St Leonards (Vic.)

St Leonards lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

As per AreaSearch's analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, the estimated population of St Leonards (Vic.) is approximately 3,727 as of Feb 2026. This figure represents an increase of 185 people from the 2021 Census total of 3,542, marking a growth rate of 5.2%. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 3,514 in June 2024, derived from examining ABS's latest ERP data release and validated new addresses since the Census date amounting to 371. This results in a population density ratio of 127 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade ending in Feb 2026, St Leonards has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 4.1%, outperforming its SA4 region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 95% to overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch's projections for St Leonards are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024, using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch employs VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made via 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. Future trends predict exceptional growth, placing St Leonards in the top 10% of regional areas nationwide. By 2041, the suburb is expected to grow by 1,747 persons, reflecting a total gain of 41.2% over the 17-year period from Feb 2026.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions St Leonards among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

St Leonards has seen approximately 111 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 558 homes. Up to FY26, 37 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.5 new residents per year arrived with each new home between FY21 and FY25, indicating balanced supply and demand conditions. However, this has decreased to 0.9 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting more balanced supply conditions. New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $559,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

In FY26, $7.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Rest of Vic., St Leonards records 86.0% more construction activity per person, offering greater choice for buyers and indicating strong developer confidence in the location. New building activity consists of 66.0% detached dwellings and 34.0% townhouses or apartments, expanding medium-density options and creating a mix of opportunities across price brackets. This marks a significant shift from existing housing patterns, which are currently 92.0% houses, suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 28 people per dwelling approval, St Leonards exhibits characteristics of a low density area. Population forecasts indicate that St Leonards will gain approximately 1,534 residents by 2041, with current development rates expected to comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Population forecasts indicate St Leonards will gain 1,534 residents through to 2041 (from 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.

St Leonards has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified eight projects potentially impacting the region. Notable initiatives include Lifestyle St Leonards - The Shores, Seaside Estate, Bluff Road Telecommunications Tower, and St Leonards Boat Ramp Upgrade. Relevant projects are detailed below.

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

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AreaSearch assessment indicates St Leonards faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

St Leonards has a skilled workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 6.3%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 1,578 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate is 2.6% higher than Regional Vic.'s rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation in St Leonards is lower at 54.2%, compared to Regional Vic.'s 61.5%. Census data shows that 26.4% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Key industries for employment among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction stands out with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 1.8% of St Leonards's workforce compared to 7.5% in Regional Vic.. The area appears to have limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.6%, while employment fell by 1.0%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. This contrasts with Regional Vic., where employment fell by 0.6%, labour force contracted by 0.7%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment could expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to St Leonards' employment mix indicates potential local employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

The suburb of St Leonards has a lower than average income level nationally based on latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in St Leonards is $45,210 with an average income of $62,014. These figures compare to Regional Vic.'s median and average incomes of $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. As of September 2025, current estimates project the median income to be approximately $48,940 and the average income to be around $67,130, factoring in a Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in St Leonards fall between the 12th and 15th percentiles nationally. Income analysis shows that 27.6% of the population, consisting of 1,028 individuals, falls within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, which aligns with broader trends in the surrounding region where 30.3% are in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe in St Leonards, with only 84.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 13th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

In St Leonards, as per the latest Census, 92.5% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 7.5% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to Regional Vic.'s 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Leonards stood at 50.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.6% and rented ones at 24.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,654, higher than Regional Vic.'s average of $1,430. Median weekly rent in St Leonards was $350, compared to Regional Vic.'s $285. Nationally, St Leonards' mortgage repayments were lower at $1,654 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were also lower at $350 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 67.5% of all households, including 16.6% couples with children, 41.5% couples without children, and 8.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 32.5%, with lone person households at 29.8% and group households making up 2.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Regional Vic. average of 2.4.

Educational outcomes in St Leonards fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 21.5%, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 4.8% and graduate diplomas at 3.3%. Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 39.3% of residents aged 15 and above holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.2%) and certificates (27.1%). A total of 20.4% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, with 6.6% in primary, 5.8% in secondary, and 2.5% in tertiary education.

A substantial 20.4% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 6.6% in primary education, 5.8% in secondary education, and 2.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

St Leonards has 27 active public transport stops. Four routes service these stops, offering a total of 457 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents averaging 264 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward, primarily by car (94%). Average vehicle ownership is 1.4 per dwelling. A high proportion, 26.4%, work from home (2021 Census).

Service frequency averages 65 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 16 weekly trips per stop.

St Leonards'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

Health data shows St Leonards residents have positive health outcomes overall, matching national benchmarks for mortality rates and common health conditions across age groups.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51%, covering about 1,914 people. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (12.5%) and mental health issues (10.1%), while 56.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.4% in Regional Vic. Working-age population faces higher chronic condition rates. St Leonards has a larger senior population at 34.3%, or 1,278 people, compared to 23.9% in Regional Vic. Health outcomes among seniors are strong and rank high nationally.

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

St Leonards, as per the census conducted on 9 August 2016, had a population with 81.5% born in Australia, 90.1% being citizens, and 91.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 50.3%. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to 0.1% regionally.

The top three ancestry groups were English (30.0%), Australian (26.7%), and Irish (9.8%). Notably, Maltese (2.5%) was more prevalent than the regional average of 0.5%. French (0.8%) and Dutch (1.8%) also showed higher percentages compared to their respective regional averages of 0.3% and 1.7%.

St Leonards ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in St Leonards is 56 years, which is notably higher than Regional Vic.'s average of 43 years and significantly exceeds Australia's median age of 38 years. The 65-74 age group comprises 23.2% of the population in St Leonards, compared to Regional Vic., while the 5-14 cohort makes up 6.8%. This concentration of residents aged 65-74 is well above the national average of 9.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the 65-74 age group has grown from 21.4% to 23.2% of St Leonards' population. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 12.9% to 10.9%, and the 55-64 group has dropped from 19.0% to 17.1%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in St Leonards' age structure, with the 65-74 cohort projected to grow by 32%, adding 279 residents to reach a total of 1,144.