Morwell

An assessment of population growth drivers in Morwell reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Morwell is around 14,796, reflecting an increase of 407 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 14,389. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 14,486 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 248 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 330 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for Morwell 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.

For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the 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 applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb of Morwell is expected to expand by 2,325 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 13.7% in total over the 17 years.

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

Morwell recorded approximately 46 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years ending FY25. This totals an estimated 230 homes. By FY26, 27 approvals had been recorded. On average, 1.5 people moved to the area per dwelling built between FY21 and FY25.

The average construction value of new homes was $361,000. In FY26, commercial approvals amounted to $83.5 million. Compared to Rest of Vic., Morwell had around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranked among the 26th percentile nationally. This resulted in relatively constrained buyer choice, supporting interest in existing properties.

New development consisted of 87% detached dwellings and 13% attached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature. The estimated population per dwelling approval was 628 people. Future projections indicate Morwell adding 2,020 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects that may impact the area. Key projects include ICON Morwell Innovation Business Park, The Range Estate Morwell, Tramway Road Battery Energy Storage System, and Panorama Estate. Below is a list detailing 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.

The labour market performance in Morwell lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Morwell's employment profile shows balance across white and blue collar jobs, with prominent representation from essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 13.5% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 6.2%. As of September 2025, 5,248 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 9.8% higher than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%, indicating room for improvement.

Workforce participation in Morwell lags at 50.7%, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 61.4%. Census responses reveal that only 9.9% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food, with retail trade particularly notable at 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 2.3% versus the regional average of 7.5%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on Census data comparing working population to local population. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 6.2%, and labour force increased by 3.8%, leading to a decrease in unemployment rate of 2.0 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Vic. experienced employment decline of 0.7% and labour force decline of 0.6%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Morwell's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

The latest postcode level ATO data from AreaSearch for financial year 2023 shows that in Morwell, median income is $44,321 and average income is $55,103. This contrasts with the Rest of Vic.'s median income of $50,954 and average income of $62,728. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Morwell would be approximately $47,977 (median) and $59,649 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census reveals that household, family, and personal incomes in Morwell fall between the 2nd and 5th percentiles nationally. Income distribution data shows 31.6% of Morwell's population (4,675 individuals) earn within the $400 - $799 range, unlike metropolitan trends where 30.3% earn within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. The prevalence of lower-income residents (42.9% earning under $800/week) suggests constrained household budgets across much of Morwell. After housing costs, 85.9% of income remains, ranking at only the 4th percentile nationally.

Morwell is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Morwell, as per the latest Census evaluation, 86.0% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 14.0% consisting of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types of dwellings. This is compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Morwell stood at 38.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.2% and rented ones at 35.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $953, significantly lower than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,430. The median weekly rent in Morwell was recorded at $215, substantially below Non-Metro Vic.'s figure of $285. Nationally, Morwell's mortgage repayments were notably lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were considerably below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 59.1% of all households, consisting of 18.5% couples with children, 24.1% couples without children, and 15.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 40.9%, with lone person households at 37.7% and group households comprising 3.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

Morwell faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area has lower university qualification rates than the Victorian average, with only 11.0% of residents holding such qualifications compared to VIC's 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common among these, at 7.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them. Advanced diplomas account for 8.4% while certificates make up 32.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.1% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 3.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Morwell has 107 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train services. These are covered by 21 routes, providing a total of 1,835 weekly passenger trips. Residents have good access to transport, with an average distance of 202 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport, used by 92% of residents. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 9.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 262 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 17 weekly trips per individual stop. The map accompanying this information shows the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Health performance in Morwell is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Morwell faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high across various health conditions, affecting both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is low, with approximately 49% of Morwell's total population (~7,204 people) having it, compared to the national average of 55.7%. Mental health issues and arthritis were found to be the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 12.2 and 11.3% of residents respectively. Conversely, 55.0% of Morwell's residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% across Rest of Vic.. The working-age population faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. As of a certain date, the area has 22.4% of residents aged 65 and over (3,314 people), which is lower than the 23.9% in Rest of Vic.. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Morwell records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Morwell's cultural diversity aligns with its broader regional average, with 83.3% citizens, 81.8% born in Australia, and 88.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Morwell, practiced by 44.4%. Judaism, however, is slightly overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to the regional average of 0.1%.

The top three ancestral groups are English (29.9%), Australian (28.3%), and Scottish (7.6%). Notable divergences include Dutch (2.3% vs regional 1.7%), Maltese (1.9% vs 0.5%), and Italian (5.5% vs 2.9%) groups being more prevalent in Morwell than regionally.

Morwell hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Morwell's median age is 42 years, similar to the Rest of Vic.'s average of 43 but older than Australia's average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 25-34 are particularly prominent at 14.2%, while the 35-44 group is smaller at 11.0% compared to Rest of Vic.. Between 2021 and now, the percentage of the population aged 25 to 34 has grown from 12.3% to 14.2%. Conversely, the percentage of those aged 45 to 54 has declined from 12.2% to 10.4%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Morwell. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to grow by 41%, adding 851 residents to reach a total of 2,953. Meanwhile, numbers in the 55-64 age range are expected to fall by 42%.