Bundoora - West

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Bundoora - West's population is around 6,790 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 604 people (9.8%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,186 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,742 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 63 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,652 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Bundoora - West's 9.8% growth since the census positions it within 0.1 percentage points of the national average (9.9%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 88.4% 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, exceptional growth, placing it in the top 10 percent of national statistical areas, is predicted over the period, with the area expected to increase by 2,894 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, recording a gain of 41.9% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Bundoora - West according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Bundoora - West has averaged around 21 new dwelling approvals annually, totalling 106 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 18 approvals have been recorded. With an average of 2.5 new residents per year gained for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), indicating healthy demand that should support property values, new homes are being built at an average construction cost of $178,000 —below regional norms —reflecting more affordable housing options for purchasers. There have also been $12.5 million in commercial approvals this financial year, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development.

When measured against Greater Melbourne, Bundoora - West records markedly lower building activity (77.0% below regional average per person). This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties. This level is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and pointing to possible planning constraints. Recent construction comprises 38.0% standalone homes and 62.0% medium and high-density housing. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing (currently 79.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. At around 826 people per approval, Bundoora - West shows a mature, established area.

Looking ahead, Bundoora - West is expected to grow by 2,846 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Bundoora - West 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, 10 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the M80 Ring Road Completion, Research and Development Centre, Mill Park Secondary College Performing Arts Centre, and Norris Bank Reserve Upgrade, 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.

The employment landscape in Bundoora - West shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Bundoora - West possesses a well-educated workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of only 3.7%, and 1.2% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 3,583 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.1% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation lags significantly (63.4% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 21.9% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area shows particularly strong specialization in retail trade, with an employment share of 1.2 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 6.7% versus the regional average of 10.1%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 1.2% while the labour force increased by 1.3%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable. 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 Bundoora - West. 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 Bundoora - West's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.4% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

The Bundoora - West SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $48,021 and an average of $58,482 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is lower than average on a national basis, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $51,983 (median) and $63,307 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Bundoora - West all fall between the 17th and 30th percentiles nationally. The data shows the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 32.2% of the community (2,186 individuals), consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 32.8% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 29th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Bundoora - West, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 78.6% houses and 21.3% 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 Bundoora - West was higher than that of Melbourne metro, at 42.2%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (27.9%) or rented (29.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Melbourne metro average at $1,900, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $380, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Bundoora - West's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceed the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 67.6% of all households, comprising 26.7% couples with children, 27.5% couples without children, and 11.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 32.4%, with lone person households at 26.2% and group households comprising 6.1% of the total. The median household size of 2.4 people is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Educational qualifications in Bundoora - West trail regional benchmarks, with 30.5% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 37.0% in Greater Melbourne. This gap highlights potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees lead at 18.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 28.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (10.8%) and certificates (17.7%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.6% of residents aged 15+ currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 7.5% in tertiary education, 6.7% in primary education, and 5.0% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 17 active transport stops operating within Bundoora - West, comprising a mix of light rail and buses. These stops are serviced by 5 individual routes, collectively providing 3,384 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 328 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 87%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling. Some 21.9% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 483 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 199 weekly trips per individual stop.

Bundoora - West's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Bundoora - West, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population, though higher than the national average across older, at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 48% of the total population (~3,272 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.8% and 7.6% of residents, respectively, while 69.1% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 23.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,575 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne, though ranking lower nationally than the broader population.

Bundoora - West 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 - West scores highly on cultural diversity, with 45.6% of its population born overseas and 49.2% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Bundoora - West is Christianity, which makes up 54.5% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Islam, which comprises 4.7% of the population, compared to 5.6% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Bundoora - West are Australian, comprising 14.1% of the population, English, comprising 13.3% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 20.1%, and Other, comprising 12.8% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Greek is notably overrepresented at 6.5% of Bundoora - West (vs 2.7% regionally), Macedonian at 3.8% (vs 0.7%) and Croatian at 1.8% (vs 0.7%).

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

The 39-year median age in Bundoora - West 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 75 - 84 cohort is notably over-represented (8.8% locally), while 5 - 14 year-olds are under-represented (8.3%). Post-2021 Census data shows the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 11.3% to 13.9% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 11.1% to 9.2% and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 11.3% to 9.9%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Bundoora - West. Leading the demographic shift, the 25 to 34 group will grow by 34% (403 people), reaching 1,590 from 1,186.