Burwood East

Burwood East has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, the estimated population of the suburb of Burwood East is around 12,386 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,711 people (16.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,675 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 12,366, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 481 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,907 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 16.0% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%), along with the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the area. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 74.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Moving forward with demographic trends, a significant population increase in the top quartile of national areas is forecast, with the suburb expected to grow by 3,457 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 27.8% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Burwood East among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Burwood East has experienced an average of 127 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 639 homes were approved, with a further 25 approved in FY-26. Each new dwelling is estimated to bring in around 2.2 new residents annually over the past five financial years.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $729,000, indicating a focus on premium properties. This financial year has seen $18.5 million in commercial approvals. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Burwood East has slightly more development activity, with 35.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. New development consists of 26.0% standalone homes and 74.0% medium to high-density housing, a shift from the current housing mix which is predominantly houses (74.0%). The location has approximately 311 people per dwelling approval, suggesting potential for growth. By 2041, Burwood East is projected to gain around 3,437 residents according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate.

Current development appears well-suited to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects likely affecting this region, including key initiatives such as SRL East - Works Package F - Stations - Glen Waverley to Box Hill, Tally Ho Activity Centre Structure Plan, East Burwood Reserve Master Plan, and Mirrabooka Reserve Pavilion Redevelopment. 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.

Employment conditions in Burwood East remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Burwood East has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 4.6% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 3.1% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. In September 2025, there were 6,409 residents employed, and the unemployment rate was in line with Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

However, workforce participation lagged significantly at 62.4% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. Census responses indicated that a high 34.2% of residents worked from home, although Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The key industries of employment among residents were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and professional & technical services. Burwood East had particular employment specialization in accommodation & food, with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction was under-represented, with only 7.1% of Burwood East's workforce compared to 9.7% in Greater Melbourne. While local employment opportunities existed, many residents appeared to commute elsewhere for work based on the count of Census working population to local population. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 3.1% alongside labour force increasing by 3.2%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.0%, labour force growth of 3.3%, and an increase in unemployment of 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offered further insight into potential future demand within Burwood East. These projections estimated that national employment would expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Burwood East's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The suburb of Burwood East has a median taxpayer income of $45,312 and an average of $60,119 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is below the national average, with Greater Melbourne's median income being $57,688 and average income being $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $49,050 (median) and $65,079 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 42nd percentile ($1,610 weekly), while personal income sits at the 24th percentile. The earnings profile shows that 30.2% of locals (3,740 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, reflecting patterns seen in the metropolitan region where 32.8% similarly occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 42nd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Burwood East, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 73.9% houses and 26.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Burwood East was at 44.3%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (29.2%) or rented (26.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,147, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $439, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Burwood East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Burwood East features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 72.3% of all households, including 33.7% couples with children, 26.5% couples without children, and 10.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 27.7%, with lone person households at 22.5% and group households comprising 5.1%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which matches the Greater Melbourne average.

Burwood East shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

In Burwood East, educational attainment is notably high among residents aged 15 and above, with 42.5% holding university qualifications, surpassing both national (30.4%) and Victorian state averages (33.4%). This area has a significant educational advantage, with bachelor degrees being the most common at 26.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 13.0%, and graduate diplomas at 2.8%. Vocational pathways account for 22.6% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 11.8%. Educational participation is high, with 28.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 8.2% in tertiary education, 7.2% in primary education, and 6.1% pursuing secondary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.2% in tertiary education, 7.2% in primary education, and 6.1% pursuing secondary education.

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

Burwood East has 64 active public transport stops offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 15 different routes, collectively facilitating 4,326 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is deemed good with residents typically residing 224 meters from the nearest stop. Primarily residential, most residents commute outward. Cars remain the dominant mode at 82%, while trains account for 8%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 34.2% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 618 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 67 weekly trips per individual stop.

Burwood East's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Burwood East. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts. The rate of private health cover was relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population (~6,272 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.2% and 6.2% of residents respectively. 73.6% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. 23.0% of residents were aged 65 and over (2,848 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Burwood East has a high level of cultural diversity, with 56.5% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 53.5% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Burwood East, comprising 43.5% of people, while Buddhism makes up 8.5%, which is higher than the Greater Melbourne average of 4.2%. The top three ancestry groups in Burwood East are Chinese (25.3%), English (13.5%), and Other (11.9%).

Notably, Greek (7.8%) and Sri Lankan (1.5%) populations are overrepresented compared to the regional averages of 2.7% and 0.8%, respectively, while Hungarian is slightly higher at 0.4%.

Burwood East's median age exceeds the national pattern

Burwood East has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's median age of 38. The 75-84 age cohort is notably over-represented in Burwood East at 8.7%, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 9.2%. Between 2021 and present, the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 14.9% to 16.3% of the population, and the 85+ cohort has grown from 3.5% to 4.7%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group has decreased from 12.8% to 10.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Burwood East's age profile will significantly change. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to expand by 605 people (30%), growing from 2,018 to 2,624.