Clarinda - Oakleigh South
Statistical Area - sa2

Clarinda - Oakleigh South has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Clarinda-Oakleigh South's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 11,992, indicating a growth of 438 people since the 2021 Census figure of 11,554. This increase represents a 3.8% rise from the Census date. The estimated resident population in June 2024 was 11,752, with an additional 138 validated new addresses recorded subsequently. This results in a population density ratio of 1,897 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Clarinda-Oakleigh South's growth rate of 3.8% since the Census places it within 2.9 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 6.7%. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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 employs VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends suggest lower quartile growth, with an expected increase of 381 persons by 2041, representing a total increase of 1.2% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Clarinda - Oakleigh South, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Clarinda - Oakleigh South has received approximately 30 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that between FY21-FY25, there were a total of 150 approvals, with 3 so far in FY26. Despite population decline, new supply appears to have kept pace with demand, offering good buyer choice. Average dwelling construction cost is $720,000, indicating targeting of the premium market segment.

Commercial approvals this year totalled $13.1 million, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Clarinda - Oakleigh South records around 68% building activity per person and ranks in the 31st percentile nationally, implying relatively constrained buyer choice favouring existing homes. Recent construction comprises 58.0% detached houses and 42.0% attached dwellings, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments. This shift from the area's current housing composition (90.0% houses) suggests decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles. With around 543 people per dwelling approval, it indicates a developed market.

Population forecasts predict an increase of 141 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should meet demand comfortably, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond projections.

Clarinda - Oakleigh South has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence performance. AreaSearch identified 27 potential impact projects. Notable ones are Monash Medical Centre Redevelopment, Talbot Village (ex-Talbot Quarry), Summerset Oakleigh South, and Sandringham Line Service Improvements. Relevant projects are listed below.

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

Employment performance in Clarinda - Oakleigh South exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Clarinda-Oakleigh South has a well-educated workforce with professional services strongly represented. Its unemployment rate is 3.3%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.6%.

Over the past year, estimated employment growth was 4.0%. As of June 2025, 6,016 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 1.3% below Greater Melbourne's rate. Workforce participation in Clarinda-Oakleigh South is 56.1%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing.

Manufacturing shows notable concentration with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average. However, professional & technical services are under-represented, with only 8.4% of Clarinda-Oakleigh South's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as suggested by Census data comparing working population and resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 4.0%, while labour force increased by 4.4%, leading to a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. In contrast, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a 0.5 percentage point increase in unemployment. 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 employment forecasts from May 2025 project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Clarinda-Oakleigh South's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows Clarinda - Oakleigh South has lower incomes than national averages. The median income is $50,537 and the average is $60,568. Greater Melbourne's figures are higher, with a median of $54,892 and an average of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of March 2025 would be approximately $55,646 (median) and $66,691 (average). The 2021 Census shows individual incomes at the 20th percentile are $655 weekly, with household income at the 45th percentile. Income distribution reveals 30.8% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually. After housing expenses, 85.8% of income remains for other costs. The SEIFA income ranking places Clarinda - Oakleigh South in the 5th decile.

Clarinda - Oakleigh South is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Clarinda-Oakleigh South's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 90.3% houses and 9.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 72.1% houses and 28.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Clarinda-Oakleigh South was 46.2%, with mortgaged properties at 32.7% and rented ones at 21.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,010, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $1,800. Median weekly rent in the area was $400, compared to Melbourne metro's $350. Nationally, Clarinda-Oakleigh South's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Clarinda - Oakleigh South features high concentrations of family households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 77.5% of all households, including 38.8% couples with children, 25.3% couples without children, and 12.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 22.5%, with lone person households at 19.8% and group households making up 2.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, smaller than Greater Melbourne's average of 2.8.

The educational profile of Clarinda - Oakleigh South exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

In Clarinda-Oakleigh South, 31.6% of residents aged 15+ hold university degrees, compared to 37.0% in Greater Melbourne. Bachelor degrees are the most common (21.1%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 26.3% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (16.1%). Educational participation is high, with 25.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 8.2% in primary education, 6.1% in secondary education, and 5.1% pursuing tertiary education. St Andrew's School and Clarinda Primary School serve the area, collectively educating 652 students. The ICSEA score for socio-educational conditions is 1072, indicating above-average performance. Both schools focus on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. Local school capacity is limited (5.4 places per 100 residents vs regional average of 15.5), leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

The analysis of public transport in Clarinda - Oakleigh South shows that there are currently 56 active transport stops operating in the area. All these stops serve buses, with a total of 12 different routes providing service. These routes together facilitate 3,042 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility to transport is rated as good, with residents generally residing within 216 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, there are 434 trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 54 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Clarinda - Oakleigh South is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Clarinda-Oakleigh South faces significant health challenges, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50%, covering around 5996 people in total. This compares to a rate of 47.5% across Greater Melbourne, which has a national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.1 and 6.9% of residents respectively. Meanwhile, 69.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 75.1% across Greater Melbourne. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 25.7%, with around 3084 people falling into this age category. This is higher than the 17.4% seen in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

Clarinda-Oakleigh South is one of the most culturally diverse areas in Australia, with 56.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 52.1% born overseas as of 2016 Census data. Christianity is the predominant religion in Clarinda-Oakleigh South, making up 57.9% of people residing there, while Judaism comprises 1.7%, which is higher compared to Greater Melbourne's 0.3%. Regarding ancestry, the top three represented groups are Other at 19.0%, Greek at 13.1%, and Australian at 11.7%.

Notably, Russian (1.0%), Sri Lankan (1.3%), and Indian (8.3%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne's averages of 0.4%, 1.8%, and 6.2% respectively.

Clarinda - Oakleigh South hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Clarinda - Oakleigh South has a median age of 44, which exceeds Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and is substantially higher than the national norm of 38. The 65-74 age group comprises 12.7% of its population, compared to Greater Melbourne, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 11.9%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group has grown from 7.9% to 9.3%, and the 45-54 cohort has declined from 12.2% to 11.1%. Demographic modeling suggests Clarinda - Oakleigh South's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75-84 group is projected to grow by 37%, reaching 1,528 people from 1,114. Those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 78% of the population growth. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 55-64 cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.