Ivanhoe (Vic.)

Population growth drivers in Ivanhoe are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of February 2026, Ivanhoe's estimated population stands at approximately 15,612 people. This figure reflects a significant increase from the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,374 people in the suburb of Ivanhoe (Vic.). The growth can be attributed to an increase of around 2,238 individuals since the census date, inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 14,792 and additional validated new addresses. This results in a population density ratio of 2,818 persons per square kilometer, placing Ivanhoe in the upper quartile compared to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb experienced notable growth between the Census periods, with a 16.7% increase since 2021. This rate surpassed both the SA3 area's 8.1% growth and the national average, positioning Ivanhoe as a growth leader in its region during this period.

The primary driver of population growth was overseas migration, contributing approximately 90.0% of overall population gains. AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in June 2024 with a base year of 2022, to forecast future demographic trends. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Looking ahead, Ivanhoe is projected to experience exceptional growth over the next few years, placing it in the top 10 percent of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch. By 2041, the suburb's population is expected to increase by approximately 7,203 persons, reflecting a total increase of 40.9% over the 17-year period based on aggregated SA2-level projections.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Ivanhoe has annually approved around 170 dwellings. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 852 homes were approved, with another 128 approved in FY-26 so far. This indicates that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction value of these dwellings is $538,000, suggesting developers are focusing on the premium market with high-end developments. Commercial development approvals in Ivanhoe totalled $76.7 million this financial year, indicating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Ivanhoe shows 83.0% higher construction activity per person, reflecting strong developer confidence in the location. New development consists of 15.0% detached dwellings and 85.0% attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. Currently, Ivanhoe reflects a developing area with around 92 people per approval. Future projections estimate Ivanhoe adding 6,383 residents by 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Construction is maintaining pace with projected growth, although buyers may face growing competition as population increases.

Future projections show Ivanhoe adding 6,383 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Construction is maintaining a reasonable pace with projected growth, although buyers could encounter growing competition as population increases.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 29 projects that may impact this region. Notable ones include Austin Health Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital Redevelopment, Riverbend Ivanhoe, Ivanhoe Aquatic Centre Redevelopment Stage 2, and Austin Hospital Emergency Department Expansion. 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 reveals Ivanhoe significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Ivanhoe has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.3% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 1.1%. As of December 2025, 8651 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.4%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.8%.

Workforce participation was 68.2%, below Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. Home workership stood at 45.6% based on Census responses. Leading industries included health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Ivanhoe specialized in professional & technical jobs with a share of 1.4 times the regional level but had fewer construction jobs (6.3%) compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%.

Many residents commuted elsewhere for work. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 1.1% while labour force rose by 1.4%, leading to a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts from May-25 indicate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ivanhoe's mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, though this is a simple 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

AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023 indicates that Ivanhoe had a median income among taxpayers of $67,302 and an average income of $111,848. These figures place Ivanhoe in the top percentile nationally, compared to Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $72,854 (median) and $121,075 (average). Census 2021 income data shows that Ivanhoe's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 80th and 85th percentiles. In Ivanhoe, 29.2% of individuals fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to the surrounding region at 32.8%. Economic strength is evident with 37.1% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 14.0% of income, and residents rank in the 81st percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile nationally.

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

The dwelling structure in Ivanhoe, as per the latest Census, consisted of 52.9% houses and 47.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ivanhoe stood at 35.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.7% and rented ones at 33.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,383, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000. The median weekly rent was $430, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Ivanhoe's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Ivanhoe has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 67.3% of all households, including 31.2% couples with children, 26.4% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 32.7%, with lone person households at 29.3% and group households making up 3.5%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Ivanhoe's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 53.7% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and the SA4 region's 32.8%. This high level of educational attainment positions Ivanhoe favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 32.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.6%) and graduate diplomas (5.6%).

Vocational pathways account for 19.5% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.5% and certificates at 10.0%. Educational participation is high in Ivanhoe, with 28.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.5% in tertiary education, 8.0% in primary education, and 7.2% pursuing secondary education.

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

The transport analysis shows that Ivanhoe has 68 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 14 different routes, together providing a total of 4,177 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to these stops is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 198 meters away from the nearest stop. In this predominantly residential area, most people commute outwards. Cars remain the primary mode of transport for 76% of residents, while 10% use trains and 6% walk. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling in Ivanhoe.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, 45.6%, work from home, which may be partly due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 596 trips per day, equating to approximately 61 weekly trips per individual stop.

Ivanhoe's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Ivanhoe's health outcomes show notable results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 71% of Ivanhoe's total population (11,053 people) has private health cover, compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues affect 8.3% of residents, while asthma impacts 7.1%. About 71.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The under-65 population in Ivanhoe has better than average health outcomes. The area has 20.0% of residents aged 65 and over (3,122 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors in Ivanhoe are particularly strong, broadly in line with national rankings for the general population.

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

Ivanhoe's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 27.9% born overseas and 24.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Ivanhoe, making up 45.0% of its population. However, Judaism was overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 0.3% versus 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (21.6%), Australian (18.9%), and Irish (10.2%). Notably, Italian (8.2% vs regional 5.2%), Greek (4.3% vs 2.7%), and Macedonian (0.9% vs 0.7%) groups were overrepresented in Ivanhoe compared to the regional averages.

Ivanhoe's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Ivanhoe 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 55-64 age cohort is notably over-represented in Ivanhoe at 13.7%, compared to the Greater Melbourne average, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 8.8%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 5.1% to 6.9% of the population. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort has declined from 10.7% to 8.8%, and the 25-34 group has dropped from 14.4% to 13.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Ivanhoe's age profile will change significantly. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to surge dramatically, expanding by 1,294 people (120%) from 1,077 to 2,372.