McKinnon

McKinnon lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, McKinnon's population is estimated at around 7,500 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 622 people (9.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,878 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 7,458 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 124 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,746 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. McKinnon's 9.0% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (7.1%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 88.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises 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. Looking at population projections moving forward, an above median population growth is projected for statistical areas across the nation, with McKinnon expected to grow by 1,673 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 21.0% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within McKinnon when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis indicates McKinnon has averaged around 40 dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 201 homes were approved, with another 13 approved in FY-26 to date. Each new dwelling built over the past five financial years has resulted in an average of 2.2 new residents per year.

The average construction value for these dwellings is $765,000, suggesting a focus on premium developments. In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $2.7 million, indicating limited commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, McKinnon has 11.0% lower construction activity per person and ranks at the 58th percentile nationally. Recent construction comprises 26.0% standalone homes and 74.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a shift from the current housing mix of 59.0% houses. This change may be due to reduced development site availability and evolving lifestyle demands.

The area has approximately 266 people per dwelling approval, leaving room for growth. Population forecasts indicate McKinnon will gain 1,578 residents by 2041. Building activity is keeping pace with projected population growth, though increased competition among buyers may result as the population expands.

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

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 14 projects that are likely to impact this particular area. Notable among these are East Village Strategic Site - Assemble Build-to-Rent Precinct, Ormond Station Development (Ormond Place), Bentleigh 'Eat-Street' Precinct, and Bentleigh Major Activity Centre Structure Plan 2024. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch assessment positions McKinnon ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

McKinnon has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 3.4% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 0.6%. Residents' unemployment rate is 1.2% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%, while workforce participation is 67.6%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Major employment sectors are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Notably, professional & technical services employ 1.5 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction employs only 6.2% of local workers compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 0.6% while labour force grew by 1.9%, raising the unemployment rate by 1.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to McKinnon's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2022, McKinnon had a median income among taxpayers of $61,004 with the average level standing at $85,199. This is among the highest in Australia and compares to levels of $54,892 and $73,761 across Greater Melbourne respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year ending June 2022, current estimates would be approximately $68,422 (median) and $95,559 (average) as of September 2025. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in McKinnon, between the 75th and 88th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows 27.6% of the population (2,070 individuals) fall within the $4000+ income range, differing from patterns across the broader area where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 32.8%. The substantial proportion of high earners indicates strong economic capacity throughout the district. High housing costs consume 16.1% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 86th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

McKinnon displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The dwelling structure in McKinnon, as per the latest Census, consisted of 59.0% houses and 41.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compared to Melbourne metro's 47.8% houses and 52.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in McKinnon was at 31.8%, similar to Melbourne metro's level. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (34.8%) or rented (33.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,689, higher than the Melbourne metro average of $2,396. The median weekly rent figure stood at $516, compared to Melbourne metro's $435. Nationally, McKinnon's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

McKinnon features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 80.0% of all households, including 45.1% couples with children, 21.0% couples without children, and 13.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 20.0%, with lone person households at 17.7% and group households comprising 2.3%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.5.

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

Educational attainment in McKinnon is notably high, with 49.4% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% statewide (Victoria). Bachelor degrees are the most common at 31.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.8%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%). Vocational pathways account for 20.4% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.3% and certificates at 10.1%. Educational participation is high, with 35.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 12.0% in secondary education, 11.0% in primary education, and 7.0% pursuing tertiary education. McKinnon Secondary College serves as the area's anchor educational institution, with a total of 2,872 students. The college contributes to the area's significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, reflected by its ICSEA score of 1113. Secondary education is dominant in the area, with one school serving McKinnon residents while primary students typically attend schools in adjacent catchments. The area functions as an education hub, offering 38.3 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 14.1. This attracts students from surrounding communities to McKinnon's educational institutions.

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

The analysis of public transport in McKinnon shows that there are currently 27 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops consist of a mix of train and bus services. The routes servicing these stops total two, providing collectively 1,984 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility to transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 171 meters away from the nearest transport stop. On average, service frequency across all routes amounts to 283 trips per day, which equates to approximately 73 weekly trips per individual stop.

McKinnon'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 across McKinnon, with younger cohorts experiencing particularly low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 60% of the total population (4,531 people) have private health cover, compared to 65.2% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 6.3% and 6.1% of residents respectively.

76.4% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.0% in Greater Melbourne. McKinnon has 14.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,080 people), lower than the 16.8% in Greater Melbourne. While health outcomes among seniors are above average, they require more attention than the broader population.

McKinnon is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

McKinnon has a high level of cultural diversity, with 40.0% of its population born overseas and 35.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in McKinnon, comprising 34.2% of people. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne's average, making up 10.1% of McKinnon's population.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.5%), Australian (16.8%), and Other (13.1%). Notably, Russian (2.2%) and Polish (1.9%) ethnicities are overrepresented in McKinnon compared to regional averages.

McKinnon's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age of McKinnon is 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's figure of 38. The 45-54 age group is notably over-represented in McKinnon at 16.4%, compared to the Greater Melbourne average, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 8.5%. Between 2021 and the present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 14.3% to 15.6% of the population. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has decreased from 17.3% to 16.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests McKinnon's age profile will change significantly. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to expand by 375 people (30%), growing from 1,229 to 1,605. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age group is expected to grow by a modest 9%, adding 24 people.