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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
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Neerim South has an estimated 1,677 residents, up from 1,599 at the 2021 Census — a change of 78 people, or 4.9%. Growth has averaged 1.9% a year over five years. Density is about 26 people per square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to AreaSearch's evaluation of broader ABS population updates alongside new addresses verified since the Census, the suburb of Neerim South has an estimated population of approximately 1,677 as of Aug 2026. This represents an addition of 78 people (4.9%) compared to the 1,599 people recorded in the 2021 Census. This adjustment stems from an estimated resident population of 1,675 determined by AreaSearch following the ABS ERP release from June 2025, combined with 35 validated new addresses identified post-Census. With a density of 26 persons per square kilometer, the locality offers generous living space.
Outpacing both the SA4 region and the Rest of Vic. (4.4%), the suburb of Neerim South stood out as a regional growth leader with its 4.9% gain since the 2021 census. Inward interstate migration served as the primary growth engine, generating around 59.0% of recent population gains, while natural increase and overseas migration also contributed positively. For each SA2 area, AreaSearch applies ABS/Geoscience Australia projections published in 2024 using 2022 as the base year. In SA2 locations where this dataset is unavailable, projections draw upon the 2023 VIC State Government Regional/LGA figures, adjusted via weighted population growth aggregation from LGA down to SA2 boundaries. Age-bracket growth rates derived from these models are similarly applied across all territories for the 2032 to 2041 period. Based on projected demographic trends, the suburb of Neerim South is expected to track in the lower quartile of Australia's non-metropolitan regions, expanding by 70 persons to 2041 under aggregated SA2 projections, representing an overall rise of 4.0% over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Detail
Residential construction in Neerim South remains subdued, recording 1 new dwellings approved annually and a cumulative total of 8 across the past five years. Limited building activity of this scale is standard for rural settings where modest accommodation requirements, local demand, and infrastructure constraints keep building volumes low. Because approval volumes are minimal, single building initiatives can create notable shifts in annual growth metrics and comparative statistics. Building volumes in Neerim South track substantially below the Rest of Vic., as well as national benchmarks. All recent residential construction has consisted of detached single-family dwellings, catering to buyers desiring spacious rural lifestyle properties.
Averaging roughly 298 people per dwelling approval, local building activity reflects the profile of a low density area. Based on the most recent AreaSearch quarterly figures, future forecasts project Neerim South expanding by 68 residents by 2041. Should current construction volumes persist, housing supply could fall behind demographic growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and reinforcing property price gains.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Neerim South
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 47 current infrastructure and development projects close to Neerim South, worth an estimated $3.45 billion. 16 are already under construction and 14 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, transport & logistics and communities, precincts & urban renewal. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Regional development and community trajectory are heavily shaped by strategic planning initiatives, infrastructure investments, and major public works. Currently, no major projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Notable regional developments include the Warragul and Drouin Precinct Structure Plans, Marinus Link, Maryvale Energy from Waste (EfW) Facility, and Gippsland Line Upgrade, with surrounding initiatives providing relevant context.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Drouin West Kindergarten
New kindergarten facility serving the Drouin West community, providing early learning education services.
147 Dollarburn Road Residential Development
26.25 hectare approved residential subdivision within the Warragul Precinct Structure Plan featuring 114 residential lots, neighbourhood parks, sporting reserves, and farmland. Connected via a proposed street through a future government primary school to Waterford Rise Estate and Warragul township. Located within the Urban Growth Boundary with proximity to the future West Gippsland Hospital.
Loom Warragul
TW Projects, backed by Monark Property Partners, is delivering Loom Warragul, a 200-lot house and land estate on a circa 16 ha site at 321 Copelands Road. Civil works are underway across Stages 1 and 2, with Winslow appointed as civil contractor, while Stages 3, 5A and 5B are now selling from $273,000. The estate is roughly 50 percent sold, with land marketed through Oliver Hume and a sales office open on site.
Ferntree Ridge Estate
Ferntree Ridge is a 130-hectare master-planned community by LandGipps delivering over 1,600 residential allotments alongside key civic and commercial infrastructure. The precinct incorporates a designated shopping centre site, community centre, proposed primary school, retirement living, display village, and 15 kilometres of linear parks, sporting fields, and shared walking trails. Multiple residential stages and civil construction packages have been progressively released and developed.
Emberwood Estate - Stage 11
Stage 11 forms part of the 330-lot Emberwood masterplanned estate in Warragul. The stage comprises titled residential lots that are benched, retained and fenced, with supporting parklands, playgrounds and pedestrian connections. Stage 11 is selling alongside Stage 12, with Stage 13 announced as the next release.
Drouin Fields Master-planned Community
Drouin Fields is a master-planned residential community delivering over 300 residential lots alongside integrated open space and civil infrastructure in Baw Baw Shire. Civil works and staged residential subdivision earthworks are actively progressing across multiple construction phases.
The Fairways Drouin
The Fairways Estate offers rural lifestyle in Gippsland's West with luxury country living and premium urban living options. Located adjacent to the Drouin Golf and Country Club, the estate features residential lots from 435m2 to 3,165m2 and half-acre country living allotments. Currently selling Stage 4 and 5 Urban Living plus Stage 4 Country Living with direct golf course access and exclusive club memberships.
Dollarburn Road Extension
Extension of Dollarburn Road to connect Warragul and Drouin through the purchase and designation of land for road reserve. This project will provide an alternate collector/arterial route for Warragul and Warragul North to access Princes Highway, alleviating congestion on Princes Way and improving freeway access for residential areas. The extension will connect to the proposed Buln Buln Road Interchange to provide significantly improved access to the Princes Freeway for a large residential catchment.
821 residents of Neerim South are employed, from a labour force of 843. Unemployment sits at 2.6%, with participation at 60.2%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 5.9% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 1,324, about 79% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Neerim South boasts a highly skilled labor pool, with the construction industry standing out for its significant share of employment. The area recorded an unemployment rate of 2.6% alongside a projected employment growth of 4.3% during the previous year, according to AreaSearch's compilation of statistical area information. By March 2026, there were 821 employed residents, and the local unemployment rate stood at 1.1% lower than Regional Vic.'s 3.7%, while workforce participation remained broadly in line with Regional Vic.'s 61.1%. Census data indicate that a moderate 20.3% of residents worked from home, although the lingering effects of Covid-19 lockdowns should be taken into account.
Local employment is concentrated within construction, health care & social assistance, and agriculture, forestry & fishing. Specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing is especially pronounced, with local representation reaching 1.4 times the regional proportion. Conversely, health care & social assistance accounts for only 12.2% of the local workforce, trailing Regional Vic.'s 16.8%. Census comparisons between resident workers and local jobs indicate limited opportunities within the immediate area. AreaSearch assessment of broader statistical data from SALM and the ABS indicates that over the 12-month period, local employment expanded by 4.3% and the labour force grew by 3.8%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. By comparison, Regional Vic. recorded an employment contraction of 0.1%, a labour force drop of 0.3%, and a 0.2 percentage point reduction in unemployment. Additional guidance on future workforce requirements in Neerim South comes from national projections released by Jobs and Skills Australia in Mar-26. These five and ten-year forecasts, mapped against local industry representation, project nationwide employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with distinct variations across sectors. Applying these industry growth paths to Neerim South's workforce composition suggests local job expansion of 5.9% over five years and 12.5% over ten years (calculated via weighted extrapolation for indicative analysis, without incorporating local population projections).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Neerim South is $1,359 a week (about $71,000 a year), with median personal income at $678 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $45,101 a year against an average of $58,881. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
Taxpayer earnings in the suburb of Neerim South sit below the national benchmark according to financial year 2023 ATO statistics aggregated by AreaSearch. In the suburb of Neerim South, the median taxpayer income is $45,101 while the average income is $58,881, against $50,954 and $62,728 recorded across Regional Vic. Adjusted for a 9.62% Wage Price Index increase since financial year 2023, estimated earnings stand at approximately $49,440 (median) and $64,545 (average) as of March 2026. Figures from the 2021 Census position Neerim South's personal, family, and household earnings all between the 24th and 24th percentiles nationally.
The largest income bracket encompasses 27.6% of residents (462 people) earning between $800 - 1,499, differing from the metropolitan territory where 30.3% earn in the $1,500 - 2,999 tier. Even though housing costs remain low with households retaining 87.2% of income, total disposable income sits in the 29th percentile across Australia, and the local SEIFA income position falls into the 4th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Neerim South had 565 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 96% detached houses and 2% apartments. 40% are owned with a mortgage, 12% rented and 48% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $260 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,549 a month. Rent absorbs 19.1% of household income here and mortgage repayments 26.3%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Census records indicate that Neerim South's residential landscape is composed of 96.1% separate houses and 3.9% other dwellings like apartments and semi-detached units, compared to 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings throughout Regional Vic. Outright property ownership reached 48.2%, well above the regional standard, while mortgaged properties accounted for 39.7% and rentals represented 12.2%. Median monthly mortgage costs stood at $1,549, exceeding the Regional Vic. benchmark of $1,430, whereas median weekly rent was $260, lower than the regional rate of $285. On a nationwide scale, Neerim South mortgage repayments fall well below the Australian median of $1,863, and weekly rents are markedly lower than the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Neerim South counted 565 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.5 people each. 31% are couples with children, against 36% couples without children. 24% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.9 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families constitute the primary living arrangement, representing 75.4% of households, consisting of couples without children at 35.7%, couples with children at 30.6%, and one-parent households at 8.1%. Non-family dwellings make up the remaining 24.6%, including 23.6% single-person residences and 1.9% group accommodations. The typical household size is 2.5 people, exceeding the Regional Vic. benchmark of 2.4.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
18.9% of adults in Neerim South hold a university qualification, including 12.7% with a bachelor degree and 2.9% with postgraduate qualifications. A further 31.5% hold a vocational qualification. 2 schools serve the area, with 336 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 959 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Educational attainment in the area shows a lower prevalence of higher education credentials, with university qualifications held by 18.9% of residents compared to the VIC benchmark of 33.4%, highlighting a target area for learning initiatives. Bachelor degrees represent 12.7%, graduate diplomas comprise 3.3%, and postgraduate degrees account for 2.9%. Conversely, vocational and technical training is strongly represented, with 45.5% of people aged 15+ holding trade credentials, split between certificates (31.5%) and advanced diplomas (14.0%). Formal study engagement is substantial, with 29.0% of the local population actively participating in education. This proportion comprises 10.7% enrolled in primary school, 9.1% attending secondary school, and 2.3% in tertiary programs.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Neerim South means driving: households keep an average of 1.9 vehicles, and scheduled services reach only a handful of stops. Service data is built from operators' published GTFS timetables; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Neerim South contains 5 active public transport stops connecting to 1 individual routes, providing a total of 10 weekly passenger trips. Access to public transit is moderate, with residents located an average of 499 meters from the nearest boarding point. As an outward-commuting residential area, private vehicles dominate travel choices at 92%, while 5% of journeys are made on foot. Vehicle ownership stands above the regional benchmark at 1.9 per dwelling. In addition, 20.3% of workers worked from home at the 2021 Census, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Transit service frequency averages 1 trips per day across the network, translating to approximately 2 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
60.4% of residents in Neerim South report no long-term health condition. 5.8% need daily assistance with core activities, and 50.2% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 5.6 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health outcomes present challenges in Neerim South based on AreaSearch assessments of mortality patterns and chronic condition prevalence, with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Additionally, private health insurance coverage is modest, held by approximately 50% of the population (~841 people) compared to 55.7% nationally. Arthritis and mental health conditions are the most widespread diagnosed illnesses in the area, affecting 12.0 and 9.1% of residents respectively, while 60.4% reported no medical conditions, compared to 63.4% across Regional Vic. Working-age locals show elevated rates of chronic illness.
Residents aged 65 and over represent 29.7% of the community (498 people), exceeding the Regional Vic. proportion of 24.0%. Senior health outcomes face particular challenges, with national benchmarks aligning closely with broader population averages.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Neerim South is largely Australian-born, at 88.7% of residents, with 2.5% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (32.7%) and Australian (31.5%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Neerim South displays modest cultural diversity, with Australian citizens comprising 88.4% of residents, Australian-born individuals accounting for 88.7%, and 97.5% speaking exclusively English in the home. Christianity stands as the leading religion, followed by 45.5% of residents. Meanwhile, Buddhism shows a notable local overrepresentation at 1.1% of the community, compared to 1.0% across Regional Vic. Based on parental birthplaces, the primary ancestral backgrounds reported in Neerim South are English at 32.7%, Australian at 31.5%, and Irish at 10.1%. Certain other ancestries also show distinct presence, with Dutch noticeably overrepresented at 3.5% (against 1.7% regionally), Scottish comprising 9.1% (versus 8.8%), and Welsh representing 0.7% (compared to 0.4%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Neerim South is 47, older than 85% of areas nationally. 21.6% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The suburb of Neerim South maintains an older demographic balance than Regional Vic. overall. Seniors and retirees aged 65+ comprise 29.7% of the population as at August 2026, relative to 24.0% in Regional Vic., whereas individuals aged 25 - 44 represent 20.1% against 23.1% regionally. As at August 2026, the median age is estimated at 47, matching the 2021 Census figure and sitting 4 years above the Regional Vic. median of 43 at that Census, while the national Census median was 38. The 45 - 64 demographic has decreased from 25.8% at the Census to an estimated 22.4%.
Through to 2041, the 25 - 44 age cohort is projected to experience the strongest expansion, rising by 72 (21%) to 409, while the 45 - 64 bracket is forecast to decrease alongside children and young adults.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Neerim South
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, Local governments Daily | May 2026 5 months ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 35 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (1,599 at the 2021 Census → 1,677 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL21911). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.