Mount Eliza

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

As of Feb 2026, Mount Eliza's population is estimated at approximately 19,053 people. This figure represents a growth of 319 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,734 people in the suburb. The current resident population estimate of 19,009 by AreaSearch is based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 60 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 820 persons per square kilometer for Mount Eliza, which aligns with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 1.7% since the census places it within 2.0 percentage points of the SA3 area (3.7%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in Mount Eliza during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 from 2023, adjusted using 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. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, Mount Eliza is expected to expand by approximately 1,833 persons to the year 2041, reflecting an increase of around 9.6% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Mount Eliza has seen approximately 51 dwelling approvals annually, with a total of 256 approved between FY-21 and FY-25. As of FY-26, 48 dwellings have been approved. Despite population decline, development activity has remained adequate relative to other areas.

The average construction cost for new properties is $1,219,000, indicating a focus on premium segment dwellings. In FY-26, $45.4 million in commercial approvals were registered. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Mount Eliza has roughly half the building activity per person and ranks at the 39th percentile nationally, suggesting limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing dwellings. New development consists of 88.0% detached houses and 12.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low density character.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 441 people. Future projections estimate Mount Eliza will add 1,789 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Mount Eliza has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects likely to affect the region. Notable ones include Mount Eliza: Canadian Bay Carpark, Mount Eliza Landfill Capping Rehabilitation Works, Mount Eliza: Emil Madsen Reserve - East Pavilion, and Moondah Mansion Retirement Village. The following list details 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 exceptional employment performance in Mount Eliza places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Mount Eliza has a highly educated workforce. Professional services are prominently represented. The unemployment rate is 1.2%, with an estimated employment growth of 1.9% over the past year.

As of December 2025, there are 9,748 residents in work. The unemployment rate is 3.6% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation stands at 63.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. According to Census responses, 39.6% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts are notable.

Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. The area specializes in education & training, with an employment share 1.2 times the regional level. Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing shows lower representation at 2.2% compared to the regional average of 5.2%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by Census working population vs resident population counts. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 1.9%, while labour force grew by 1.9%, keeping unemployment broadly stable. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Mount Eliza. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Mount Eliza's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Mount Eliza has exceptionally high incomes nationally. The median income is $61,130 and the average income stands at $105,186. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's figures of a median income of $57,688 and an average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $66,173 (median) and $113,864 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household incomes rank exceptionally high at the 91st percentile ($2,547 weekly). Income brackets indicate that a predominant cohort spans 29.2% of locals (5,563 people) in the $4000+ category, unlike trends in the region where 32.8% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. A significant 42.6% earn above $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 87.6% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Mount Eliza is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Mount Eliza's dwelling structure in the latest Census showed 91.8% houses and 8.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Eliza was 46.2%, with mortgaged properties at 45.2% and rented ones at 8.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000 average. Median weekly rent in Mount Eliza was $512, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Mount Eliza's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,600 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375 at $512.

Mount Eliza features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 82.2% of all households, including 44.0% couples with children, 30.2% couples without children, and 7.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for 17.8%, consisting of lone person households at 16.9% and group households making up 1.0%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Mount Eliza demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Mount Eliza has a notably high educational attainment among residents aged 15 years and above, with 37.9% holding university qualifications. This figure surpasses the broader benchmarks of 23.5% in the SA4 region and 25.0% in the SA3 area. The area's educational advantage is evident in its strong representation of bachelor degrees (25.3%), postgraduate qualifications (8.0%), and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 30.5% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (13.6%) and certificates (16.9%).

Educational participation is notably high in Mount Eliza, with 31.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (11.6%), secondary education (10.5%), and tertiary education (4.7%).

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

Mount Eliza has 31 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by five different routes that collectively facilitate 771 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to these stops is rated as limited, with residents typically located 669 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Mount Eliza being primarily residential. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 94%. On average, there are 1.9 vehicles per dwelling in Mount Eliza, which is higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a significant 39.6% of residents work from home, which may be attributed to COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages at 110 trips per day, translating to approximately 24 weekly trips per individual stop.

Mount Eliza's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Mount Eliza's health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 68% of Mount Eliza's total population of 12,996 people have private health cover, compared to Greater Melbourne's 56.7% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 7.8% of residents) and asthma (7.0%). A total of 71.5% of Mount Eliza residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. Working-age residents in the area have low chronic condition prevalence. Mount Eliza has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 24.7% (4,706 people), than Greater Melbourne's 15.1%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

Mount Eliza ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Mount Eliza, surveyed in June 2016, had a predominantly Australian-born population with 77.0% of residents born there. Citizenship was high at 90.9%, and English-only speakers accounted for 93.5%. Christianity was the major religion (46.6%).

Judaism, though small at 0.3%, was higher than Greater Melbourne's 1.0%. Ancestry-wise, English (33.8%) and Australian (25.3%) were significantly overrepresented compared to regional averages of 20.1% and 18.4% respectively. Irish ancestry was also notable at 9.3%. Other ethnic groups with higher representation included Scottish (9.1%), Welsh (0.7%), and Dutch (1.7%).

Mount Eliza hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Mount Eliza is 45 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Mount Eliza has a higher proportion of residents aged 75-84 (9.6%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (3.5%). According to the 2021 Census, the age group of 75 to 84 increased from 7.7% to 9.6%, while the 15 to 24 cohort grew from 11.8% to 13.7%. However, the 25 to 34 cohort decreased from 4.9% to 3.5%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Mount Eliza's age structure. The 85+ group is projected to grow by 103%, reaching 1,313 people from 647. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 69% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age groups are projected to decrease in number.