Bundoora - East
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Bundoora - East reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Bundoora - East's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 10,238. This figure represents a growth of 407 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 9,831. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 10,240 in June 2024 and an additional 19 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,515 persons per square kilometer, placing Bundoora - East in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's population growth rate of 4.1% since the census is within 0.9 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 5.0%, indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 92.1% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth in the area.

AreaSearch adopted 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 utilised VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting with a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends forecast a significant increase in the top quartile of Australian statistical areas, with Bundoora - East expected to grow by 3,944 persons by 2041, representing an increase of 38.5% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Bundoora - East is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Bundoora - East has received approximately 17 dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics provides development approval data on a financial year basis. Between FY21 and FY25, there were a total of 87 approvals, with an additional one approved in FY26 so far. Despite population decline over this period, the relative level of development activity has been adequate for buyers.

The average construction cost value of new dwellings is $520,000. In FY26, commercial development approvals totalled $10.8 million, indicating moderate commercial development levels. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Bundoora - East has significantly less development activity, 74.0% below the regional average per person. This typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. Nationally, development activity is also lower, suggesting market maturity and potential development constraints. New development consists of 54.0% detached houses and 46.0% townhouses or apartments, expanding medium-density options across price brackets.

This represents a shift from the area's current housing composition, which is 93.0% houses, indicating decreasing developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and demand for diverse housing options. The location has approximately 844 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. By 2041, Bundoora - East is projected to grow by 3,946 residents. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to meet population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Bundoora - East has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Research and Development Centre, M80 Ring Road Completion, Uni Hill Factory Outlets Stage 3A, and Bundoora Secondary College Upgrade and Modernisation. The following list details those likely to be most relevant:.

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

AreaSearch analysis places Bundoora - East well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Bundoora - East has a well-educated workforce with a low unemployment rate of 2.8% as of the past year. The area has seen employment growth of 2.7% in that period.

As of June 2025, 5,506 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.8% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation is somewhat below standard at 60.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment in the area is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. The area specializes in construction employment, with a share 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, professional & technical employment is lower at 7.8% compared to the regional average of 10.1%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Over the past year, employment increased by 2.7% while labour force grew by 1.4%, leading to a decrease in unemployment by 1.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 3.5%, labour force grow by 4.0%, and unemployment increase by 0.5 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bundoora - East's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7%% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Bundoora - East's median income among taxpayers is $48,714. The average income in the area was $60,668 during this period. This is below the national average. In Greater Melbourne, the median income was $54,892 with an average of $73,761 for financial year 2022. Using Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since then, current estimates suggest a median income of approximately $53,639 and an average income of around $66,802 as of March 2025 in Bundoora - East. According to Census data, household income ranks at the 48th percentile ($1,705 weekly) while personal income is at the 30th percentile. The distribution data indicates that 32.8% of individuals (3,358 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999, mirroring regional levels where this earnings band captures 32.8%. After housing expenses, 85.7% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

In Bundoora - East, as per the latest Census, 93.0% of dwellings were houses with 6.9% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types, compared to Melbourne metro's 76.0% houses and 24.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bundoora - East stood at 43.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.2% and rented ones at 23.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,013, lower than Melbourne metro's $2,167. Median weekly rent in Bundoora - East was $385 compared to Melbourne metro's $399. Nationally, the area's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,013 against Australia's average of $1,863, and rents exceeded the national figure of $375 at $385.

Bundoora - East features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 74.6% of all households, including 35.9% couples with children, 25.0% couples without children, and 12.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 25.4%, with lone person households at 20.5% and group households comprising 5.0%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.5.

The educational profile of Bundoora - East exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 30.4%, substantially lower than the SA3 area average of 41.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.6%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.7%) and certificates (18.2%). Educational participation is high at 28.8%, comprising primary education (7.9%), secondary education (7.5%), and tertiary education (6.3%).

Bundoora - East has four schools with a combined enrollment of 3,167 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1044). The educational mix includes one primary, two secondary, and one K-12 school. As an education hub, the area offers 30.9 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 18.4, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

The public transport analysis indicates that Bundoora - East has 43 active transport stops in operation. These are a mix of light rail and bus services. The area is served by 5 individual routes which collectively facilitate 3,217 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is assessed as good, with residents typically located approximately 276 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, service frequency across all routes amounts to 459 trips per day, equating to roughly 74 weekly trips per individual stop.

Bundoora - East's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Bundoora East's health metrics are close to national benchmarks. Common health conditions are slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population, which is around 5,119 people.

This compares to 60.3% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.5 and 7.3% of residents respectively. About 69.5% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.3% in Greater Melbourne. Approximately 20.1% of residents are aged 65 and over, which equates to around 2,060 people. This is broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Bundoora - East is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Bundoora-East has a high level of cultural diversity, with 32.0% of its population born overseas and 35.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Bundoora-East, comprising 54.0% of people. Notably, Buddhism is overrepresented, making up 4.1% compared to Greater Melbourne's 2.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.3%), Australian (17.6%), and Other (10.0%). Macedonian (2.5%) and Italian (9.5%) ethnicities are notably overrepresented, while Sri Lankan is underrepresented at 1.0% compared to the regional average of 0.5%.

Bundoora - East's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Bundoora - East is 38 years, close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and similar to Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Bundoora - East has a higher proportion of residents aged 75-84 (8.6%) but fewer people aged 35-44 (12.7%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 13.1% to 15.1%, while those aged 75-84 increased from 7.5% to 8.6%. Conversely, the 65-74 age group decreased from 9.7% to 8.5%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 13.5% to 12.5%. By 2041, Bundoora - East is projected to experience significant shifts in its age composition, with the 45-54 age group expected to grow by 47%, reaching 1,877 people from 1,277.