Bentleigh East

Population growth drivers in Bentleigh East are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

The population of Bentleigh East is estimated at around 33,517 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 3,358 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 30,159. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 31,689 following examination of ABS data released in June 2024 and an additional 342 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,720 persons per square kilometer, placing Bentleigh East in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 11.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's growth rate of 8.7%, as well as the national average. Overseas migration contributed approximately 79.0% of overall population gains during recent periods in Bentleigh East.

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, adjusted employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Considering these projections, an above median population growth is projected for Bentleigh East, with the area expected to expand by 7,327 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 16.8% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Bentleigh East among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Bentleigh East has averaged approximately 229 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 1,149 homes. So far in FY-26169 approvals have been recorded. On average, between FY-21 and FY-25, each constructed dwelling has accommodated about 1.6 new residents per year.

This suggests a balanced supply and demand dynamic, fostering stable market conditions. The average construction value of these properties is around $708,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment by developers. In terms of commercial development, Bentleigh East has seen $75.9 million in approvals this financial year, reflecting high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Bentleigh East has shown slightly more development activity over the past five years, with 17.0% above the regional average per person. This maintains good buyer choice while supporting existing property values.

In terms of building types, new activity shows a skew towards compact living, with 26.0% detached dwellings and 74.0% attached dwellings. This shift from the current housing mix (currently 69.0% houses) reflects reduced availability of development sites and addresses shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. With around 166 people per dwelling approval, Bentleigh East exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the suburb is forecasted to gain approximately 5,614 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Bentleigh East has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 32 such projects potentially impacting the region. Notable initiatives include East Village, Westfield Southland Ongoing Upgrades, 1 Victor Road Retirement Village, and Mackie Road Reserve Upgrade. 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.

The employment landscape in Bentleigh East shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Bentleigh East has a highly educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate is 4.4%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, there are 17,451 residents in work, with an unemployment rate of 4.6% compared to Greater Melbourne's 4.7%.

Workforce participation stands at 71.0%, on par with the regional average. Census responses indicate that 41.1% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade. The area specializes in professional & technical employment, with a share 1.2 times the regional level.

Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing has limited presence at 3.6%, compared to the regional average of 5.2%. Over the year to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.7% while employment declined by 0.7%, resulting in a 1.3 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Bentleigh East's employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

Bentleigh East's income level is extremely high nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year ended June 2023. The suburb's median income among taxpayers was $60,445 and average income stood at $81,097, compared to Greater Melbourne's figures of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. As of September 2025, current estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% would be approximately $65,432 (median) and $87,788 (average). Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Bentleigh East, between the 71st and 79th percentiles nationally. Income analysis shows that the predominant cohort spans 28.6% of locals (9,585 people) with weekly earnings in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, reflecting regional patterns where 32.8% similarly occupy this range. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 35.9% exceeding $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 16.0% of income, yet strong earnings place disposable income at the 78th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Bentleigh East displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Bentleigh East's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 69.2% houses and 30.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bentleigh East stood at 35.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 40.1% and rented ones at 24.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,500, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Bentleigh East was recorded at $500, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Bentleigh East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 77.2% of all households, including 42.2% couples with children, 22.2% couples without children, and 11.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 22.8%, with lone person households at 20.6% and group households at 2.2%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Bentleigh East is notably higher than national averages. Specifically, 41.8% of residents aged 15 years and above have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4%. This educational advantage is reflected in the prevalence of various degrees: Bachelor degrees are most common at 27.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 25.6% of residents aged 15 years and above holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.3%) and certificates (14.3%).

Educational participation is high in Bentleigh East, with 30.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.8% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Bentleigh East has 145 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 15 different routes that together facilitate 2,632 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically living within 173 meters of the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards from Bentleigh East. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport, used by 86% of residents, while trains are used by 7%. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling in the area.

According to the 2021 Census, 41.1% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 376 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 18 weekly trips per stop. A map accompanies this data, showing the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Bentleigh East's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Bentleigh East. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were found to be low, particularly among younger cohorts.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population (19,714 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne. The most common medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 6.4 and 6.3% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 74.9%, declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 16.7% of residents aged 65 and over (5,597 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but rank lower nationally compared to the broader population.

Bentleigh East was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Bentleigh East has a high level of cultural diversity, with 36.3% of its population born overseas and 35.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Bentleigh East, comprising 43.9% of the population. However, Judaism is significantly overrepresented, making up 10.1%, compared to the Greater Melbourne average of 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are Australian (18.0%), English (17.7%), and Other (13.2%). Notably, Russian (2.4%) and Polish (1.8%) ethnicities are overrepresented in Bentleigh East compared to regional averages of 0.4% and 0.8%, respectively. Greek ethnicity is also notably present at 7.0%.

Bentleigh East's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Bentleigh East has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's average of 38 years. The 45-54 age group is notably overrepresented in Bentleigh East at 15.4%, compared to the Greater Melbourne average. Conversely, the 25-34 age group is underrepresented at 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 11.6% to 13.2% of the population, while the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 14.7% to 13.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Bentleigh East's age profile. The 45-54 age group is expected to expand by 1,313 people (25%), growing from 5,161 to 6,475. Meanwhile, the 0-4 cohort is projected to grow modestly by 7%, adding 108 people.