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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
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Population
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
The population of the suburb of St Leonards (Vic.) is estimated at around 3,765 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 223 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,542 people. The change was inferred from the resident population of 3,760 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 364 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 128 persons per square kilometer. The suburb's growth rate of 6.3% since the 2021 census exceeded the Rest of Vic.'s growth rate of 4.3%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 95.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year.
For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises 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. Considering the projected demographic shifts, a significant population increase in the top quartile of national regional areas is forecast. The suburb is expected to expand by 1,329 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 35.2% in total over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions St Leonards among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide
AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, indicates St Leonards averaged around 111 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 558 homes. As of FY-26, 46 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.9 new residents were associated with each dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25. This suggests that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.
The average construction cost value of new properties was $559,000, indicating a developer focus on the premium segment. Commercial development approvals in St Leonards totalled $7.9 million this financial year, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Rest of Vic., St Leonards had 83.0% more new home approvals per person as of FY-25, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. New building activity showed 66.0% detached dwellings and 34.0% townhouses or apartments, expanding medium-density options and creating a mix of opportunities across price brackets. With around 25 people associated with each dwelling approval, St Leonards exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, the area is expected to grow by 1,324 residents through to 2041.
Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around St Leonards (Vic.)
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
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 impacting the area. Major projects include Lifestyle St Leonards - The Shores, Seaside Estate, St Leonards Boat Ramp Upgrade, and Bluff Road Telecommunications Tower. The following list details those most relevant.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Geelong Line Upgrade
A staged upgrade of the Geelong Line, Victoria's busiest regional passenger rail corridor, jointly funded by the Australian and Victorian Governments at a total cost of around 933.6 million dollars. Major works completed in late 2024 included the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication of around 8km of track, the rebuilding of South Geelong and Marshall stations with new buildings, second platforms and accessible overpasses, the removal of two level crossings at Fyans Street and Surf Coast Highway via elevated rail bridges, signalling upgrades, more than 5km of new shared walking and cycling paths, and the new Waurn Ponds train maintenance and stabling facility. The duplication has enabled five peak and three off-peak services per hour to Marshall and Waurn Ponds. A Stage 3 business case examining further upgrades to the 400m Geelong rail tunnel and the Barwon River rail bridge was due for completion in early 2026. The earlier Geelong Fast Rail proposal, which targeted a 50-minute Melbourne-Geelong journey, had its federal funding withdrawn in late 2023 and is not part of the delivered scope.
St Leonards-Indented Head CFA Fire Station
A new, state-of-the-art fire station that replaces the 40-year-old facility on Dudley Parade. The new station features three engine bays, a large multi-purpose room for training, a workshop, improved amenities, and sustainable features like solar panels and rainwater harvesting.
St Leonards Memorial Hall Upgrade
The upgrade of the St Leonards Memorial Hall included replacing the main flooring and repairing the sub-floor structure. External works were also completed, adding a new accessible car park, concrete to the entrance and rear courtyard, and a shade sail. The project, supported by the Victorian government and the Tiny Towns Fund, has made the hall a safer and more versatile space for community activities and events.
St Leonards Boat Ramp Upgrade
Stage 1 of the St Leonards boat ramp upgrade involves rebuilding the jetty, doubling the T-section, and installing wave screens for protection against wind and waves. The project also includes a new non-slip deck, solar lighting, fenders, and an accessible gangway and lower landing. A second stage, which will include additional ramp lanes and a new pedestrian path, is in the detailed design and approvals phase.
Lifestyle St Leonards - The Shores
An over-50s luxury retirement community featuring 158 low-maintenance homes and a multi-million dollar clubhouse. The development follows a land-lease model with no stamp duty or council rates. The state-of-the-art clubhouse, which officially launched in October 2025 with Shaynna Blaze, includes a 25-metre heated indoor/outdoor pool, gym, Pilates studio, and cinema. As of early 2026, the community is in active construction with multiple display homes open and several residential stages completed and occupied.
Seaside Estate
Seaside Estate is a 230-lot residential development located 500m from the beach in St Leonards. The project features approximately two hectares of reserve and open space, including a unique Banjo Shark sculpture and re-established indigenous vegetation. As of 2026, the estate is in its final phases with Stages 1, 2, 3, and 8 titled, while Stages 4 and 5 are scheduled for release and construction during 2026.
Bluff Road Telecommunications Tower
Construction is ready to commence on a new telecommunications tower on Bluff Road in St Leonards, Victoria. The project, which is part of the Mobile Black Spot Program, is a Commonwealth co-investment with Telstra to build a new mobile base station to improve phone coverage in the area. The tower will be built by Indara, with Telstra installing its equipment on the new structure. The City of Greater Geelong has already provided development approval for the project.
Qudos Apartments and Retail
A three-level mixed-use development at 1-2 Bluff Road, St Leonards, comprising 15 apartments and five retail spaces on the ground floor. The project was completed in late 2023.
Employment
Employment drivers in St Leonards are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia
St Leonards has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well-represented. Its unemployment rate is 6.0%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 1,478 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.3% higher than Regional Vic.'s rate of 3.7%.
Workforce participation in St Leonards lags at 47.0%, compared to Regional Vic.'s 61.0%. Census responses show that 26.4% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. St Leonards is particularly specialized in construction, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.
Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 1.8% of St Leonards' workforce compared to Regional Vic.'s 7.5%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.1% alongside a 2.5% employment decline, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Vic. experienced an employment decline of 0.6% and labour force decline of 0.7%, with a 0.1 percentage point drop in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to St Leonards' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data
AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows St Leonards' median income among taxpayers is $45,210, with an average of $62,014. This is lower than the national average. In comparison, Regional Vic.'s median income is $50,954 and average is $62,728. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for March 2026 would be approximately $49,559 (median) and $67,980 (average). Census data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in St Leonards fall between the 12th and 15th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows 27.6% of individuals earn between $1,500 - 2,999, aligning with the broader area 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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
St Leonards is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership
Dwelling structure in St Leonards, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 92.5% houses and 7.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Regional Vic.'s 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Leonards was at 50.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.6% and rented dwellings 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 the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
St Leonards has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size
Family households account for 67.5% of all households, consisting of 16.6% couples with children, 41.5% couples without children, and 8.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up 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 Regional Vic. average of 2.4.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
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, including advanced diplomas (12.2%) and certificates (27.1%). A total of 20.4% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, comprising 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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
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. These are served by four routes, offering a total of 457 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically living 264 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily. Car remains the primary mode of transport, used by 94% of residents. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.
According to the 2021 Census, 26.4% of residents work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 65 trips per day across all routes, equating to about 16 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
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
St Leonards' health data shows positive outcomes overall.
Mortality rates and health conditions align with national benchmarks. Common health issues affect both young and old equally. Private health cover is low, at approximately 51% (around 1,934 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (12.5%) and mental health issues (10.1%). Around 56.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to Regional Vic's 63.4%. Working-age population faces higher chronic condition rates. St Leonards has a larger elderly population, with 35.3% aged 65 and over (1,329 people), exceeding Regional Vic's 23.9%. Senior health outcomes rank high nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
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 data, exhibited lower cultural diversity with 81.5% of its population born in Australia, 90.1% being citizens, and 91.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 50.3% of St Leonards' population. Notably, Judaism 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%). There were also notable differences in the representation of Maltese (2.5% vs regional 0.5%), French (0.8% vs regional 0.3%), and Dutch (1.8% vs regional 1.7%) groups.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
St Leonards ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide
The median age of St Leonards is 56 years, which is notably higher than Regional Victoria's average of 43 years and significantly exceeds Australia's median age of 38 years. The 65-74 age group constitutes 23.5% of the population in St Leonards, compared to Regional Victoria, while the 5-14 age cohort makes up 6.7%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. According to the 2021 Census, the 65 to 74 age group has increased from 21.4% to 23.5% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age cohort has decreased from 12.9% to 10.8%, and the 55 to 64 age group has dropped from 19.0% to 17.8%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in St Leonards' age structure, with the 25 to 34 age cohort projected to grow by 71%, adding 242 residents to reach a total of 581.