Leongatha

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

As of November 2025, Leongatha's population is estimated at approximately 5,767 people. This figure represents a decrease from the 2021 Census result of 5,869 people, reflecting a decline of around 102 individuals (1.7%). This estimation is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, which put the resident population at 5,675. The population density ratio is approximately 164 persons per square kilometer, indicating ample space for further development. Interstate migration contributed significantly to recent population growth in Leongatha, accounting for about 66.0% of overall gains.

AreaSearch employs 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 uses the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Leongatha's population is projected to decrease by approximately 445 people according to these methodologies. However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow; notably, the 25 to 34 age group is anticipated to increase by around 153 individuals.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Leongatha according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Leongatha averaged around 17 new dwelling approvals each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 88 homes. As of FY26, 5 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years, an average of 1.5 new residents per year per dwelling constructed was observed. This suggests a balance between supply and demand, with stable market dynamics.

The average value for new dwellings developed is $544,000, which is moderately above regional levels, indicating quality construction emphasis. In FY26, there have been $3.2 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Rest of Vic., Leongatha shows substantially reduced construction activity (74.0% below regional average per person), supporting stronger demand and values for established homes. This activity is also below national averages, suggesting planning constraints may be present. Recent construction comprises 94.0% detached dwellings and 6.0% medium to high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 434 people. With stable or declining population forecasts, Leongatha may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Leongatha has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 38thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects likely affecting the region. Notable projects include the Leongatha Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), Parr Street Leongatha Rezoning and Subdivision, Great Southern Rail Trail Leongatha Precinct Development, and Leongatha Business Precinct (Bair Street) Redevelopment. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

The labour market in Leongatha demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Leongatha has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.7% as of June 2025, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

In this month, 2,605 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.1% lower than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Leongatha was somewhat below standard at 53.2%, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. The dominant employment sectors among residents included health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade, while public administration & safety employed just 5.0% of local workers, below Rest of Vic.'s 6.5%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.7%, while employment declined by 1.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Vic. experienced an employment decline of 0.9% and a labour force decline of 0.4%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 offer further insight into potential future demand within Leongatha. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, suggest that national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Leongatha's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, though it is important to note that this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

Leongatha's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2022 was $43,683. The average income stood at $54,539 during the same period. These figures compare to Rest of Vic.'s median and average incomes of $48,741 and $60,693 respectively. According to Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Leongatha's median income would be approximately $48,995 as of September 2025, with the average estimated at $61,171 during the same period. Census 2021 data shows that incomes in Leongatha fall between the 12th and 17th percentiles nationally for household, family, and personal incomes. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 28.5% of Leongatha's community, with 1,643 individuals in this category. After housing costs, 86.0% of income remains in Leongatha, ranking at the 15th percentile nationally.

Leongatha is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Leongatha's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 94.8% houses and 5.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Vic.'s 93.3% houses and 6.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Leongatha was at 45.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.8% and rented ones at 23.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,430, below Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,450. The median weekly rent in Leongatha was $270, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $295. Nationally, Leongatha's mortgage repayments are lower at $1,430 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Leongatha features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 64.8% of all households, consisting of 23.4% couples with children, 29.3% couples without children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 35.2%, with lone person households making up 33.0% and group households comprising 2.0%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of Vic.

Leongatha shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's university qualification rate is 17.9%, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.7%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.7%) and postgraduate qualifications (2.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 37.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (27.7%). Educational participation is high at 27.2%, comprising 10.7% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 2.1% in tertiary education.

Leongatha has a robust network of 7 schools educating approximately 2,035 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1004) and balanced educational opportunities. The area functions as an education hub with 35.3 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 12.9.

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

Leongatha has nine active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by five different routes that together facilitate 185 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as moderate, with residents being an average of 536 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 26 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 20 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Leongatha faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent among both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 48%, covering around 2795 people, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (10.8%) and mental health problems (9%). About 62.1% report no medical ailments, similar to the Rest of Vic's 61.6%. Around 27.2%, or 1568 people, are aged 65 and over, slightly lower than Rest of Vic's 28.6%.

Leongatha is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Leongatha, as per the data, showed lower cultural diversity with 88.4% of its residents born in Australia and 91.6% being citizens. English was spoken exclusively at home by 94.5%. Christianity dominated religiously, accounting for 47.8%.

Judaism's representation was slightly higher than the regional average, 0.1% vs 0.1%. Ancestry-wise, English (33.2%), Australian (31.0%), and Scottish (9.2%) were the most prevalent. Dutch (2.9% vs 2.5%), Irish (9.1% vs 9.3%), and Italian (3.3% vs 3.4%) showed notable differences in representation compared to regional averages.

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

Leongatha's median age is 45 years, which is slightly higher than Rest of Vic.'s median age of 43, and considerably older than the national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Vic. average, Leongatha has a notably higher proportion of people aged 75-84 (10.1% locally), while those aged 45-54 are under-represented (9.6%). Between 2021 and present, the proportion of people aged 15 to 24 has increased from 9.9% to 11.6%, while the proportion of those aged 5 to 14 has declined from 13.2% to 11.8%. The proportion of people aged 65 to 74 has also dropped, from 14.4% to 13.3%. Demographic modeling suggests that Leongatha's age profile will change significantly by the year 2041. Specifically, the population of those aged 25 to 34 is projected to increase notably, with an expansion of 127 people (24%), from 536 to 664. Conversely, population declines are projected for the age cohorts of 0 to 4 and 45 to 54 years.