Mitcham (Vic.)

Population growth drivers in Mitcham are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population for the Mitcham (Vic.) statistical area (Lv2) is around 17,522. This figure represents an increase of 4.3% since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,795 people in the area. The latest estimate of 17,472 residents was derived from AreaSearch's analysis of the ABS's ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 130 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population density translates to approximately 2,642 persons per square kilometer, placing Mitcham (Vic.) in the upper quartile relative to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, from 2015 to 2025, Mitcham (Vic.) has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.6%. This growth outpaced that of the SA4 region and was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 73.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch's projections for the Mitcham (Vic.) area are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Looking ahead, demographic trends suggest that Mitcham (Vic.) is projected to experience above median population growth across statistical areas nationally. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the area is expected to increase by 2,603 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 14.6% over the 17-year period from 2025 to 2041.

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

AreaSearch analysis indicates Mitcham averaged approximately 54 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 273 homes. As of FY26, 82 approvals have been recorded. From FY21 to FY25, an average of 0.7 people moved to the area per dwelling built, suggesting supply meets or exceeds demand. The average construction cost value for new homes is $660,000, indicating a focus on premium developments.

In FY26, commercial approvals reached $8.5 million, showing limited commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Mitcham has similar development levels per capita, maintaining market equilibrium with surrounding areas and falling below the national average, suggesting an established area potentially constrained by planning limitations. Detached dwellings comprise 61.0% of new developments, with attached dwellings making up 39.0%, offering varied housing options. The population density is approximately 378 people per approval.

By 2041, Mitcham is projected to add 2,553 residents. If current development rates persist, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 19 projects likely to affect the region. Notable projects include McDowell Street Social Housing (26-32), Mitcham Station Precinct Enhancement, Glenburnie Road Residences (42-48), and Dudley Street Townhouses (26). The following list details projects of most relevance:.

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 Mitcham shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Mitcham has an educated workforce with professional services well represented. The unemployment rate was 2.9% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 0.7%.

As of September 2025, 9,874 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8%, below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation was 67.4%. The dominant sectors were health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. Professional & technical employment was notably high at 1.3 times the regional average, while transport, postal & warehousing was lower at 2.8% versus the regional average of 5.2%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Mitcham's employment levels increased by 0.7%, labour force by 0.8%, raising unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows VIC employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.3%, and employment growth outpaced the national average of 0.14%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Mitcham's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, although this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not consider localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows income in Mitcham is higher than average nationally. The median income is $56,319 and the average is $73,886. This compares to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since June 2023, current estimates are approximately $60,965 (median) and $79,982 (average) as of September 2025. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, incomes in Mitcham cluster around the 67th percentile nationally. Distribution data shows 30.1% of Mitcham's population falls within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, aligning with metropolitan regions at 32.8%. A substantial proportion, 31.2%, earns above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity in the area. After housing expenses, 85.4% of income remains for other expenses. Mitcham's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Mitcham's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 62.9% houses and 37.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 73.0% houses and 26.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mitcham was at 35.6%, with the rest either mortgaged (36.4%) or rented (28.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, below Melbourne metro's average of $2,200. Median weekly rent in Mitcham was $406, compared to Melbourne metro's $410. Nationally, Mitcham's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Mitcham has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 71.2% of all households, including 35.2% couples with children, 25.4% couples without children, and 9.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 28.8%, with lone person households at 25.3% and group households comprising 3.6%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Mitcham 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 Mitcham is significantly higher than the broader benchmarks. 44.9% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 31.2% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 28.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 12.0% and graduate diplomas at 4.6%. Vocational pathways account for 24.2% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates at 13.1%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.9% in primary education, 6.8% in secondary education, and 5.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis shows 96 active stops in Mitcham offering train and bus services. These are served by 27 routes providing 7,336 weekly passenger trips. Residents' average distance to the nearest stop is 188 meters, with service frequency averaging 1,048 daily trips across all routes, equating to about 76 weekly trips per stop.

Service frequency averages 1,048 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 76 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Mitcham.

Both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 56% of the total population, which amounts to around 9,814 people. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 7.9 and 7.4% of residents respectively. Meanwhile, 72.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.3% across Greater Melbourne. Mitcham has 16.7% of residents aged 65 and over, which totals 2,926 people, and this figure is lower than the 20.4% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Mitcham 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

Mitcham's population includes 34.3% born overseas and 32.6% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, practiced by 41.8%. Judaism is slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, with 0.2% of Mitcham's population identifying as such.

The top three ancestry groups are English (21.7%), Australian (20.2%), and Chinese (14.1%). Notably, Korean (0.7%) and Sri Lankan (0.5%) ethnicities are overrepresented in Mitcham compared to regional averages.

Mitcham's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Mitcham is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. The 55-64 cohort is over-represented in Mitcham at 11.6%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 13.2%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has increased from 11.1% to 12.0% of Mitcham's population, but the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 14.1% to 13.2%. By 2041, demographic forecasts indicate significant changes in Mitcham. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 25%, adding 590 people and reaching a total of 2,938 from the current 2,347. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are expected to decrease in number.