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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
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Population
Inverleigh lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends
As of Feb 2026, Inverleigh's population is estimated at around 2,148, reflecting an increase of 402 people since the 2021 Census. This growth represents a 23.0% rise from the previous population count of 1,746. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 2,086 in Jun 2024, based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS and an additional 179 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 10.2 persons per square kilometer. Inverleigh's growth rate exceeded both the Rest of Vic. (8.1%) and the national average during this period, marking it as a regional growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 49.0% of overall population gains.
AreaSearch projections for Inverleigh are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data 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 from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Population projections indicate exceptional growth in Inverleigh over the period, placing it in the top 10 percent of Australia's regional areas. By 2041, the suburb is expected to expand by 1,307 persons, reflecting an increase of 48.6% in total population over the 17 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Recent residential development output has been above average within Inverleigh when compared nationally
AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Inverleigh shows around 30 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling approximately 153 homes. As of FY-26, 16 approvals have been recorded. This results in an average of 1.6 new residents per year per new home between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating a balanced supply and demand scenario with stable market conditions. The average development value is $536,000, suggesting a focus on premium developments.
In FY-26, commercial development approvals amount to $4.5 million, reflecting limited commercial development activity. Compared to the Rest of Vic., Inverleigh has 80.0% more development activity per person, offering buyers greater choice. However, building activity has slowed in recent years. This high level of activity is significantly above the national average, indicating strong developer interest in the area. All new construction consists of detached dwellings, maintaining Inverleigh's traditional low-density character and appealing to families seeking space.
With around 98 people per approval, Inverleigh reflects a developing area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Inverleigh is projected to grow by 1,044 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Infrastructure
Inverleigh has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally
Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project expected to impact this region. Key projects are Gnarwarre BESS, Tall Tree Wind Farm, Geelong Line Upgrade (Geelong Fast Rail), and Geelong Renewable Energy Zone. Projects likely to be most relevant are listed below.
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INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy
State-wide NSW planning reforms to enable diverse low and mid-rise housing, including dual occupancies, terraces, townhouses, and apartment buildings up to 6 storeys. The policy applies to residential zones within 800m of 171 nominated transport hubs and town centres. Stage 1 (dual occupancies) commenced 1 July 2024, and Stage 2 (mid-rise apartments and terraces) commenced 28 February 2025. In June 2025, further amendments adjusted aircraft noise thresholds and clarified storey definitions to expand the policy's reach. The initiative is expected to facilitate approximately 112,000 additional homes by 2030.
Enabling Infrastructure for Hydrogen Production
A national initiative to coordinate and deploy infrastructure supporting large-scale renewable hydrogen production. Following the 2024 National Hydrogen Strategy refresh and the National Hydrogen Infrastructure Assessment (NHIA) to 2050, the program focuses on aligning transport, storage, water, and electricity inputs with Renewable Energy Zones and hydrogen hubs. Key financial drivers include the $4 billion Hydrogen Headstart program (with Round 2 EOI launched in October 2025) and the Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive (HPTI) legislated to provide a $2 per kg credit from July 2027 to 2040.
Geelong Line Upgrade (Geelong Fast Rail)
A multi-stage overhaul of the Melbourne-Geelong-Warrnambool rail corridor to facilitate more frequent and reliable travel. Major components include the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication featuring 8km of new track, the removal of level crossings at Fyans Street and Surf Coast Highway, and substantial station upgrades at South Geelong and Marshall. While the broader Geelong Fast Rail stage faced federal funding withdrawal in late 2023, state-led Regional Rail Revival works continue to focus on capacity increases and journey time improvements toward a 50-minute target.
Victorian Renewable Energy Zones
VicGrid is coordinating the staged development of six onshore Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) and a Gippsland Shoreline zone. The 2025 Victorian Transmission Plan identifies indicative REZ locations and the nearly 800km of transmission upgrades required to connect 25GW of new wind, solar, and storage by 2035. The plan balances infrastructure needs with impacts on agriculture, Traditional Owners, and the environment. Formal declaration of the first five zones is anticipated in early 2026, followed by a competitive access regime for developers.
Gnarwarre BESS
A 250 MW / 500 MWh grid-forming battery energy storage system located about 1 km north-west of Gnarwarre in Victoria, within Surf Coast Shire. Following financial close in August 2025 and award of EPC to Samsung C&T, the project is now in construction with operations targeted for 2026. The facility will deliver firming services and improve grid stability via connection to the nearby 220 kV transmission line.
Tall Tree Wind Farm
Proposed onshore wind farm and battery project in the Golden Plains Shire (central west Victoria), comprising up to 53 wind turbines with an installed capacity of about 330 MW and a proposed 200 MW / 800 MWh battery energy storage system. The project footprint has been refined and the EES referral to Victoria's Department of Transport and Planning has been accepted (Referral 2025-R03). An EPBC referral has also been lodged. ACCIONA indicates anticipated construction start mid-2027 with an approximate two-year build, creating up to ~270 peak construction jobs and 10-12 ongoing roles.
Bulk Water Supply Security
Nationwide program led by the National Water Grid Authority to improve bulk water security and reliability for non-potable and productive uses. Activities include strategic planning, science and business cases, and funding of state and territory projects such as storages, pipelines, dam upgrades, recycled water and efficiency upgrades to build drought resilience and support regional communities, industry and the environment.
Regional Housing Fund (Victoria)
A $1 billion Homes Victoria program delivering around 1,300 new social and affordable homes across at least 30 regional and rural LGAs, using a mix of new builds, purchases in new developments, renewals and refurbishments. Delivery commenced in late 2023 with early completions recorded; overall fund completion is targeted for 2028.
Employment
AreaSearch analysis reveals Inverleigh significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide
Inverleigh's workforce is skilled with notable representation in the construction sector. The unemployment rate was 2.0% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 0.7%. As of September 2025, 1,081 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8%, lower than Rest of Vic.'s 3.8%.
Workforce participation was high at 70.3% compared to Rest of Vic.'s 61.4%. Moderate home workership was observed, with 23.5% of residents working from home. Dominant employment sectors include construction, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and health care & social assistance. Agriculture, forestry & fishing showed strong specialization with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level.
Health care & social assistance had limited presence at 11.3%, compared to 16.8% regionally. Limited local employment opportunities were indicated by Census data comparison. Over a 12-month period, employment increased by 0.7% alongside labour force increasing by 0.6%, keeping unemployment flat. Rest of Vic. saw employment and labour force decline by 0.7% each, with marginal unemployment rise. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest Inverleigh's employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.4% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to Inverleigh's employment mix.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch
Inverleigh suburb's income level is above national average, per latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Inverleigh's median income among taxpayers is $57,634, with an average income of $72,102. This compares to Rest of Vic.'s median and average incomes of $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes are approximately $62,389 (median) and $78,050 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household income ranks at the 75th percentile ($2,160 weekly), with personal income at the 59th percentile. Income distribution reveals 35.6% (764 individuals) fall within $1,500 - $2,999 range. After housing costs, residents retain 86.9% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. Area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Inverleigh is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region
Inverleigh's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 99.5% houses and 0.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Inverleigh stood at 35.4%, with the rest either mortgaged (59.1%) or rented (5.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,950, above Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,430. Weekly rent median in Inverleigh was $300, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $285. Nationally, Inverleigh's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially lower at $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Inverleigh features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size
Family households constitute 87.8% of all households, including 49.0% couples with children, 31.8% couples without children, and 6.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 12.2%, with lone person households at 11.4% and group households at 0.0%. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Inverleigh shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators
Inverleigh's educational qualifications lag behind regional averages. Among residents aged 15+, 26.9% possess university degrees, compared to 33.4% in Victoria. This disparity suggests potential for educational improvement and skill enhancement. Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.3%, followed by graduate diplomas (4.1%) and postgraduate qualifications (3.5%).
Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.3% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas comprise 13.4% and certificates make up 28.9%. Educational participation is high, with 32.6% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (13.0%), secondary education (9.9%), and tertiary education (3.2%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is very low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Inverleigh has one operational public transport stop. This stop is served by one route, offering four passenger trips weekly. Transport accessibility is limited with residents typically 1048 meters from the nearest stop. Inverleigh is predominantly residential, with outward commuting being common. Cars are the primary mode of transport at 95%, while 5% walk. On average, there are 2.3 vehicles per dwelling, above the regional norm.
According to the 2021 Census, 23.5% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages zero trips daily across all routes, equating to about four weekly trips per stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Inverleigh's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups
Analysis shows Inverleigh's health metrics perform strongly, with AreaSearch assessing mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence as very low across all age groups. Private health cover is high at approximately 55% (1,188 people), compared to Victoria's average of 50.5%.
The most prevalent conditions are asthma (8.8%) and mental health issues (7.4%). 72.3% of residents report no medical ailments, higher than Rest of Vic.'s 63.4%. Under-65s have better-than-average health outcomes. Inverleigh has 11.3% of residents aged 65+ (242 people), lower than Rest of Vic.'s 23.9%. Seniors' health outcomes rank higher nationally than the general population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
The latest Census data sees Inverleigh placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics
Inverleigh's cultural diversity was found to be below average. As of the Census on 29 August 2016, 90.8% of its population were born in Australia, with 92.2% being citizens and 96.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 46.9% of Inverleigh's population, compared to 47.3% across Rest of Vic..
In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were Australian (35.3%), English (30.3%), and Scottish (9.8%). Notably, Dutch representation was higher at 2.2%, French at 0.8%, and Maltese at 0.5%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Inverleigh's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms
Inverleigh has a median age of 38, which is lower than the Rest of Vic's figure of 43 but matches the national norm of 38. The 5-14 age group makes up 16.7% of Inverleigh's population compared to Rest of Vic., while the 75-84 cohort comprises only 2.7%. According to the 2021 Census, the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 8.7% to 9.6% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group has decreased from 14.8% to 13.9%. Demographic modeling indicates Inverleigh's age profile will significantly change by 2041. Leading this demographic shift, the 25 to 34 age group is projected to grow by 87%, adding 179 people and reaching a total of 386 from its current figure of 206.