Bayswater North

Bayswater North is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Bayswater North's population is around 12,293 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 422 people (3.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,871 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,043 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 220 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,240 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Bayswater North's 3.6% growth since the census positions it within 1.3 percentage points of the SA4 region (4.9%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 66.9% 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. Regarding demographic trends, a population increase just below the median of Australian statistical areas is expected, with the area expected to increase by 710 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 3.7% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Bayswater North, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Bayswater North has seen around 28 new homes approved each year, totalling 142 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 39 approvals have been recorded. Given population has fallen over the past period, development activity has been adequate in relative terms, a positive for buyers, while new dwellings are developed at an average value of $305,000, aligned with broader regional development. Additionally, $20.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, suggesting balanced commercial development activity.

Relative to Greater Melbourne, Bayswater North records roughly half the building activity per person and places within the 50th percentile of areas assessed nationally, though construction activity has intensified recently. This is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and pointing to possible planning constraints. New building activity shows 48.0% detached houses and 52.0% townhouses or apartments. This trend toward denser development provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This marks a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 84.0% houses), suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 644 people per dwelling approval, Bayswater North reflects a highly mature market.

Population forecasts indicate Bayswater North will gain 460 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Bayswater North has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 27 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Bayswater North Primary School Redevelopment and Upgrades, Kilsyth Connect Logistics Park, Bayswater Business Precinct Transformation Strategy, and Suffern Reserve Playground Renewal, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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 conditions in Bayswater North remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Bayswater North has a skilled workforce, with the construction sector a particular standout in terms of representation, an unemployment rate of 5.1%, and 0.8% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 6,737 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.4% above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation is broadly similar to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. Based on Census responses, a moderate 24.7% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise health care & social assistance, construction, and manufacturing. The area shows particularly strong specialization in construction, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 6.7% versus the regional average of 10.1%. The ratio of 0.8 workers for each resident, as at the Census, indicates substantial local employment opportunities.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 0.8% while the labour force increased by 1.6%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.7 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Bayswater North. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Bayswater North's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.3% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for FY-23 reveals that income in the Bayswater North SA2 is just below the national average, with the median assessed at $57,775 while the average income stands at $65,407. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's figures of a median income of $57,688 and an average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $62,541 (median) and $70,803 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Bayswater North cluster around the 55th percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 36.4% of residents (4,474 people), consistent with broader trends across the region showing 32.8% in the same category. High housing costs consume 15.6% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 54th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Bayswater North, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 83.6% houses and 16.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Bayswater North was in line with that of Melbourne metro, at 31.3%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (48.0%) or rented (20.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Melbourne metro average at $1,849, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $361, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Bayswater North's mortgage repayments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are less than the national figure of $375.

Bayswater North has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households dominate at 74.0% of all households, comprising 36.9% couples with children, 23.8% couples without children, and 12.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 26.0%, with lone person households at 23.6% and group households comprising 2.2% of the total. The median household size of 2.6 people matches the Greater Melbourne average.

Bayswater North performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (24.7%) substantially below the Greater Melbourne average of 37.0%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 16.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 37.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (12.3%) and certificates (25.3%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.4% in primary education, 7.3% in secondary education, and 3.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 84 active transport stops operating within Bayswater North, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 13 individual routes, collectively providing 2,049 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 231 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 91%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.6 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. Some 24.7% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 292 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 24 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Bayswater North is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data reveals substantial challenges facing Bayswater North, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover slightly lags the average SA2 area at approximately 52% of the total population (~6,380 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 10.3% and 9.0% of residents, respectively, while 66.5% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents show an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 18.2% of residents aged 65 and over (2,237 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Bayswater North was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Bayswater North was found to be above average in terms of cultural diversity, with 22.7% of its population born overseas and 17.5% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Bayswater North is Christianity, which makes up 42.2% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Other, which comprises 1.4% of the population, compared to 2.3% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Bayswater North are Australian, comprising 27.2% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 18.4%, English, comprising 27.0% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 20.1%, and Other, comprising 8.0% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 14.6%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Dutch is notably overrepresented at 2.4% of Bayswater North (vs 1.2% regionally), Hungarian at 0.5% (vs 0.3%) and Sri Lankan at 0.7% (vs 0.8%).

Bayswater North's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The 39-year median age in Bayswater North is somewhat higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and similarly very close to the 38-year national average. Compared to the Greater Melbourne average, the 55 - 64 cohort is notably over-represented (12.9% locally), while 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented (13.3%). Post-2021 Census data shows the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 4.0% to 6.1% of the population, while the 65 to 74 cohort increased from 8.6% to 9.8%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 13.7% to 12.0%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Bayswater North. Leading the demographic shift, the 75 to 84 group will grow by 45% (343 people), reaching 1,098 from 754. Demographic aging continues as residents 65 and older represent 72% of anticipated growth. On the other hand, the 55 to 64 and 0 to 4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.