Warranwood

Warranwood 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 of Feb 2026, Warranwood's population is estimated at around 4,949, reflecting an increase of 129 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 4,820. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 4,933 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in Jun 2024 and an additional 33 validated new addresses since the Census date. The suburb's population density is approximately 1,649 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Warranwood's growth of 2.7% since census positions it within 2.2 percentage points of the SA4 region (4.9%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 65.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for the area. AreaSearch adopts 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 released in 2023, adjusting 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 projected demographic shifts, Warranwood is expected to grow by just below the median of national areas, with an estimated increase of 267 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 5.1% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Warranwood, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Based on AreaSearch analysis, Warranwood recorded approximately 14 residential property approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling around 74 homes. In FY26 so far, six approvals have been recorded. The population decline in recent years has led to an adequate supply of housing relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $556,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment.

There have also been $789,000 in commercial approvals this financial year, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Comparatively, Warranwood records around 68% of Greater Melbourne's building activity per person and ranks among the 35th percentile nationally, implying limited buyer options but strengthening demand for established properties. This activity is also below the national average, indicating the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 75.0% detached dwellings and 25.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving Warranwood's suburban character while showing a shift from the existing housing stock, which is currently 98.0% houses. This shift suggests decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles' need for more diverse, affordable housing options.

With around 465 people per dwelling approval, Warranwood exhibits a developed market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is expected to grow by approximately 251 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Warranwood has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Two projects identified by AreaSearch are likely to impact the area: Maroondah Planning Scheme, Revitalisation works at Jumping Creek, Warranwood, Ringwood North Liveable Neighbourhoods Project, and 170-172 Warrandyte Road Retail Development.

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

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Employment performance in Warranwood ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Warranwood has a well-educated workforce. Essential services sectors are well represented here. The unemployment rate was 2.2% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.4%.

As of December 2025, 2890 residents were employed, while the unemployment rate was 2.6%, below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. A high 38.7% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction.

The area specializes in education & training, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. Meanwhile, transport, postal & warehousing has limited presence with 2.9% employment compared to 5.2% regionally. Employment opportunities locally appear limited, as indicated by Census data comparing working population and resident population. In the 12-month period ending May-25, employment increased by 1.4%, labour force by 1.2%, reducing unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne where employment grew by 2.4%, labour force expanded by 2.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Warranwood's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch reports that Warranwood had a median taxpayer income of $57,444 and an average income of $72,687 in financial year 2023. These figures are above the national averages of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively for Greater Melbourne. By September 2025, estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $62,183 and $78,684 based on an 8.25% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. According to Census 2021 data, Warranwood's household incomes rank at the 95th percentile with a weekly income of $2,852. The suburb has 30.1% of residents earning over $4,000 per week, compared to Greater Melbourne where 32.8% earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly. Warranwood shows high affluence with 47.5% earning over $3,000 per week. After housing costs, residents retain 89.4% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Warranwood's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 98.4% houses and 1.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Melbourne metro's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Warranwood stood at 38.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 52.6% and rented ones at 9.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Warranwood was $423, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Warranwood's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,167 against the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 87.9% of all households, including 52.7% couples with children, 24.8% couples without children, and 9.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 12.1%, comprising 10.8% lone person households and 0.8% group households. The median household size is 3.1 people, higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Warranwood places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Warranwood residents aged 15+ with university qualifications (34.3%) exceed the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 22.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.2%) and graduate diplomas (4.4%). Vocational credentials are held by 31.6% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 12.3% and certificates at 19.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.6% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes secondary education (11.0%), primary education (10.2%), and tertiary education (6.3%).

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

Warranwood has 24 operational public transport stops, all serving buses. These are covered by two routes offering a total of 509 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy good transport accessibility, with an average distance of 310 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this predominantly residential area; cars remain the primary mode of transport at 94%. Vehicle ownership stands at 2.1 per dwelling, higher than the regional average. Notably, 38.7% of residents work from home (as recorded in the 2021 Census).

Service frequency averages 72 trips daily across all routes, translating to approximately 21 weekly trips per individual stop.

Warranwood's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Warranwood's health outcomes show remarkable results, according to AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 56% (~2,748 people) of Warranwood's total population has private health cover, which is significantly higher than the national average. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 8.2 and 7.5% of residents respectively. Notably, 72.5% of Warranwood residents claim to be completely free from medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The under-65 population in Warranwood demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 16.8% (831 people) of residents aged 65 and over, which is slightly higher than the 15.1% observed in Greater Melbourne. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Warranwood are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Warranwood records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Warranwood's population, like the broader area, is predominantly Australian-born, with 82.0%. Citizenship stands at 93.2%, and English-only speakers are 89.4%. Christianity is the dominant religion at 52.0%.

Judaism, however, is less prevalent than in Greater Melbourne, comprising only 0.1% compared to 1.0%. The top three ancestry groups in Warranwood are English (27.0%), Australian (26.1%), and Scottish (8.2%). Notably, Dutch ancestry is overrepresented at 3.0%, as are Macedonian (0.6%) and Sri Lankan (0.6%) backgrounds compared to regional averages.

Warranwood's median age exceeds the national pattern

Warranwood's median age is 41 years, which 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, Warranwood has a notably higher proportion of the 55-64 age cohort (15.3% locally) but a lower proportion of the 25-34 age group (6.5%). According to the 2021 Census, the 65-74 age group grew from 8.5% to 10.3%, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 3.7% to 5.3%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group declined from 17.1% to 15.4%, and the 25-34 age group dropped from 8.0% to 6.5%. Demographic modeling suggests that Warranwood's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 46%, adding 120 residents to reach 383. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 66% of the population growth, while the 55-64 and 0-4 age cohorts are projected to decline in population.