Waurn Ponds

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

As of February 2026, the population of the suburb of Waurn Ponds is estimated at around 4,823 people. This reflects a decrease since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,956 people. The current population estimate is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and their examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024. This results in a population density ratio of 276 persons per square kilometer. Population growth in the area has been primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 64.0% of overall population 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 utilises the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb of Waurn Ponds is predicted to experience exceptional growth, placing it in the top 10 percent of Australia's regional areas. By 2041, the population is expected to increase by 2,323 persons, reflecting a gain of 47.6% 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 had less than one new dwelling approved annually between 2015 and 2019. This minimal development reflects its rural nature, with housing needs driving growth rather than broad market demand. The small sample size means individual projects can significantly impact annual statistics.

Compared to Rest of Vic., Waurn Ponds had notably lower construction activity during this period. Its development levels were also below national averages.

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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 17 projects potentially impacting the 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 to be 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.

Waurn Ponds has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Waurn Ponds has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 5.3%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 2,981 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate is 1.6% higher than Regional Vic.'s rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation is high at 78.1%, compared to Regional Vic.'s 61.5%. Census responses indicate that 19.3% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food, with a notable concentration in the latter sector at 1.7 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 1.2% of local workers, below Regional Vic.'s 7.5%.

The ratio of 0.9 workers per resident suggests substantial employment opportunities. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force decreased by 1.3%, while employment declined by 1.6%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Regional Vic. saw an employment decline of 0.6% and a labour force decline of 0.7%, with unemployment falling by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall 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, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on 30 June 2023 for financial year 2023, Waurn Ponds' median taxpayer income was $43,276 with an average level of $54,084. This is lower than the national average and compares to regional Victoria's levels of $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $46,846 (median) and $58,546 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census data ranks Waurn Ponds' household incomes at the 82nd percentile ($2,286 weekly), with personal income ranking lower at the 18th percentile. The earnings profile shows that 34.2% of residents (1,649 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, mirroring metropolitan regions where 30.3% occupy this bracket. Notably, 33.9% of residents earn above $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 88.2% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power with the area's SEIFA income ranking in the 7th decile.

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

Waurn Ponds' dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 97.6% houses and 2.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Regional Vic.'s 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Waurn Ponds was at 34.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 44.0% and rented ones at 21.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,755, higher than Regional Vic.'s average of $1,430. Median weekly rent in Waurn Ponds was $430, compared to Regional Vic.'s $285. Nationally, Waurn Ponds' mortgage repayments were lower at $1,755 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were higher at $430 compared to 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, which is larger than the Regional 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 common at 18.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.4%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational skills are prominent with 31.0% of residents aged 15+ holding credentials, including advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (20.3%). Educational participation is high at 45.2%, comprising 23.0% in tertiary education, 9.0% in primary education, and 8.1% pursuing secondary education.

Educational participation is notably 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 serving 19 routes. These provide 3,084 weekly passenger trips. Residents are typically 250 meters from the nearest stop. Most commute outward daily. Cars dominate at 91%. Average vehicle ownership is 2.0 per dwelling.

In 2021 Census data, 19.3% worked from home. Service frequency averages 440 trips per day across all routes, or 192 weekly trips per 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 showed low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover was found to be very low at approximately 48% of the total population, which is around 2,329 people.

This compares to 50.5% across Regional Vic., with a national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions in the area were asthma and mental health issues, impacting 8.9% and 8.6% of residents respectively. A total of 73.4% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% across Regional Vic. The under-65 population demonstrated better than average health outcomes. As of the latest data from March 2021, the area has 7.8% of residents aged 65 and over, which is a total of 376 people. This is lower than the 23.9% figure in Regional 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' cultural diversity is roughly comparable to the wider region's average. 86.6% of its population are citizens, 81.3% were born in Australia, and 86.1% speak English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Waurn Ponds, with 45.8% of people identifying as such.

However, Hinduism is notably overrepresented, comprising 3.4% of the population compared to 0.7% regionally. The top three ancestry groups are English (28.0%), Australian (27.9%), and Scottish (8.5%). Notably, Dutch (2.5%) and Hungarian (0.5%) ethnicities are overrepresented in Waurn Ponds compared to the regional averages of 1.7% and 0.2%, respectively. Sri Lankan ethnicity is also slightly higher at 0.4%.

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

Waurn Ponds's median age is 26 years, which is significantly younger than Regional Vic.'s average of 43 and lower than the national average of 38. Compared to Regional Vic., Waurn Ponds has a higher concentration of 15-24 year-olds at 28.4%, but fewer 65-74 year-olds at 4.9%. This 15-24 concentration is well above the national figure of 12.5%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 25 to 34 age group grew from 12.1% to 16.4%, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 10.5% to 12.4%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort declined from 8.5% to 7.1% and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 13.4% to 12.1%. Demographic modeling suggests Waurn Ponds's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 cohort is projected to grow by 76%, adding 603 residents to reach 1,394. The 85+ group shows more modest growth at 4%, adding no residents.