Essendon West

Population growth drivers in Essendon West are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of Essendon West's population is estimated at around 1,724 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 165 people (10.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,559 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 1,693 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 31 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,673 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Essendon West's growth of 10.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (7.3%), along with the national average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 63.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, 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. Anticipating future population dynamics, an above median population growth of national statistical areas is projected, with the suburb expected to expand by 225 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 9.3% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Essendon West recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Essendon West has seen around 21 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 106 homes were approved, with another 13 approved so far in FY-26. On average, 0.6 people have moved to the area annually for each dwelling built over these five years.

This indicates that supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering more buyer choices and potential population growth above projections. The average construction value of new properties is $645,000, suggesting a focus on premium segment development. In FY-26, commercial approvals totaled $3.0 million, indicating limited commercial development activity compared to residential. Essendon West has 94.0% more building activity per person than Greater Melbourne, which should provide ample buyer choices despite recent moderation in development activity. New development consists of 30.0% standalone homes and 70.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 67.0% houses. This trend reflects diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences and affordability needs. Essendon West has around 114 people per approval, indicating a developing area.

By 2041, AreaSearch projects an additional 160 residents, with current development rates comfortably meeting demand and potentially supporting growth beyond current projections.

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

The performance of a region can significantly be influenced by changes in local infrastructure projects and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified one major project that may impact this area: LUMA Sunshine North. Other notable projects include the Niddrie (Keilor Road) Activity Centre Structure Plan, North Essendon Activity Centre Plan, and Maribyrnong River Master Plan Implementation. The following list provides details on those considered 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.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Essendon West performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Essendon West has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 1.0% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.9% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation. As of September 2025, 1,040 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.7%, below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

Workforce participation was at 73.6%, close to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. Census responses indicated that 37.4% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in construction, professional & technical services, and education & training. Construction employment share is particularly high at 1.4 times the regional level, while health care & social assistance has a limited presence at 9.6%, compared to the regional average of 14.2%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population counts. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 1.9% and labour force grew by 1.9%, with unemployment remaining stable. In comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.0%, labour force expand by 3.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Essendon West's employment mix suggests local employment could grow by 6.6% in five years and 13.4% in ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023, Essendon West had a median income among taxpayers of $65,612 and an average level of $85,920. 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 from financial year 2023 to September 2025 (an increase of 8.25%), current estimates for Essendon West would be approximately $71,025 (median) and $93,008 (average). Census 2021 income data shows Essendon West's household, family, and personal incomes rank between the 81st and 85th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 30.0% of residents (517 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, consistent with metropolitan trends at 32.8%. Economic strength is evident with 36.9% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 14.9% of income, and residents rank in the 85th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Essendon West, as evaluated at the latest Census held in 2016, comprised 67.0% houses and 33.1% other dwellings including semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Melbourne metropolitan area's dwelling structure which was 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings at the same time. The level of home ownership in Essendon West stood at 36.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.5% and rented dwellings at 27.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Essendon West was $2,682 as of 2016, which is higher than the Melbourne metropolitan average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure for Essendon West was recorded at $450 during this period, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Essendon West's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863 reported in 2016, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375 for the same year.

Essendon West has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 71.3% of all households, including 40.3% couples with children, 18.9% couples without children, and 10.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 28.7%, with lone person households at 25.6% and group households comprising 3.3%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Essendon West is notable, with 37.9% of residents aged 15 and over holding university qualifications. This compares to 27.7% in the SA4 region and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are most common at 25.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 28.0% of residents aged 15 and over holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas (12.5%) and certificates (15.5%).

Educational participation is high, with 30.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.5% in secondary education, 8.4% in primary education, and 7.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows eight active transport stops operating within Essendon West, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by five different routes, collectively providing 1546 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 163 meters from the nearest stop. In this primarily residential area, most commuters travel outward; car remains the dominant mode at 86%, while train usage accounts for 6%. Average vehicle ownership per dwelling stands at 1.5, above the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a high 37.4% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 220 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 193 weekly trips per individual stop.

Essendon West's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

AreaSearch's assessment shows excellent health outcomes in Essendon West. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are low, especially among younger cohorts.

Approximately 61% of residents have private health cover, higher than Greater Melbourne's 56.7%. The most prevalent conditions are asthma (7.6%) and arthritis (6.3%), with 73.3% of residents reporting no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Essendon West has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 17.7%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 15.1%. While health outcomes among seniors are strong, they rank lower nationally than those of the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Essendon West was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Essendon West's population showed high cultural diversity, with 21.5% born overseas and 23.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Essendon West at 66.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 43.0%. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (19.9%), English (18.8%), and Italian (13.6%), with Italians being more prevalent than the regional average of 5.2%.

Notably, Maltese (2.3% vs 1.1%), Croatian (1.3% vs 0.7%), and Sri Lankan (0.9% vs 0.8%) groups were overrepresented in Essendon West compared to regional averages.

Essendon West's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Essendon West is 39 years, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Essendon West has a notably higher proportion of individuals aged 45-54 (15.6%) and a lower proportion of those aged 25-34 (10.6%). According to post-2021 Census data, the population aged 15-24 grew from 14.6% to 16.2%, while the 55-64 cohort increased from 10.8% to 11.9%. Conversely, the proportion of individuals aged 45-54 decreased from 17.1% to 15.6%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Essendon West. Notably, the 55-64 age group is expected to grow by 28%, reaching 262 people from 205. Residents aged 65 and older are anticipated to represent 53% of this growth. Conversely, the populations aged 0-4 and 5-14 are expected to decline.