Mentone

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

As of Nov 2025, Mentone's population is estimated at around 13,977, reflecting an increase of 780 people since the 2021 Census. The ABS ERP estimate for Jun 2024 placed Mentone's resident population at 13,921, with an additional 56 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,099 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. Mentone's growth rate of 5.9% since the 2021 census exceeded its SA3 area's growth rate of 5.7%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch projections for Mentone, based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, indicate an above median population growth is projected nationally.

By 2041, Mentone's population is expected to increase by 1,885 persons, reflecting a gain of 13.1% over the 17 years.

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 indicates Mentone averaged around 42 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 210 homes were approved, with 16 more in FY-26 so far. The average new resident arrival per new home over the past five financial years was 0.5.

New construction has been matching or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options while enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations. Average dwelling development value was $632,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting a focus on quality developments. In FY-26, there have been $39.8 million in commercial approvals, indicating high local commercial activity. Relative to Greater Melbourne, Mentone has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person, placing it among the 54th percentile nationally. This reflects the area's maturity and possible planning constraints.

New development consists of 37.0% detached dwellings and 63.0% townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. Mentone has approximately 297 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Future projections estimate Mentone adding 1,829 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Mentone has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Twelve infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include the Frankston Line Level Crossing Removal Program, Moorabbin Airport Master Plan Redevelopment, 58 Levanto Street Townhouses, and 156 Balcombe Road Apartments. The following list details those likely to be 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 an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate is 5.2%, as per AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation in June 2025.

There are 7,916 employed residents, with a 0.6% higher unemployment rate than Greater Melbourne's 4.6%. Workforce participation stands at 66.6%, close to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key employment sectors are health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade.

Transport, postal & warehousing has limited presence with 2.8% employment compared to the regional average of 5.2%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work, indicated by Census working population data. Over June 2024 to June 2025, labour force levels increased by 1.4%, while employment decreased by 0.9%, raising unemployment by 2.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 3.5% and unemployment increase by 0.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia's Sep-22 national employment forecasts project a 6.6% growth 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, assuming stable population projections.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Mentone had a median taxpayer income of $60,522 and an average income of $79,988. Nationally, these figures are high compared to Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes would be approximately $67,881 (median) and $89,715 (average) as of September 2025. Census data indicates personal income ranks at the 77th percentile ($981 weekly), with household income at the 58th percentile. The largest earnings segment comprises 29.2% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (4,081 residents). This aligns with the surrounding region where this cohort represents 32.8%. High housing costs consume 16.0% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 58th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Mentone displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Mentone, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 44.0% houses and 56.0% other dwellings. In Melbourne metro, this was 54.8% houses and 45.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mentone stood at 32.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.6% and rented dwellings at 33.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Mentone was $2,167, aligning with Melbourne metro's average. The median weekly rent figure was $392 compared to Melbourne metro's $410. Nationally, Mentone's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 account for the remaining 35.2%, with lone person households at 33.0% and group households comprising 2.1%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.4.

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% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 25.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.0%) and graduate diplomas (4.4%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 29.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas (12.8%) and certificates (16.3%).

Educational participation is high at 26.4%, including 8.3% in primary education, 7.3% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education. Eight schools operate within Mentone, educating approximately 7,311 students. The area has significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA: 1113). These schools include three primary, three secondary, and two K-12 institutions. Mentone functions as an education hub with 52.3 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 15.6, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Mentone has 61 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 16 different routes, facilitating 4,614 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy good transport accessibility, with an average distance of 206 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency stands at 659 trips per day across all routes, translating to about 75 weekly trips per individual stop.

Mentone's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Mentone's health data shows favourable results with low prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 58% (8,161 people) have private health cover, which is remarkably high. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 8.1% of residents and asthma impacting 7.8%. Notably, 69.2% report being free from any medical ailments, compared to 70.4% in Greater Melbourne. Mentone has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 21.0% (2,935 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 19.3%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are above average and better than the general population in health metrics.

Mentone was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Mentone's population, as of the 2016 Census, was 37.2% born overseas, with 29.6% of residents having arrived from other countries and 7.6% being Australian-born but having at least one parent born overseas. A total of 20.4% spoke a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Mentone, practiced by 47.4% of its population.

Judaism was overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, with 0.9% of Mentone's residents identifying as Jewish versus 1.1% regionally. The top three ancestry groups were English (26.0%), Australian (20.3%), and Irish (9.8%). Notably, Russian (1.1%) and Polish (1.1%) ancestry was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 1.0%, while Hungarian ancestry was proportionate at 0.4%.

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

The median age in Mentone is 42 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 45-54 age group makes up 14.6% of Mentone's population, compared to Greater Melbourne, while the 25-34 cohort comprises 11.1%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has increased from 9.9% to 11.6%, but the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 13.0% to 11.1%. By 2041, Mentone's population is forecasted to experience substantial demographic changes. Leading this shift, the 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 66%, reaching 1,715 people from 1,034. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 59% of total population growth, reflecting Mentone's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the 25-34 and 0-4 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.