Oak Park

Oak Park lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

The population of the suburb of Oak Park is estimated at around 7,256 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 542 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,714 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 7,219 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 102 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,574 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Oak Park's growth rate of 8.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 7.9%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 73.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. 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 also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Moving forward, exceptional growth is predicted over the period with the suburb expected to increase by 3,410 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 46.5% in total over the 16 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Oak Park when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Oak Park had approximately 64 new homes approved each year over the past five financial years, totalling around 323 homes. As of FY-26, 47 approvals have been recorded. The average number of new residents per new home over these five years is about 0.9. This indicates that supply meets or exceeds demand, offering more buyer choices and potential for population growth above projections.

The average value of new dwellings developed is approximately $480,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY-26, around $1.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Oak Park has somewhat elevated construction activity, recording 41.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This preserves reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. However, construction activity has eased recently.

The new building activity shows approximately 13.0% detached dwellings and 87.0% medium and high-density housing. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a significant shift from the current housing mix of around 56.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. Oak Park has around 176 people per dwelling approval, indicating characteristics of a growth area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Oak Park is expected to grow by approximately 3,373 residents through to 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.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include M-City 2 - Oak Park, Fame Apartments, Glenroy Structure Plan, and Oak Park Sports and Aquatic Centre Redevelopment. 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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Employment conditions in Oak Park demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Oak Park has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate is 2.3%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 4468 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.5% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation in Oak Park is higher at 75.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. Census responses indicate that 39.9% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries for employment among residents are health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Oak Park has a notable concentration in professional & technical jobs, with levels at 1.2 times the regional average.

Retail trade, however, has limited presence with 7.9% employment compared to the regional average of 9.8%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.0%, and employment decreased by 0.6%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Oak Park's employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Oak Park's median income is $55,345 and average income is $66,050. This is lower than Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on a 9.62% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for Oak Park as of March 2026 would be approximately $60,669 (median) and $72,404 (average). The 2021 Census indicates that Oak Park's household, family, and personal incomes rank between the 78th to 78th percentiles nationally. Income brackets show that 33.4% of residents (2,423 people) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, consistent with metropolitan trends at 32.8%. Higher earners make up a substantial presence, with 33.2% exceeding $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 14.2% of income, and Oak Park residents rank within the 79th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Oak Park displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Oak Park's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 56.0% houses and 44.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Oak Park stood at 31.1%, similar to Melbourne metro, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.0% and rented ones at 31.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000. The median weekly rent was $401, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Oak Park's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,167 versus the Australian average of $1,863. Rents in Oak Park exceeded the national figure of $375.

Oak Park features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 70.9% of all households, including 32.5% couples with children, 27.1% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 29.1%, with lone person households at 24.3% and group households comprising 4.7%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Oak Park is notably higher than broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 43.0% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 27.7% in the SA4 region and 30.4% nationally. The most common qualification is a bachelor degree, held by 27.4% of residents. Postgraduate qualifications are held by 11.6%, and graduate diplomas by 4.0%.

Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 26.3% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications. This includes advanced diplomas (11.7%) and certificates (14.6%). Educational participation is high, with 28.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.3% in primary education, 6.6% in tertiary education, and 5.4% pursuing secondary education.

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

Oak Park's public transport analysis shows 22 active stops in operation, serving a mix of bus routes. These are covered by four individual routes, offering a total of 2,067 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents located an average of 211 meters from the nearest stop. The area, predominantly residential, sees most residents commuting outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 75%, while train use stands at 17%. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 39.9% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 295 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 93 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Oak Park is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Oak Park shows superior health outcomes, as evaluated by AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups exhibit low prevalence of common health conditions.

The area has a private health cover rate of approximately 53% (~3842 people), leading that of the average SA2 area, compared to Greater Melbourne's 56.7%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 7.3% and 7.2% of residents respectively. 74.2% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 12.9% (936 people) of residents aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

Oak Park was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Oak Park has a high level of cultural diversity, with 35.6% of its population born overseas and 35.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Oak Park, making up 46.4% of its population. Hinduism is overrepresented in Oak Park compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 7.1% versus 4.4%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (18.4%), Other (16.5%), and Australian (16.3%). Italian ethnicity is notably overrepresented at 9.9%, compared to the regional average of 5.2%. Sri Lankan ethnicity is also overrepresented at 0.8%, matching the regional figure, while Lebanese ethnicity is slightly higher than the regional average at 1.7% versus 0.8%.

Oak Park's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Oak Park's median age is nearly 36 years, closely matching Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and slightly below Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Oak Park has a higher proportion of 35-44 year-olds (19.3%), but fewer residents aged 15-24 (10.8%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the percentage of residents aged 65-74 has grown from 6.1% to 7.5%, while those aged 35-44 increased from 18.2% to 19.3%. Conversely, the proportion of 15-24 year-olds decreased from 11.6% to 10.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Oak Park's age profile, with the strongest growth expected among the 45-54 cohort (78%), adding 703 residents and reaching a total of 1,610.