Glen Waverley - West

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

Glen Waverley - West's population was around 24,253 as of Feb 2026. This reflected an increase of 3,217 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,036 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 23,202 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 190 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 3,157 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Glen Waverley - West's growth of 15.3% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration 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. Considering projected demographic shifts, a significant population increase is forecast, with the area expected to grow by 6,672 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 23.2% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Glen Waverley - West was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Glen Waverley - West has seen approximately 133 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 665 homes were approved, with an additional 138 approved in FY26 so far. On average, each dwelling accommodates about 2.8 new residents per year over these five years, reflecting strong demand that supports property values.

New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $699,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. This financial year has seen around $26.9 million in commercial approvals, suggesting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Glen Waverley - West exhibits moderately higher development activity, about 15.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period, offering good buyer choice while supporting existing property values.

New development comprises approximately 59.0% standalone homes and 41.0% attached dwellings, providing a range of housing options across price points. With around 155 people per dwelling approval, Glen Waverley - West exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, the population is projected to increase by 5,621 residents through to 2041. Development appears to be keeping pace with projected growth, although buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

Glen Waverley - West has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

A total of 26 infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Among these key projects are the 281 Springvale Road Glen Waverley Development, Luna Glen Waverley, Suburban Rail Loop East - Glen Waverley Station, and Glen Waverley SRL Precinct Development. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Glen Waverley - West rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Glen Waverley West has a highly educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate in September 2025 was 1.9%. There was an estimated employment growth of 5.0% over the past year.

As of that date, 12,299 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.8% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 64.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 35.4% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade.

The area showed strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level, while construction had lower representation at 6.0% compared to the regional average of 9.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 5.0%, with labour force growth also at 5.0%, keeping unemployment relatively stable. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Glen Waverley West's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Glen Waverley - West SA2 has a median income of $47,982 and an average income of $69,618. This is slightly above the national averages of $57,688 (median) and $75,164 (average) for Greater Melbourne. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $51,941 (median) and $75,361 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 58th percentile ($1,890 weekly), while personal income is at the 30th percentile. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 29.8% of residents (7,227 people), consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region showing 32.8% in the same category. High housing costs consume 16.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 58th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Glen Waverley - West displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Glen Waverley - West's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 68.6% houses and 31.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Glen Waverley - West was 38.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.1% and rented ones at 33.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,400, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000. Median weekly rent in Glen Waverley - West was $462, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 76.8% of all households, including 41.3% couples with children, 22.9% couples without children, and 11.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 23.2%, consisting of 18.9% lone person households and 4.3% group households. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Glen Waverley - West shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Glen Waverley - West is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 49.0% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 29.8% in the SA4 region and 30.4% nationwide. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 29.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational pathways account for 19.6% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 10.7% and certificates 8.9%.

Educational participation is high, with 33.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.0% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 8.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Glen Waverley - West has 94 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 35 different routes that collectively facilitate 9,301 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 237 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 80%, while 10% use trains. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 35.4% of residents work from home, which may be partly due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 1,328 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 98 weekly trips per individual stop.

Glen Waverley - West's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Glen Waverley - West shows excellent health outcomes, according to AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Younger cohorts particularly have very low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover stands at approximately 54% of the total population (~13,072 people), slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 56.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 5.6% and 5.0% of residents respectively. A total of 77.6% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 18.9%, with 4,574 people falling into this category, compared to 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but rank lower nationally than those of the broader population.

Glen Waverley - West 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-West has a population where 66.0% speak a language other than English at home, with 62.9% born overseas. Christianity is the dominant religion at 31.5%. Buddhism is overrepresented at 12.6%, compared to Greater Melbourne's average of 4.2%.

Chinese ancestry comprises 34.1%, higher than the regional average of 6.5%. Other ancestry makes up 14.6% and English ancestry is 11.5%, notably lower than the regional average of 20.1%. Sri Lankan, Indian, and Korean ancestries are also overrepresented at 2.9%, 8.7%, and 1.1% respectively.

Glen Waverley - West's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Glen Waverley-West is 39 years, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and close to the national average of 38. The 15-24 cohort makes up 15.0% of the population in Glen Waverley-West, compared to 13.3% for the 25-34 age group. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has increased from 13.7% to 15.0%, while the 65-74 cohort has risen from 8.4% to 9.5%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 11.6% to 10.0%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate that the 45-54 age group will grow by 33%, reaching 3,947 people from 2,970.