Waurn Ponds

Population growth drivers in Waurn Ponds are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the population of Waurn Ponds was estimated at 4,823 as of Feb 2026. This reflects a decrease from the 2021 Census figure of 4,956 people, a drop of 133 individuals (2.7%). The current population is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of 4,794 residents following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 276 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Waurn Ponds showed resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 3.8%, surpassing its SA3 area's growth rate. Interstate migration primarily drove population growth, contributing approximately 64% of overall gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Projected demographic shifts indicate exceptional growth, placing Waurn Ponds in the top 10% of regional areas nationally. By 2041, the suburb is expected to increase by 2,777 persons, reflecting a total increase of 72.2% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Waurn Ponds is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Waurn Ponds has seen minimal construction activity with fewer than one new dwelling approved annually over the past five years. This totals minimal development across this period. The low development levels reflect the rural nature of the area, where housing needs drive development rather than broad market demand.

Note that individual projects can substantially influence annual growth statistics due to the small sample size. Waurn Ponds has much lower development activity compared to Rest of Vic.. Its development pattern is also well below national averages.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects that could impact this region. Notable projects include Waurn Ponds Sporting Complex, Levande Highton Retirement Village, Armstrong Mount Duneed Estate, and Grovedale Village. The following list details those likely 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 Waurn Ponds has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Waurn Ponds has a well-educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 5.1%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, 2993 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.3% higher than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Waurn Ponds is high at 79.2%, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 61.4%. Census responses show that 19.3% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food. Waurn Ponds has a strong specialization in accommodation & food, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 1.2% of local workers, below Rest of Vic.'s 7.5%. The ratio of 0.9 workers per resident indicates substantial local employment opportunities. Over the year to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.6% and employment declined by 1.2%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Vic. experienced an employment decline of 0.7% and labour force decline of 0.6%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Waurn Ponds' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Waurn Ponds' median income among taxpayers is $43,276. The average income in this suburb was $54,084. This is below the national average. Comparatively, Rest of Vic.'s median income was $50,954 and average income was $62,728. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Waurn Ponds would be approximately $46,846 (median) and $58,546 (average) as of September 2025. Census data indicates household incomes rank at the 82nd percentile ($2,286 weekly), while personal income ranks lower at the 18th percentile. Income analysis reveals that 34.2% of Waurn Ponds residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (1,649 individuals). This aligns with the broader area where this earnings band also represents 30.3%. Higher earners make up a substantial presence in Waurn Ponds, with 33.9% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. After housing costs, residents retain 88.2% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Waurn Ponds is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Waurn Ponds' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 97.6% houses and 2.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Vic.'s 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Waurn Ponds was at 34.9%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (44.0%) or rented (21.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,755, higher than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,430. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $430, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $285. Nationally, Waurn Ponds' mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially higher than the national figure of $375.

Waurn Ponds features high concentrations of family households and group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 81.2% of all households, including 46.1% couples with children, 25.3% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 18.8%, with lone person households at 14.5% and group households comprising 4.6%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 28.9% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Rest of Vic. average of 21.7%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 18.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.4%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 31.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 10.7% and certificates at 20.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 45.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 23.0% in tertiary education, 9.0% in primary education, and 8.1% pursuing secondary education.

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

Waurn Ponds has 16 active public transport stops. These are served by 19 different routes offering a total of 3,084 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically living 250 metres from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards daily. Car remains the primary mode of transport, used by 91% of residents. On average, there are 2.0 vehicles per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 19.3% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 440 trips per day, equating to about 192 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Waurn Ponds is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Waurn Ponds demonstrates above-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts show low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is found to be very low at approximately 48% of the total population (around 2,329 people), compared to 50.5% across Rest of Vic., and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 8.9 and 8.6% respectively, while 73.4% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% across Rest of Vic. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 7.5% of residents aged 65 and over (361 people), lower than the 23.9% in Rest of Vic.. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Waurn Ponds, as per the data, is largely in line with its regional averages regarding cultural diversity. As of a certain date, 86.6% of its population were citizens, 81.3% were born in Australia, and 86.1% spoke English only at home. Christianity was found to be the predominant religion, comprising 45.8% of the population.

However, Hinduism showed significant overrepresentation, making up 3.4% compared to the regional average of 0.7%. The top three ancestry groups were English (28.0%), Australian (27.9%), and Scottish (8.5%). Notably, Dutch (2.5%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 1.7%, as were Hungarian (0.5% vs 0.2%) and Sri Lankan (0.4% vs 0.1%) groups.

Waurn Ponds hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Waurn Ponds has a median age of 26 years, which is significantly younger than the Rest of Vic. average of 43 and also lower than the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of Vic., Waurn Ponds has a higher concentration of 15-24 year-olds at 27.6%, but fewer 65-74 year-olds at 4.8%. This 15-24 percentage is well above the national average of 12.5%. Post-census data from 2021 shows that the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 12.1% to 16.0%, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 10.5% to 12.7%. Conversely, the 15 to 24 cohort declined from 29.4% to 27.6% and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 8.5% to 7.0%. Demographic modeling suggests that Waurn Ponds' age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 cohort is projected to grow strongly at 106%, adding 820 residents to reach 1,592. The 85+ group shows more modest growth at 4%, with no additional residents expected.