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

The estimated population of the suburb of Oakleigh East is around 7,399 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 595 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,804 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 7,284 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 44 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,591 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 8.7% growth since census positions it within 1.2 percentage points of the national average (9.9%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 91.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising 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. Considering the projected demographic shifts, a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australian statistical areas is forecast, with the suburb expected to expand by 2,680 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 34.7% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Oakleigh East when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Oakleigh East had approximately 28 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling around 142 homes. As of FY-26, there have been 28 approvals recorded. The average population increase per dwelling built in the area between FY-21 and FY-25 was 3.3 people. This high demand coupled with limited new supply typically leads to price growth and increased buyer competition.

Developers target the premium market segment, constructing properties at an average expected construction cost of $585,000. In FY-26, there have been $2.5 million in commercial development approvals recorded, indicating minimal focus on commercial development compared to residential. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Oakleigh East has about three-quarters the building activity per person and ranks among the 64th percentile nationally when assessed areas are considered. New building activity consists of approximately 43% detached houses and 57% medium and high-density housing. This shift towards denser development caters to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers, reflecting decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles.

With around 224 people per dwelling approval, Oakleigh East exhibits a growing market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is projected to gain approximately 2,565 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

Oakleigh East has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified six projects likely affecting this region. Notable ones are 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. The following 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.

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

Oakleigh East has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.9% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.7%. As of December 2025, 4,510 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation was 74.3%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. A significant portion, 32.6%, of residents worked from home, possibly influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

However, construction showed 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. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 4.7%, labour force by 4.9%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Oakleigh East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2023 shows median income in Oakleigh East was $54,537 and average income was $69,861. This is above the national average of median $57,688 and average $75,164 for Greater Melbourne. By September 2025, estimates based on an 8.25% Wage Price Index growth suggest median income will be approximately $59,036 and average income $75,625. The 2021 Census indicates Oakleigh East incomes are at the 57th percentile nationally. Income distribution shows 35.3% of locals (2,611 people) earn between $1,500 - 2,999, similar to the broader area's 32.8%. Housing costs consume 16.6% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 61st percentile. Oakleigh East's SEIFA income ranking is in the 7th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Oakleigh East, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 69.0% houses and 31.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. The level of home ownership in Oakleigh East was 31.6%, with the remainder being mortgaged at 32.2% or rented at 36.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,300, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Oakleigh East was recorded at $425, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Oakleigh East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Oakleigh East features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical 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 account for the remaining 29.1%, with lone person households at 20.3% and group households comprising 9.0%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Melbourne average.

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 high, with 43.8% of residents aged 15 and over holding university qualifications. This figure exceeds the SA4 regional average of 29.8% and the national average of 30.4%. The area's educational advantage is evident in its distribution of qualifications: 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 among those aged 15 and over, with advanced diplomas making up 9.8% and certificates 13.3%.

Educational participation is significantly high in the area, with 30.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.8% in tertiary education, 7.6% in primary education, and 5.1% pursuing secondary education.

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

Oakleigh East has 30 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 19 different routes that together facilitate 2,746 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed excellent, with residents on average being located 192 meters from the nearest stop. In this predominantly residential zone, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 81% of residents, while trains are used by 9%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 32.6% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 392 trips per day, equating to approximately 91 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Oakleigh East is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Oakleigh East shows better-than-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population but higher than the national average in older, at-risk cohorts.

Approximately 54% (~4,028 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Melbourne's 56.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (7.1%) and asthma (5.7%), while 75.8% report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 14.9% of residents aged 65 and over (1,102 people), which ranks lower nationally than the broader population.

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 its population. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 0.8% versus 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups in Oakleigh East are Other (14.0%), Australian (13.1%), and Chinese (13.0%). Notably, the Australian figure is lower than the regional average of 18.4%, while the Chinese figure is substantially higher than the regional average of 6.5%. There are also notable divergences in the representation of Greek (11.5% vs regionally 2.7%), Sri Lankan (1.6% vs regionally 0.8%), and Italian (8.7% vs regionally 5.2%) ethnic groups.

Oakleigh East's population is younger than the national pattern

At 34 years, Oakleigh East's median age is lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and considerably younger than Australia's 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Oakleigh East has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (20.0%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.4%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.4%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 has grown from 13.0% to 15.1%, while the proportion of residents aged 45 to 54 has declined from 12.5% to 11.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Oakleigh East, with the strongest projected growth in the 25-34 age group (40%), adding 599 residents to reach a total of 2,079 in this cohort.