Malvern East

Malvern East has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of Malvern East is around 24,229, reflecting an increase of 1,933 people since the 2021 Census. The resident population was estimated at 24,116 by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, with an additional 136 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this increase. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,138 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Malvern East has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.8%, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods. AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and utilising 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. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to expand by 5,388 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 21.9% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Malvern East when compared nationally

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, Malvern East has recorded around 84 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 420 homes. So far in FY-26, 32 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.5 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were reported between FY-21 and FY-25. However, recent data shows this has intensified to 10 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, indicating growing popularity and potential undersupply. New homes are being built at an average value of $1,064,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

There have also been $95.6 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Malvern East shows approximately 64% of the construction activity per person and places among the 46th percentile of areas assessed nationally, suggesting somewhat limited buyer options while strengthening demand for established properties. This activity is similarly under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. New development consists of 43.0% detached houses and 57.0% attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. The location has approximately 356 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area.

Population forecasts indicate Malvern East will gain 5,294 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 82 projects likely affecting the region. Notable projects include the 173 Burke Road Mixed-Use Development, Central Park Residences, Monash University Caulfield Campus Expansion, and Olive Green. 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.

Employment performance in Malvern East exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Malvern East has a highly educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. Its unemployment rate is 3.3%. Employment stability in the area over the past year is relative.

As of September 2025, 14,252 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.4% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation in Malvern East is on par with Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 46.1% of residents work from home. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training sectors.

The area has a particular employment specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. In contrast, construction employs only 6.0% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. The ratio of 0.6 workers per resident indicates a higher than normal level of local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Malvern East's labour force increased by 0.7% while employment declined by 0.2%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.9 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne where employment rose by 3.0%, the labour force grew by 3.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Malvern East's employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The suburb of Malvern East has one of the highest income levels nationally according to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest ATO data for the financial year ended June 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Malvern East is $62,910, with an average income of $111,748. These figures compare to Greater Melbourne's median and average incomes of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since the financial year ended June 2023, current estimates for Malvern East would be approximately $68,100 (median) and $120,967 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Malvern East rank between the 83rd and 87th percentiles nationally. In Malvern East, 30.4% of the population (7,365 individuals) have incomes within the $4000+ range, contrasting with the regional leading bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 at 32.8%. The substantial proportion of high earners (41.0% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout Malvern East. Housing accounts for 14.7% of income, and residents rank within the 87th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Malvern East's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 53.3% houses and 46.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Malvern East stood at 36.4%, with the rest being mortgaged (31.9%) or rented (31.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,944, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Malvern East was $421, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Malvern East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Malvern East features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 67.8% of all households, including 34.0% couples with children, 24.6% couples without children, and 7.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 32.2%, with lone person households at 26.3% and group households making up 5.9%. The median household size is 2.5 people, smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Malvern East demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Malvern East's residents aged 15 and above have a significantly higher proportion with university qualifications at 53.5%, compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. This educational advantage is evident in the area's strong focus on knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 33.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.9%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%). Vocational pathways account for 18.7% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 8.7%.

Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 32.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes tertiary education (10.3%), primary education (8.3%), and secondary education (8.1%).

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

Malvern East has 107 active public transport stops, offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 31 different routes, facilitating 11,649 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 192 meters to the nearest stop. The area is predominantly residential, with most commuters travelling outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport, used by 75% of residents, followed by trains at 13% and walking at 4%. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 46.1% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 1,664 trips per day, equating to approximately 108 weekly trips per stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Malvern East'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 excellent results in Malvern East. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are low, particularly among younger cohorts. Approximately 71% of residents have private health cover, compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent conditions are asthma (6.8%) and mental health issues (6.7%). A total of 74.1% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Malvern East has 17.9% of residents aged 65 and over (4,336 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but rank lower nationally than those of the broader population.

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

Malvern East, as per data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census of Population and Housing conducted on 9 August 2016, exhibited a higher level of cultural diversity compared to most other local areas. Specifically, 30.5% of its population was born overseas, and 26.3% spoke a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Malvern East, with 47.7% of residents identifying as such, although Judaism showed significant overrepresentation at 3.0%, compared to the Greater Melbourne average of 1.0%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (22.4%), Australian (19.3%), and Other (9.0%). Notably, Greek (5.6%), Polish (1.2%), and Russian (0.6%) ethnicities were overrepresented in Malvern East compared to their regional averages of 2.7%, 0.8%, and 0.4% respectively.

Malvern East's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Malvern East is 38 years, close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and equivalent to Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Malvern East has a higher proportion of 15-24 year-olds (17.1% vs 16.0%) but fewer 35-44 year-olds (12.2% vs 13.9%). Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, Malvern East's 15-24 age group grew from 14.4% to 17.1%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 5.3% to 6.4%. Conversely, the 45-54 group declined from 13.8% to 12.0% and the 5-14 group dropped from 11.3% to 10.0%. By 2041, Malvern East's age composition is expected to shift notably. The 45-54 cohort will grow by approximately 30%, reaching 3,787 people from 2,907, while the 15-24 group will decrease by around 72 residents.