Ringwood East

Ringwood East has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

As of Nov 2025, Ringwood East's population is estimated at around 11,059, reflecting an increase of 295 people since the 2021 Census. The population was reported as 10,764 in the 2021 Census. This increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 10,973 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), and an additional 121 validated new addresses since the Census date. The current population density ratio is 2,378 persons per square kilometer, placing Ringwood East in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Ringwood East has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.7%, outpacing the SA4 region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 75.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

For future projections, 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 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 are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, Ringwood East is expected to expand by 1,245 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 10.5% in total over the 17 years.

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

Ringwood East averaged approximately 75 new dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Between FY-21 and FY-25, an estimated 377 homes were approved, with a further 15 approved in FY-26. The average population increase associated with these approvals was 0.2 people per year over the past five financial years.

This suggests that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction cost value of new homes was $536,000. In FY-26, $6.1 million in commercial development approvals were recorded, indicating limited commercial development focus compared to residential development. When measured against Greater Melbourne, Ringwood East has 59.0% more construction activity per person, creating greater choice for buyers. However, building activity has slowed in recent years. The new development consists of 24.0% standalone homes and 76.0% attached dwellings, indicating a shift towards higher-density living to create more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

This represents a notable change from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 93.0% houses. Ringwood East shows characteristics of a low density area with around 307 people per dwelling approval. Population forecasts indicate that Ringwood East will gain approximately 1,159 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Ringwood East 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 27 projects that may impact the area. Key projects include Ryman Healthcare Ringwood East Retirement Village, Ringwood East Activity Centre Structure Plan, Bedford Rise, and Canterbury Road and Heathmont Road Intersection Improvements. The following list 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.

Ringwood East has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Ringwood East has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. The unemployment rate was 4.1% as of an unspecified past year, with estimated employment growth being 0.5%.

As of June 2025, 5780 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.5% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation in Ringwood East was similar to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. The leading employment industries among residents included health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services.

However, transport, postal & warehousing employed only 3.0% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 5.2%. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 0.5% while the labour force also grew by 0.5%, keeping unemployment broadly unchanged. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with unemployment rising by 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ringwood East's employment mix indicates 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 and does not account for localised population projections.

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

Ringwood East had a median taxpayer income of $54,840 and an average of $69,558 according to AreaSearch's postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2022. This was higher than national averages, with Greater Melbourne having a median income of $54,892 and an average of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $61,509 (median) and $78,016 (average). The 2021 Census showed household, family, and personal incomes in Ringwood East were at the 57th percentile nationally. The earnings profile indicated that 31.9% of locals (3,527 people) fell into the $1,500 - $2,999 income bracket, similar to the broader area where 32.8% occupied this bracket. High housing costs consumed 16.1% of income, but strong earnings placed disposable income at the 54th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 6th decile.

Ringwood East is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Ringwood East's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.8% houses and 7.3% other dwellings. This compares to Melbourne metro's 87.2% houses and 12.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ringwood East was at 32.4%, similar to Melbourne metro, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.0% and rented ones at 29.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,051, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Ringwood East was recorded at $380, compared to Melbourne metro's $385. Nationally, Ringwood East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 68.8% of all households, including 34.1% couples with children, 22.7% couples without children, and 11.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 31.2%, with lone person households at 27.9% and group households comprising 3.3%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Ringwood East demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Ringwood East's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates at 36.7% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4%. This figure also exceeds that of its SA4 region (31.2%), indicating a strong emphasis on higher education in the community. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 22.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 9.5% and graduate diplomas at 4.5%.

Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 30.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.1%) and certificates (18.0%). Educational participation is high, with 28.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 4.8% pursuing tertiary education. Ringwood East's five schools have a combined enrollment reaching 1,825 students as of the latest data available. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages with an Index for Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) score of 1104. The educational mix includes three primary schools, one secondary school, and one K-12 school.

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

Ringwood East has 28 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 8 distinct routes, facilitating 2,527 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents on average being situated 275 meters from the nearest stop.

Daily service frequency averages 361 trips across all routes, translating to around 90 weekly trips per individual stop.

Ringwood East's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Ringwood East residents exhibit relatively positive health outcomes, with common conditions seen equally among young and elderly cohorts.

Private health cover is high at approximately 54%, affecting around 6,007 people. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, impacting 9.5% and 8.5% of residents respectively. Around 68.9% report no medical ailments, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 68.7%. The area has 16.8% residents aged 65 and over (1,857 people), lower than Greater Melbourne's 19.0%, aligning with general population health profiles.

Ringwood East 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

Ringwood East's population showed higher cultural diversity than most nearby areas, with 28.3% born overseas and 24.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Ringwood East, accounting for 44.6%. Buddhism, however, had a slightly higher representation in Ringwood East at 2.8%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 2.3%.

The top three ancestral groups were English (25.5%), Australian (22.7%), and Other (10.6%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Dutch was overrepresented at 2.0% in Ringwood East versus 2.1% regionally, Hungarian at 0.4% compared to 0.3%, and Chinese at 7.4% versus 6.0%.

Ringwood East's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Ringwood East is 38 years, close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and equivalent to Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Ringwood East has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (11.4%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (13.3%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 75-84 has increased from 5.2% to 5.9%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has decreased from 14.2% to 13.3%. By 2041, Ringwood East's age composition is projected to change significantly. The number of residents aged 75-84 is expected to grow by 38%, reaching 903 from 652. Those aged 65 and above are projected to comprise 57% of the population growth. Meanwhile, declines in population are projected for the age groups 5-14 and 0-4.