Eltham North

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

The population of Eltham North is estimated at around 6,848 as of February 2026. This reflects an increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 6,830 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 6,759 following examination of ABS data released in June 2024 and validation of 17 new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,703 persons per square kilometer, above the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 69.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered, it utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation methods. Future population dynamics forecast a significant increase by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, anticipating an addition of 1,365 persons reflecting an 18.6% total increase over the 17 years.

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

Eltham North has recorded approximately three residential properties granted approval per year. Between the financial years 2021 and 2025, around seventeen homes were approved, with an additional three approved in the current fiscal year ending June 2026. This area has experienced population decline, suggesting that new supply has likely been meeting demand, offering buyers good choice.

The average construction cost value of new properties is $812,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In terms of commercial development activity, $531,000 in approvals have been registered this financial year, suggesting minimal commercial development. New building activity shows an equal split between detached houses and townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from the existing housing pattern which is predominantly houses (98%). This change may be due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences.

The location has approximately 2726 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Eltham North is expected to grow by 1,276 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially leading to increased buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely to affect this region. Key projects are St Helena Place, Nillumbik Play Space Renewal Projects, Eltham and Diamond Creek Major Activity Centres Structure Plans, and Hurstbridge Rail Line Upgrades (Watsonia-Eltham). 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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The exceptional employment performance in Eltham North places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Eltham North has a highly educated workforce with professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate was 1.9% in December 2025, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.8%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.0%.

Residents' participation in the workforce was 75.3%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. A significant portion of residents, 39.5%, worked from home as reported in Census responses, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries for employment are health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Notably, education & training is particularly strong with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, accommodation & food services have limited presence at 3.6% compared to the regional average of 6.4%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the Census working population versus resident population count. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 1.0%, labour force by 1.2%, leading to a slight rise in unemployment of 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw higher growth rates with employment up 2.4% and labour force up 2.8%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Eltham North's industry mix suggests local employment could increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localized population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023, Eltham North had a median income among taxpayers of $64,225 and an average level of $86,301. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Eltham North would be approximately $69,524 (median) and $93,421 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household incomes in Eltham North rank between the 81st and 94th percentiles nationally. The largest income bracket comprises 30.3% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (2,074 residents). In comparison, 32.8% of the region occupy this range. Eltham North demonstrates considerable affluence with 45.5% earning over $3,000 per week. After housing costs, residents retain 89.4% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Eltham North's dwelling structure at the latest Census comprised 98.3% houses and 1.7% other dwellings. In comparison, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Eltham North was 44.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 49.2% and rented ones at 6.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,300, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000. The median weekly rent figure in Eltham North was $512, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Eltham North's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 90.1% of all households, including 52.8% couples with children, 27.9% couples without children, and 8.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 9.9%, with lone person households at 9.3% and group households comprising 0.6%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Eltham North demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates of 38.7% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4%. This rate also exceeds that of the SA4 region at 32.8%, indicating a community emphasis on higher education. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 24.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.6%) and graduate diplomas (5.2%).

Vocational credentials are prominent, with 31.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 12.0% while certificates make up 19.2%. Educational participation is high, with 31.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.6% in primary education, 9.2% in secondary education, and 6.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Eltham North has 22 active public transport stops serving a mix of buses. These stops are covered by four routes, offering a total of 2037 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 264 meters from the nearest stop. As primarily residential, most commuters travel outward; cars dominate at 91%, with trains used by 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 2.1 per dwelling, above the regional norm. In 2021 Census data, possibly reflecting COVID-19 conditions, 39.5% of residents worked from home.

Service frequency averages 291 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 92 weekly trips per stop.

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

Eltham North demonstrates excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 61% of the total population (4,167 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and 55.7% nationally.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 7.8 and 7.2% of residents respectively. A significant portion, 72.4%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 19.3% (1,321 people), compared to 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are strong and align with national rankings for the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Eltham North records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Eltham North's cultural diversity was found to be roughly in line with the wider region's average, with 82.1% of its population born in Australia, 92.8% being citizens, and 89.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Eltham North, comprising 47.2% of people. However, Judaism was overrepresented, making up 0.1% compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne.

The top three ancestry groups were English (27.8%), Australian (24.3%), and Irish (8.9%). Notably, Macedonian (1.1%) and Italian (7.0%) were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.7% and 5.2%, respectively. Maltese representation was similar at 1.1%.

Eltham North's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Eltham North is 42 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. The 55-64 age group constitutes 14.8% of the population, compared to Greater Melbourne, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 6.8%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 75 to 84 age group grew from 3.6% to 5.8%, and the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 12.7% to 13.9%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort declined from 8.5% to 6.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Eltham North. The 55 to 64 age group is expected to grow by 30%, reaching 1,314 people from 1,013. Conversely, the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.