Moorabbin - Heatherton
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Moorabbin - Heatherton's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, is approximately 9,914 as of November 2025. This figure indicates a growth of 798 people, representing an increase of 8.8% since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 9,116. The estimated resident population of 9,727 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 319 validated new addresses since the Census date support this increase. This results in a population density ratio of 847 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively consistent with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Moorabbin - Heatherton's growth rate of 8.8% since the 2021 census exceeds that of the SA3 area (5.7%) and the SA4 region, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 86.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving this growth.

AreaSearch is employing 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 the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, with adjustments made using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is anticipated for statistical areas nationwide. Moorabbin - Heatherton is expected to grow by 2,092 persons by 2041, based on the latest population numbers, resulting in a total gain of 19.0% over the 17-year period.

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

Moorabbin - Heatherton has granted approximately 97 residential property approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25485 homes were approved, with an additional 11 approved in FY26 so far. On average, 0.3 new residents per year per dwelling constructed have been recorded over these five years.

The average construction value of new properties is $353,000. This financial year has seen $58.8 million in commercial approvals, indicating strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Moorabbin - Heatherton exhibits 90.0% higher development activity per person. New developments consist of 14.0% standalone homes and 86.0% attached dwellings, providing affordable entry options for downsizers, investors, and first-time buyers. This shift reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyle preferences. With around 88 people per approval, Moorabbin - Heatherton is a developing area with population forecasts indicating an increase of 1,886 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current projections.

Moorabbin - Heatherton has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 47 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Bluff Road Hampton East Redevelopment, Key Industrial Park - Stage 3, Southpoint Highett, and Nero Highett. 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. The unemployment rate was 6.5% as of June 2019.

In June 2025, the unemployment rate rose to 7.3%, which is 2.7 percentage points higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation in Moorabbin-Heatherton is 66.5%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance (20.8%), professional & technical services (17.3%), and retail trade (14.9%).

The area functions as an employment hub with 2.0 workers per resident, hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the year to June 2025, labour force levels increased by 1.4% while employment declined by 0.4%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Moorabbin-Heatherton's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022, Moorabbin - Heatherton had a median income among taxpayers of $58,786. The average income stood at $73,926. This is above the national average and compares to levels of $54,892 and $73,761 across Greater Melbourne respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $65,934 (median) and $82,915 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Moorabbin - Heatherton cluster around the 69th percentile nationally. The data shows 30.9% of the population fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, with 31.0% earning 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 a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Moorabbin-Heatherton, as per the latest Census data, 78.1% of dwellings were houses while 21.9% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This contrasts with Melbourne metropolitan area's 54.8% houses and 45.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Moorabbin-Heatherton stood at 30.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 40.7% and rented ones at 29.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,300, exceeding Melbourne metro's average of $2,167. Median weekly rent in the area was $440, compared to Melbourne metro's $410. Nationally, Moorabbin-Heatherton's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than Australia's average of $1,863, with rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Moorabbin - Heatherton has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 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 account for 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, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.4.

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% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 25.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 28.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 12.5% and certificates at 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. Six schools operate within Moorabbin - Heatherton, educating approximately 1,888 students. The area has significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA: 1103). The educational mix includes three primary, one secondary, and two K-12 schools. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 19.1 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 15.7, indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Moorabbin-Heatherton has 89 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops offer a mix of train and bus services, with 25 individual routes in total. Collectively, these routes facilitate 6,034 weekly passenger trips.

The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 187 meters from the nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 862 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 67 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.

Both young and old age cohorts saw low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover was very high at approximately 56% of the total population (~5,601 people). The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.2 and 6.9% of residents respectively. Seventy-two point three percent declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 70.4% across Greater Melbourne. Sixteen point eight percent of residents were aged 65 and over (1,670 people), which was lower than the 19.3% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

Moorabbin-Heatherton has high cultural diversity with 36.4% of its population born overseas and 30.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Moorabbin-Heatherton, comprising 45.6%. Judaism is overrepresented at 4.1%, compared to 1.1% in Greater Melbourne.

The top three ancestry groups are English (20.3%), Australian (18.9%), and Other (12.8%). Notably, Russian (1.9%) and Polish (1.9%) are overrepresented, while Greek is slightly higher at 4.2%.

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

Moorabbin - Heatherton has a median age of 40, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 years. This is also marginally higher than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Greater Melbourne average, the 45-54 cohort is notably over-represented in Moorabbin - Heatherton at 14.0%, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 10.9%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 10.4% to 13.0% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 15.4% to 14.0%, and the 25 to 34 age group has dropped from 12.1% to 10.9%. Demographic modeling suggests that Moorabbin - Heatherton's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to grow significantly, expanding by 364 people (61%) from 594 to 959. Conversely, both the 35 to 44 and 0 to 4 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.