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

As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Cockatoo (Vic.) is around 4,643, reflecting an increase of 235 people since the 2021 Census. This growth represents a 5.3% rise from the previous population count of 4,408. The latest resident population estimate of 4,634 was derived by AreaSearch following examination of the ABS's ERP data release in June 2025 and validation of additional 20 new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 163 persons per square kilometer, indicating significant space per person and potential room for further development. Natural growth primarily drove this population increase, contributing approximately 56% of overall gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by these data, AreaSearch uses the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted through weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the suburb is projected to expand by 104 persons, reflecting a total increase of 2.0% over the 16-year period.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis using ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data, Cockatoo has seen approximately 5 dwellings granted development approval annually. Between financial years FY-21 to FY-25, around 27 homes were approved, with none yet recorded in FY-26. Despite population decline in recent years, development activity has been relatively adequate, benefiting buyers while new properties are constructed at an average cost of $847,000, indicating a focus on premium segments.

This year, $10.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, showing steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Cockatoo has significantly lower building activity, 89.0% below the regional average per person, which typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. This is also below national averages, suggesting mature area planning constraints. New development consists of 80.0% detached houses and 20.0% attached dwellings, maintaining Cockatoo's traditional low-density character focused on family homes. This marks a shift from current housing patterns, which are 100.0% houses, possibly due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 916 people, reflecting its quiet development environment.

Future projections estimate Cockatoo adding 95 residents by 2041, with current construction levels expected to meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth exceeding current forecasts.

Cockatoo has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 49thth percentile nationally

No changes can affect an area's performance more than alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. Zero projects have been identified by AreaSearch that could potentially 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 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.

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

Cockatoo's skilled workforce has a notable representation in the construction sector. The unemployment rate was 3.1% as of an unspecified past year. Employment grew by an estimated 3.9% during this period, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of December 2025, Cockatoo had 2,716 residents in work and a 1.7% lower unemployment rate than Greater Melbourne's 4.8%. Workforce participation was higher at 76.5%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. Census responses indicated that 21.7% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. 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. Meanwhile, professional & technical services have limited representation at 4.9%, compared to the regional average of 10.1%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in an unspecified date, employment increased by 3.9% while labour force grew by 4.2%, resulting in a slight rise in unemployment to 0.2 percentage points. In Greater Melbourne, employment grew by 2.4%, labour force expanded by 2.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Cockatoo. These projections estimate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Cockatoo's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localized population projections.

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 median income in Cockatoo is $52,955 and average income is $71,779. This compares to Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes are approximately $58,049 (median) and $78,684 (average) as of March 2026. Census 2021 income data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Cockatoo fall around the 61st percentile nationally. Income brackets show that 42.8% of locals (1,987 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, similar to Melbourne's metropolitan region where this cohort 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 recorded. This is compared to Melbourne metro's structure which was 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cockatoo stood at 24.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 67.3% and rented dwellings at 7.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,742, lower than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure for Cockatoo was recorded at $370, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Cockatoo's median monthly mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and 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% that are couples with children, 25.2% that are couples without children, and 11.6% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 20.4%, with lone person households at 18.4% and group households comprising 2.3% of the total. 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 is 18.2%, 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, with 46.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (13.0%) and certificates (33.7%). Educational participation is high at 32.8%, with 12.7% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 3.7% pursuing 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, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 7 different routes that together facilitate 493 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as moderate, with residents typically located approximately 593 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 95% of residents. On average, there are 2.0 vehicles per dwelling in Cockatoo, which is higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 21.7% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 70 trips per day, equating to approximately 27 weekly trips per individual 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 based on AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high across younger and older age cohorts. Approximately 55% of the total population (~2,562 people) has private health cover. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues (10.9%) and asthma (9.5%). Only 66.5% of residents claim to be 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 13.5% of residents aged 65 and over (626 people), lower than the 15.0% 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 had a cultural diversity index below the average, with 87.5% citizens, 86.7% born in Australia, and 95.8% speaking English only at home as of 2016 Census data. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 29.5%. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%.

Top ancestry groups were Australian (32.1%), English (29.6%), and Irish (7.9%), all higher than regional averages of 18.4%, 20.1%, and 5.4% respectively. Notably, Dutch (2.9%) and Hungarian (0.5%) were overrepresented compared to regional figures of 1.2% and 0.3%.

Cockatoo's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Cockatoo's median age is 36 years, nearly matching Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years. This is slightly below the Australian median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Cockatoo has a higher percentage of residents aged 55-64 (13.0%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.0%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the population aged 75-84 has grown from 2.3% to 4.1%, while the 25-34 age group has declined from 13.6% to 12.0%. The 5-14 age group has also decreased, from 15.0% to 13.9%. Demographic projections suggest significant changes in Cockatoo's age profile by the year 2041. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 51%, adding 96 residents to reach a total of 287. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 62% of population growth, indicating a trend towards an aging demographic. Conversely, the 15-24 and 25-34 age groups are projected to experience population declines.