Glen Waverley - West
Statistical Area - sa2

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 23,476 as of Aug 2025. This showed an increase of 2,440 people (11.6%) since the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 21,036. The change was inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 23,202 as of June 2024 and an additional 190 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 3,056 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessment. Glen Waverley - West's growth of 11.6% since the 2021 census exceeded both national (8.6%) and state averages, indicating its status as a growth leader. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains in the area recently.

AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted via 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. Based on these projections, a significant population increase is forecasted in the top quartile nationally, with Glen Waverley - West expected to grow by 6,672 persons to 2041, representing a total gain of 27.2% 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 recorded approximately 305 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 1,527 homes over the past five financial years from FY-20 to FY-25, and 88 recorded so far in FY-26. On average, each dwelling attracts 2.8 new residents annually over these five years, indicating strong demand that supports property values. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $1,106,000, reflecting a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This year alone, $26.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting moderate levels of commercial development compared to previous years. Relative to Greater Melbourne, Glen Waverley - West has seen slightly more development activity, with 20.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period from FY-20 to FY-25. This maintains good buyer choice while supporting existing property values.

Recent construction comprises 59.0% detached houses and 41.0% medium and high-density housing, offering a blend of attached housing types catering to various price ranges, from spacious family homes to more affordable compact options. The location currently has approximately 155 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market. Looking ahead, Glen Waverley - West is projected to grow by 6,398 residents by the year 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply is expected to meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 27 projects that could affect this region. Notable initiatives include Luna Glen Waverley, Glen Waverley Structure Plan Precinct Development, Suburban Rail Loop East - Glen Waverley Station, and Floret Glen Waverley Townhouses. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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

Glen Waverley - West has a highly educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 1.9% as of June 2025, showing an estimated employment growth of 4.4% over the past year.

Residents in work numbered 12,148 by June 2025, with an unemployment rate of 2.8%, below Greater Melbourne's 4.6%. Workforce participation was at 58.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment concentration is high in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade, particularly notable in the latter with levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 6.0% versus the regional average of 9.7%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population counts. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 4.4%, while labour force grew by 4.4%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. In contrast, Greater Melbourne's employment grew by 3.5%, with unemployment rising 0.5 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Victorian employment growth of 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. National forecasts project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Glen Waverley - West's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Glen Waverley - West had a median taxpayer income of $45,704 and an average income of $71,105. Both figures are above the national averages of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively for Greater Melbourne. Based on 10.11% growth in Wage Price Index since financial year 2022, estimated median income as of March 2025 is approximately $50,325, with average income at around $78,294. The 2021 Census ranks Glen Waverley - West's household income at the 59th percentile ($1,890 weekly) and personal income at the 31st percentile. Income analysis reveals that 29.8% of the population (6,995 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to the regional average of 32.8%. High housing costs consume 16.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 59th 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

The dwelling structure in Glen Waverley - West, as per the latest Census, consisted of 68.6% houses and 31.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 69.6% houses and 30.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Glen Waverley - West was at 38.8%, similar to Melbourne metro, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (28.1%) or rented (33.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,400, above Melbourne metro's average of $2,383. Weekly rent in Glen Waverley - West was recorded at $462, compared to Melbourne metro's $440. Nationally, Glen Waverley - West's median monthly mortgage repayment was higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents were 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 constitute 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%, with lone person households at 18.9% and group households comprising 4.3%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.7.

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 high. Among residents aged 15+, 49.0% have university qualifications, compared to 29.8% in the SA4 region and 30.4% nationally. 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, with advanced diplomas at 10.7% and certificates at 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. Glen Waverley - West has a robust network of schools educating approximately 3,787 students. It operates 4 primary schools, 1 secondary school, and 2 K-12 schools. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages with an ICSEA score of 1105.

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 offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 38 individual routes that collectively facilitate 10,974 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 237 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 1,567 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 116 weekly trips per stop.

Glen Waverley - West's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance throughout Glen Waverley - West, particularly among younger cohorts who exhibit a very low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is found to be very high at approximately 55% of the total population, which numbers around 12,911 people. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, affecting 5.6% and 5.0% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 77.6%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 75.3% across Greater Melbourne. As of 2016, 18.2% of residents are aged 65 and over, totaling approximately 4,272 people. While health outcomes among seniors in the area are above average, they require more attention 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 is one of Australia's most culturally diverse areas, with 66.0% speaking a language other than English at home and 62.9% born overseas as of the latest data available. Christianity is the predominant religion in Glen Waverley-West, making up 31.5%. However, Buddhism stands out at 12.6%, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 7.9%.

Regarding ancestry, Chinese residents comprise 34.1% of Glen Waverley-West's population, surpassing the regional average of 21.4%. The Other category makes up 14.6%, and English ancestry accounts for 11.5%. Notably, Sri Lankan, Indian, and Korean ethnicities are overrepresented in Glen Waverley-West compared to regional averages: Sri Lankan at 2.9% vs 2.1%, Indian at 8.7% vs 6.8%, and Korean at 1.1% each.

Glen Waverley - West's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Glen Waverley - West is close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and equivalent to Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Glen Waverley - West has a higher concentration of residents aged 15-24 (14.9%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (13.7%). According to the Census conducted on 28 August 2021, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 grew from 13.7% to 14.9%, while the proportion of those aged 55-64 declined from 11.6% to 10.1%. By 2041, significant shifts in age composition are expected in Glen Waverley - West. The group aged 45-54 is projected to grow by 37%, increasing from 2,873 to 3,947 residents.