Mount Duneed

Mount Duneed lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, as of Nov 2025, Mount Duneed's estimated population is around 9,457. This reflects an increase of 3,275 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,182. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 9,367 following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. Mount Duneed's growth rate of 53.0% since the 2021 census exceeded the non-metro area (7.9%) and the national average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 68.0%. AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year.

For areas not covered, VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 are used with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Exceptional future growth is predicted over the period 2025-2041, with the area expected to expand by 4,210 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 18.8% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Mount Duneed among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Mount Duneed recorded around 442 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 2,214 homes. As of FY-26221 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.6 people moved to the area for each dwelling built annually between FY-21 and FY-25. This suggests new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, offering buyers more options while enabling population growth.

The average expected construction cost value of new homes is $412,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY-26, $61.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting high levels of local commercial activity.

Recent construction comprises 93.0% detached dwellings and 7.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining Mount Duneed's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The area has approximately 20 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Mount Duneed is forecasted to gain 1,773 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Mount Duneed 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 42 projects likely to affect the region. Notable projects include Ashbury Estate, Armstrong Creek Town Centre, Barwon Heads Road Upgrade, and Armstrong Creek Mixed Use Precinct at 465 Surf Coast Highway. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Mount Duneed significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Mount Duneed has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.0% as of September 2025, based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

There were 4,054 residents employed at this time, with an unemployment rate 1.8 percentage points lower than the Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation was high at 75.6%, compared to the Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Key industries for employment among residents were health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Notably, education & training had employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing showed lower representation at 1.2% compared to the regional average of 7.5%.

The worker-to-resident ratio was 1.0, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. Over the year to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.5%, and employment decreased by 0.7% in Mount Duneed, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, across the Rest of Vic., employment fell by 0.7%, labour force contracted by 0.6%, and unemployment rose marginally. State-level data from 25-Nov shows VIC employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with a state unemployment rate of 4.7%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.3%, with VIC's employment growth outpacing the national average of 0.14%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Mount Duneed's employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolations using industry-specific projections.

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

The suburb of Mount Duneed had an extremely high national income level according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers was $69,958 and the average income stood at $87,372. These figures compared to those for Rest of Vic., which were $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $75,730 (median) and $94,580 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes all ranked highly in Mount Duneed, between the 81st and 82nd percentiles nationally. The data showed the largest segment comprised 41.3% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (3,905 residents), mirroring regional levels where 30.3% occupied this bracket. High housing costs consumed 15.8% of income, though strong earnings still placed disposable income at the 81st percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 7th decile.

Mount Duneed is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile

Mount Duneed's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 97.3% houses and 2.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Home ownership in Mount Duneed was at 21.0%, with 55.5% of dwellings mortgaged and 23.5% rented. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,983, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $446. Nationally, Mount Duneed's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Mount Duneed features high concentrations of group households and family households, with a median household size of 2.8 people

Family households account for 78.9% of all households, including 41.4% couples with children, 26.8% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 21.1%, with lone person households at 16.1% and group households comprising 5.0%. The median household size is 2.8 people.

Mount Duneed shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Mount Duneed's educational attainment is notably high with 35.5% of residents aged 15+ having university qualifications, compared to 21.7% in the rest of Victoria and 28.6% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 24.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 35.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them – advanced diplomas account for 12.5% and certificates for 23.2%. Educational participation is high at 32.7%, including 12.0% in primary education, 6.6% in tertiary education, and 6.2% pursuing secondary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.0% in primary education, 6.6% in tertiary education, and 6.2% pursuing secondary education.

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

Mount Duneed has 24 active public transport stops. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 18 individual routes operating in total.

They collectively provide 1,738 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 376 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 248 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 72 weekly trips per individual stop.

Mount Duneed's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Mount Duneed's health outcomes data shows exceptional results, with younger cohorts having a very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is notably high at approximately 61% of the total population (5,793 people), surpassing the national average of 55.7%.

Asthma and mental health issues are the most prevalent medical conditions in the area, affecting 9.0 and 8.9% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 73.6%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 0% across Rest of Vic. As of 2021, 7.5% of Mount Duneed's residents are aged 65 and over (709 people). While health outcomes among seniors in the area are above average, they require more attention than the broader population.

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

Mount Duneed's population showed above-average cultural diversity, with 20.2% born overseas and 15.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 41.1%. The category 'Other' had a higher representation in Mount Duneed at 2.7%, compared to no data available for the rest of Victoria.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (27.3%), Australian (26.2%), and Irish (8.6%). Notably, Dutch (1.9%) was overrepresented compared to regional figures, as were Croatian (0.7%) and Polish (0.8%).

Mount Duneed hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Mount Duneed has a median age of 31, which is younger than the Rest of Vic's figure of 43 and below Australia's national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group comprises 22.0% of Mount Duneed's population, higher than the Rest of Vic.'s percentage, whereas the 65-74 cohort makes up 5.4%. This 25-34 concentration is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 25-34 age group has increased from 20.0% to 22.0%, while the 35-44 cohort rose from 16.6% to 17.8%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort decreased from 8.1% to 6.6%, and the 15-24 group dropped from 11.6% to 10.4%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Mount Duneed's age structure. The 25-34 group is expected to grow by 38% (798 people), reaching 2,879 from the current figure of 2,080. Meanwhile, both the 85+ and 75-84 age groups are projected to decrease in number.