Oakleigh East

Population growth drivers in Oakleigh East 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 Oakleigh East, its estimated population is around 7,170 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 366 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,804. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 7,152 following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,480 persons per square kilometer, placing Oakleigh East in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Oakleigh East has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.4%, outpacing its SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 91.0% 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 employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Considering projected demographic shifts, Oakleigh East is forecasted to have significant population increase in the top quartile of Australian statistical areas, expected to expand by 2,695 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 41.8% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Oakleigh East recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Oakleigh East shows approximately 30 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 151 homes. As of FY26, 8 approvals have been recorded. Each year, on average, around 3.1 people move to the area for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25. This indicates demand significantly exceeds new supply, which typically leads to price growth and increased buyer competition.

The average construction cost of new properties is $585,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting a focus on quality developments. In FY26, commercial development approvals totalled $9.1 million, indicating limited commercial development activity compared to residential. When compared to Greater Melbourne, Oakleigh East has 19.0% less building activity per person but ranks in the 40th percentile nationally for areas assessed. This suggests more limited housing choices for buyers, further supporting demand for existing homes. New building activity consists of 37.0% detached houses and 63.0% medium to high-density housing.

This shift towards denser development provides accessible entry options, appealing to downsizers, investors, and first-time buyers. This trend reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles. With approximately 410 people per dwelling approval, Oakleigh East is considered a developed market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area will gain around 2,997 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

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

"Six projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance. Key projects include Sandringham Line Service Improvements (part of Metro Tunnel Network Upgrades), Suburban Rail Loop East, 409 Clayton Road Mixed-Use Development, and Caulfield to Rowville Trackless Rapid Transit.".

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AreaSearch analysis places Oakleigh East well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Oakleigh East has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.9% as of the past year, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.1%. As of June 2025, 4,402 residents are employed with an unemployment rate of 1.7% below Greater Melbourne's rate and workforce participation similar to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

However, construction shows lower representation at 7.4% compared to the regional average of 9.7%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. During the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 4.1%, labour force increased by 4.3%, and unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a rise in unemployment rate of 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 offer further insight into potential future demand within Oakleigh East. These projections suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Oakleigh East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.0% over ten years.

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 ended June 2022 shows median income in Oakleigh East at $54,537 and average income at $69,861. In comparison, Greater Melbourne had a median income of $54,892 and an average income of $73,761 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% from financial year ended June 2022 to September 2025, estimated current incomes would be approximately $61,169 (median) and $78,356 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Oakleigh East were at the 57th percentile nationally. Income distribution data indicates that 35.3% of locals (2,531 people) fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to the broader area where 32.8% occupied this range. High housing costs consumed 16.6% of income, but strong earnings placed disposable income at the 61st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Oakleigh East displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Oakleigh East's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 69.0% houses and 31.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 69.6% houses and 30.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Oakleigh East was at 31.6%, with the rest mortgaged (32.2%) or rented (36.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,300, below Melbourne metro's average of $2,383. Median weekly rent was $425, compared to Melbourne metro's $440. Nationally, Oakleigh East's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,300 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 70.9% of all households, including 32.6% couples with children, 24.6% couples without children, and 11.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 29.1%, with lone person households at 20.3% and group households making up 9.0%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.7.

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

Educational attainment in Oakleigh East is notably higher than broader averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 43.8% hold university qualifications, compared to 29.8% in the SA4 region and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are most common at 26.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational pathways account for 23.1% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.8% and certificates at 13.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.8% in tertiary, 7.6% in primary, and 5.1% in secondary education. Amsleigh Park Primary School serves Oakleigh East, with an enrollment of 340 students as of the latest data. The school's ICSEA score is 1097, indicating above-average socio-educational conditions. There is one primary school in the area, with secondary options available nearby. Local school capacity is limited at 4.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 15.8, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Transport analysis indicates 30 active stops operating in Oakleigh East, comprising various bus routes. These are served by 19 different routes, collectively facilitating 3,991 weekly passenger trips. Residential accessibility to transport is rated excellent, with residents typically located 193 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 570 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 133 weekly trips per individual stop.

Oakleigh East's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Oakleigh East.

Prevalence of common health conditions was low among the general population but higher than the national average among older and at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover was very high at approximately 54% of the total population (~3,903 people). The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.1 and 5.7% of residents respectively. A total of 75.8% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 75.3% across Greater Melbourne. Oakleigh East has 14.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,032 people), which is lower than the 17.5% in Greater Melbourne.

Oakleigh East is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Oakleigh East has a high level of cultural diversity, with 48.7% of its population born overseas and 54.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Oakleigh East, accounting for 49.9% of the population. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 0.8% versus 0.4%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (14.0%), Australian (13.1%), and Chinese (13.0%), which is lower than the regional average of 21.4%. Notably, Greek (11.5%) and Italian (8.7%) ethnicities are overrepresented in Oakleigh East compared to their regional averages of 5.6% and 4.0%, respectively. Sri Lankan ethnicity is slightly underrepresented at 1.6% versus the regional average of 2.1%.

Oakleigh East's population is younger than the national pattern

Oakleigh East's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Oakleigh East has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (20.2%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.3%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 has increased from 13.0% to 15.0%, while the proportion of those aged 45 to 54 has decreased from 12.5% to 11.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes in Oakleigh East, with the strongest projected growth in the 25 to 34 age group, which is expected to grow by 47%, adding 680 residents and reaching a total of 2,129.