Sale
Statistical Area - sa2

Sale has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Sale's population was around 15,658 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 357 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,301 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 15,486 in June 2024 and an additional 178 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 343 persons per square kilometer. Sale's growth rate of 2.3% since the census positioned it within 2.7 percentage points of the SA3 area (5.0%). Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 95.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted 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 utilised the 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 were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering these projections, an above median population growth was projected for Australian non-metropolitan areas, with the area expected to expand by 3,342 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 19.6% over the 17 years.

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

Sale has averaged approximately 74 new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, a total of 374 homes were approved, with an additional 9 approved so far in FY26. On average, only 0.8 people have moved to the area annually for each dwelling built during these years, indicating that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand and providing ample buyer choices while allowing for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average expected construction cost of new properties was $244,000, which is below regional levels, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. In FY26, commercial development approvals totaled $46.1 million, demonstrating robust local business investment. However, compared to the Rest of Vic., Sale shows 18.0% lower construction activity per person and ranks in the 33rd percentile nationally, suggesting somewhat limited buyer options but strengthening demand for established dwellings.

Recent construction in Sale consists predominantly of detached houses (90.0%) with townhouses or apartments making up the remaining 10.0%, preserving the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 509 people, reflecting its quiet development environment. Future projections indicate that Sale will add approximately 3,070 residents by 2041. Building activity is currently keeping pace with these growth projections, although increased competition among buyers can be expected as the population grows.

Sale has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 17thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 11 projects likely to affect the area. Notable ones include Sale College Facilities Improvement - Toilet Refurbishment & Years 7-12 Facilities Planning, Aqua Energy Leisure Centre Redevelopment, Port of Sale East Bank Redevelopment Study, and Swanlake Business Park. 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.

Employment drivers in Sale are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Sale has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 5.8% as of June 2025. There are 7,014 residents in work while the unemployment rate is higher by 2.1 percentage points compared to Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation stands at 55.4%, lower than Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and retail trade. Sale specializes in public administration & safety with an employment share 2.1 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 3.8% compared to Rest of Vic.'s 7.5%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Sale's labour force decreased by 0.7% with a 1.4% employment decline, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.7 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Sale's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Sale shows a median taxpayer income of $49,095 and an average of $63,872 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. This is slightly lower than average on a national basis, contrasting with Rest of Vic.'s median income of $48,741 and average income of $60,693. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $55,065 (median) and $71,639 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Sale, between the 22nd and 29th percentiles. Distribution data shows 28.4% of the population (4,446 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 30.3% in the same category. After housing, 86.1% of income remains, though this ranks at only the 26th percentile nationally and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Sale is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Sale, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 85.6% houses and 14.4% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Vic.'s dwelling structure was 91.9% houses and 8.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sale was 36.1%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (30.8%) or rented (33.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Sale was $1,300, aligning with Non-Metro Vic.'s average. The median weekly rent figure in Sale was $280, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $260. Nationally, Sale's median monthly mortgage repayments were lower at $1,300 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Sale features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 64.4% of all households, including 24.0% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 12.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 35.6%, with lone person households at 32.9% and group households comprising 2.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which matches the average for the Rest of Vic.

Sale shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's university qualification rate is 20.6%, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 3.8% and graduate diplomas at 2.8%. Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 38.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (26.8%). Educational participation is high, with 28.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 10.6% in primary, 7.9% in secondary, and 3.3% in tertiary education.

The area has 13 schools serving 4,156 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 974) and balanced educational opportunities. There are 6 primary, 4 secondary, and 3 K-12 schools. As an education hub, the area offers 26.6 school places per 100 residents, above the regional average of 14.6, attracting students from nearby communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Transport analysis shows 77 active public transport stops in Sale. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 22 individual routes operating, serving 580 weekly passenger trips in total.

Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 228 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 82 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 7 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Sale is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data shows significant issues in Sale.

Both younger and older age groups have high rates of common health conditions. Private health cover is slightly lower than average at about 51% (~8016 people). Mental health issues affect 10.7%, arthritis impacts 9.8%. 61.7% report no medical ailments, compared to 62.7% in Rest of Vic. Sale has 21.5% residents aged 65 and over (3374 people), lower than the 23.5% in Rest of Vic.. Seniors' health outcomes present challenges, similar to the general population's profile.

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

Sale's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 89.4% of its population being Australian citizens and 86.5% born in Australia. Additionally, 93.3% spoke English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Sale, comprising 47.4% of the population.

Notably, Judaism was overrepresented in Sale, making up 0.1% compared to 0.0% across the rest of Victoria. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were Australian (31.7%), English (30.6%), and Irish (8.5%). There were notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Dutch was overrepresented at 1.9%, Sri Lankan at 0.3%, and Scottish at 8.1%.

Sale hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Sale's median age is 42 years, similar to Rest of Vic.'s average of 43 but considerably older than Australia's 38 years. The age profile shows that 25-34 year-olds are particularly prominent at 14.2%, while the 65-74 group is comparatively smaller at 11.4% than in Rest of Vic. From 2021 to present, the 25-34 age group has grown from 12.2% to 14.2%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 12.4% to 11.0%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 12.5% to 11.3%. Population forecasts for Sale in 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes. The 25-34 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 53%, adding 1,177 residents to reach 3,395. In contrast, numbers in the 55-64 age range are expected to fall by 54%.