St. Albans is a rather populous suburban district of the greater Melbourne metropolitan area. As of the 2011 national census, this community had a population of roughly thirty-five thousand inhabitants. Located within fifteen kilometres of the central business district of Melbourne, more than fifty per cent of the population equates to residents that are from abroad; many from non-English speaking countries.
Much of this rather diverse population can be seen as having been influenced by a number of historical factors; the most prominent of which was the cessation of the Second World War. During the 1950s and 1960s, a great number of displaced individuals flocked to St. Albans due to its relative proximity to Melbourne as well as the comparatively amenable housing prices that were to be found. Another reason that this suburb contains a predominantly foreign population is due to the fact that up until the latter part of the 1980s, St. Albans was relatively isolated from surrounding communities and the city of Melbourne although it was located only a handful of kilometres away.
Another sizable large portion of the immigrant population to be found here represents people that are from Eastern or Southern Europe. However, there has been a recent influx of migrants from the Horn of Africa. In addition, there are many ethnic groups that can trace their origins to the Far East and countries such as China, Vietnam and Singapore.
Due to its large population, there are a number of schools that are located within or near St. Albans as well as retail centres and sports venues.
The real estate market to be found here is said to represent a moderate area of growth. Still, many of the residences here represent affordable housing and unlike other suburban areas surrounding Melbourne, the focus on real estate investment is said to be in affordable income premises as opposed to housing estates.