Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights' population is approximately 22,260 as of August 2025. This represents an increase of 1,060 individuals (5.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,200 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 22,194 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 259 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 694 persons per square kilometer, which is comparable to averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights' growth rate of 5.0% since the census places it within 0.5 percentage points of the non-metro area (5.5%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. The population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 51.8% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 uses the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusting 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. Looking ahead, a significant population increase in the top quartile of locations outside capital cities is forecasted. The area is expected to increase by 6,414 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, with an overall increase of 28.4% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights has seen approximately 151 dwellings granted development approval annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces this data on a financial year basis, showing 757 approvals over the past five years from FY-2021 to FY-2025, with 12 approvals so far in FY-2026. On average, around 1.8 people have moved to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY-2021 and FY-2025, suggesting a balanced supply-demand dynamic. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $547,000, which is higher than typical regional values, reflecting quality-focused development.

This financial year has seen approximately $16.3 million in commercial approvals, indicating consistent commercial investment activity. Compared to the rest of Victoria, Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights records about 67% of building activity per person and ranks among the 70th percentile nationally. Recent construction consists of 80.0% standalone homes and 20.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes.

The area has approximately 196 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. Population forecasts predict Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights will gain 6,311 residents by 2041. Construction is maintaining pace with projected growth, but buyers may face increasing competition as the population grows.

Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 38thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 58 projects likely impacting the region. Key initiatives include Northern and Western Geelong Growth Areas, Barwon Health North, Geelong Ring Road Northern Section, Hope & Autumn Mixed Use Development. The following list details those most relevant:.

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

Employment performance in Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights has been broadly consistent with national averages

Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.4% as of June 2025, with estimated employment growth of 1.9% over the previous year.

There were 12,762 residents employed by June 2025, with an unemployment rate of 0.4% below Victoria's rest-of-state average of 3.8%. Workforce participation was higher at 68.7%, compared to the regional average of 57.4%. Dominant employment sectors included health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. The area showed strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing had limited presence at 0.6% compared to the regional average of 7.5%. Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census data analysis. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.9%, while labour force increased by 2.4%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In comparison, Victoria's rest-of-state figures showed an employment decline of 0.9% and a rise in unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 indicated that Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, slightly higher than the national average of 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.8% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights' median income among taxpayers was $57,116 and average income stood at $72,587 in financial year 2022. These figures compare to the Rest of Vic.'s median income of $48,741 and average income of $60,693 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes are approximately $62,890 (median) and $79,926 (average) as of March 2025. According to census data, personal income ranks at the 70th percentile ($918 weekly), while household income sits at the 48th percentile. Income brackets indicate that 30.3% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, consistent with metropolitan trends. High housing costs consume 15.3% of income, but disposable income remains at the 50th percentile due to strong earnings. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights had 77.5% houses and 22.6% other dwellings in the latest Census, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s 84.6% houses and 15.4% other dwellings. Home ownership was at 30.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.3% and rented ones at 35.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,842, above Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,712. Median weekly rent was $335, the same as Non-Metro Vic.'s figure. Nationally, mortgage repayments were lower at $1,863 and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 62.0% of all households, including 27.0% couples with children, 24.4% couples without children, and 9.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 38.0%, with lone person households at 33.5% and group households comprising 4.6%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

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

Educational attainment in Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights is notably high, with 34.6% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to 21.7% in the rest of Victoria and 27.3% in the SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 22.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 7.8% and graduate diplomas at 4.3%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 32.9% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 11.4% and certificates at 21.5%. Educational participation is high, with 27.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.7% in primary education, 6.5% in secondary education, and 6.0% pursuing tertiary education.

As of the most recent data, 11 schools serve a total of 4,068 students in Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights. The area has typical Australian school conditions, with an ICSEA score of 1037, indicating balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes six primary schools, four secondary schools, and one K-12 school. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights has 100 active public transport stops. These are served by buses on 11 routes, providing a total of 1,604 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents located an average of 204 meters from the nearest stop.

Services run at an average frequency of 229 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 16 weekly trips per individual stop.

Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights had positive health outcomes, with common conditions seen across all ages. Private health cover was high at approximately 56% (~12,465 people), compared to 52.7% in Rest of Vic.

Mental health issues and asthma were the most common conditions, affecting 9.8 and 8.8% respectively. About 68.6% reported no medical ailments, higher than the 65.9% across Rest of Vic. The area had 14.7% residents aged 65 and over (3,272 people), lower than the 16.8% in Rest of Vic. Senior health outcomes were above average, better than the general population.

Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Geelong West-Hamlyn Heights showed low cultural diversity, with 83.8% born in Australia, 89.3% being citizens, and 88.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity dominated at 48.3%. The 'Other' religion category was slightly overrepresented at 0.9%, compared to 1.2% regionally.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (26.9%), Australian (24.7%), and Irish (11.2%). Some ethnic groups showed notable divergence: Croatian (1.5% vs 1.5%), Dutch (2.2% vs 2.0%), and Macedonian (1.0% vs 0.6%) were overrepresented.

Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights is 36 years, significantly below Rest of Vic.'s average of 43 and somewhat younger than Australia's 38 years. The 25-34 age group shows strong representation at 18.5%, compared to Rest of Vic., while the 65-74 cohort is less prevalent at 8.1%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 25-34 age group has grown from 16.9% to 18.5%, and the 35-44 cohort increased from 14.9% to 16.4%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 12.4% to 10.9%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Geelong West - Hamlyn Heights, with the 25-34 group projected to grow by 53%, reaching 6,283 people from 4,113. In contrast, the 55-64 cohort shows minimal growth of just 0% (0 people).