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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the St Leonards (Vic.) statistical area (Lv2) had an estimated population of around 3,720 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 178 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,542 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 3,514 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 361 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 127 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, from 2015 to 2025, St Leonards has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 4.0%, outpacing the SA4 region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration that contributed approximately 95.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as 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 from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. As we examine future population trends, exceptional growth is predicted over the period with the area expected to grow by 2,137 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 63.6% in total over the 17 years.

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

St Leonards has seen around 111 new homes approved each year over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 559 homes from FY-20 to FY-24. By FY-26, 34 approvals have been recorded so far. On average, 1.4 new residents per year are associated with each dwelling constructed during this period.

The market shows a good balance between supply and demand, supporting stable conditions. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $559,000, indicating that developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, St Leonards has registered $7.9 million in commercial approvals, reflecting its primarily residential nature. Compared to Rest of Vic., St Leonards records 80.0% more construction activity per person, suggesting greater choice for buyers and strong developer confidence in the location. The new building activity shows 66.0% detached dwellings and 34.0% townhouses or apartments, expanding medium-density options and creating a mix of opportunities across price brackets. St Leonards currently has around 28 people per dwelling approval, indicating characteristics of a low density area.

Population forecasts estimate that St Leonards will gain 2,367 residents by 2041. 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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified eight projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Lifestyle St Leonards - The Shores, Seaside Estate, Bluff Road Telecommunications Tower, and St Leonards Boat Ramp Upgrade. Below is a list detailing 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 assessment indicates St Leonards faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

St Leonards has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 5.9%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, 1,589 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.2% higher than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in St Leonards lags significantly at 45.9%, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction is particularly notable with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 1.8% of St Leonards's workforce compared to 7.5% in Rest of Vic.. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the comparison of Census working population vs resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels remained stable at 0.0%, while employment decreased by 0.7%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.6 percentage points. This compares with Rest of Vic., where employment fell by 0.7% and labour force contracted by 0.6%. State-level data from 25-Nov shows VIC employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%, compared to the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that while national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to St Leonards's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years.

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

St Leonards' suburb has a lower income level than the national average, based on latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers is $45,210, with an average income of $62,014. This compares to figures for Rest of Vic., which are $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $48,940 (median) and $67,130 (average). Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in St Leonards fall between the 12th and 15th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 27.6% of the population (1,026 individuals) have incomes within the $1,500 - 2,999 range, consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region at 30.3%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 13th percentile. 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

St. Leonards' dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.5% houses and 7.5% other dwellings. Compared to Non-Metro Vic., which had 93.0% houses and 7.0% other dwellings, St. Leonards' figures were slightly lower for houses and higher for 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, below Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,950. Weekly rent in St. Leonards was $350, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $402. Nationally, St. Leonards' mortgage repayments were lower at $1,654 than the Australian 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 constitute the remaining 32.5%, with lone person households at 29.8% and group households comprising 2.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.5.

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 (4.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 39.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 12.2% and certificates for 27.1%. Education pursuit is active among 20.4% of the population, including 6.6% in primary education, 5.8% in secondary education, 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

Transport analysis indicates 27 active stops in operation within St Leonards, consisting of bus services only. These stops are served by 4 distinct routes, offering a total of 457 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is deemed good, with residents situated on average 264 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 65 trips per day across all routes, equating to roughly 16 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in St Leonards is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

St Leonards faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Approximately 51% (~1911 people) have private health cover, lower than the 57.1% Rest of Vic average.

The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (12.5%) and mental health issues (10.1%), while 56.9% report no medical ailments, compared to 66.8% in Rest of Vic. As of 24th June 2021, 34.5% (~1283 people) are aged 65 and over, higher than the 24.2% Rest of Vic average. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in St Leonards exceed those of the general population.

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 was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 81.5% of its population born in Australia, 90.1% being citizens, and 91.4% speaking English only at home. The main religion in St Leonards is Christianity, comprising 50.3% of the population. However, Judaism is overrepresented, making up 0.2% compared to 0.1% across Rest of Vic..

The top three ancestry groups are English (30.0%), Australian (26.7%), and Irish (9.8%). Notably, Maltese (2.5%) and French (0.8%) are overrepresented in St Leonards compared to regional averages of 0.9% and 0.5%, respectively. Dutch representation is similar at 1.8%.

St Leonards ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in St Leonards is 56 years, notably higher than Rest of Vic.'s average of 43 years and significantly higher than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 65-74 age group shows strong representation at 22.8% compared to Rest of Vic., whereas the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 6.6%. This 65-74 concentration is well above the national average of 9.4%. According to the 2021 Census, the 65 to 74 age group has grown from 21.4% to 22.8% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 12.9% to 10.9%, and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 19.0% to 17.9%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in St Leonards's age structure. The 65 to 74 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 55%, adding 462 residents to reach 1,311.