Moorabbin - Heatherton

Population growth drivers in Moorabbin - Heatherton are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Moorabbin - Heatherton's population is around 9,969 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 853 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,116 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,832 from the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 358 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 852 persons per square kilometer. Moorabbin - Heatherton's growth rate of 9.4% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area (6.7%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 86.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, 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. Considering projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is projected for the area, expected to grow by 1,974 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 18.4% in total over the 16 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Moorabbin - Heatherton among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Moorabbin-Heatherton recorded approximately 97 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25485 homes were approved, with an additional 21 approved so far in FY26. The average new resident per year per dwelling constructed over these five years was 0.3.

This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing buyers with more options and enabling population growth. New properties are being constructed at an average expected cost of $353,000. In FY26, there have been $58.8 million in commercial approvals, indicating strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Moorabbin-Heatherton shows 90.0% higher development activity per person. This should offer buyers ample choice. The new development consists of 14.0% standalone homes and 86.0% attached dwellings, reflecting a trend towards denser development that appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

Moorabbin-Heatherton currently has an average of 88 people per approval, indicating a developing area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, the area is forecasted to gain 1,831 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Moorabbin - Heatherton has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 49thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 43 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Bluff Road Hampton East Redevelopment, Southpoint Highett, Westfield Southland Ongoing Upgrades, and Sanctuary Sandringham. The following list details those most relevant.

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.

Moorabbin - Heatherton shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Moorabbin-Heatherton has a well-educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate is 6.8%. As of December 2025, there are 5,256 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.0% above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation matching Greater Melbourne's 69.9%.

Census data shows that 37.3% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance (15.2%), professional & technical services (14.5%), and retail trade (10.3%). Transport, postal & warehousing employs only 3.4% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 5.2%.

The area has a worker-to-resident ratio of 2.0, functioning as an employment hub attracting external workers. Over the year to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.2%, while employment declined by 0.9%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 2.4%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest Moorabbin-Heatherton's employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections.

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

In financial year 2023, Moorabbin - Heatherton SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $62,317 and an average income of $77,363. This is higher than the national averages of $57,688 (median) and $75,164 (average). Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for March 2026 would be approximately $68,312 (median) and $84,805 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Moorabbin - Heatherton cluster around the 69th percentile nationally. In this area, 30.9% of individuals fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to the metropolitan region where 32.8% occupy this bracket. A substantial proportion, 31.0%, earn above $3,000 per week. High housing costs consume 16.8% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 67th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Moorabbin - Heatherton is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In Moorabbin-Heatherton, as per the latest Census evaluation, 78.1% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 21.9% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differs from Melbourne's metropolitan area, which had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Moorabbin-Heatherton stood at 30.2%, aligning with the Melbourne metro average. Of the remaining dwellings, 40.7% were mortgaged and 29.0% rented. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,300, exceeding Melbourne's metro average of $2,000. Weekly rent median was $440, compared to Melbourne's $390. Nationally, Moorabbin-Heatherton's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,300 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Moorabbin - Heatherton has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 72.2% of all households, including 37.2% couples with children, 23.0% couples without children, and 11.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 27.8%, with lone person households at 24.1% and group households comprising 3.5%. The median household size is 2.6 people, matching the Greater Melbourne average.

Educational achievement in Moorabbin - Heatherton 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 38.6% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 25.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 28.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 12.5% and certificates for 16.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 8.1% in secondary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Moorabbin-Heatherton has 90 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These are served by 26 different routes that together facilitate 4,639 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 186 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards daily, primarily by car (84%), with train use at 8%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling in the area. According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents work from home (37.3%); this may be due to COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 662 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 51 weekly trips per individual stop.

Moorabbin - Heatherton's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Moorabbin - Heatherton.

AreaSearch's assessment found low prevalence of common health conditions in both young and old age cohorts. The rate of private health cover was very high at approximately 58% of the total population, which is around 5782 people. The most common medical conditions were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.2% and 6.9% of residents respectively. Notably, 72.3% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 16.7% of residents aged 65 and over, which is 1668 people, higher than the 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Moorabbin - Heatherton was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Moorabbin-Heatherton has a high level of cultural diversity, with 36.4% of its population born overseas and 30.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Moorabbin-Heatherton, comprising 45.6% of the population. Notably, Judaism makes up 4.1%, which is higher than the Greater Melbourne average of 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (20.3%), Australian (18.9%), and Other (12.8%). There are also significant differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Polish at 1.9% compared to the regional average of 0.8%, Russian at 1.9% versus 0.4%, and Greek at 4.2% compared to 2.7%.

Moorabbin - Heatherton's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Moorabbin - Heatherton's median age is 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's median age of 38. The 45-54 age group is notably over-represented locally at 13.8%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 11.2%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 10.4% to 13.4% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 15.4% to 13.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Moorabbin - Heatherton's age profile will change significantly. The 45 to 54 age group is projected to expand by 334 people (24%), growing from 1,373 to 1,708. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 cohort is projected to grow by a modest 1%, an increase of 5 people.