regional rate of 32.8%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 24.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.4%) and graduate diplomas (5.3%). Vocational credentials are held by 30.5% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 12.3% and certificates at 18.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.1% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 4.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Montmorency - Briar Hill shows that there are 58 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 11 individual routes providing service. The weekly passenger trips facilitated by these routes amount to 3,939. The accessibility of transport in the area is rated as good, with residents typically located 270 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward. The car remains the dominant mode of transport for commuting at 88%, while train usage stands at 6%.

The average vehicle ownership per dwelling in the area is 1.5, which is higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a high percentage of residents, specifically 38.6%, work from home, which may be reflective of COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 562 trips per day, equating to approximately 67 weekly trips per individual stop.

Montmorency - Briar Hill's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis shows strong health performance in Montmorency - Briar Hill. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are low compared to national averages. Private health cover is high at approximately 61% of the total population (10,377 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 56.7% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common conditions are arthritis (8.4%) and asthma (8.0%). 68.1% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Under-65 health outcomes are better than average. 22.4% of residents are aged 65 and over (3,828 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Senior health outcomes are above average but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

Montmorency - Briar Hill ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Montmorency-Briar Hill, surveyed in June 2016, had a predominantly Australian-born population of 82.6%. Citizenship was high at 92.1%, with English as the primary language spoken at home by 89.2%. Christianity was the dominant religion (45.3%).

Judaism, however, was underrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne (0.1% vs 1.0%). Top ancestral groups were English (27.4%), Australian (24.8%), and Irish (10.4%), all higher than regional averages. Notable ethnic group divergences included Macedonian (0.8% vs 0.7%), Italian (6.2% vs 5.2%), and Maltese (0.8% vs 1.1%).

Montmorency - Briar Hill's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Montmorency - Briar Hill is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's average of 38 years. The 65-74 age group makes up 11.6% of the population compared to Greater Melbourne, while the 25-34 cohort constitutes 8.2%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has increased from 9.6% to 11.6%, and the 75-84 cohort has risen from 6.7% to 8.0%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 10.0% to 8.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest substantial demographic changes in Montmorency - Briar Hill. Notably, the 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 42%, adding 1,001 people and reaching a total of 3,398 from the previous count of 2,396. In contrast, the 0-4 cohort shows minimal growth of just 8%, with an increase of 69 people.