Burwood East
Statistical Area - sa2

Burwood East has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Burwood East's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 12,351. This figure represents a growth of 1,676 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 10,675. The increase is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 12,366 as of June 2024 and an additional 481 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,899 persons per square kilometer, placing Burwood East in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. The area's growth rate of 15.7% since the 2021 census exceeds both the SA4 region (8.1%) and national averages. Overseas migration contributed approximately 74.4% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth being positive factors.

AreaSearch's projections for Burwood East are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024, using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on these projections, Burwood East is forecast to experience significant population growth, increasing by 3,457 persons to reach a total of 15,808 by the year 2041. This represents an overall increase of 28.1% over the seventeen-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Burwood East among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Burwood East has averaged approximately 127 new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data is produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis, with 639 dwellings approved over the past five financial years between FY-2021 and FY-2025, including 10 approvals so far in FY-2026. On average, each dwelling has resulted in approximately 2.2 new residents per year over these five financial years, indicating healthy demand that supports property values. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $729,000, demonstrating a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

There have also been $18.5 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Burwood East has slightly more development, with 35.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period, maintaining good buyer choice while supporting existing property values, although construction activity has eased recently. This level is substantially higher than the national average, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. New development consists of approximately 26.0% standalone homes and 74.0% attached dwellings, marking a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 74.0% houses), indicating diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 313 people per dwelling approval, Burwood East shows a developing market with population forecasts indicating an increase of 3,472 residents through to 2041. Existing development levels seem aligned with future requirements, maintaining stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

Population forecasts indicate Burwood East will gain 3,472 residents through to 2041. Existing development levels seem aligned with future requirements, maintaining stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

Burwood East has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Seven projects identified by AreaSearch are likely to impact the area, significantly influencing its performance. Key projects include Tally Ho Major Activity Centre Structure Plan, SRL East - Works Package F - Stations - Glen Waverley to Box Hill, East Burwood Reserve Master Plan, and Blackburn South Exclusive Townhouse Collection. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Burwood East remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Burwood East has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 4.6% as of June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 3.0% over the past year.

In June 2025, 6,321 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate aligned with Greater Melbourne's rate at 4.6%. However, workforce participation lagged significantly at 57.8%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading employment industries among residents comprised health care & social assistance, retail trade, and professional & technical services. The area demonstrated notable concentration in accommodation & food services, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction showed lower representation at 7.1% versus the regional average of 9.7%. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 3.0%, while labour force increased by 3.2%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.1 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5% and unemployment rising by 0.5 percentage points. As of Sep-25, state-level data showed VIC employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Burwood East's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Burwood East's median income among taxpayers was $45,312 in financial year 2022, with an average income of $60,119. This compares to Greater Melbourne's figures of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. By March 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $49,893 and average income would be around $66,197, based on a 10.11% growth in wages since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranked at the 42nd percentile ($1,610 weekly), while personal income was at the 24th percentile. The largest segment of residents (30.2%) earned $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (3,730 residents), similar to the metropolitan region where this cohort represented 32.8%. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 83.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 42nd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 7th decile.

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

Burwood East's dwelling structures, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 73.9% houses and 26.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This differed from Melbourne metro's structure, which was 60.2% houses and 39.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Burwood East stood at 44.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.2% and rented dwellings at 26.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,147, lower than Melbourne metro's average of $2,300. Median weekly rent in Burwood East was recorded at $439, compared to Melbourne metro's $412. Nationally, Burwood East's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 72.3% of all households, including 33.7% couples with children, 26.5% couples without children, and 10.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 27.7%, with lone person households at 22.5% and group households comprising 5.1%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.5.

Burwood East shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Burwood East is notably high, with 42.5% of residents aged 15 years and above holding university qualifications, compared to the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian average of 33.4%. This indicates a significant educational advantage for the area. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 26.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 13.0% and graduate diplomas at 2.8%. Vocational pathways account for 22.6% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and above, with advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 11.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.2% in tertiary education, 7.2% in primary education, and 6.1% pursuing secondary education. There are seven schools operating within Burwood East, educating approximately 1,945 students. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1082. The educational mix includes two primary schools, three secondary schools, and two K-12 schools. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' in enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

The analysis indicates 64 active public transport stops in Burwood East. These include a mix of light rail and bus services. There are 15 individual routes operating, providing a total of 4,296 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents located an average of 224 meters from the nearest stop. The service frequency averages 613 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 67 weekly trips per individual stop.

Burwood East's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Burwood East. Both young and old age cohorts experience low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~6,113 people), compared to 56.0% across Greater Melbourne.

Nationally, this figure stands at 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.2 and 6.2% of residents respectively, while 73.6% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments. This compares to 73.9% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 22.4% of residents aged 65 and over (2,769 people), higher than the 17.7% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Burwood 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

Burwood East has a high cultural diversity, with 56.5% speaking a language other than English at home and 53.5% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion, comprising 43.5%. Buddhism is overrepresented at 8.5%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 6.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (25.3%), English (13.5%) which is lower than the regional average of 18.7%, and Other (11.9%). Greek, Sri Lankan, and Vietnamese ethnicities are notably overrepresented at 7.8%, 1.5%, and 2.1% respectively.

Burwood East's median age exceeds the national pattern

Burwood East has a median age of 40, which is higher than the Greater Melbourne figure of 37 and Australia's median age of 38. The 75-84 cohort is over-represented in Burwood East at 8.6%, compared to the Greater Melbourne average, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 9.2%. Between January 2021 and present, the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 14.9% to 16.5% of the population, and the 15 to 24 cohort has risen from 12.5% to 13.6%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 12.8% to 11.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Burwood East's age profile. The 85+ age cohort is projected to surge by 603 people, from 560 to 1,164, an increase of 108%.