Emerald - Cockatoo

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

Emerald - Cockatoo's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 19,045 people. This figure represents a growth of 412 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 18,633. The increase is inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 18,958 as of June 2024 and an additional 68 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 51 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed approximately 55.9% to recent overall population gains in the area.

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, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Emerald - Cockatoo is projected to grow by approximately 1,184 persons based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of about 5.8% over the 17-year period.

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

Emerald - Cockatoo has recorded approximately 30 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25153 homes were approved, with a further 8 approved in FY26 as of now. The average new residents per year per dwelling constructed over these five years was 0.8.

This suggests that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction value of new properties was $498,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY26, $53.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating strong commercial development momentum. However, compared to Greater Melbourne, Emerald - Cockatoo has significantly less development activity, 85.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new dwellings typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Recent construction comprises 84.0% standalone homes and 16.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing, which is currently 99.0% houses. The estimated population per dwelling approval in the area is 680 people, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. Future projections show Emerald - Cockatoo adding 1,097 residents by 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Emerald - Cockatoo has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 16 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones include Kaduna Park Estate, Arbor Officer, Golden Win Estate (previously Starling Road Residential Subdivision), and Ridgelea Estate - Pakenham East. The following list details those likely to be most 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.

Employment performance in Emerald - Cockatoo ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Emerald - Cockatoo's skilled workforce is notable in the construction sector with an unemployment rate of 2.3% as of September 2025. This rate is 2.4% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

The employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.3%. There are 11,065 residents in work with a workforce participation rate of 66.4%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Dominant employment sectors include construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Construction employment is particularly high at 1.8 times the regional average.

Professional & technical services have limited presence with only 6.2% employment compared to the regional average of 10.1%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparison between working population and resident population. In the past year, employment increased by 4.3% while labour force grew by 4.5%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.0% with a 0.3 percentage point increase in unemployment rate during this period. State-level data from VIC up to 25-Nov shows employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest a national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Emerald - Cockatoo's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

In AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022, Emerald - Cockatoo SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $54,011 and an average of $73,210. Nationally, these figures are high compared to Greater Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $60,579 (median) and $82,112 (average). According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Emerald - Cockatoo cluster around the 69th percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows that 35.7% of residents (6,799 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, mirroring the surrounding region where 32.8% occupy this bracket. Economic strength is evident with 30.3% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Emerald - Cockatoo's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 99.2% houses and 0.9% other dwellings. This compares to Melbourne metro's figures of 91.1% houses and 8.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Emerald - Cockatoo stood at 35.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 56.9% and rented ones at 7.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,980, higher than Melbourne metro's $1,866. Median weekly rent in Emerald - Cockatoo was $370, compared to Melbourne metro's $361. Nationally, mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863 and rents lower at $375.

Emerald - Cockatoo features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 82.0% of all households, including 43.5% couples with children, 29.0% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 18.0%, comprising 16.3% lone person households and 1.7% group households. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.8.

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

The area has university qualification rates of 23.6%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.9%) and certificates (28.4%). Educational participation is high, with 31.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 11.3% in primary, 9.6% in secondary, and 4.1% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.3% in primary education, 9.6% in secondary education, and 4.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Emerald - Cockatoo has 82 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a mix of buses operating along 9 individual routes. Together, these routes facilitate 1,125 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility in the area is rated as limited; residents typically reside 1375 meters from their nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 160 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 13 weekly trips per individual stop.

Emerald - Cockatoo's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data shows Emerald - Cockatoo residents have a relatively low prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 56% (~10,665 people) have private health cover, higher than Greater Melbourne's 51.6%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (8.7%) and asthma (8.3%), with 68.6% of residents reporting no medical ailments, compared to 70.3% in Greater Melbourne. About 18.0% (3,424 people) of residents are aged 65 and over, higher than Greater Melbourne's 13.7%. Seniors' health outcomes are strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

Emerald - Cockatoo is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Emerald-Cockatoo has a below-average cultural diversity level, with 85.3% of its population born in Australia, 89.5% being citizens, and 95.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Emerald-Cockatoo, comprising 35.6% of its population. Notably, Judaism's representation is higher than average, making up 0.2% compared to the Greater Melbourne average of 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (30.8%), Australian (30.0%), and Scottish (8.1%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Dutch at 3.1% (compared to regional 2.6%), Hungarian at 0.5% (regional 0.4%), and Welsh at 0.7% (regional 0.5%).

Emerald - Cockatoo's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Emerald - Cockatoo's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and somewhat older than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne's average, the 55-64 age cohort is notably over-represented in Emerald - Cockatoo at 13.9%, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 7.8%. Post the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 4.3% to 5.7% of the population, whereas the 25 to 34 cohort has decreased from 9.9% to 7.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Emerald - Cockatoo's age profile. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 59%, adding 649 residents to reach 1,743. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 72% of the population growth. Conversely, population declines are anticipated for the 25 to 34 and 0 to 4 age cohorts.