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, the estimated population for St Leonards (Vic.) as of Nov 2025 is around 4,271. This reflects an increase of 729 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,542. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 4,066 in Jun 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 146 persons per square kilometer. St Leonards' growth of 20.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the non-metro area's 6.0% and the national average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 95.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in Jun 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future trends predict exceptional growth, placing St Leonards (Vic.) in the top 10 percent of regional areas nationally. By 2041, the suburb is expected to grow by 2,249 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 45.1% over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in St Leonards shows approximately 126 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 631 homes. As of FY-26, 16 approvals have been recorded. The average increase in residents per year per dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25 is 1.3, indicating a balanced supply and demand market with stable conditions. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $559,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting focus on quality developments.

This financial year has seen $2.6 million in commercial approvals, reflecting St Leonards' primarily residential nature. Compared to Rest of Vic., St Leonards records 104.0% more construction activity per person, offering greater choice for buyers and indicating strong developer confidence in the location. New building activity comprises 77.0% detached dwellings and 23.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low density nature while introducing more diverse housing options. This shift from the existing 92.0% houses suggests decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles. With around 35 people per dwelling approval, St Leonards exhibits growth area characteristics. Population forecasts indicate an addition of 1,928 residents by 2041, with current development rates comfortably meeting demand and potentially supporting further growth beyond projections.

Population forecasts indicate St Leonards will gain 1,928 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 very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% 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, Bluff Road Telecommunications Tower, St Leonards Boat Ramp Upgrade, and Seaside Estate. 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.

The labour market performance in St Leonards lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

St Leonards has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 5.9% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.7%.

As of June 2025, 1,580 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.1% higher than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation lags 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 offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. In the 12-month period ending Sep-22, employment increased by 1.7% while labour force increased by 2.4%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.6 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Vic., where employment fell by 0.9%, labour force contracted by 0.4%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. 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, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

St Leonards's income level is lower than average nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. St Leonards median income among taxpayers is $45,210 and average income stands at $62,014, compared to Rest of Vic.'s $48,741 and $60,693 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $50,708 (median) and $69,555 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in St Leonards fall between the 12th and 15th percentiles nationally. Income analysis shows 27.6% of population (1,178 individuals) fall within $1,500 - $2,999 income range, consistent with broader trends across surrounding region showing 30.3% in same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 13th percentile.

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

St Leonards' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consists of 92.5% houses and 7.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Vic.'s dwelling structure comprises 93.0% houses and 7.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Leonards stands at 50.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.6% and rented dwellings at 24.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area is $1,654, below Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,950. The median weekly rent figure in St Leonards is $350, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $402. Nationally, St Leonards' mortgage repayments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents are less than 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 make up the remaining 32.5%, with lone person households at 29.8% and group households comprising 2.7%. 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 prominent, with 39.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.2%) and certificates (27.1%). Currently, 20.4% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, with 6.6% in primary, 5.8% in secondary, and 2.5% in tertiary education.

St Leonards Primary School serves the area, enrolling 161 students. The school's ICSEA score is 978, indicating typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities. It caters exclusively to primary education, with secondary options available nearby. Local school capacity is limited at 3.8 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 12.3, resulting in many families traveling for schooling.

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

Transport analysis shows 27 active stops operating in St Leonards, offering mixed bus services. These stops are served by one route, collectively facilitating 323 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 264 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 46 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 11 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. Private health cover stands at approximately 51% of the total population (~2,194 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area's 56.2%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (12.5%) and mental health issues (10.1%), while 56.9% report no medical ailments, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 66.8%. Residents aged 65 and over comprise 34.6% (1,477 people), higher than Rest of Vic.'s 24.2%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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, making up 0.2% compared to 0.1% in the rest of Victoria.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (30.0%), Australian (26.7%), and Irish (9.8%). There were also significant differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Maltese at 2.5% (vs regional 0.9%), French at 0.8% (vs 0.5%), and Dutch at 1.8%.

St Leonards ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in St Leonards is 56 years, which is notably higher than Rest of Vic.'s average of 43 years and significantly exceeds Australia's median age of 38 years. The 65-74 age group constitutes 22.9% of the population in St Leonards, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 18.0%. Meanwhile, the 5-14 age cohort makes up 6.7%, which is less prevalent than Rest of Vic.'s 17.3%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. According to the 2021 Census, the 65-74 age group has grown from 21.4% to 22.9% 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 17.9%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in St Leonards' age structure, with the 65-74 cohort projected to grow by 37%, adding 358 residents to reach a total of 1,337.