Cockatoo (Vic.)

Cockatoo is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, the estimated population of the suburb of Cockatoo (Vic.) is around 4,608 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 200 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,408 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 4,574 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 13 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 162 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth that contributed approximately 56% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. 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. Anticipating future population dynamics, lower quartile growth of national areas is anticipated. The area is expected to expand by 134 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 2.5% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Cockatoo is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch analysis shows Cockatoo received around 4 dwelling approvals per year. Between FY21-FY25, approximately 22 homes were approved, with none yet in FY26. Despite population decline, development activity has been adequate relative to population change.

New properties are constructed at an average cost of $847,000, indicating a focus on premium segment. This year, $10.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Cockatoo's building activity is 91.0% below the regional average per person. Recent development has been entirely detached houses, preserving low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. As of now, there are an estimated 1529 people per dwelling approval in the area.

Future projections estimate Cockatoo will add 113 residents by 2041. Current construction levels should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Cockatoo has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Area infrastructure performance is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure projects and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 0 such projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include South East Melbourne Recycled Water Supply Infrastructure Upgrades, Yarra Ranges Council Drainage Infrastructure Program, Additional VLocity Trains, and Level Crossing Removal Project (Melbourne). The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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AreaSearch analysis places Cockatoo well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Cockatoo has a skilled workforce with notable representation in the construction sector. The unemployment rate was 3.1% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.3%. As of September 2025, 2,745 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.6% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

Workforce participation was higher at 76.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 21.7% of residents worked from home. Employment is concentrated in construction, health care & social assistance, and manufacturing. Construction has a particularly strong presence with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level.

Professional & technical services have limited presence at 4.9%, compared to the regional average of 10.1%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 4.3% while labour force grew by 4.7%, resulting in a slight rise in unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. This compares to Greater Melbourne where employment grew by 3.0%, labour force expanded by 3.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Cockatoo's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.8% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Cockatoo is higher than average nationally. The median income is $52,955 and the average income stands at $71,779. In Greater Melbourne, the median income is $57,688 and the average income is $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Cockatoo would be approximately $57,324 (median) and $77,701 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Cockatoo cluster around the 61st percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate that the predominant cohort spans 42.8% of locals (1,972 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, which aligns with metropolitan regions where this cohort likewise represents 32.8%. After housing costs, 85.0% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Cockatoo is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The dwelling structure in Cockatoo, as per the latest Census, consisted entirely of houses (100.0%) with no other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, or 'other' dwellings reported. This is in contrast to Melbourne metro's housing structure which comprised 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cockatoo stood at 24.9%, lower than Melbourne metro's level. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (67.3%) or rented (7.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,742, significantly below the Melbourne metro average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure for Cockatoo was recorded at $370, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Cockatoo's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 79.6% of all households, including 41.9% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 11.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 20.4%, with lone person households at 18.4% and group households comprising 2.3%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

The educational profile of Cockatoo exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate of 18.2%, as of a given date, is significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent among residents aged 15+, with 46.7% holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (13.0%) and certificates (33.7%). Educational participation is high, with 32.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 12.7% in primary, 9.3% in secondary, and 3.7% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.7% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 3.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Cockatoo has 18 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a mix of buses along seven individual routes, collectively offering 493 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as moderate, with residents typically located 593 meters from the nearest stop. The area is primarily residential, and most commuters travel outward; cars remain the dominant mode at 95%. On average, there are 2.0 vehicles per dwelling, higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 21.7% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 70 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 27 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Cockatoo is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Cockatoo faces significant health challenges according to AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is very high at approximately 55% of the total population, which amounts to around 2,543 people. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 10.9 and 9.5% of residents respectively. Conversely, 66.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 13.8% of residents aged 65 and over, which totals 635 people, lower than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Cockatoo is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Cockatoo's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 87.5% of its population being citizens and 86.7% born in Australia. English was spoken as the only language at home by 95.8% of residents. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 29.5% of Cockatoo's population.

Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne. In terms of ancestry, Australian was the top group at 32.1%, substantially higher than the regional average of 18.4%. English followed at 29.6%, also higher than the regional average of 20.1%. Irish ancestry made up 7.9% of Cockatoo's population. Notable divergences included Dutch, overrepresented at 2.9% compared to 1.2% regionally, Hungarian at 0.5% versus 0.3%, and Russian at 0.5% against a regional average of 0.4%.

Cockatoo's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Cockatoo's median age is nearly 36 years, close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years, which is slightly below Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Cockatoo has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (13.3%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (11.5%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 2.3% to 4.2%, while the 65 to 74 cohort has risen from 7.6% to 8.8%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 age group has decreased from 13.6% to 11.5%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Cockatoo's age profile. The 75 to 84 cohort is expected to grow by 53%, adding 103 residents to reach 297. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 62% of population growth, indicating demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 age groups are projected to experience population declines.