Woodend (Vic.)

Woodend lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of Woodend (Vic.) is around 6863 people. This figure represents an increase of 131 individuals from the 2021 Census count of 6732 residents. The latest resident population estimate by AreaSearch, based on ERP data released by ABS in June 2024 and validated new addresses since the Census date, is 6818 people. This results in a density ratio of 98 persons per square kilometer for Woodend. Over the past decade, from Feb 2016 to Feb 2026, Woodend has shown resilient growth with an average annual increase of 1.8%, outperforming its SA3 area. Interstate migration contributed approximately 54% of overall population gains during this period.

AreaSearch projections for Woodend are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia forecasts released in 2024 using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 are used with adjustments made through a weighted aggregation method to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Woodend is projected to experience significant population growth, expanding by approximately 2479 persons, reflecting an increase of about 35.5% over the 17-year period from Feb 2026 to Feb 2043.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Woodend recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Woodend has seen approximately 27 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 136 homes were approved, with a further 7 approved in FY-26. This results in an average of about 2.7 people moving to the area per new home constructed over these years.

The average expected construction cost value for new homes is $793,000, indicating developers are targeting the premium market segment. In FY-26, there have been $9.9 million in commercial approvals, showing moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Rest of Vic., Woodend has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 43rd percentile nationally, leading to relatively constrained buyer choice.

Recent construction comprises 86.0% standalone homes and 14.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's low density nature. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 378 people, reflecting its quiet development environment. AreaSearch projects Woodend's population to grow by 2,434 residents by 2041. If current construction levels continue, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Woodend has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely affecting this region: Hanging Rock to Daylesford Shared Trail. Other notable projects include Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 Transport Corridor, Victorian Renewable Energy Zones, and Regional Housing Fund Projects. The following details those most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Woodend performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Woodend has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 1.7% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.8%. As of December 2025, 3,337 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.0%, below Regional Vic.'s 3.7%.

Workforce participation was similar to Regional Vic.'s 61.5%. A high 40.2% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. Notably, professional & technical employment is highly specialized in Woodend, with a share 2.5 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 1.4% compared to Regional Vic.'s 7.5%. Local employment opportunities appear limited, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. In the 12 months prior, employment increased by 1.8%, while labour force and unemployment remained essentially unchanged, contrasting with Regional Vic.'s employment decrease of 0.6% and labour force contraction of 0.7%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Woodend's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

Woodend suburb's income level is among Australia's highest based on latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Woodend's median taxpayer income is $57,103 and average income is $83,788. Regional Vic.'s figures are $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. With an 8.25% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Woodend would be approximately $61,814 (median) and $90,701 (average) by September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Woodend cluster around the 66th percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that 27.1% of residents earn between $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (1,859 people), similar to metropolitan regions at 30.3%. Notably, 34.6% earn above $3,000 weekly, indicating prosperity and robust local economic activity. After housing costs, residents retain 87.7% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Woodend's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consists of 90.8% houses and 9.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional Vic.'s 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Woodend is at 41.9%, similar to Regional Vic., with mortgaged dwellings at 42.2% and rented ones at 15.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Woodend is $2,000, higher than Regional Vic.'s average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Woodend is $400, compared to Regional Vic.'s $285. Nationally, Woodend's mortgage repayments exceed the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are higher than the national figure of $375.

Woodend has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 76.8 percent of all households, including 34.9 percent couples with children, 30.0 percent couples without children, and 11.4 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 23.2 percent, with lone person households at 21.4 percent and group households comprising 1.6 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Regional Vic. average of 2.4.

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

Woodend has a notably high level of educational attainment among residents aged 15 and above, with 39.3% holding university qualifications compared to the broader Victorian average of 21.7%. This is also higher than the SA4 region's average of 25.4%, indicating a significant educational advantage for the area. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 23.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 10.2% and graduate diplomas at 5.6%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.0% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.3%) and certificates (17.7%). Educational participation is notably high in Woodend, with 30.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.2% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 4.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Woodend has three operational public transport stops offering a mix of train services. These stops are served by seven distinct routes, facilitating 312 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is deemed limited, with residents typically residing 1344 meters away from the nearest stop. Primarily residential, Woodend sees most commuters traveling outward, with cars being the dominant mode of transportation at 89%. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per household. According to the 2021 Census, 40.2% of residents work from home, a figure potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency across all routes averages 44 trips daily, equating to around 104 weekly trips per individual stop.

Woodend's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Woodend's health metrics indicate strong performance across mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, as assessed by AreaSearch on August 20th, 2021. Both young and old age cohorts showed low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover was found to be high at approximately 60% of the total population (4,108 people), compared to Regional Vic's 50.5%. Mental health issues and arthritis were the most common medical conditions, impacting 9.1% and 8.4% of residents respectively, while 66.6% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Regional Vic's 63.4%. Health outcomes among the working-age population are typical. The area has 23.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,619 people). Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Woodend's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 83.2% of its population born in Australia, 91.2% being citizens, and 94.9% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Woodend is Christianity, comprising 40.8% of the population. However, Judaism is overrepresented, making up 0.2% compared to the regional average of 0.1%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (30.4%), Australian (26.7%), and Irish (12.3%). Other ethnic groups with notable divergences include Scottish at 10.3% in Woodend versus 8.8% regionally, Welsh at 0.8% versus 0.4%, and Maltese at 1.0% versus 0.5%.

Woodend hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Woodend's median age of 45 years modestly exceeds Regional Vic.'s 43 years and is considerably older than the national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Regional Vic. average, the 45-54 cohort is notably over-represented at 15.9% in Woodend, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 5.6%. Between 2021 and the present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 6.8% to 8.6% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 9.7% to 11.3%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 6.9% to 5.6%. Demographic modeling suggests Woodend's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 45 to 54 age cohort is projected to expand by 489 people (45%) from 1,091 to 1,581.