Wantirna

Wantirna is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

The estimated population for the suburb of Wantirna is around 14,932 as of February 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 695 people since the Census in 2021, which reported a population of 14,237. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 14,308 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 292 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,823 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Wantirna's growth rate of 4.9% since the census is within 0.8 percentage points of the SA3 area (5.7%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains in recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods to reach SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics anticipate lower quartile growth, with the suburb expected to expand by 577 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a decline of 0.3% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Wantirna among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Wantirna has recorded approximately 126 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years ending June 2021. This totals an estimated 631 homes. As of July 2021, in FY-26, there have been 37 approvals recorded. Despite a declining population, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, indicating a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average construction cost value for new properties is $568,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment. In FY-26, there have been $63.5 million in commercial approvals, reflecting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Wantirna shows 96.0% higher building activity per person, offering buyers ample choice. New development consists of 18.0% detached dwellings and 82.0% medium and high-density housing, marking a significant shift from the current 90.0% houses. This trend may be due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. Wantirna reflects a low density area with around 64 people per approval.

With stable or declining population forecasts, it may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Wantirna 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 26 projects likely impacting the region. Notable ones include Wantirna Health Precinct West, Deakin University Burwood Campus Expansion, Oak Place by Stockland, and Vermont South Shopping Centre Precinct. 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.

Employment performance in Wantirna has been broadly consistent with national averages

Wantirna has a well-educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate was 3.8% as of December 2025. Employment grew by an estimated 1.2% over the past year, according to AreaSearch data aggregation.

As of December 2025, 7,249 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 1.0%, below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation was at 63.7%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. A high 31.3% of residents worked from home, based on Census responses, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. Professional & technical services had lower representation at 8.4%, compared to the regional average of 10.1%. The predominantly residential area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 1.2% while labour force increased by 1.5%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points, according to AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data aggregated from broader statistical areas. Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4% over the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 provide further insight into potential future demand within Wantirna. These projections suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates varying significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Wantirna's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, although this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

The suburb of Wantirna has a median taxpayer income of $50,102 and an average of $64,185, according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This is lower than the national average, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $54,235 (median) and $69,480 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household income ranks at the 58th percentile ($1,886 weekly), while personal income sits at the 41st percentile. Income analysis shows that the largest segment comprises 33.2% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (4,957 residents), consistent with broader trends across the region showing 32.8% in the same category. After housing, 85.0% of income remains for other expenses and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

In Wantirna, as per the latest Census evaluation, 90.2% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 9.8% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This contrasts with Melbourne's metropolitan area, where 67.9% of dwellings are houses, and 32.1% are other types. Home ownership in Wantirna stood at 40.5%, with mortgaged properties accounting for 39.0% and rented dwellings making up the rest at 20.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Wantirna was $2,167, higher than Melbourne's metro average of $2,000. Weekly rent in Wantirna averaged $428, compared to Melbourne's metro figure of $390. Nationally, Wantirna's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Wantirna features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 81.1% of all households, including 41.5% couples with children, 27.9% couples without children, and 10.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 18.9%, with lone person households at 17.1% and group households comprising 2.0%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Wantirna shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 35.5% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and the SA3 area's rate of 30.7%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 23.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 29.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 12.3% and certificates for 17.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.0% in primary education, 7.5% in secondary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Wantirna has 45 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 21 different routes that collectively facilitate 4,564 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as good, with residents typically living within 253 meters of the nearest stop. Most residents in this predominantly residential area commute outward daily. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 90% of residents. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling, which exceeds the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a significant proportion (31.3%) of Wantirna residents work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 652 trips per day, equating to approximately 101 weekly trips per individual stop.

Wantirna's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Wantirna. Based on AreaSearch's assessment, mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are low across both young and old age cohorts.

Private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population (~7,798 people), leading that of the average SA2 area but lower than Greater Melbourne's 56.7%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.4% and 7.4% of residents respectively. 70.8% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes for the under-65 population are better than average. Wantirna has 22.8% of residents aged 65 and over (3,404 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 15.1%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Wantirna is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Wantirna has a high level of cultural diversity, with 41.0% of its population born overseas and 40.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Wantirna, accounting for 43.8% of people. Buddhism, however, is more prevalent in Wantirna compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 6.3% versus 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups in Wantirna are English (19.3%), Chinese (18.7%), and Australian (17.8%). Notably, Sri Lankan, Hungarian, and Indian ethnicities have higher representation in Wantirna compared to the regional average: Sri Lankan at 1.4% versus 0.8%, Hungarian at 0.5% versus 0.3%, and Indian at 4.5% versus 4.2%.

Wantirna's median age exceeds the national pattern

At age 41 years, Wantirna's median age is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and slightly older than Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, the cohort aged 65-74 years is notably over-represented in Wantirna at 11.5%, while those aged 25-34 years are under-represented at 8.8%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 75 to 84 years grew from 5.8% to 8.3%, and the 15 to 24-year-old cohort increased from 10.7% to 12.5%. Conversely, the 25 to 34-year-old cohort declined from 10.7% to 8.8%, and the 55 to 64-year-old group dropped from 12.1% to 11.0%. Demographic modeling indicates that Wantirna's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84-year-old cohort is projected to grow strongly at 29%, adding 364 residents to reach 1,604. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 74% of the population growth. However, population declines are anticipated for the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4-year-old cohorts.