Olinda (Vic.)

Olinda is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, Olinda's population is estimated at around 1,762 people. This reflects a decrease from the 2021 Census figure of 1,773 people, representing a drop of 11 individuals (0.6%). AreaSearch estimates the resident population as 1,750 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 83 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 64.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted employing weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population projections anticipate lower quartile growth nationally; Olinda is expected to increase by 30 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 1.7% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Olinda is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Olinda has had minimal development with just one approval over five years. This indicates a mature area where new housing opportunities are rare. While this can support property values through limited supply, it also suggests a stable, settled market with less turnover compared to Greater Melbourne.

Building activity in Olinda is markedly lower than the national average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. However, building activity has accelerated in recent years.

Olinda has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 49thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects likely affecting this region. Notable ones are Mount Dandenong Tourist Road Landslide Repair Works, Six Senses Resort And Spa At Burnham Beeches, Dandenong Ranges Environmental Protection Program, and Sherbrooke Children's Centre Services. Below is a list of most relevant projects.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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AreaSearch analysis indicates Olinda maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Olinda has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.4% as of the past year, with estimated employment growth of 0.7%. As of December 2025928 residents were employed and the unemployment rate was 1.3% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation in Olinda was 65.8%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. According to Census responses, 37.0% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Olinda showed strong specialization in education & training with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level, while finance & insurance employed only 1.9% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 4.9%.

Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census data. In the 12-month period ending December 2025, Olinda saw employment increase by 0.7% and labour force grow by 0.5%, leading to a slight decrease in unemployment of 0.1 percentage points. This contrasted with Greater Melbourne where employment rose by 2.4%, labour force grew by 2.8%, and unemployment increased by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 projected overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Olinda's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

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

In AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023, Olinda's median income among taxpayers is $52,512. The average income in Olinda during this period was $73,141. This is higher than the national average. Comparing to Greater Melbourne, Olinda's median income is lower at $57,688 but its average income is slightly lower at $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Olinda would be approximately $56,844 (median) and $79,175 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Olinda cluster around the 62nd percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that the largest segment comprises 30.0% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (528 residents). This is consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 32.8% in the same category. A substantial proportion of high earners, at 30.7%, indicates strong economic capacity throughout Olinda. After housing expenses, 86.2% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Olinda's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 99.4% houses and 0.6% other dwellings. In comparison, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Olinda was at 38.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 48.9% and rented dwellings at 12.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, aligning with Melbourne metro's average. The median weekly rent figure was $398, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Olinda's median monthly mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 compared to the Australian average of $1,863. Olinda's median weekly rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Olinda has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 74.5% of all households, including 33.1% couples with children, 30.6% couples without children, and 10.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 25.5%, with lone person households at 23.0% and group households making up 1.6%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Olinda has higher educational attainment than broader benchmarks. 38.4% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 23.8% in the SA3 area and 30.4% in Australia. Bachelor degrees are most common at 23.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.7%) and graduate diplomas (5.4%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 34.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 15.2% and certificates at 19.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.2% in primary education, 8.7% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Olinda has 18 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by eight individual routes that collectively provide 562 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility in Olinda is rated as moderate, with residents typically located 420 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward. Car remains the dominant mode of transportation at 86%, while 5% of residents walk to their destinations. Vehicle ownership averages 1.8 per dwelling in Olinda, which is above the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high percentage of residents, specifically 37%, work from home, which may be reflective of COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 80 trips per day, equating to approximately 31 weekly trips per individual stop.

Olinda's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics indicates robust performance across Olinda, as assessed by AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups.

The rate of private health cover is notably high at approximately 56% of the total population (~981 people). The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 9.3 and 9.0% of residents respectively, while 68.0% report being completely free from medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among the working-age population appear broadly typical. The area has 23.5% of residents aged 65 and over (414 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings largely in line with the general population.

Olinda ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Olinda, surveyed in 2016, had low cultural diversity with 80.5% of its population born in Australia, 88.9% being citizens, and 92.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity dominated Olinda's religion scene at 31.3%, while Judaism was overrepresented at 0.7% compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%. In ancestry, English (31.0%) and Australian (25.7%) groups were significantly higher than regional averages of 20.1% and 18.4% respectively.

Scottish ancestry stood at 9.6%. Notable differences existed for French (1.3%), Russian (0.5%), and Polish (0.9%) groups compared to their regional percentages of 0.5%, 0.4%, and 0.8% respectively.

Olinda hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Olinda is 45 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Olinda has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (14.9%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (5.9%). This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is well above the national average of 9.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of Olinda's population aged 75-84 has grown from 4.5% to 6.9%, while the 15-24 age group has increased from 9.4% to 11.0%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group has declined from 8.7% to 5.9%, and the 45-54 age group has dropped from 17.0% to 15.6%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Olinda's age structure. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 157%, reaching 77 people from the current 29. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 75% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 65-74 and 15-24 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers.