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 is around 23,476 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 2,440 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,036 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 23,202 in June 2024 and an additional 190 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,056 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Glen Waverley - West's growth of 11.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (8.6%), along with the state, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections 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, Glen Waverley - West is forecast to have significant population increase in the top quartile of national areas, with an expected growth of 6,672 persons to 2041 based on latest population numbers, recording a 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 recorded approximately 133 residential property approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 665 homes were approved, with an additional 103 approved in FY26 so far. Each dwelling accommodated an average of 2.8 new residents per year during this period.

The average expected construction cost value for these dwellings was $1,106,000. In FY26, commercial approvals totaled $26.9 million. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Glen Waverley West exhibited moderately higher development activity, with 15.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period.

New developments consisted of 59.0% standalone homes and 41.0% attached dwellings. With approximately 155 people per dwelling approval, Glen Waverley West showed characteristics of a growth area. Population forecasts indicate an increase of 6,398 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 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 26 projects that could affect the region. Notable ones include Luna Glen Waverley, Glen Waverley SRL 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.

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 strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 1.9% as of June 2025, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%.

The area experienced an estimated employment growth of 4.4% over the past year. As of June 2025, 12,148 residents were in work while workforce participation was at 58.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade. The area shows strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 6.0% compared to the regional average of 9.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data analysis. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 4.4%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable at 2.8%. Labour force also increased by 4.4% during this period. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5%, labour force growth of 4.0%, and a rise in unemployment to 5.1%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May 2025, project national 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.

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 has a median income of $45,704 and an average income of $71,105. Nationally, the median income is lower at $43,869, with an average income of $69,948. In Greater Melbourne, the median income is $54,892 and the average is $73,761. By September 2025, based on a 12.16% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, estimated incomes would be approximately $51,262 (median) and $79,751 (average). The 2021 Census ranks Glen Waverley - West's household income at the 59th percentile ($1,890 weekly), with personal income at the 31st percentile. Income brackets indicate that 29.8% of residents (6,995 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket. Metropolitan trends show 32.8% in the same category. 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

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). In comparison, Melbourne metro had 69.6% houses and 30.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Glen Waverley - West was at 38.8%, similar to Melbourne metro's level. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 28.1%, while rented dwellings were 33.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,400, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,383. Median weekly rent figure stood at $462, compared to Melbourne metro's $440. Nationally, Glen Waverley - West'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 - 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

Glen Waverley - West has a significantly higher proportion of residents aged 15+ with university qualifications compared to broader benchmarks. As of the given data, 49.0% of residents in Glen Waverley - West hold such qualifications, surpassing the SA4 region's 29.8% and Australia's 30.4%. This educational advantage is largely driven by bachelor degrees (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+, with advanced diplomas making up 10.7% and certificates 8.9%.

Educational participation in the area is notably high, with 33.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary (9.0%), secondary (9.0%), and tertiary education (8.6%). Glen Waverley - West operates a robust network of 7 schools educating approximately 3,787 students. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1105. The educational mix includes 4 primary, 1 secondary, and 2 K-12 schools. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' in enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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 operating within it. These are a mix of train and bus services. There are 38 individual routes serving these stops, collectively providing 10,974 weekly passenger trips.

Residents' accessibility to transport is rated as good, with typical distances to the nearest stop being 237 meters. The average service frequency across all routes is 1,567 trips per day, equating to approximately 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 in Glen Waverley - West, with younger cohorts experiencing very low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is high at approximately 55% of the total population (~12,911 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 5.6% and 5.0% of residents respectively. A majority, 77.6%, report being completely free of medical ailments compared to 75.3% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 18.2% of residents aged 65 and over (4,272 people), with health outcomes among seniors requiring more attention 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 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 is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 12.6% of Glen Waverley-West's population.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (34.1%), Other (14.6%), and English (11.5%). Notably, Sri Lankan (2.9%), Indian (8.7%), and Korean (1.1%) ethnicities are also overrepresented compared to regional averages.

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

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 percentage of residents aged 15-24 (14.9%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (13.7%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the 15-24 age group has increased from 13.7% to 14.9%, while the 55-64 age group has decreased from 11.6% to 10.1%. By 2041, Glen Waverley - West's age composition is expected to change significantly. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 37%, reaching 3,947 people from the current 2,873.