Heywood

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Heywood is around 1,823, reflecting an increase of 8 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 1,815. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 1,778 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 9 validated new addresses since the Census date. The current population density ratio is 7.2 persons per square kilometer. Heywood's 0.4% growth since census positions it within 1.2 percentage points of the SA3 area (1.6%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains in recent periods. AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the suburb is expected to grow by just below the median of national non-metropolitan areas, with an increase of 124 persons reflecting a total increase of 5.8% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Heywood, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Heywood had minimal construction activity with 3 new dwellings approved annually on average between 2017 and 2021. This low development level is typical of rural areas where housing needs are modest, and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. Note that due to the low approval numbers, yearly growth figures can vary significantly based on individual projects.

Heywood's development activity is much lower compared to Rest of Vic., and it is also below national patterns. All recent developments in Heywood have been detached houses, catering to families seeking a rural lifestyle and space. The estimated population per dwelling approval was 515 people during this period. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Heywood is projected to add 105 residents by 2041.

Construction activity has maintained a reasonable pace with projected growth, but buyers may face increasing competition as the population grows.

Heywood has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 32ndth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects likely to affect this region: Tyrendarra Town Area Restructure Plan, Princes Highway West - Bridge Upgrade Fitzroy River at Tyrendarra (completed 2018), Princes Highway West - Overtaking Lane at Tyrendarra (Westbound) (scheduled for completion in 2023), and Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Infrastructure project (commenced in 2019).

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

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While Heywood retains a healthy unemployment rate of 2.6%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Heywood has a balanced workforce with diverse sector representation. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate was 2.6%. The area had an unemployment rate of 1.1% below Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation was at 58.3% compared to Rest of Vic.'s 61.4%.

A moderate 14.1% of residents worked from home, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Dominant employment sectors included agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. The area had a particular specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing with an employment share 2.5 times the regional level. Conversely, education & training showed lower representation at 3.7% versus the regional average of 9.1%.

Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, labour force decreased by 2.9%, employment declined by 3.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.3 percentage points. This contrasted with Rest of Vic., where employment contracted by 0.7%, labour force fell by 0.6%, and unemployment rose marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 showed national employment expanding by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Heywood's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 5.4% over five years and 12.0% over ten years.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 30, 2023 shows that median income in Heywood is $44,525 with average income at $55,622. This contrasts with Rest of Vic.'s median income of $50,954 and average income of $62,728. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since June 30, 2023, estimated median income as of September 2025 is approximately $48,198, with average income at $60,211. Census data indicates household, family and personal incomes in Heywood fall between the 6th and 14th percentiles nationally. Income brackets show that 28.6% of Heywood residents earn between $400 - $799 (521 individuals), unlike regional trends where 30.3% earn between $1,500 - $2,999. Despite modest housing costs allowing for 89.2% income retention, total disposable income ranks at the 11th percentile nationally.

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

Heywood's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.0% houses and 5.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Vic. had 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Heywood was 46.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.9% and rented ones at 20.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,025, lower than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,430. The median weekly rent in Heywood was $180, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $285. Nationally, Heywood's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,025 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Heywood features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 61.6% of all households, including 19.5% couples with children, 28.5% couples without children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 38.4%, with lone person households at 35.3% and group households making up 2.0% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

Heywood faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 8.6%, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. This figure presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 6.0%, followed by graduate diplomas at 1.8% and postgraduate qualifications at 0.8%. Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 43.4% of residents aged 15 and above holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 8.6% and certificates at 34.8%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.0% in primary education, 6.8% in secondary education, and 1.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Heywood has two active public transport stops. These are served by two separate routes, offering a total of 25 weekly passenger trips. Transport access is limited, with residents living an average of 720 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards, primarily using cars (92%), with 5% walking. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 14.1% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages three trips per day across all routes, resulting in about 12 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Heywood is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Heywood, as assessed by AreaSearch. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high among both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is low, at approximately 49% (around 891 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 12.1% of residents) and mental health issues (9.7%). Conversely, 59.4% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.4% in Rest of Vic.. Working-age residents face notable health challenges due to high chronic condition rates. Heywood has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over, at 26.6% (484 people), than Rest of Vic., which is 23.9%. National rankings for this age group are even higher than the general population.

The latest Census data sees Heywood placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Heywood's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 86.4% of its population being citizens, 91.8% born in Australia, and 98.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Heywood, making up 46.1% of people, compared to 47.3% across Rest of Vic.. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (33.1%), English (32.9%), and Scottish (7.9%).

Notably, Dutch ethnicity is overrepresented at 1.9%, Maltese at 1.4%, and Australian Aboriginal at 5.5%.

Heywood hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Heywood's median age is 47 years, significantly higher than Victoria's average of 43 and the national average of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 make up 15.6%, a prominent group compared to the rest of Victoria. The 45-54 age group comprises 8.9%, smaller than in the rest of Victoria, with this concentration being well above the national average of 9.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 35-44 age group has increased from 10.6% to 12.1%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 16.0% to 13.8%, and the 45-54 group has dropped from 11.0% to 8.9%. By 2041, Heywood's age composition is expected to shift notably. The 85+ group will grow by 75%, reaching 115 from 65. Meanwhile, the 65-74 and 15-24 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.