Glen Waverley

Population growth drivers in Glen Waverley 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 Glen Waverley's population is estimated at around 47,000 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 4,358 people (10.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 42,642 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 45,891 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 271 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,791 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 10.2% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of 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 areas is projected, with the suburb expected to expand by 10,744 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 20.5% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Glen Waverley among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, Glen Waverley averaged approximately 249 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, an estimated 1,246 homes were approved, with a further 209 approved in FY-26 as of current data. Over the past five financial years, on average, 1.5 people moved to Glen Waverley for each dwelling built. However, this figure has increased to 4.7 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply.

The average construction value of new properties in Glen Waverley is $1,151,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment. In FY-26, there have been $39.2 million in commercial approvals, reflecting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Glen Waverley maintains similar construction rates per person, preserving market equilibrium with surrounding areas.

New development consists of 69.0% detached houses and 31.0% medium and high-density housing, offering a range of options from spacious family homes to more affordable compact dwellings. With around 164 people moving in for each dwelling approval, Glen Waverley exhibits characteristics of a growth area. By 2041, AreaSearch estimates Glen Waverley's population will grow by 9,635 residents. Given current development patterns, new housing supply is expected to meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.

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

AreaSearch has identified a total of 40 projects that are expected to impact the area significantly due to their influence on local infrastructure. Among these key projects are the 281 Springvale Road Glen Waverley Development, Luna Glen Waverley, Glen Waverley SRL Precinct Development, and Suburban Rail Loop East - Glen Waverley Station. The following list details those projects deemed most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Glen Waverley performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Glen Waverley's workforce is highly educated with professional services well represented. The unemployment rate in December 2025 was 2.0%. Employment grew by an estimated 4.4% over the previous year.

As of that date, 23,981 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.7% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation in Glen Waverley was 63.5%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. A significant 36.5% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade.

Professional & technical services showed notable concentration with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, construction had lower representation at 6.3% compared to the regional average of 9.7%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by resident population versus working population counts. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 4.4% while labour force grew by 4.7%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.3 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Glen Waverley's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not consider localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023, Glen Waverley had a median taxpayer income of $45,319 and an average income of $70,506. Nationally, the median was $57,688 and the average was $75,164 for Greater Melbourne. By September 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth would be approximately $49,058 (median) and $76,323 (average). As of the 2021 Census, household income ranked at the 60th percentile ($1,918 weekly), with personal income at the 29th percentile. Income distribution showed 29.2% of residents earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly. Regional levels had a similar pattern, with 32.8% in this range. Housing costs consumed 15.8% of income, but strong earnings placed disposable income at the 60th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking was in the 8th decile.

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

Glen Waverley's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 79.2% houses and 20.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Glen Waverley was 42.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.4% and rented ones at 28.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,500, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Glen Waverley was $480, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Glen Waverley's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,500 against the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 78.3% of all households, including 42.3% couples with children, 24.1% couples without children, and 10.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 21.7%, with lone person households at 18.1% and group households comprising 3.6%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Glen Waverley places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Glen Waverley's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 48.4% possess university qualifications, compared to 29.8% in the SA4 region and 30.4% nationally. The area's high proportion of university graduates (29.5%) and postgraduate qualifications (15.6%) indicates a strong educational advantage. Vocational pathways are also prevalent, with 19.9% of residents aged 15 and above holding advanced diplomas (10.9%) or certificates (9.0%).

Educational participation is high, with 32.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.2% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 8.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Glen Waverley has 176 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 35 different routes that together facilitate 9,301 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is good, with residents typically residing 240 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 81%, while trains are used by 10% of residents. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 36.5% of residents work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 1,328 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 52 weekly trips per stop. A map accompanies this data, displaying the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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

Health outcomes data shows notable results for Glen Waverley based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with younger cohorts having a very low prevalence of common health conditions.

Approximately 55% of the total population (~25,704 people) has private health cover. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 5.8 and 5.2% of residents respectively. A majority of residents, 76.5%, reported being completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Glen Waverley has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 20.4% (9,588 people) than Greater Melbourne's 15.1%. While health outcomes among seniors are strong, they rank lower nationally compared to the broader population.

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

Glen Waverley has a culturally diverse population, with 63.1% speaking a language other than English at home and 60.7% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion, comprising 34.0%. Buddhism is overrepresented at 11.1%, higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (33.1%), Other (14.0%), and English (12.5%). Notably, Sri Lankan (2.7%) Indian (8.3%) and Korean (1.3%) groups are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.8%, 4.2% and 0.3% respectively.

Glen Waverley's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Glen Waverley has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 75-84 age group is notably over-represented in Glen Waverley at 7.2%, compared to the Greater Melbourne average. Conversely, the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 11.8%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 13.6% to 14.6% of the population, while the 55-64 cohort has declined from 11.5% to 10.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Glen Waverley's age profile. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 1,743 people (29%), increasing from 5,922 to 7,665. Meanwhile, the 5-14 cohort is projected to grow by a modest 2%, adding 111 people.