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

As per ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation for the broader area, the population of Wantirna is estimated at around 14,446 as of May 2026. This shows an increase of 209 people (1.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,237 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 14,310 in June 2025 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,763 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Wantirna's growth rate of 1.5% since census is within 1.6 percentage points of the SA3 area (3.1%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was primarily responsible for population gains in recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area, and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 adjusted to SA2 levels for areas not covered by this data. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future demographic trends suggest a population increase just below the national median, with Wantirna expected to expand by 555 persons to reach approximately 15,001 by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 2.9% over the 16-year period.

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

Wantirna has averaged approximately 126 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 631 homes. As of FY-26, 50 approvals have been recorded. The population decline in recent years has maintained adequate housing supply relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $568,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment.

In FY-26, there have been $63.5 million in commercial approvals, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Wantirna shows 95.0% higher building activity per person, providing ample choice for buyers. New building activity comprises 18.0% detached dwellings and 82.0% attached dwellings, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This trend reflects reduced development site availability and shifting lifestyle demands. Wantirna has a low density characteristic with around 64 people per dwelling approval. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Wantirna is projected to add 419 residents by 2041.

Current construction levels should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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 25 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Deakin University Burwood Campus Expansion, Oak Place by Stockland, Vermont South Shopping Centre Precinct, and Wantirna Health Precinct. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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AreaSearch analysis indicates Wantirna maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Wantirna has a well-educated workforce with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 3.8% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.2%. As of December 2025, there were 7,251 residents in work, with an unemployment rate of 1.0%, below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation was at 63.5% compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 31.3% of residents worked from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training.

Professional & technical services had a limited presence with 8.4% employment compared to the regional average of 10.1%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the working population versus resident population count. In the 12-month period ending in December 2025, employment increased by 1.2% while labour force grew by 1.5%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. This compares to Greater Melbourne where employment grew by 2.4%, labour force expanded by 2.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. 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, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Wantirna's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though 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 had a median taxpayer income of $50,102 and an average income of $64,185 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is lower than national averages, with Greater Melbourne's median income being $57,688 and average income at $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $54,922 (median) and $70,360 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Wantirna's household income ranks at the 58th percentile ($1,886 weekly), while personal income sits at the 41st percentile. Income brackets show that 33.2% of the population (4,796 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, similar to surrounding regions where 32.8% occupy this range. After housing costs, 85.0% of income remains for other expenses, and Wantirna'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

Wantirna's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 90.2% houses and 9.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wantirna was at 40.5%, with the rest being mortgaged (39.0%) or rented (20.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $428, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Wantirna's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while 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, which is 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% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and the SA3 area rate of 30.7%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 23.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 9.0% and graduate diplomas at 3.2%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 29.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 12.3% and certificates at 17.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 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 area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically residing 253 meters from the nearest stop. Being primarily residential, most Wantirna residents commute outward. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 90%. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling, exceeding the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 31.3% of residents work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency 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 shows Wantirna's health metrics performed strongly based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age cohorts had low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover rate was approximately 52% of the total population (~7,545 people), leading the average SA2 area but lower than Greater Melbourne's 56.7%. Common medical conditions were arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.4 and 7.4% respectively, with 70.8% declaring no medical ailments compared to Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. Under-65 population had better health outcomes than average. The area had 22.4% of residents aged 65 and over (3,235 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Health outcomes among seniors were strong, ranking broadly in line with the general population nationally.

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 cultural diversity, with 41.0% of its population born overseas and 40.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Wantirna, comprising 43.8% of people there. Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, with 6.3% of Wantirna's population practicing it versus 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.3%), Chinese (18.7%), and Australian (17.8%). Notably, Sri Lankan (1.4%) and Hungarian (0.5%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.8% and 0.3%, respectively, while Indian ethnicity is similar at 4.5%.

Wantirna's median age exceeds the national pattern

Wantirna's median age is 41 years, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Wantirna has a notably higher proportion of the 65-74 age group (11.4%) and a lower proportion of the 25-34 age group (9.6%). Post the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group grew from 5.8% to 8.2%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 10.7% to 12.3%. Meanwhile, the 55-64 cohort decreased from 12.1% to 10.8%, and the 65-74 group dropped from 12.6% to 11.4%. By 2041, Wantirna's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 75-84 cohort is expected to grow by 32%, adding 379 residents to reach 1,564. Residents aged 65 and older are anticipated to represent 63% of the population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 65-74 age groups.