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 23,468 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 2,432 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,036. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 23,205 in June 2024 and an additional 186 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 3,055 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth of 11.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (8.9%) and state averages, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains 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 by this data, AreaSearch uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using 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. Based on projected demographic shifts, the area is forecast to have a significant population increase in the top quartile of national areas, with an expected growth of 6,672 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 27.3% 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 133 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 665 homes were approved, with an additional 128 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.

The average construction cost value of new homes being built is $699,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. This financial year has seen approximately $26.9 million in commercial approvals, suggesting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Glen Waverley - West shows moderately higher development activity, being 15.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period.

This maintains good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. New development consists of approximately 59.0% standalone homes and 41.0% attached dwellings, offering choices across price ranges from spacious family homes to more compact options. Glen Waverley - West has around 155 people per dwelling approval, indicating characteristics of a growth area. Population forecasts suggest that Glen Waverley - West will gain approximately 6,406 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Glen Waverley - West has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 49thth percentile 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 projects 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 an educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate was 1.9% in September 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.0%. There were 12,299 residents employed by September 2025, with an unemployment rate of 2.8%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.7%. Workforce participation was 58.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Major employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade.

Professional & technical services show strong specialization at 1.3 times the regional level, while construction has lower representation at 6.0% versus 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%, keeping the unemployment rate stable at 1.9%. In comparison, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 3.0% with a slight increase in unemployment to 4.7%. State-wide, Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year as of 25-November 2025, adding 41,950 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, slightly higher than the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 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 employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, assuming constant population projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Glen Waverley - West SA2 had a median income of $45,704 and an average income of $71,105. This is higher than the national averages of $54,892 (median) and $73,761 (average) for Greater Melbourne. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $51,262 (median) and $79,751 (average), based on a 12.16% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranked at the 58th percentile ($1,890 weekly) and personal income at the 30th percentile in Glen Waverley - West SA2. The $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket dominated with 29.8% of residents (6,993 people), slightly lower than the metropolitan region's 32.8%. Housing costs consumed 16.3% of income, but strong earnings placed 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 69.6% houses and 30.3% 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 in the area was $2,400, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,383. The median weekly rent figure was $462, compared to Melbourne metro's $440. Nationally, Glen Waverley - West's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,400 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially higher at $462 compared to 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 constitute 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, 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 significantly higher than broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 49.0% of residents aged 15 years and over hold university qualifications, compared to 29.8% in the SA4 region and 30.4% nationally. This high educational attainment positions the area well for knowledge-based opportunities. 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 years and over – advanced diplomas constitute 10.7% and certificates make up 8.9%. Educational participation is notably 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. These are a mix of train and bus stations. They are served by 38 different routes.

Together, these provide 10,974 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport is rated as good. Residents typically live 237 meters from their nearest stop. On average, there are 1,567 trips per day across all routes. This equates to about 116 weekly trips per individual 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, with younger cohorts particularly showing 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 amounts to around 12,907 people. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 5.6% and 5.0% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 77.6%, declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 75.3% across Greater Melbourne. As of a specific date (not specified), 18.2% of residents were aged 65 and over, totaling 4,271 people. Health outcomes among seniors in the area are above average but 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 has a population where 66.0% speak a language other than English at home, with 62.9% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, at 31.5%. Buddhism's presence is notably higher here compared to Greater Melbourne, at 12.6% versus 7.9%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (34.1%), Other (14.6%), and English (11.5%). Notably, Sri Lankan (2.9%) and Indian (8.7%) populations are higher than the regional averages of 2.1% and 6.8%, respectively. Korean representation is similar to the regional average at 1.1%.

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

The median age in Glen Waverley - West is 38 years, 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 proportion of residents aged 15-24 (14.9%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (13.7%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 13.7% to 14.9%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group has decreased from 11.6% to 10.1%. By 2041, Glen Waverley - West is projected to experience significant changes in its age composition. Notably, the 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 37%, reaching 3,947 from 2,872 people.