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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
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Tootgarook has an estimated 3,108 residents, down from 3,178 at the 2021 Census — a change of 70 people, or 2.2%. The population has thinned by an average 0.5% a year over five years, slower than 97% of areas nationally. That puts 891 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
As of Aug 2026, the estimated resident population of the suburb of Tootgarook stands at approximately 3,108, according to AreaSearch evaluations combining broader ABS demographic updates with post-Census address validations. This indicates a contraction of 70 residents (2.2%) compared to the 3,178 individuals recorded in the 2021 Census. The updated figure aligns with AreaSearch's calculation of 3,107 local inhabitants following the ABS release of June 2025 ERP statistics alongside recent address verification. With a population density of 890 persons per square kilometer, the suburb of Tootgarook is broadly consistent with benchmark averages across comparable locations evaluated by AreaSearch, where recent local population expansion has been almost entirely underpinned by net overseas migration.
For future demographic trends, AreaSearch applies ABS and Geoscience Australia projections published in 2024 (benchmarked to 2022) across SA2 boundaries, supplementing any unmapped localities with the 2023 VIC State Government Regional/LGA dataset via a weighted population growth aggregation methodology. For the 2032 to 2041 horizon, age-bracket growth trajectories derived from these aggregations are applied universally across all districts. Looking ahead, the suburb of Tootgarook is projected to experience a demographic expansion just below the median of areas analyzed by AreaSearch, adding 161 residents by 2041 based on compiled SA2 projections, representing an aggregate gain of 5.2% over the 16-year timeframe.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Detail
Residential building activity in Tootgarook has been minimal, with only 1 residential development approval granted throughout the preceding five years. Although the neighborhood is fully established, virtually no new residential development has been registered. Such a constrained flow of fresh residential additions commonly helps uphold established dwelling prices, though it may also indicate regulatory planning hurdles or subdued development interest. In comparison to the broader Greater Melbourne region, construction volumes in Tootgarook are substantially lower. While this limited pipeline of new completions generally underpins firm buyer demand and values across the existing housing stock, building activity has recently accelerated.
Nonetheless, overall development remains below both metropolitan and national averages, underscoring local market maturity and potential land supply or planning limits.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Tootgarook
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 39 current infrastructure and development projects close to Tootgarook, worth an estimated $1.23 billion. 9 are already under construction and 16 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, sports & recreation and ports, marinas, fisheries & aquaculture. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Community growth and property performance remain closely linked to local capital works, transport connections, and urban planning schemes. AreaSearch has identified no projects positioned to exert direct local influence on the immediate area. Regional infrastructure works of broader interest include the Rye Pier Reconstruction, Corridor Preservation For Melbourne Outer Metropolitan Ring Road/E6, Level Crossing Removal Project, and Additional VLocity Trains, which reflect strategic investment across the surrounding district.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
2135 Point Nepean Road, Rye
A three-storey, mixed-use building comprising 20 architecturally designed apartments (9 x 2-bedroom and 11 x 3-bedroom) above a ground-floor retail and car park area. The Cera Stribley Architects-designed development features a curved facade, high-end finishes, residents' lounge, beach showers, 'beach box' storage, and a rooftop with a pool, deck, and barbecue facilities, with coastal views.
6 Napier Street Hotel Development
DA approved development for a residential boutique hotel comprising a five-storey building with basement parking, ground floor restaurant, and onsite parking. Positioned on a 1,029sqm corner site close to the waterfront in Rye's commercial precinct.
Rye Foreshore Promenade Redevelopment
The Rye Foreshore Promenade Redevelopment is part of the Rye Township Plan Stage 1, Part B. The project creates a strong central axis to the pier, acting as the main gateway to the foreshore. Works include a refurbished central walkway, new plaza spaces, pedestrian crossings on Point Nepean Road, connecting pathways, and landscaping. The project enhances public open space by replacing the eastern pier carpark and improves connectivity and accessibility for the community.
Rye Pier Reconstruction
Two-stage reconstruction of Rye Pier delivering a wider timber deck, updated L-shaped head with accessible low landings, solar lighting, seating, interpretative signage trail and improved all-abilities access. Stage 1 rebuilt the pier approach in 2022; Stage 2 rebuilt and upgraded the outer pier and head in 2023-2024. The pier reopened to the community and final works were completed in June 2024.
Rosedale Residential Development
A luxury private estate featuring 40 single-level townhouses (2-3 bedrooms) designed for downsizers and young families on the Mornington Peninsula. Located in its own boutique community within Rosebud, offering quality low-maintenance homes near beaches, golf courses, vineyards and Peninsula amenities.
Dromana Pier Redevelopment
Complete rebuild of the historic Dromana Pier by Parks Victoria with Victorian Government funding. The project replaces the old, deteriorated 1950s concrete structure with a completely new 180-metre structure featuring solid timber decking, enhanced accessibility, tiered seating, a lower landing for boat access, and safety railings.
Shaping Greater Dromana Plan
Strategic framework adopted by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council in September 2024 providing a long-term vision for the Greater Dromana area. The plan coordinates Council-led initiatives across five key themes: environmental protection and climate resilience, sustainable transport and movement networks, community infrastructure and open space, local economic development, and affordable and diverse housing. It also informs concurrent management plans for the Dromana-Arthurs Seat escarpment and Parkdale/Hillview Community Reserve.
Dromana Hub Shopping Centre Refurbishment & Expansion
Redevelopment of the Dromana Hub, the retail and commercial heart of Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula. The project covers two anchor sites around the existing supermarket: a Northern beachfront corner site focused on retail and food and beverage with a strong pedestrian link to the foreshore, and a Southern site behind the supermarket proposed as a new medical centre. Designed by Finnis Architects, the two buildings share a red Corten batten facade language intended to lift the architectural quality of the precinct's carpark and perimeter sites.
1,343 residents of Tootgarook are employed, from a labour force of 1,428. Unemployment sits at 6.0%, with participation at 54.9%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.6% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 2,494, about 80% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The local job market in Tootgarook features a balanced mix of blue-collar and white-collar workers, distinguished by strong representation in construction trades alongside an overall unemployment rate of 6.0%, according to AreaSearch's statistical aggregations. As of March 2026, working residents count 1,343, while the jobless rate sits 1.2% higher than Greater Melbourne's 4.8%. Furthermore, the local labor participation rate of 54.9% trails well behind the metropolitan benchmark of 70.1%. At the time of the Census, 21.2% of working locals reported working from home, though this figure reflects the influence of Covid-19 restrictions.
Workforce participation in Tootgarook is heavily clustered across construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. The local labor pool demonstrates pronounced specialization in building and construction, capturing an employment concentration 1.8 times the wider regional baseline. Conversely, professional & technical occupations represent just 5.5% of local employment, compared with 10.1% across the region. Given the contrast between resident workers and local employment counts recorded at the Census, this predominantly residential locality provides relatively few internal employment options. According to AreaSearch's evaluation of ABS and SALM figures aggregated across wider statistical districts, the twelve months leading to March 2026 saw the local labor force shrink by 1.3% while resident employment contracted by 0.8%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded a 2.1% expansion in employment, a 2.3% rise in labor force size, and a 0.2 percentage point increase in joblessness. Further insight into prospective employment demand for Tootgarook is provided by Jobs and Skills Australia's Mar-26 national employment projections, which span five and ten-year intervals. While national employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, shifting sector trajectories vary widely. When these industry projections are weighted against Tootgarook's occupational profile, local employment is modeled to rise by 6.6% across five years and 13.4% across ten years (representing an illustrative sectoral extrapolation that excludes localized population changes).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Tootgarook is $1,294 a week (about $67,000 a year), with median personal income at $656 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $39,932 a year against an average of $68,719. The average runs 72% above the median, a wider spread than most areas and a sign of a concentrated group of high earners. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
Taxation metrics aggregated by AreaSearch from the latest ATO figures for financial year 2023 place income levels in the suburb of Tootgarook slightly above the national average. The suburb of Tootgarook recorded a taxpayer median income of $39,932 and a mean income of $68,719, compared to $57,688 and $75,164 across Greater Melbourne. Factoring in subsequent Wage Price Index expansion of 9.62% since financial year 2023, updated estimates reach roughly $43,773 for median earnings and $75,330 for the average as of March 2026. In the 2021 Census, individual, family, and household earnings across Tootgarook all aligned between the 19th and 20th percentiles nationally.
In terms of earnings distribution, the largest cohort comprises 31.2% of workers (969 residents) earning between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, echoing broader regional patterns where 32.8% fall within this band. Housing cost pressures remain significant, with retained income standing at only 81.2%, placing the locality in the 17th percentile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Tootgarook had 1,259 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 97% detached houses and 0% apartments. 33% are owned with a mortgage, 29% rented and 38% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $360 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,788 a month. Rent absorbs 27.8% of household income here and mortgage repayments 31.9%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
At the latest Census, the residential fabric in Tootgarook was composed of 97.0% standalone houses and 3.0% alternative dwellings (including semi-detached units, apartments, and other structures), contrasting with the wider Melbourne metro breakdown of 67.9% houses and 32.1% attached or multi-unit dwellings. Outright homeownership reached 37.5%, well above the metropolitan rate, while 33.3% of homes carried a mortgage and 29.3% were occupied by renters. Median monthly mortgage commitments in the locality were $1,788, notably below the Melbourne metro figure of $2,000, while median weekly rents stood at $360 compared to $390 regionally.
From a nationwide perspective, Tootgarook's mortgage costs sit lower than the Australian baseline of $1,863, and rent levels remain below the national benchmark of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Tootgarook counted 1,259 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.3 people each. 23% are couples with children, fewer than in 75% of areas nationally, against 29% couples without children. 31% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.7 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Family units constitute the majority of living arrangements at 66.9% of all local households, divided between couples without children (29.1%), couples with children (23.4%), and single parent arrangements (13.0%). Non-family domiciles account for the remaining 33.1%, led by single-person residences at 30.7% and group households at 2.5%. The average household size in the suburb is 2.3 persons, which is slightly more compact than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
17.1% of adults in Tootgarook hold a university qualification, including 12.6% with a bachelor degree and 2.4% with postgraduate qualifications. A further 31.4% hold a vocational qualification. 1 school serves the area, with 146 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 965 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Educational attainment levels present opportunities for targeted local development, with tertiary degree attainment (17.1%) tracking well behind the Greater Melbourne standard of 37.0%. Among higher qualifications, bachelor degrees represent 12.6%, postgraduate credentials account for 2.4%, and graduate diplomas make up 2.1%. Conversely, vocational and trade training is strongly represented, with 43.7% of residents aged 15+ holding practical trade qualifications, consisting of 12.3% with advanced diplomas and 31.4% with certificate accreditations. Formal learning participation remains substantial, with 27.5% of the local population actively enrolled across educational programs. Specifically, 10.0% attend primary schools, 8.0% are engaged in secondary schooling, and 3.0% are undertaking higher education courses.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Tootgarook reaches 28 stops on 2 routes, timetabled for about 740 services a week. The typical home sits about 400 m from its nearest stop. Buses carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 1.4 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Public transport connectivity in Tootgarook is supported by 28 active bus stops distributed across the suburb. These stops are served by 2 distinct routes that generate 735 weekly scheduled trips. Transit access is favorable, with residents living an average of 397 meters from their closest stop. Given the area's predominantly residential character, work travel is largely outbound, and private vehicles remain the dominant choice at 97%, with an average of 1.4 vehicles per dwelling. Additionally, 21.2% of workers worked from home according to the 2021 Census, reflecting prevailing conditions during that period.
Public transport operations provide an average frequency of 105 daily trips across the transit network, translating to roughly 26 departures per week for each bus stop location.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
63.3% of residents in Tootgarook report no long-term health condition. 5.9% need daily assistance with core activities, and 54.0% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 5.1 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
General health conditions in Tootgarook track closely with Australian benchmarks based on AreaSearch's evaluation of chronic illness rates and mortality figures, showing normal prevalence levels across both older and younger demographics. The private health insurance rate is relatively robust, encompassing approximately 54% of the population (~1,678 people), in comparison to 56.7% throughout Greater Melbourne. Mental health conditions and arthritis represent the primary chronic ailments in the community, diagnosed in 10.0% and 9.5% of residents respectively, whereas 63.3% of the community reported having no long-term medical conditions, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne.
Among working-age cohorts, long-term health issues track above typical levels. Seniors aged 65 and over comprise 25.6% of residents (795 people), exceeding the Greater Melbourne share of 15.1%. Among this older demographic, health measures are favorable, earning national health rankings higher than those recorded for the wider local populace.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Tootgarook is largely Australian-born, at 84.8% of residents, with 8.3% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (30.9%) and English (29.4%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Demographic metrics indicate lower cultural diversity across Tootgarook relative to regional norms, with 84.8% of inhabitants born in Australia, 90.6% holding Australian citizenship, and 91.7% speaking solely English in their residences. Christianity forms the predominant religious affiliation, encompassing 41.7% of the community. In relative terms, Judaism shows the most visible divergence from standard metropolitan shares, representing 0.3% of local residents compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne. Regarding ancestral background based on parental country of birth, the primary groups in Tootgarook are Australian at 30.9% (considerably above the regional level of 18.4%), English at 29.4% (exceeding the 20.1% metropolitan benchmark), and Irish at 9.4%.
Noticeable concentrations of other heritages are also evident, including Italian at 5.9% (against 5.2% regionally), Croatian at 1.0% (against 0.7%), and Hungarian at 0.4% (compared to 0.3% regionally).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Tootgarook is 46, older than 82% of areas nationally. 20.7% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The age distribution in Tootgarook leans noticeably older than typical regional benchmarks. As of August 2026 estimates, retirees and older seniors (65+) account for 25.6% of the population, compared to 15.1% across Greater Melbourne, whereas early-to-mid career adults aged 25 - 44 represent only 22.4%, well below the regional proportion of 32.1%. AreaSearch assesses the local median age at 46 as at August 2026, remaining stable since the 2021 Census, which stands 9 years older than the Greater Melbourne median of 37 and higher than the national median of 38 at that same Census.
Since then, the senior demographic has expanded from 23.4% to an estimated 25.6%. By 2041, older residents are forecast to drive the majority of population expansion, increasing by 340 individuals (43%) to reach 1,136, whereas numbers for children, young adults, and cohorts aged 25 - 44 are expected to decrease.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Tootgarook
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, Local governments Daily | May 2026 5 months ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (3,178 at the 2021 Census → 3,108 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL22550). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.