Bundoora - East

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 was around 10,352 as of May 2026. This reflected an increase of 521 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,831. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 10,339 in June 2025 and an additional 21 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 2,543 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Bundoora - East's growth rate of 5.3% since the census was within 0.2 percentage points of its SA3 area (5.5%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 89.7% 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 from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are 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 3,903 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 37.6% over the 16 years.

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 over the past five years ending FY26. This totals to 87 homes with 9 approvals recorded so far in FY26. The population decline has resulted in adequate development activity relative to other areas, benefiting buyers. New properties are constructed at an average cost of $323,000.

There have been $10.8 million in commercial approvals this financial year. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Bundoora - East has significantly less development activity, which is 74.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. The area's new development consists of 54.0% detached houses and 46.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a shift from the current housing composition of 93.0% houses. There are approximately 844 people per dwelling approval in Bundoora - East. By 2041, the area is expected to grow by 3,890 residents.

At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Bundoora - East has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 13 projects that could impact the region. Notable ones are M80 Ring Road Completion, Research and Development Centre, Uni Hill Factory Outlets Stage 3A, Northpark Private Hospital Redevelopment. The following list details those most likely to be 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.

AreaSearch analysis indicates Bundoora - East maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Bundoora - East has a well-educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 3.4%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.8%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.2%.

As of December 2025, there are 5,537 residents in work, with an unemployment rate of 1.3% below Greater Melbourne's rate. Workforce participation is somewhat lower at 65.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. A high 25.4% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training.

The area has particular employment specialization in construction, with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 7.8% versus the regional average of 10.1%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. In the 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 1.2% alongside labour force increasing by 1.3%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne, where employment rose by 2.4%, the labour force grew by 2.8%, and unemployment rose 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bundoora - East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account 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 2023 shows that Bundoora - East SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $51,903 and an average of $63,209. This is below the national average. In Greater Melbourne, the median was $57,688 and the average was $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Bundoora - East SA2 would be approximately $56,896 (median) and $69,290 (average) as of March 2026. Census data reveals that household income ranks at the 47th percentile ($1,705 weekly), while personal income sits at the 29th percentile. Distribution data shows that the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 32.8% of the community (3,395 individuals), mirroring regional levels where 32.8% occupy this bracket. 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

Bundoora - East's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 93.0% houses and 6.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bundoora - East was at 43.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.2% and rented ones at 23.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,013, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $385, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Bundoora - East's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 constitute 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 2.6.

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%, significantly lower than the SA3 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 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%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 7.9% in primary education, 7.5% in secondary education, and 6.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Bundoora - East has 43 active public transport stops offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 5 different routes that collectively facilitate 3,386 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 277 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential zone, most residents commute outward using cars as the primary mode of transport at 85%, while 6% use trains. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling, higher than the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, a high 25.4% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 483 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 78 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Bundoora - East is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Bundoora - East shows superior health outcomes based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions among its general population is low but exceeds the national average for older, at-risk cohorts. Approximately 50% (~5,227 people) have private health cover, lower than Greater Melbourne's 56.7% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (8.5%) and mental health issues (7.3%), with 69.5% claiming to be free from ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Under-65 residents have better-than-average health outcomes. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 19.9% (2,056 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 15.0%, though it ranks lower nationally than the broader population.

Bundoora - East was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Bundoora-East has a high cultural diversity, with 32.0% of its population born overseas and 35.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Bundoora-East, comprising 54.0%. Buddhism is notably present at 4.1%, slightly higher than the Greater Melbourne average of 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.3%), Australian (17.6%), and Other (10.0%). Macedonian, Italian, and Greek ethnicities are overrepresented in Bundoora-East at 2.5%, 9.5%, and 4.4% respectively, compared to regional averages of 0.7%, 5.2%, and 2.7%.

Bundoora - East's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Bundoora - East is 38 years, close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and equivalent to Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Bundoora - East has a higher proportion of residents aged 75-84 (8.4%) but fewer people aged 35-44 (13.1%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the population aged 15-24 grew from 13.1% to 14.9%, while those aged 25-34 increased from 13.9% to 15.1%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group declined from 13.5% to 12.1%, and the 65-74 group dropped from 9.7% to 8.4%. By 2041, Bundoora - East's age composition is projected to change significantly. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 49% (614 people), reaching 1,866 from 1,251.