Burwood (Vic.)
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Burwood are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Burwood Vic's population is around 14,994 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 2,658 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 12,336 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,918 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 162 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,975 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Burwood's growth of 21.5% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's 8.1% and the national average, marking it as a growth leader. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 97.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises 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 are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Examining future trends, a significant population increase is forecast with the area expected to expand by 4,835 persons to 2041 based on latest numbers, recording a gain of 31.7% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Burwood among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Burwood has averaged approximately 172 new dwelling approvals per year. Development approval data is produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis. Between Financial Year 2020 and Financial Year 2025, there were 864 home approvals. As of FY-26, there have been 14 approvals.

On average, for every home built over the past five financial years, Burwood has gained around 4.0 new residents per year. This indicates a significant gap between supply and demand, which typically leads to increased buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction cost value of new homes being built in Burwood is $766,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26 alone, there have been $62.6 million in commercial approvals, reflecting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Burwood has approximately two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 56th percentile nationally.

New building activity shows 34.0% detached dwellings and 66.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a shift towards compact living that offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This marks a significant change from the current housing mix, which is currently 55.0% houses. Burwood has around 276 people per dwelling approval, suggesting a developing market. Population forecasts indicate Burwood will gain approximately 4,759 residents by 2041. Current construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

Burwood has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 16 projects that could affect the region. Notable projects include the Burwood Heights Activity Centre Structure Plan, the development at 145-155 Burwood Highway, the Suburban Rail Loop East - Burwood Station project, and the broader Suburban Rail Loop East initiative. The following list details those projects likely to have the most relevance.

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

Burwood has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Burwood in Victoria has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. The unemployment rate was 4.9% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.4%.

As of June 2025, 8,085 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is 0.3% above Greater Melbourne's rate. Workforce participation was at 59.1%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. The leading employment industries among residents were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. Accommodation & food services had a notable concentration with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average.

Construction, however, had limited presence with 6.2% employment compared to the regional average of 9.7%. The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.6, indicating local employment opportunities above the norm. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels in Burwood increased by 4.4%, while the labour force grew by 3.1%, leading to a decrease in unemployment of 1.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 3.5% but had an increase in unemployment of 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 the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. This was slightly higher than the national rate of 4.5%, but Victoria's employment growth outpaced the national average of 0.26%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia suggest that employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Burwood's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Burwood's median income among taxpayers was $44,956 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $65,067 during the same period. These figures compared to Greater Melbourne's median and average incomes of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. By March 2025, estimates suggested Burwood's median income would reach approximately $49,501 and the average income would be around $71,645, based on a Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census indicated individual incomes in Burwood lagged at the 17th percentile with weekly earnings of $637, while household income performed better at the 39th percentile. In terms of income categories, 27.6% of locals (4,138 people) fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 range, reflecting a similar pattern seen in the surrounding region where 32.8% occupied this range. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 79.5% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 35th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 7th decile.

Burwood displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Burwood's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 55.4% houses and 44.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Melbourne metro's 60.2% houses and 39.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Burwood stood at 31.4%, lower than Melbourne metro's level. Mortgaged dwellings constituted 27.2%, while rented dwellings made up 41.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,457, higher than the Melbourne metro average of $2,300. Median weekly rent in Burwood was $401, compared to Melbourne metro's $412. Nationally, Burwood's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863 by $594, while rents were $126 higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 60.5% of all households, including 25.4% couples with children, 22.5% couples without children, and 10.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 39.5%, with lone person households at 29.6% and group households comprising 9.9%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.5.

Educational achievement in Burwood places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Burwood is notably high with 47.3% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, surpassing national (30.4%) and Victorian (33.4%) averages. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 28.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Vocational pathways account for 20.8% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 10.0%. Educational participation is high, with 37.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 18.2% in tertiary, 7.0% in secondary, and 6.1% in primary.

As of a specific date (not specified), Burwood's five schools had a combined enrollment of 3,123 students. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages with an ICSEA score of 1139. The educational mix includes two primary, one secondary, and two K-12 schools. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 20.9 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.5, indicating that Burwood serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Burwood has 76 active public transport stops. These comprise a mix of light rail and bus services. There are 16 different routes operating in total.

Collectively, these routes provide 6,532 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 204 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 933 trips per day across all routes. This equates to approximately 85 weekly trips per individual stop.

Burwood's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Burwood. Younger cohorts in particular have a very low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population (~7,781 people), leading that of the average SA2 area but lower than Greater Melbourne's 56.0%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in Burwood, impacting 7.4 and 6.1% of residents respectively. 74.4% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 73.9% across Greater Melbourne. As of 2016 data, 13.9% of residents are aged 65 and over (2,088 people), which is lower than the 17.7% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

Burwood 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 has a high cultural diversity, with 49.0% speaking a language other than English at home and 50.7% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Burwood, comprising 39.2%. Buddhism is overrepresented in Burwood at 7.3%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 6.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (21.1%), English (16.4%), and Australian (14.7%). Notably, Sri Lankan (1.7% vs regional 0.8%), Greek (3.7% vs 3.0%), and Indian (5.9% vs 3.7%) groups are overrepresented in Burwood.

Burwood's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Burwood's median age in 2021 was 31 years, lower than the Greater Melbourne average of 37 and the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Burwood had a higher percentage of residents aged 15-24 (28.7%) but fewer aged 5-14 (6.6%). This concentration of 15-24 year-olds was significantly higher than the national average of 12.5%. Between 2021 and the present, younger residents have caused a decrease in median age by 2.4 years to its current level of 31. During this period, notable shifts include an increase in the 15-24 age group from 21.1% to 28.7%, while the 25-34 cohort grew from 19.3% to 20.4%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group decreased from 10.8% to 8.8%, and the 5-14 age group dropped from 8.4% to 6.6%. Population forecasts for Burwood indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to experience significant growth, expanding by 1,398 people (46%) from 3,054 to 4,453.