Glen Waverley - East

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

Glen Waverley - East's population was approximately 22,741 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,138 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,603. The growth is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 22,689 in June 2024 and an additional 79 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,482 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. The primary driver of population growth was overseas migration.

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 the 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 years 2032 to 2041. Based on demographic trends, Glen Waverley - East is projected to experience above median population growth nationally, with an expected increase of 4,065 persons by 2041, reflecting a total gain of 17.6% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Glen Waverley - East when compared nationally

Glen Waverley - East has averaged approximately 116 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 581 homes. As of FY2026, 62 approvals have been recorded. The population has decreased in recent years, suggesting that new supply has kept pace with demand, providing good options for buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost value of $790,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment by developers.

This financial year has seen $12.3 million in commercial approvals, reflecting moderate levels of commercial development. Glen Waverley - East maintains similar construction rates per person compared to Greater Melbourne, contributing to market stability aligned with regional patterns. New development consists of 80% detached houses and 20% attached dwellings, preserving the area's suburban character and attracting space-seeking buyers.

The population density is around 184 people per approval, reflecting a low-density area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Glen Waverley - East is projected to add 4,013 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Glen Waverley - East has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 28 projects that are expected to have an impact on the area. Notable among these are the developments at 855-869 Ferntree Gully Road (townhouses), 15-17 Marriott Parade (townhouses), and 281 Springvale Road Glen Waverley, along with Luna Glen Waverley. The following list provides details on those projects deemed 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.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Glen Waverley - East performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Glen Waverley - East has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 2.0%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.7%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.4%.

As of September 2025, 11,471 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.7%, below Greater Melbourne's 4.7%. Workforce participation is lower at 61.9% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. A high 37.6% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries are health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade.

Glen Waverley - East specializes in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.2 times the regional level. However, construction is under-represented at 6.5% compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by Census data on working population vs resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 4.4%, while labour force grew by 4.7%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne's employment and labour force grew by 3.0% and 3.3% respectively, with a similar unemployment rate increase of 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Glen Waverley - East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

The Glen Waverley - East SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $47,174 and an average income of $68,446 in financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is roughly the national average, differing from Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Using Wage Price Index growth of 8.25%, current estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $51,066 (median) and $74,093 (average). In the 2021 Census, household income ranked at the 62nd percentile ($1,949 weekly), while personal income was at the 28th percentile. Income distribution showed that 28.6% of locals (6,503 people) fell into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to surrounding regions at 32.8%. Economic strength was evident with 30.2% of households earning over $3,000 weekly, supporting high consumer spending. High housing costs consumed 15.4% of income, but strong earnings placed disposable income at the 63rd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Glen Waverley - East, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 89.5% houses and 10.5% other dwellings. In comparison, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Glen Waverley - East was 46.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.6% and rented ones at 23.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,600, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $500, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Glen Waverley - East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Glen Waverley - East features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 79.7% of all households, including 43.2% couples with children, 25.3% couples without children, and 10.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 20.3%, with lone person households at 17.4% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Glen Waverley - East is notably high, with 47.9% of residents aged 15 years and over holding university qualifications as of the latest available data. This figure exceeds the SA4 region average of 29.8% and the national average of 30.4%. The area's most common university qualification is bachelor degrees at 29.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 15.2% and graduate diplomas at 3.4%. Vocational pathways account for 19.9% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and over, with advanced diplomas making up 10.9% and certificates 9.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.4% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 8.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Glen Waverley - East has 82 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by 28 different routes that together facilitate 3,892 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically residing 243 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential region, most residents commute outward using cars, which remain the dominant mode of transportation at 83%. Trains are used by 9% of residents for commuting. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 37.6% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 556 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 47 weekly trips per individual stop.

Glen Waverley - East's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Glen Waverley - East shows excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with very low prevalence across all age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 53% of the total population (~12,120 people), slightly higher than the average SA2 area but lower than Greater Melbourne's 56.7%.

The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (6.1%) and asthma (5.5%), with 75.4% reporting no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 21.2% (4,825 people), versus Greater Melbourne's 14.9%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

Glen Waverley - 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

Glen Waverley-East, as of the latest data from 2016, has a population where 60.3% speak languages other than English at home and 58.6% were born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, with 36.3%. Buddhism, however, is notably higher at 9.6%, compared to Greater Melbourne's average of 4.2%.

In terms of ancestry, Chinese (32.1%) and Other (13.4%) are overrepresented, while English (13.5%) is underrepresented compared to the regional averages of 6.5%, 20.1%, and 0.8% respectively. Sri Lankan (2.5%), Indian (8.0%), and Korean (1.4%) ethnic groups also have notable overrepresentation in Glen Waverley-East.

Glen Waverley - East's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Glen Waverley - East as of 2021 Census data was 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 75-84 age group constituted 8.1% of the population in Glen Waverley - East, a stronger representation compared to Greater Melbourne. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort made up 10.5% of the population, which was less prevalent than in Greater Melbourne. Post-census data showed that the 15 to 24 age group had grown from 13.5% to 14.0% of the population. Meanwhile, the 65 to 74 cohort had declined from 10.5% to 9.7%. Population forecasts for Glen Waverley - East indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 102%, reaching 1,578 people from the current 782. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort is projected to decline by 102 people.