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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, Woodend's population is estimated at around 6,863 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 131 people (1.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,732 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 6,818 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 54 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 98 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Woodend has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.6%, outpacing the SA4 region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration that contributed approximately 54.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking at population projections moving forward, a significant population increase in the top quartile of locations outside of capital cities is forecast, with Woodend expected to expand by 2,461 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 35.0% in total over the 17 years.

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 of ABS data. Around 135 homes were approved between FY-21 and FY-25, with another 8 approved in FY-26 to date. On average, 2.8 people have moved to the area per new home constructed over these five years.

New homes are valued at an average of $793,000, indicating a focus on premium properties by developers. This year has seen $9.9 million in commercial approvals. 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, suggesting limited buyer choice and interest in existing dwellings.

Recent construction comprises 86% standalone homes and 14% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's low-density nature. There are estimated to be 389 people per dwelling approval in Woodend, reflecting its quiet development environment. By 2041, AreaSearch projects Woodend's population will grow by 2,400 residents. If current construction levels continue, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and price increases.

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 set to affect this region: Hanging Rock to Daylesford Shared Trail, Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 Transport Corridor, Victorian Renewable Energy Zones, and Regional Housing Fund Projects are key initiatives, with the most relevant ones detailed below.

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

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Woodend ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Woodend has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 1.8% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 2.1%. As of September 2025, 3,321 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.0%, lower than Rest of Vic.'s 3.8%.

Workforce participation is similar to Rest of Vic., at 61.4%. Census responses show 40.2% of residents work from home, potentially impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 2.5 times the regional level, but has fewer agriculture, forestry & fishing jobs than Rest of Vic., at 1.4%.

Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. In the 12 months prior, employment increased by 2.1%, labour force by 2.6%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points, contrasting with Rest of Vic.'s employment decrease of 0.7% and labour force contraction of 0.6%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Woodend's industry mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

Woodend suburb has one of Australia's highest incomes according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year ending June 2023. Woodend's median taxpayer income is $57,103 and average income is $83,788, compared to Rest of Vic.'s $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. Based on 8.25% Wage Price Index growth since June 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 are approximately $61,814 (median) and $90,701 (average). According to 2021 Census figures, Woodend's household, family, and personal incomes are at the 66th percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that 27.1% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (1,859 people), similar to metropolitan regions where 30.3% fall into this bracket. Notably, 34.6% earn above $3,000 weekly, indicating prosperity driving local economic activity. After housing costs, residents retain 87.7% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking 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, consisted of 90.8% houses and 9.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Vic. had 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Woodend was at 41.9%, similar to Non-Metro Vic., with the rest being mortgaged (42.2%) or rented (15.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Woodend was $2,000, higher than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,863 and the national figure of $1,430. Weekly rent in Woodend was recorded at $400, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $285 and the national average of $375.

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

Family households constitute 76.8% of all households, including 34.9% couples with children, 30.0% couples without children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 23.2%, with lone person households at 21.4% and group households making up 1.6%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Rest of 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's educational attainment is notably higher than broader standards. Among residents aged 15 and above, 39.3% possess university qualifications, compared to 21.7% in the rest of Victoria and 25.4% in the SA4 region. This high level of educational attainment positions Woodend favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most common at 23.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.2%) and graduate diplomas (5.6%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.0% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 11.3% and certificates at 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. Seven different routes serve these stops, collectively facilitating 312 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is assessed as limited, with residents typically residing 1344 meters from the nearest stop. Predominantly residential, Woodend sees most commuters traveling outward; cars remain the primary mode of transport at 89%. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling. The 2021 Census shows that 40.2% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 44 trips per day, equating to approximately 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 show strong performance across various indicators assessed by AreaSearch. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low for both young and old age cohorts.

Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (4,108 people), compared to 50.5% in the rest of Victoria. The most common medical conditions were mental health issues affecting 9.1% of residents and arthritis impacting 8.4%. A significant majority, 66.6%, declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% in the rest of Victoria. Health outcomes among the working-age population are typical. The area has 23.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,605 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. Christianity was the predominant religion in Woodend, comprising 40.8% of people. However, Judaism was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to 0.1% across Rest of Vic..

The top three ancestry groups were English (30.4%), Australian (26.7%), and Irish (12.3%). Scottish and Welsh were notably overrepresented at 10.3% and 0.8% respectively, while Maltese was also higher than regional averages at 1%.

Woodend hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Woodend's median age of 45 years exceeds Rest of Vic.'s 43 years and is considerably older than the national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Vic. average, Woodend has an over-representation of the 45-54 cohort at 15.9% and an under-representation of the 25-34 age group at 5.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group increased from 6.8% to 8.5%, while the 15 to 24 cohort rose from 9.7% to 11.3%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort decreased from 6.9% to 5.5%. Demographic modeling suggests Woodend's age profile will significantly evolve by 2041. The 45 to 54 age cohort is projected to expand by 481 people (44%), growing from 1,091 to 1,573.