Wattle Glen

An assessment of population growth drivers in Wattle Glen reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Wattle Glen is around 1,999. This reflects an increase of 88 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,911. The current resident population estimate of 1,967 comes from AreaSearch's analysis of latest ERP data released by ABS in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 222 persons per square kilometer. Since the 2021 census, Wattle Glen has seen a growth rate of 4.6%, exceeding the SA3 area's growth rate of 2.8%. Natural growth contributed approximately 62.0% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 for areas not covered by this data. By 2041, the suburb is forecasted to increase its population by 506 persons, reflecting an overall increase of 23.7% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Wattle Glen according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Wattle Glen has seen around 2 new homes approved each year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 11 homes were approved, with 1 more approved in FY-26 so far.

This results in an average of about 5.2 new residents arriving per dwelling constructed over the past five financial years. However, supply is substantially lagging demand, which typically leads to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction value of new homes is around $714,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Wattle Glen has significantly less development activity, being 53.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings.

Nationally, this activity is also lower, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. Recent building activity consists entirely of detached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The estimated population per dwelling approval in Wattle Glen is 984 people. Population forecasts indicate that Wattle Glen will gain approximately 474 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

AreaSearch has identified six projects that could impact the local area, with notable ones including Diamond Creek Community Infrastructure Master Plan, Eltham Major Activity Centre, Kangaroo Ground Landfill Rehabilitation, and road safety improvements along Eltham-Yarra Glen Road and Kangaroo Ground-St Andrews Road.

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

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The exceptional employment performance in Wattle Glen places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Wattle Glen has a skilled workforce with strong representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.0% as of December 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 0.7% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation. As of that date, 1,181 residents were employed, while the unemployment rate was 2.8% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation in Wattle Glen was 74.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. Census responses indicated that 28.5% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. The leading employment industries among residents were construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Wattle Glen showed a particularly strong specialization in construction, with an employment share 1.9 times the regional level, while accommodation & food services had lower representation at 3.5% compared to the regional average of 6.4%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as suggested by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 0.7%, while labour force grew by 1.3%, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.6 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insights into potential future demand within Wattle Glen. These projections estimate national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Wattle Glen's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch released postcode-level ATO data for financial year 2023. Wattle Glen had a median taxpayer income of $52,422 and an average of $66,070. These figures are below the national averages of $58,195 (median) and $72,970 (average). Greater Melbourne's median was $57,688 with an average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, estimates for September 2025 are approximately $56,747 (median) and $71,521 (average). Census 2021 data shows household incomes rank at the 88th percentile ($2,425 weekly), while personal incomes rank at the 59th percentile. The largest income segment is 34.5% earning $1,500-$2,999 weekly (689 residents). High earners comprise 36.3%, indicating strong economic capacity. After housing costs, residents retain 88.4% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Wattle Glen's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, was 99.2% houses and 0.8% other dwellings, contrasting with Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wattle Glen stood at 42.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 52.2% and rented ones at 5.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, surpassing Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Wattle Glen was $420, higher than Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Wattle Glen's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 85.4% of all households, including 47.5% couples with children, 26.0% couples without children, and 11.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 14.6%, with lone person households at 12.4% and group households comprising 0.7%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

The educational profile of Wattle Glen exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 25.8%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 17.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.6%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational credentials are held by 38.0% of residents aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 12.8% and certificates at 25.2%. Educational participation is high, with 28.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 8.6% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 5.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis indicates four active public transport stops in Wattle Glen, all offering bus services. These stops are served by three distinct routes, collectively facilitating 1,741 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as moderate, with residents typically situated 578 meters from the nearest stop. Being primarily residential, most commutes are outward-bound, with cars being the dominant mode at 90%. Vehicle ownership averages 2.2 per dwelling, surpassing the regional average. Notably, 28.5% of residents work from home (as per the 2021 Census; potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions).

The service frequency averages 248 trips daily across all routes, equating to roughly 435 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Wattle Glen is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Wattle Glen faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch's mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across all age groups but are more pronounced among older cohorts.

The rate of private health cover in Wattle Glen is approximately 53% (1,058 people), slightly higher than the average SA2 area but lower than Greater Melbourne's 56.7%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common conditions, affecting 10.1% and 8.4% of residents respectively. However, 66.5% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents show a higher prevalence of chronic health conditions than average. The area has 19.8% (395 people) of residents aged 65 and over, which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

Wattle Glen ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Wattle Glen, surveyed in August 2016, showed low cultural diversity: 85.5% of its residents were born in Australia, 94.0% were citizens, and 94.6% spoke English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion (38.9%), with Judaism notably underrepresented at 0.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%. The top three ancestry groups were English (30.1%, regional average: 20.1%), Australian (29.0%, regional average: 18.4%), and Irish (10.3%).

Other notable differences included Hungarian (Wattle Glen: 0.4%, regional average: 0.3%), Scottish (Wattle Glen: 9.2%, regional average: 5.6%), and Maltese (Wattle Glen: 1.0%, regional average: 1.1%).

Wattle Glen's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Wattle Glen is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's average of 38 years. The 55-64 age group constitutes 15.3%, compared to Greater Melbourne's percentage, while the 25-34 age group is less prevalent at 9.7%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75-84 age group has increased from 5.7% to 7.0% of the population, and the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 11.6% to 9.7%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes in Wattle Glen. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 72%, reaching 241 people from 139. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 56% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0-4 age cohort shows minimal growth of just 0%.