Blackburn
Its 58.7% university-educated share sits 28.6 percentage points above the national figure, supporting a professional household base. Compared with nearby Box Hill's denser activity centre, Blackburn is more house-led, with 66.0% separate houses and a density of 2,454.3 people per square kilometre. The established suburb also has 33.4% overseas-born residents and a 22.1% turnover rate, keeping demand changing.
Population
14,478
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,065/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
44
Median House
$1.6M
October to December 2025
Because 66.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 32.4% have 4 or more bedrooms, stock is more family-oriented than the 12.7% apartment share suggests. A $2,208 monthly mortgage equals 24.7% of household income, and the mortgage stress flag is false. Compare exact streets for renovation needs, lot size and school zones.
For Buyers
Because 66.0% of dwellings are separate houses and 32.4% have 4 or more bedrooms, stock is more family-oriented than the 12.7% apartment share suggests. A $2,208 monthly mortgage equals 24.7% of household income, and the mortgage stress flag is false. Compare exact streets for renovation needs, lot size and school zones.
For Investors
Blackburn's investment case rests on affluent demand and a sizeable but not dominant rental market. The 22.1% mobility rate means more tenant and buyer churn than a tightly held market, although 77.9% stayed at the same address. Thirty-seven development applications in 12 months indicate ongoing additions and alterations. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, while rent growth of 23.5% supports income prospects.
Development Activity
Total DAs
64
Last 12 Months
44
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+340.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Blackburn
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Blackburn Lake Primary School
Blackburn Primary School
Laburnum Primary School
St Thomas The Apostle School
Blackburn High School
Demographics
Blackburn has an older profile than the national average, with a median age of 41, yet its 58.7% university share is 28.6 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents account for 33.4%, with English ancestry numbering 4,536 and Chinese ancestry 2,564. Mandarin is the most common listed non-English language at 658 speakers, followed by Cantonese at 221. No religion is recorded for 6,543 residents, compared with 5,777 identifying with Christianity. Couples with children make up 48.2% of families, while average household size is 2.5, supporting family demand alongside professional migration.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
66.0%
Houses
21.3%
Townhouse
12.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Blackburn's housing is expensive but has softened from its peak. Tenure is split between 39.9% owned outright, 32.8% mortgaged and 26.2% rented. Three-bedroom homes are the largest group at 38.5%, followed by 4-plus-bedroom dwellings at 32.4%. Compared with nearby Box Hill's denser centre, Blackburn has a more separate-house-oriented profile at 66.0%, versus 21.3% semi-detached and 12.7% apartments.
Mortgage / mo
$2,208
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $411.
$600
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $620 · units $550
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$942
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.4%
Unoccupied
511
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
48.2%
Couples with children
37.6%
Couples, no children
12.5%
Single parent
3,911
Total families
Economy & Employment
Blackburn's economic base is knowledge and service led. Professional/Tech accounts for 17.6% of workers, followed by Healthcare at 16.9%, Education at 12.6%, Finance at 8.1% and Public Admin at 6.7%. Professionals number 2,802 and managers 1,182, reinforcing a higher-skilled profile than the broader average. Labour-force participation is 64.8%, unemployment is 4.6% and full-time employment is 58.3%, while 48.0% work from home. SEIFA places education and occupation in decile 9, income in decile 8 and overall advantage in decile 9. These above-average rankings help explain the $2,065 weekly household income and premium housing values.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
7,896
Unemployed
360
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.3%
Part-time
35.6%
Participation
64.8%
Employed
7,536
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
58.7%
Postgraduate
18.9%
Born Overseas
33.4%
Dwellings
5,556
Transport to Work
Blackburn provides practical access for households that can use roads, public transport or home-based work. Car driving accounts for 41.0% of journeys, public transport 5.2%, walking or cycling 2.6% and working from home 48.0%, so daily life is not solely transit dependent. Five nearby schools cover government primary, government secondary and Catholic primary options, including one secondary campus; check enrolment zones against the exact address. Crime totals 917 offences, or 63.3 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences at 630. SEIFA advantage ranks in decile 9, above the national midpoint, but safety and transport choices should be assessed street by street because lived experience varies.
Drive
41.0%
Public Transport
5.2%
Walk / Cycle
2.6%
Work from Home
48.0%
Population Forecast
+0.78%/yr
(+186 people/yr)
EstablishedBlackburn is an established market with moderate forward momentum rather than a rapid expansion cycle. Forecast annual growth is 0.78%, with overseas migration the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 11.5% over 10 years. The trajectory is Mixed: rent growth has reached 23.5%, real income growth is 17.6% and the gentrification score is 25 at the Early signs stage. The forecast also records a 2.5% COVID dip followed by 4.7% recovery, so demand has recovered rather than stalled. Compared with faster-growth corridors, the 0.78% pace points to incremental change, with 37 development applications adding local redevelopment pressure.
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
917
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
63.3
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 compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Blackburn?
Blackburn has 5 nearby schools covering government primary, government secondary and Catholic primary education. The mix includes 4 government schools and 1 Catholic school, with Blackburn High School providing the local secondary option. Enrolment zones should be checked for the exact address.
Is Blackburn safe?
Blackburn recorded 917 offences, equal to 63.3 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 630, followed by justice procedures offences at 119 and crimes against the person at 115. Buyers should compare individual streets and nearby activity areas.
How is Blackburn's population changing?
Growth is moderate rather than rapid. Forecast annual growth is 0.78%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 11.5% over 10 years, while the gentrification score is 25 and remains at the Early signs stage.
What development is occurring in Blackburn?
There were 37 development applications in the 12 months covered, including dwelling proposals, replacement homes and residential alterations. The examples include 1-dwelling applications, indicating incremental infill and renovation activity rather than a single large project.
What languages are spoken in Blackburn?
Blackburn has an overseas-born share of 33.4%. Mandarin is the most common listed non-English language, with 658 speakers, followed by Cantonese at 221, Punjabi at 96, Hindi at 92 and Greek at 68.
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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