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 population of Glen Waverley is estimated to be 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 Glen Waverley 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 for Glen Waverley, with the suburb expected to expand by 10,737 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 around 249 new dwelling approvals each year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, an estimated 1,246 homes were approved, with a further 200 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, 1.5 people moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five years, suggesting balanced supply and demand and stable market conditions. However, recent data shows this ratio has intensified to 4.7 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, indicating growing popularity and potential undersupply.

New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $1,151,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This year, there have been $39.2 million in commercial approvals, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Glen Waverley maintains similar construction rates per person, preserving market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas.

New development consists of 69.0% detached houses and 31.0% medium and high-density housing, offering a blend of attached housing types catering to various price ranges. With around 164 people per dwelling approval, Glen Waverley shows characteristics of a growth area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Glen Waverley is expected to grow by 9,628 residents through to 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Area's performance is significantly influenced by local infrastructure changes, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 40 such projects likely to impact the area. Notable ones include 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 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 has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 1.9% as of September 2025. This rate is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.7%. There are 23,770 residents currently employed. Workforce participation in Glen Waverley lags behind Greater Melbourne at 63.0% compared to 71.0%. A significant portion of residents work from home, with 36.5% doing so according to Census responses.

Key industries of employment are health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade. Professional & technical services show notable concentration, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 6.3% compared to the regional average of 9.7%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 4.7%, labour force increased by 4.9%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.0% and unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Glen Waverley. These projections estimate national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates varying significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Glen Waverley's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2023, Glen Waverley had a median income among taxpayers of $45,319 and an average income of $70,506. This is higher than the national average of $57,688 and compares to levels of $57,688 and $75,164 across Greater Melbourne respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year ended June 2023, current estimates would be approximately $49,058 for median income and $76,323 for average income as of September 2025. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, household income ranks at the 60th percentile ($1,918 weekly), while personal income sits at the 29th percentile. Distribution data shows that 29.2% of Glen Waverley's population (13,724 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, reflecting patterns seen regionally where 32.8% similarly occupy this range. High housing costs consume 15.8% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 60th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it 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 structures, 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 stood at 42.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.4% and rented ones at 28.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,500, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000. The median weekly rent figure was $480, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Glen Waverley's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,500 versus the Australian average of $1,863. Rents in Glen Waverley were substantially above the national figure of $375 at $480.

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 make up the remaining 21.7%, with lone person households at 18.1% and group households comprising 3.6% of the total. 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

Educational attainment in Glen Waverley is notably high, with 48.4% of residents aged 15 years and above holding university qualifications as of the 2016 Census. This figure surpasses both the SA4 regional average of 29.8% and the national average of 30.4%. The area's educational advantage is evident in its Bachelor degrees (29.5%), postgraduate qualifications (15.6%), and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Vocational pathways are also prevalent, with advanced diplomas accounting for 10.9% and certificates for 9.0% among residents aged 15 years and above.

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the Census date. 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, together facilitating 9,301 weekly passenger trips. The transport accessibility in Glen Waverley is rated as good, with residents, on average, living within 240 meters of the nearest transport stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outwards from Glen Waverley. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation for these outward commutes, used by 81% of residents. Trains are used by 10% of residents.

On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling in Glen Waverley. According to the 2021 Census, a significant 36.5% of residents work from home, which may be partly attributed to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 1,328 trips per day, translating to approximately 52 weekly trips per individual stop. A map accompanies this analysis, highlighting 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 Glen Waverley has excellent results 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% (~25,704 people) of the total population have private health cover. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (5.8%) and asthma (5.2%), while 76.5% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Glen Waverley has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 20.2% (~9,493 people), compared to 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are strong but rank lower nationally than 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, as of the 2016 Census, had a population where 63.1% spoke a language other than English at home and 60.7% were born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 34.0%. Buddhism's representation stood at 11.1%, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 4.2%.

In terms of ancestry, Chinese was the largest group at 33.1%, much higher than the regional average of 6.5%. Other ancestry made up 14.0% and English 12.5%, notably lower than the regional average of 20.1%. Sri Lankan (2.7%), Indian (8.3%), and Korean (1.3%) groups were overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne's 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 average of 38 years. The 75-84 age group is notably over-represented in Glen Waverley at 7.1%, compared to the Greater Melbourne average, while 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. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 11.5% to 10.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Glen Waverley's age profile will change significantly. The 45-54 age group is projected to expand by 1,744 people (29%), growing from 5,922 to 7,666. Meanwhile, the 5-14 cohort is expected to grow modestly by 2%, an increase of 103 people.