Grovedale - Mount Duneed

Grovedale - Mount Duneed lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Grovedale - Mount Duneed's population is approximately 28,007 as of November 2025. This represents an increase of 3,244 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 24,763. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 27,786 in June 2024 and an additional 1,339 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 745 persons per square kilometer. Grovedale - Mount Duneed's growth rate of 13.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the non-metro area's growth rate of 6.0%. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 68.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilizes VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Grovedale - Mount Duneed is projected to have an exceptional growth rate, placing it in the top 10 percent of regional areas nationally. The population is expected to expand by 15,940 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 56.1% over the 17-year period based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

The level of residential development activity in Grovedale - Mount Duneed was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Grovedale - Mount Duneed has granted around 460 residential property approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, 2,302 homes were approved, with a further 218 approved in FY-26 to date. Each dwelling built over the past five financial years has attracted an average of 2.1 new residents per year, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value for new homes is $261,000. In terms of commercial development, $62.5 million in approvals have been registered this financial year, reflecting robust momentum. Compared to the rest of Victoria, Grovedale - Mount Duneed records 77.0% more construction activity per person, offering buyers greater choice. However, construction activity has recently eased. This high level of activity is well above the national average, indicating strong developer confidence in the area.

New building activity comprises 93.0% detached houses and 7.0% medium to high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes. With around 86 people per dwelling approval, Grovedale - Mount Duneed exhibits growth area characteristics. According to AreaSearch quarterly estimates, the area is forecast to gain 15,715 residents by 2041. Building activity aligns with population growth projections, although buyers may face increased competition as the population expands.

Grovedale - Mount Duneed has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 36thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 49 projects that may impact the area. Notable projects include Barwon Heads Road Upgrade, Deakin University Waurn Ponds Expansion, Levande Highton Retirement Village, and Waurn Ponds Sporting Complex. 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.

AreaSearch assessment positions Grovedale - Mount Duneed ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Grovedale - Mount Duneed has a skilled workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.9%.

The area has maintained relative employment stability over the past year. There are 15,016 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 0.9% lower than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation stands at 65.0%, surpassing Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

Retail trade has a particularly high employment share, at 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 0.8% compared to the regional average of 7.5%. Local employment opportunities appear limited based on Census data comparisons. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels remained stable while employment declined by 0.3%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Vic. experienced an employment decline of 0.7% and a marginal rise in unemployment rate. State-level data as of 25-Nov shows VIC employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project growth rates varying between industry sectors over five and ten years. Applying these projections to Grovedale - Mount Duneed's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

The latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that median income in Grovedale - Mount Duneed SA2 is $53,903 and average income stands at $66,901. This contrasts with Rest of Vic.'s median income of $48,741 and average income of $60,693. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $60,458 median and $75,036 average. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes rank modestly in Grovedale - Mount Duneed, between the 45th and 51st percentiles. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 35.7% of individuals (9,998), aligning with metropolitan region at 30.3%. High housing costs consume 15.1% of income, disposable income ranks at the 53rd percentile, and SEIFA income ranking places Grovedale - Mount Duneed in the 6th decile.

Grovedale - Mount Duneed is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Grovedale - Mount Duneed's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Vic. had 84.6% houses and 15.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Grovedale - Mount Duneed was 32.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.9% and rented ones at 26.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, above Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,712. Median weekly rent in the area was $390, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $335. Nationally, Grovedale - Mount Duneed's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Grovedale - Mount Duneed features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 71.9% of all households, including 32.5% couples with children, 27.4% couples without children, and 10.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 28.1%, with lone person households at 23.6% and group households comprising 4.5%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Grovedale - Mount Duneed exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates of 27.9% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Rest of Vic. average of 21.7%. This reflects the community's emphasis on higher education. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 18.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%).

Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 35.9% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas account for 12.1% and certificates for 23.8%. Educational participation is high, with 29.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.4% in primary education, 6.8% in tertiary education, and 6.6% pursuing secondary education.

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

Grovedale - Mount Duneed has 116 active public transport stops. These are served by a mix of trains and buses, with 22 individual routes providing service. The total weekly passenger trips across these routes amount to 2,850.

Residential accessibility to transport is rated good, with residents typically located 232 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 407 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 24 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Grovedale - Mount Duneed is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Grovedale - Mount Duneed has significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups.

The area has approximately 52% private health cover, which is slightly higher than the average SA2 area (~14,675 people). Mental health issues affect 9.8% of residents, while asthma impacts 8.9%. About 66.6% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 65.9% in Rest of Vic. The population aged 65 and over is 15.8%, or 4,413 people, which is lower than the 16.8% in Rest of Vic. Health outcomes among seniors are generally aligned with the overall population's health profile.

In terms of cultural diversity, Grovedale - Mount Duneed records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Grovedale-Mount Duneed's cultural diversity aligns with the broader region, with 87.8% being citizens, 81.3% born in Australia, and 87.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, representing 45.2%. The category 'Other' shows slight overrepresentation at 1.5%, compared to 1.2% regionally.

Top ancestral groups are English (28.7%), Australian (27.6%), and Irish (8.6%). Notable differences exist in Dutch (2.0%), Scottish (8.6%) and Croatian (0.6%) representation, which are higher than regional averages of 2.0%, 8.3% and 1.5% respectively.

Grovedale - Mount Duneed's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Grovedale-Mount Duneed has a median age of 35 years, which is significantly below the Rest of Vic average of 43 and somewhat younger than the Australian median of 38. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented at 18.9%, while the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 8.1%. According to the 2021 Census, the 25 to 34 age group grew from 15.6% to 18.9%, and the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 13.2% to 14.9%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort declined from 9.8% to 8.6%, and the 15 to 24 group dropped from 13.8% to 12.7%. Demographic modeling suggests that Grovedale-Mount Duneed's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041, with the 25 to 34 cohort projected to grow by 88%, adding 4,649 residents to reach a total of 9,929.