Balwyn North

An assessment of population growth drivers in Balwyn North reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Balwyn North is around 22,595. This reflects a growth of 1,293 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,302. The latest estimate of 22,511 residents by AreaSearch, based on ERP data released by ABS in June 2024 and validated new addresses since the Census date, indicates this growth. This results in a population density ratio of 2,485 persons per square kilometer, placing Balwyn North in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 are utilised with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the suburb is expected to grow by an additional 1,003 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 4.1% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Balwyn North when compared nationally

Balwyn North recorded approximately 125 residential properties granted approval annually between FY-21 and FY-25. Around 625 homes were approved during these five financial years, with an additional 80 approved in FY-26. On average, about 0.6 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were recorded over the same period.

This suggests that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction cost value of new properties was $1,462,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

In FY-26, $7.5 million in commercial approvals were registered, suggesting limited commercial development focus. Building activity showed 71.0% detached houses and 29.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. The location had approximately 158 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Balwyn North is expected to grow by 919 residents through to 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Balwyn North has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure. AreaSearch has identified a total of twelve projects likely to impact the area. Notable ones include North Balwyn Village Upgrade, 2 Sylvander Street Townhouses, Verdure Balwon North, and North East Link - Doncaster Interchange Upgrades. 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.

The employment environment in Balwyn North shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Balwyn North has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 3.4% as of an unspecified past year. Employment growth over that year was estimated at 1.6%.

As of December 2025, there were 11,953 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.4%, which is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation in Balwyn North was 65.3%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. According to Census responses, 41.3% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The key industries for employment among residents were health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade.

Balwyn North showed strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level, while construction had a limited presence at 6.3%, compared to the regional average of 9.7%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparing working population to resident population. In the 12-month period preceding December 2025, employment increased by 1.6% and labour force by 2.5%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.8 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 2.4%, labour force expand by 2.8%, and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Balwyn North. These projections estimate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Balwyn North's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, though these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localized population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on 1 July 2023 for financial year 2023, Balwyn North had a median income among taxpayers of $52,448. The average income stood at $93,767. This was one of the highest in Australia, compared to Melbourne's median and average incomes of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates suggest a median income of approximately $56,775 and an average income of around $101,503 as of September 2025. The 2021 Census reported Balwyn North's household incomes at the 85th percentile with weekly earnings of $2,346. Income brackets showed that 27.8% of residents earned over $4,000 weekly (6,281 individuals), differing from the regional norm where 32.8% fell within the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket. Balwyn North's affluence was evident with 40.0% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and services. Housing expenses accounted for 14.7% of income, while strong earnings placed residents in the 85th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking was in the 9th decile.

Balwyn North is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Balwyn North, as recorded in the latest Census, 83.0% of dwellings were houses while 17.0% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Melbourne's metropolitan area where 67.9% of dwellings are houses and 32.1% are other types. Home ownership in Balwyn North stood at 46.9%, with mortgaged properties at 33.2% and rented dwellings at 19.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,078, higher than Melbourne's metropolitan average of $2,000. Weekly rent in Balwyn North was recorded at $554, compared to Melbourne's metropolitan figure of $390. Nationally, Balwyn North's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Balwyn North features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 81.3% of all households, including 47.6% couples with children, 21.2% couples without children, and 11.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 18.7%, with lone person households at 16.9% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Balwyn North places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Balwyn North has a notably higher level of educational attainment than national and state averages. Specifically, 50.7% of its residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in Victoria. The area's most common university qualification is the Bachelor degree, at 32.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.3%). Vocational pathways account for 17.4% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 9.7% and certificates 7.7%.

Educational participation in the area is high, with 34.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.7% in secondary education, 9.6% in primary education, and 8.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Balwyn North has 108 active public transport stops serving a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are covered by 26 different routes that facilitate 6,564 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents on average located 216 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transport, used by 87% of residents. Vehicle ownership averages 1.6 per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

Notably, 41.3% of residents work from home, as recorded in the 2021 Census, a figure which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, service frequency across all routes amounts to 937 trips per day, equating to roughly 60 weekly trips per individual stop. The provided map illustrates the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Balwyn North's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Balwyn North shows excellent health outcomes according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 64% of the total population (14,406 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 5.6% and 5.5% of residents respectively. 77.7% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Balwyn North has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 20.0% (4,519 people), compared to 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, broadly in line with the general population nationally.

Balwyn North is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Balwyn North has a high level of cultural diversity, with 44.4% of its population born overseas and 48.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Balwyn North, making up 45.0% of people residing there. However, Buddhism is more prevalent in Balwyn North compared to Greater Melbourne, with 6.0% of its population identifying as Buddhist.

In terms of ancestry, Chinese heritage is significantly higher than the regional average at 25.8%, while English and Australian heritages are notably lower at 14.7% and 11.6% respectively. Other ethnic groups showing notable differences include Greeks (6.5% vs regional 2.7%), Italians (7.3% vs regional 5.2%), and Sri Lankans (0.8% vs regional 0.8%).

Balwyn North's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Balwyn North is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 15-24 age group comprises 17.5% of the population in Balwyn North, compared to 12.5% nationally and a lower percentage in Greater Melbourne. Post-2021 Census data shows that this age group has grown from 15.7% to 17.5%, while the 75-84 age cohort has increased from 5.7% to 6.8%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has declined from 15.9% to 14.1%, and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 14.4% to 13.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Balwyn North, with the 85+ age group expected to grow by 55% (434 people), reaching 1,225 from 790. The combined 65+ age groups will account for 71% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0-4 and 5-14 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.