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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Glen Waverley - West's population is around 24,253 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 3,217 people (15.3%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,036 people. The change is 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 population level equates 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 15.3% growth 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, which was essentially the sole driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the 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 from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering the projected demographic shifts, a significant population increase in the top quartile of national areas is forecast, with the area expected to grow by 6,672 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, recording 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 recorded around 133 residential properties granted approval annually, with 665 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 143 so far in FY-26. At an average of 2.8 new residents per year for each dwelling over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), reflecting robust demand that underpins property values, new homes are being built at an average value of $699,000, demonstrating a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. There have also been $26.9 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating steady commercial investment activity.

When measured against Greater Melbourne, Glen Waverley - West shows moderately higher development activity (15.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period), maintaining good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. New development consists of 59.0% standalone homes and 41.0% attached dwellings, featuring an increasing blend of attached housing types offering choices across price ranges, from spacious family homes to more accessible compact options. With around 155 people per dwelling approval, Glen Waverley - West shows characteristics of a growth area.

Population forecasts indicate Glen Waverley - West will gain 5,621 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Development is keeping reasonable pace with projected growth, though 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

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 26 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include 281 Springvale Road Glen Waverley Development, Luna Glen Waverley, Suburban Rail Loop East - Glen Waverley Station, and Glen Waverley SRL Precinct Development, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

Employment performance in Glen Waverley - West ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Glen Waverley - West has a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of just 2.0%, and 4.5% estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 12,409 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 2.8% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation lags significantly (64.8% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%). Based on Census responses, a high 35.4% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and retail trade. The area shows particularly strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 6.0% versus the regional average of 9.7%. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of Census working population to local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 4.5% and the labour force increased by 4.8%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Glen Waverley - West. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific 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 (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for FY-23 reveals that income in the Glen Waverley - West SA2 is slightly above average nationally, with the median assessed at $47,982 while the average income stands at $69,618. This contrasts to Greater Melbourne's figures of a median income of $57,688 and an average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $51,941 (median) and $75,361 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 58th percentile ($1,890 weekly), while personal income sits at the 30th percentile. Income brackets indicate the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket 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, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 58th percentile and 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

Dwelling structure within Glen Waverley - West, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 68.6% houses and 31.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Glen Waverley - West was well beyond that of Melbourne metro, at 38.8%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (28.1%) or rented (33.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Melbourne metro average at $2,400, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $462, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Glen Waverley - West's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are 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 dominate at 76.8% of all households, comprising 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% of the total. The median household size of 2.8 people 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 significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 49.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 29.8% in the SA4 region and 30.4% in Australia. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead 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+ – advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (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

Public transport analysis reveals 94 active transport stops operating within Glen Waverley - West, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 35 individual routes, collectively providing 9,301 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 237 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 80%, with 10% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling. A high 35.4% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 1,328 trips per day across all routes, equating to 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

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Glen Waverley - West, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Younger cohorts in particular see very low prevalence of common health conditions, and the rate of private health cover just leads that of the average SA2 area at approximately 54% of the total population (~13,072 people). This compares to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne.

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be arthritis and asthma, impacting 5.6 and 5.0% of residents, respectively, while 77.6% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 18.9% of residents aged 65 and over (4,574 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, though ranking lower nationally than 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 among the most culturally diverse areas in the country, with 66.0% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 62.9% born overseas. The main religion in Glen Waverley - West is Christianity, which makes up 31.5% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Buddhism, which comprises 12.6% of the population, substantially higher than the Greater Melbourne average of 4.2%.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Glen Waverley - West are Chinese, comprising 34.1% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 6.5%, Other, comprising 14.6% of the population, and English, comprising 11.5% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 20.1%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Sri Lankan is notably overrepresented at 2.9% of Glen Waverley - West (vs 0.8% regionally), Indian at 8.7% (vs 4.2%) and Korean at 1.1% (vs 0.3%).

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

The 39-year median age in Glen Waverley - West is somewhat higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and similarly very close to the 38-year national average. Compared to the Greater Melbourne average, the 15 - 24 cohort is notably over-represented (15.0% locally), while 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented (13.3%). Post-2021 Census data shows the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 13.7% to 15.0% of the population, while the 65 to 74 cohort increased from 8.4% to 9.5%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 11.6% to 10.0%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Glen Waverley - West. Leading the demographic shift, the 45 to 54 group will grow by 33% (976 people), reaching 3,947 from 2,970.