Neerim South

Population growth drivers in Neerim South are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the estimated population of Neerim South as of Nov 2025 is around 1,572 people. This reflects a decrease of 27 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,599 people. The resident population estimate of 1,547 by AreaSearch, following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, and an additional 11 validated new addresses since the Census date, indicates this decrease. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 24 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for Neerim South was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 59.0% of overall population gains 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 VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusting with weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Moving forward, lower quartile growth of Australia's regional areas is anticipated. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, Neerim South is expected to grow by 89 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 10.2% in total over the 17 years.

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

Neerim South had minimal residential development activity with 3 dwelling approvals annually between 2016 and 2020. This resulted in a total of 15 approvals over these five years. The low development levels reflect the rural nature of the area, where housing needs are typically specific to local requirements rather than broader market demand.

It is important to note that the small sample size means individual projects can significantly influence annual growth and relativity statistics. Neerim South had much lower development activity compared to the rest of Victoria during this period. Development levels were also below national averages.

Recent building activity consisted entirely of detached houses, maintaining the rural character of the area with an emphasis on space. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Neerim South is projected to add 160 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Neerim South has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 34thth percentile nationally

No local infrastructure changes are expected in the area. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that could impact the region. Key initiatives include Warragul and Drouin Precinct Structure Plan, Marinus Link, Maryvale Energy from Waste Facility, and Gippsland Line Upgrade.

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.

While Neerim South retains a healthy unemployment rate of 2.9%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Neerim South has a skilled workforce with the construction sector being prominent. Its unemployment rate was 2.9% as of June 2025, lower than Rest of Vic.'s 3.8%.

Workforce participation was 54.2%, slightly below Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Key industries include construction, health care & social assistance, and agriculture, forestry & fishing. The area has a notable concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average. However, health care & social assistance employs only 12.2% of local workers, below Rest of Vic.'s 16.8%.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force decreased by 1.3%, employment decreased by 1.7%, leading to a rise in unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest Neerim South's employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.5% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Neerim South had a median taxpayer income of $45,101 and an average income of $58,881 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This was below the national average for that year. Rest of Vic., on the other hand, had a median income of $48,741 and an average income of $60,693 in the same period. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $50,585 (median) and $66,041 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Neerim South all fall between the 24th and 24th percentiles nationally. In Neerim South, 27.6% of the population (433 individuals) had incomes within the $800 - $1,499 range, unlike surrounding regions where 30.3% fell within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. Despite modest housing costs with 87.2% of income retained, total disposable income ranked at just the 29th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 4th decile.

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

Neerim South's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.1% houses and 3.9% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Vic had 91.6% houses and 8.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Neerim South was 48.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.7% and rented ones at 12.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,549, lower than Non-Metro Vic's average of $1,600. The median weekly rent in Neerim South was $260, compared to Non-Metro Vic's $320. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863, while rents were substantially higher at $375.

Neerim South has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 75.4% of all households, including 30.6% couples with children, 35.7% couples without children, and 8.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 24.6%, comprising 23.6% lone person households and 1.9% group households of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of Vic.

Neerim South shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's university qualification rate is 18.9%, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.7%, followed by graduate diplomas (3.3%) and postgraduate qualifications (2.9%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 45.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (14.0%) and certificates (31.5%). Educational participation is high at 29.0%, comprising 10.7% in primary education, 9.1% in secondary education, and 2.3% in tertiary education.

The area has two schools serving 336 students: Neerim District Secondary College and Neerim South Primary School. These institutions provide typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 959) with balanced educational opportunities. Educational provision is conventional, divided between one primary and one secondary institution.

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

Neerim South has five active public transport stops. These are served by one route in total, offering ten weekly passenger trips combined. Transport accessibility is moderate, with residents typically residing 499 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there is one trip per day across all routes, equating to roughly two weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Neerim South is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Neerim South, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 50% (around 788 people), lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (12.0%) and mental health problems (9.1%). About 60.4% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.7% in Rest of Vic. Neerim South has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 28.0% (440 people), against the state average of 20.8%. Health outcomes among seniors show some challenges but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

Neerim South is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Neerim South's cultural diversity was below average, with 88.4% of its population being citizens and 88.7% born in Australia. English was spoken at home by 97.5%. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 45.5%.

Buddhism was overrepresented compared to the rest of Victoria, making up 1.1% versus 0.9%. The top three ancestry groups were English (32.7%), Australian (31.5%), and Irish (10.1%). Dutch (3.5%) and Scottish (9.1%) were notably overrepresented compared to regional averages of 2.7% and 8.5%, respectively, while Welsh was slightly overrepresented at 0.7%.

Neerim South hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Neerim South's median age is 47 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of Vic. average of 43 years and substantially exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 years make up a particularly prominent 15.0%, while the 45-54 group constitutes only 8.9%. This concentration of people aged 65-74 is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and now, the proportion of those aged 75 to 84 has increased from 8.2% to 9.1%, while the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 10.8% to 8.9%, and the 55 to 64 group has dropped from 15.0% to 13.3%. By 2041, Neerim South's age composition is expected to see notable shifts. The 25 to 34 age group is projected to grow by 46%, increasing from 166 people to 243. Conversely, the 15 to 24 and 65 to 74 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.