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

Olinda's population is estimated at approximately 1,762 as of February 2026, reflecting a decrease of 11 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 1,773. This decrease is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 1,750 following their examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. The population density stands at 83 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person. 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 utilises the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth, with Olinda expected to grow by 28 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of approximately 0.7% 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 seen only one residential development approval in the past five years. This minimal development 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 and nationally.

Development activity picked up in recent periods but remains lower than national averages, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints.

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

Five projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. These include 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. The following list details those likely to be 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 assessment positions Olinda ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Olinda has a well-educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate is 3.3%, lower than the Greater Melbourne average of 4.7%. Employment stability over the past year has been relatively high.

As of September 2025934 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.3% below Greater Melbourne's rate. Workforce participation is 65.6%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 37.0% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services.

Notably, Olinda has a high concentration in education & training, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, finance & insurance employs only 1.9% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 4.9%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the ratio of Census working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 0.3%, while labour force decreased by 0.2%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate of 0.5 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded higher employment growth (3.0%) and labour force growth (3.3%), but with an increase in unemployment rate (0.3 percentage points). National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in May-25, suggest potential future demand within Olinda. These projections estimate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Olinda's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by approximately 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only 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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 reports Olinda's median taxpayer income at $52,512 and average at $73,141. These figures exceed the national average. Greater Melbourne's median is $57,688 with an average of $75,164. As of September 2025, estimated incomes are approximately $56,844 (median) and $79,175 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023. Census 2021 data indicates Olinda's household, family, and personal incomes cluster around the 62nd percentile nationally. Income distribution shows 30.0% of residents (528 people) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, similar to regional levels at 32.8%. High weekly earnings exceeding $3,000 are achieved by 30.7% of households, indicating strong consumer spending power after housing costs. Post-housing, 86.2% of income remains for other expenses. Olinda'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 structures, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 99.4% houses and 0.6% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is in contrast to Melbourne metro's structure which comprised 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Olinda stood at 38.6%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (48.9%) or rented (12.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Olinda was $2,000, aligning with Melbourne metro's average, while the median weekly rent figure was $398 compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Olinda's median monthly mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 make up the remaining 25.5%, consisting of 23.0% lone person households and 1.6% group households. 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 a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above, with 38.4% holding university qualifications. This figure surpasses the broader benchmarks of 23.8% in the SA3 area and 30.4% nationally as of the latest available data (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2016). The most prevalent university qualification is bachelor degrees, held by 23.3% of residents, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 9.7%, and graduate diplomas at 5.4%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 34.9% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications.

This includes advanced diplomas (15.2%) and certificates (19.7%). Educational participation is notably high in Olinda, with 28.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the Census date (August 9-10, 2016). This includes primary education (9.2%), secondary education (8.7%), and tertiary education (5.3%).

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

Public transport analysis indicates 18 active stops in Olinda, served by a mix of bus routes totalling eight. These routes facilitate 562 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is moderate, with residents typically located 420 meters from the nearest stop. Residents primarily commute outward; car remains dominant at 86%, while walking accounts for 5%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.8 per dwelling, exceeding the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 37% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 80 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 31 weekly trips per stop.

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

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Olinda.

AreaSearch's assessment found very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover was found to be very high at approximately 56% of the total population (~981 people). The most common medical conditions in the area were arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 9.3 and 9.0% of residents respectively. 68.0% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 23.7% of residents aged 65 and over (417 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly 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 was found to have a below average level of cultural diversity. As of the 2016 Census, 80.5% of its population was born in Australia, with 88.9% being citizens and 92.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 31.3% of Olinda's population.

However, Judaism had a notable overrepresentation compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 0.7% versus 1.0%. The top three ancestry groups in Olinda were English (31.0%), Australian (25.7%), and Scottish (9.6%), all higher than the regional averages of 20.1%, 18.4%, respectively. Additionally, there were notable divergences in certain ethnic groups: French was overrepresented at 1.3% compared to the regional average of 0.5%, Russian at 0.5% versus 0.4%, and Polish at 0.9% versus 0.8%.

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 (6.0%). This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of Olinda's population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 4.5% to 7.0%, while the proportion of those aged 15 to 24 has increased from 9.4% to 11.1%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 has declined from 8.7% to 6.0%, and the proportion of those aged 45 to 54 has dropped from 17.0% to 15.7%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Olinda's age structure. Notably, the 85+ age group is projected to grow by 146%, reaching 78 people from its current figure of 31. The combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 76% of total population growth, reflecting Olinda's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 25-34 and 0-4 age groups are projected to have reduced numbers.