Blackburn North
A 54.1% university-educated population and household income at the 75.6th percentile give Blackburn North a higher-income profile than the national benchmark. The suburb has 7,627 residents, a median age of 39, and 83.3% separate houses, so its identity is shaped more by established family housing than by apartments. Compared with nearby Blackburn and Box Hill, the 2.71 sq km area reads as a more detached residential setting. Overseas-born residents make up 36.6%, while English and Chinese are the leading ancestries at 1,916 and 1,856 people. That combination of professional households, long-term tenure and international links helps explain its settled character, with 83.2% staying at the same address.
Population
7,627
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,021/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
22
Median House
$1.5M
October to December 2025
Separate houses account for 83.3%, while 54.4% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 34.9% have 4 or more, a share far higher than the 0.9% with 0 or 1 bedroom. That mix supports families needing space, yet it narrows the affordable segment because apartments are only 1.3% of stock. Mortgage costs represent $2,400 monthly and 27.4% of income, with no mortgage stress flag; the share is higher than rent-to-income at 21.3%. Outright ownership is 38.2%, just below the 39.0% mortgaged share, indicating a substantial owner-occupier base.
For Buyers
Separate houses account for 83.3%, while 54.4% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 34.9% have 4 or more, a share far higher than the 0.9% with 0 or 1 bedroom. That mix supports families needing space, yet it narrows the affordable segment because apartments are only 1.3% of stock. Mortgage costs represent $2,400 monthly and 27.4% of income, with no mortgage stress flag; the share is higher than rent-to-income at 21.3%. Outright ownership is 38.2%, just below the 39.0% mortgaged share, indicating a substantial owner-occupier base.
For Investors
Rental investors face a low-density, owner-led market. Only 21.5% of occupied dwellings are rented, compared with 38.2% owned outright and 39.0% with a mortgage, so tenant demand is present but the stock is not dominated by renters. Weekly rent is $431 and the vacancy rate is 6.4%, which makes leasing conditions important to test at property level. Prices are 111.7% above the 2013 level, while 19 development applications in 12 months suggest some planning activity without a large recorded pipeline. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, which may support demand, but investors should compare renovation costs, land value and achievable rent carefully.
Development Activity
Total DAs
27
Last 12 Months
22
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+1000.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Blackburn North
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Old Orchard Primary School
St Philip's School
Whitehorse Primary School
Demographics
Blackburn North has a median age of 39, which is 1 year below the national figure, so it is slightly younger than Australia despite its established housing form. University attainment is 54.1%, 24 percentage points above national, and 36.6% of residents were born overseas, 15 points above the national share. English and Chinese ancestries are close at 1,916 and 1,856 people, while Mandarin and Canton are spoken by 521 and 229 residents. Couples with children account for 55.2% of families, higher than couples without children at 30.3%, and average household size is 2.8, 0.3 above national. Residential stability is notable: 83.2% stayed at the same address versus a 16.8% turnover rate. These patterns help explain demand for larger homes and the suburb's mix of professional, family and migrant households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.3%
Houses
15.5%
Townhouse
1.3%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure pattern is balanced between 38.2% outright ownership and 39.0% mortgages, while renting is lower at 21.5%. Housing is overwhelmingly detached: separate houses represent 83.3%, compared with 15.5% semi-detached homes and 1.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes lead at 54.4%, above the 34.9% share of 4-plus-bedroom homes, reinforcing a family-oriented market compared with the suburb's 1.3% apartment share.
Mortgage / mo
$2,400
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$431
Census 2021
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$822
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.4%
Unoccupied
184
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
55.2%
Couples with children
30.3%
Couples, no children
13.0%
Single parent
2,092
Total families
Economy & Employment
Blackburn North has a skilled, service-led economy. Healthcare is the largest industry at 18.5% and 520 workers, higher than Retail at 7.3% and 204 workers; Professional/Tech contributes 13.4% and 377, while Education accounts for 10.9% and 307. Construction and Retail add 209 and 204 workers. Professionals number 1,189, followed by Managers at 567 and Clerical/Admin at 520, supporting a strong white-collar base. Household income is $2,021 weekly, at the 75.6th percentile, and the labour-force participation rate is 64.7%, with 3,956 people in the labour force and unemployment at 5.0%. SEIFA reinforces relative advantage: IEO, IRSD and IRSAD are all in decile 9, while IER is decile 8, suggesting broad advantage with slightly less concentrated income resources. This profile helps explain demand for established housing and local services.
Unemployment
5.0%
Labour Force
3,956
Unemployed
196
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.9%
Part-time
35.5%
Participation
64.7%
Employed
3,760
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
54.1%
Postgraduate
15.0%
Born Overseas
36.6%
Dwellings
2,698
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented and home-based. Car drivers account for 51.3% of journeys, compared with 3.1% using public transport and 1.4% walking or cycling, while 39.9% work from home. That pattern suits households seeking residential space, but access to rail and frequent services should be checked for each address. Three local primary schools provide a mix of 2 government schools and 1 Catholic school; families should confirm enrolment zones because boundaries can cut across nearby streets. Recorded crime was 267 incidents, or 35.0 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 197, higher than crimes against the person at 27, with 26 justice procedures offences and 9 drug offences. With IRSAD in decile 9 and a population of 7,627, the suburb has strong socioeconomic conditions, although street-level safety and transport convenience still vary. Compared with a dense apartment setting, its 83.3% separate-house share supports a quieter residential rhythm.
Drive
51.3%
Public Transport
3.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
39.9%
Population Forecast
+0.78%/yr
(+186 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is positive but measured rather than explosive. The annual trend is 0.78%, compared with a -2.5% COVID-era dip that was followed by a 4.7% recovery, so Blackburn North has regained lost ground rather than following a straight line. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the wider-area 10-year population change is 11.5%. The forecast shift is labelled Mixed, with rent growth of 23.5% and affordability moving from 54.7% in 2011 to 46.7% in 2021 despite an Improving affordability trend. Gentrification remains at Early signs, scored 25, indicating incremental change rather than a finished transition. The 0.78% annual pace is lower than the 23.5% rent growth, which matters because housing costs may move faster than local population demand. Established households, international arrivals and limited apartment stock are likely to shape the next phase.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+414
Net Internal / yr
-98
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +15% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +414/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
267
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
35.0
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Blackburn North compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blackburn North a good suburb to live in?
Blackburn North can suit households wanting established detached housing, schools and work-from-home capacity. It has 7,627 residents, 83.3% separate houses and 39.9% working from home, while the median age of 39 is 1 year below the national figure. Car dependence is higher than public transport use, at 51.3% versus 3.1%.
What schools are in Blackburn North?
Blackburn North has 3 primary schools listed locally: 2 government schools, Old Orchard Primary School and Whitehorse Primary School, plus 1 Catholic school, St Philip's School. School type is not a quality ranking, so families should check the exact enrolment zone and current places before signing a contract. The sector mix is broader than a single-school catchment.
Is Blackburn North safe?
The recorded rate is 35.0 crimes per 1,000 residents, with 267 incidents in total. Property and deception offences accounted for 197, higher than crimes against the person at 27; justice procedures offences numbered 26 and drug offences 9. That profile suggests checking the immediate street and property security, rather than treating a suburb-wide rate as a guarantee.
How is Blackburn North's population changing?
The wider-area outlook points to measured growth: the annual trend is 0.78%, the 10-year population change is 11.5%, and overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, while gentrification is at Early signs with a score of 25. Population also dipped 2.5% during COVID and recovered 4.7%, so change is positive but uneven compared with a simple straight-line rise.
What languages are commonly spoken in Blackburn North?
Overseas-born residents account for 36.6%, 15 percentage points above the national share. Mandarin is the most common non-English language at 521 speakers, followed by Canton at 229, Greek at 110, Italian at 47 and Hindi at 44. English and Chinese are also the leading reported ancestries, at 1,916 and 1,856 people, so cultural and language needs may vary by household.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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