Mentone

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

As of February 2026, the estimated population of Mentone is around 13,997, reflecting an increase of 800 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,197. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population as 13,919 in June 2024, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS, and an additional 108 validated new addresses since the Census date. Mentone's population density is 3,103 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 6.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's rate of 5.6%, indicating Mentone as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch is using 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, adjusted employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, an above median population growth is projected for the suburb until 2041, with an expected increase of 1,885 persons, reflecting a gain of 12.9% in total over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data indicates Mentone averaged around 42 new dwelling approvals each year. Over the past five financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25, an estimated 210 homes were approved, with a further 22 approved so far in FY-26. This averages to approximately 0.5 new residents arriving per new home over these years.

New construction is keeping pace with or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations. The average value of new dwellings developed is $632,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment. In FY-26, there have been $129.8 million in commercial approvals, reflecting high levels of local commercial activity. Relative to Greater Melbourne, Mentone has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and places among the 54th percentile of areas assessed nationally. This is below average nationally, suggesting possible planning constraints due to the area's maturity.

New development consists of approximately 37.0% detached dwellings and 63.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a skew toward compact living which offers affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. The location has around 297 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Mentone is projected to add approximately 1,809 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Mentone has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Twelve infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance. Key projects include Frankston Line Level Crossing Removal Program, Moorabbin Airport Master Plan Redevelopment, development of 58 Levanto Street Townhouses, and construction of 156 Balcombe Road Apartments. The following list details those considered most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Mentone has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Mentone has a well-educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 5.4% as of September 2025, based on AreaSearch data aggregation. There were 7,808 residents employed at this time, which is 0.8% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

Workforce participation in Mentone was similar to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 39.5% of Mentone residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade.

However, transport, postal & warehousing has limited presence with only 2.8% employment compared to the regional average of 5.2%. Many Mentone residents may commute elsewhere for work based on Census data comparing working population to local population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.5%, while employment decreased by 1.3% in Mentone, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 1.8 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne where employment rose by 3.0%, the labour force grew by 3.3%, and unemployment rose by only 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Mentone's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Mentone had a median income among taxpayers of $60,522 and an average income of $79,988. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to the national averages of $57,688 (median) and $75,164 (average). Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $65,515 (median) and $86,587 (average). Census data shows personal income ranks at the 77th percentile ($981 weekly), while household income sits at the 58th percentile. The largest earnings segment comprises 29.2% of residents earning between $1,500 to $2,999 weekly (4,087 residents). This aligns with the surrounding region where this cohort represents 32.8%. High housing costs consume 16.0% of income. Despite this, disposable income ranks at the 58th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

As per the latest Census in Mentone, 44.0% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 56.0% consisting of semi-detached units, apartments, and other dwelling types. This compares to Melbourne metropolitan area's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mentone stood at 32.4%, with mortgaged properties at 34.6% and rented dwellings at 33.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, higher than Melbourne's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Mentone was recorded at $392, slightly above Melbourne's figure of $390. Nationally, Mentone's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents exceeding the national figure of $375.

Mentone features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 64.8% of all households, including 27.5% couples with children, 26.1% couples without children, and 10.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 35.2%, with lone person households at 33.0% and group households comprising 2.1% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates at 39.3%, exceeding the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 25.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.0%) and graduate diplomas (4.4%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.8%) and certificates (16.3%).

Educational participation is high at 26.4%, comprising primary education (8.3%), secondary education (7.3%), and tertiary education (5.3%).

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

Mentone has 62 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 17 different routes, collectively offering 3,539 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 206 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Mentone's residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 83%, while train usage stands at 8%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 39.5% of residents work from home, which might reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 505 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 57 weekly trips per individual stop.

Mentone's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance across Mentone, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Both young and old age cohorts exhibit low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is found to be very high at approximately 58% of the total population, which amounts to around 8,172 people. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 8.1 and 7.8% of residents respectively. Conversely, 69.2% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes for the under-65 population are better than average. As of the latest data (2021), Mentone has 21.7% of its residents aged 65 and over, totaling 3,037 people, which is higher than the 15.1% recorded in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly aligning with those of the general population.

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

Mentone's population, as of the 2016 Census, had a higher proportion born overseas at 29.6%, compared to most local markets. This was reflected in the 20.4% who spoke languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, with 47.4%.

Judaism, however, was more prevalent in Mentone at 0.9%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 1.0%. The top three ancestral groups were English (26.0%), Australian (20.3%), and Irish (9.8%). Notably, Russian (1.1%) and Polish (1.1%) ancestry were overrepresented in Mentone compared to regional averages of 0.4% and 0.8%, respectively. Hungarian ancestry was also higher at 0.4%.

Mentone's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Mentone is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. The 75-84 age group makes up 7.9% of Mentone's population, compared to Greater Melbourne, while the 25-34 cohort comprises 10.7%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group has grown from 9.9% to 11.9%, and the 75-84 cohort has increased from 6.7% to 7.9%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 13.0% to 10.7%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Mentone. Notably, the 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 55%, reaching 1,715 people from 1,105. The combined 65+ age groups will account for 59% of total population growth, reflecting Mentone's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 25-34 and 0-4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.