St Albans - South
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in St Albans - South reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

St Albans - South's population is approximately 17,900 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 446 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,454. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,764 in June 2024 and an additional 141 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,859 persons per square kilometer, placing St Albans - South in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, ending in June 2024, St Albans - South has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.1%, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 92.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 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 from these aggregations are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on the latest population numbers, an above median population growth is projected nationally, with St Albans - South expected to increase by 2,804 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 14.9% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in St Albans - South, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

St Albans - South has averaged approximately 47 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, with a total of 238 homes approved during this period. In FY26, up until now, 7 dwellings have been approved. Despite a decrease in population over this time, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average expected construction cost value for new dwellings is $265,000, which is below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. This financial year has seen $112.6 million in commercial approvals, indicating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, St Albans - South has 11.0% less new development per person and ranks among the 19th percentile nationally, offering more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing properties. This is reflective of the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New development consists of 22.0% detached dwellings and 78.0% townhouses or apartments, a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 80.0% houses, suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 931 people per dwelling approval, St Albans - South reflects a highly mature market.

Future projections indicate that St Albans - South will add approximately 2,668 residents by 2041. Construction is maintaining a reasonable pace with projected growth, although buyers may encounter growing competition as population increases.

St Albans - South has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 26 projects that could impact this particular region. Notable ones are Sunshine Energy Park, Sunshine Health, Wellbeing and Education Precinct, St Albans Activity Centre Precinct Structure Plan, and St Albans Village Convenience Retail Centre. The following list details those most likely to be 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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates St Albans - South faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

St Albans - South has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 8.7% as of an unspecified date, with estimated employment growth of 5.2% over the past year.

As of June 2025, 8,268 residents were employed, while the unemployment rate stood at 4.1%, above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation was significantly lower at 48.6% compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment concentrations included health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade, with manufacturing notably high at 1.9 times the regional average. Professional & technical employment was limited at 4.8%, below the regional average of 10.1%.

The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparisons. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 5.2% while labour force grew by 5.7%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 3.5%, labour force grow by 4.0%, and unemployment increase by 0.5 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in May 2025, projected national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to St Albans - South's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 5.8% over five years and 12.5% over ten years.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

St Albans - South's median income among taxpayers was $41,595 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $47,281 during the same period. In comparison, Greater Melbourne's median and average incomes were $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates for St Albans - South would be approximately $46,653 (median) and $53,030 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows that household, family and personal incomes in St Albans - South fall between the 3rd and 16th percentiles nationally. The largest income bracket comprises 28.8% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (5,155 residents), consistent with broader trends across the broader area showing 32.8% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.0% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 16th percentile.

St Albans - South is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in St Albans - South, as per the latest Census, consisted of 80.0% houses and 20.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 81.3% houses and 18.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Albans - South was at 37.1%, similar to Melbourne metro. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (27.3%) or rented (35.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,500, below Melbourne metro's average of $1,700. The median weekly rent figure was $323, compared to Melbourne metro's $346. Nationally, St Albans - South's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

St Albans - South features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 72.6% of all households, including couples with children (31.8%), couples without children (20.5%), and single parent families (17.6%). Non-family households make up the remaining 27.4%, comprising lone person households at 21.9% and group households at 5.4%. The median household size is 2.9 people, which matches the Greater Melbourne average.

Educational outcomes in St Albans - South fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The university qualification rate in St Albans - South is 22.8%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 26.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (16.0%). Educational participation is high at 33.5%, with 9.1% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 7.3% pursuing tertiary education.

There are six schools operating within St Albans - South, educating approximately 3,488 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 971) and balanced educational opportunities. The schools include four primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school. School capacity exceeds residential needs at 19.5 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.3, indicating that St Albans - South serves as an educational hub for the broader region.

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

Public transport analysis indicates 58 active transport stops operating within St Albans - South. These include a mix of train and bus services. They are serviced by 10 individual routes, collectively providing 8,043 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 253 meters from the nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 1,149 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 138 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in St Albans - South is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

St Albans - South shows better-than-average health outcomes with lower prevalence of common conditions among its general population compared to national averages but higher for older and at-risk groups. Private health cover is low, with approximately 46% (~8,234 people) having it, compared to Greater Melbourne's 48.1% and the national average of 55.3%. Diabetes and arthritis are the most common conditions, affecting 6.6% and 6.3% respectively.

74.0% claim to be free from medical ailments, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 73.5%. The area has a larger senior population at 20.3%, or 3,630 people, compared to Greater Melbourne's 17.9%. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

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

St Albans-South, as of the 2016 Census, has a population where 64.8% were born overseas and 79.0% speak a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in St Albans-South, with 43.1%. Buddhism, however, is more prevalent here at 20.5%, compared to Greater Melbourne's average of 12.5%.

The top three ancestry groups are Vietnamese (29.2%), Other (18.2%), and Chinese (9.1%). Notably, Croatian (2.3%) and Maltese (3.7%) are overrepresented in St Albans-South compared to regional averages, while Serbian is slightly higher at 1.2%.

St Albans - South's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in St Albans - South was close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and equivalent to Australia's median of 38 years as of the 2021 Census. Compared to Greater Melbourne, St Albans - South had a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (10.3%), but fewer residents aged 35-44 (12.0%). Between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, the percentage of residents aged 65-74 increased from 9.7% to 10.3%, while the percentage of those aged 45-54 decreased from 11.8% to 10.6%. By 2041, St Albans - South's age composition is projected to change significantly. The number of residents aged 55-64 is expected to grow by 29%, reaching 2,615 from 2,022. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 51% of the projected growth. Conversely, the number of residents aged 5-14 is expected to decrease by 91%.