Glenroy - East

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

Glenroy - East's population is around 15,871 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,088 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,783 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 15,762 from the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 393 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,539 persons per square kilometer. Glenroy - East's growth rate of 7.4% since the census positions it within 0.5 percentage points of the SA3 area (7.9%). Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 77.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, exceptional growth is predicted over the period, placing Glenroy - East in the top 10 percent of national areas. By 2041, the area is expected to grow by 6,443 persons based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 39.9% in total over the 16 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Glenroy - East when compared nationally

Glenroy - East has seen approximately 121 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 605 homes. As of FY-26, 88 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.3 new residents arrive per new home constructed each year between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand while providing greater buyer choice and supporting potential population growth above projections.

The average construction cost of new properties in the area is $272,000, which is below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Glenroy - East has seen slightly more development, with 19.0% more approvals per person over the past five years. This preserves reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. Recent construction comprises 29.0% standalone homes and 71.0% medium and high-density housing, representing a shift from the area's existing housing stock, which is currently 65.0% houses. This trend indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options.

The location has approximately 161 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Glenroy - East is projected to gain 6,334 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Glenroy - East has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 40thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 42 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones include Banksia Gardens Social Housing Development, Broadmeadows Kangan Institute Redevelopment Stage 1, Glenroy Structure Plan, and Future Homes Program Developments. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Glenroy - East has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Glenroy-East has an educated workforce with diverse industry representation. Its unemployment rate was 4.9% as of December 2025. This is 0.2% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation in Glenroy-East was 65.0%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. In the area, 27.4% of residents worked from home according to Census responses. Key industries for employment were health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Glenroy-East had a strong specialization in administrative & support services with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services employed only 7.9% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. The area appears to have limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparing working population and resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 0.4%, labour force decreased by 0.7%, leading to a 1.0 percentage point decrease in unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia for May-25 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Glenroy-East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.4% 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 latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Glenroy - East SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $54,136 and an average of $61,881. This is lower than the national average. In comparison, Greater Melbourne had a median income of $57,688 and an average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth from financial year 2023 to March 2026 (9.62%), estimated incomes would be approximately $59,344 (median) and $67,834 (average). According to Census 2021 income data, Glenroy - East's household, family, and personal incomes rank modestly, between the 28th and 37th percentiles. The income distribution shows that 32.8% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.5% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 35th percentile. Glenroy - East's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Glenroy - East displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Glenroy - East's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 65.1% houses and 35.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Glenroy - East was 29.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.7% and rented ones at 38.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,885, lower than Melbourne metro's $2,000. Median weekly rent was $369, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Glenroy - East's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,885 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $369 against the national figure of $375.

Glenroy - East features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 66.9% of all households, including 29.6% couples with children, 23.2% couples without children, and 12.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 33.1%, with lone person households at 28.1% and group households at 4.9%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Melbourne average.

Educational attainment in Glenroy - East aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 33.1%, higher than the SA4 region average of 27.7%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 20.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are held by 27.4% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.2% and certificates at 16.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.2% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.7% in primary education, 6.9% in tertiary education, and 6.4% pursuing secondary education.

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

Glenroy - East has 67 active public transport stops, all of which are bus routes. These serve 7 different lines, facilitating 4,050 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents living an average of 193 meters from the nearest stop. Predominantly residential, most inhabitants commute outwards, primarily by car (76%), followed by train at 15%. On average, there are 1.1 vehicles per dwelling, below the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents work from home, at 27.4%, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 578 trips daily, equating to roughly 60 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Glenroy - East is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Glenroy East faces significant health challenges according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, with common health conditions prevalent across all age groups but more so among older cohorts. Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (around 7,903 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 7.7% of residents and arthritis impacting 7.2%. About 72.1% of residents report no medical ailments, similar to the 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Under-65s have better than average health outcomes. The area has 14.1% of residents aged 65 and over (2,237 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

Glenroy - East is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Glenroy-East has high cultural diversity, with 44.6% born overseas and 54.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion, comprising 39.2%. Islam is overrepresented at 25.4%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 5.6%.

Top ancestry groups are Other (26.1%), Australian (13.9%), and English (13.6%). Notably, Lebanese (7.0%) and Italian (10.5%) groups are overrepresented, while Maltese is slightly higher at 1.8%.

Glenroy - East hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Glenroy-East's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Glenroy-East has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (20.9%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (10.0%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.6%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 55 to 64 has increased from 9.1% to 9.9%, while the proportion of residents aged 5 to 14 has decreased from 10.7% to 10.0%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest significant demographic changes in Glenroy-East, with the strongest projected growth in the 45-54 age group, which is expected to grow by 62%, adding 1,026 residents to reach a total of 2,672.