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 was around 28,040 as of February 2026, based on AreaSearch's analysis. This figure reflects a growth of 3,277 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 24,763. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 27,783 in June 2024 and an additional 1,340 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 745 persons per square kilometer, which aligns with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 13.2% since the 2021 census exceeded the Rest of Vic.'s 8.1%, indicating it was a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 68.6% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including overseas migration and natural growth being positive factors. 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 utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusting them employing a method of weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Exceptional growth is predicted over the period, with the area expected to expand by 15,940 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 55.9% in total over the 17 years.

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 seen approximately 460 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 2,302 homes. As of FY-26255 approvals have been recorded. On average, 2.1 people moved to the area per new home constructed between FY-21 and FY-25. New homes are built at an average cost of $261,000.

In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $62.5 million. Compared to the rest of Victoria, Grovedale - Mount Duneed has 77.0% more new home approvals per capita. The area's building activity is significantly above the national average, with 93.0% detached houses and 7.0% medium and high-density housing. Around 86 people are expected per dwelling approval. Population forecasts indicate Grovedale - Mount Duneed will gain 15,682 residents by 2041.

Development is keeping pace with projected growth.

Grovedale - Mount Duneed has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 49 projects expected to 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 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, as of September 2025, has an unemployment rate of 2.9%. It has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented and relative employment stability over the past year. There are 15,016 residents in work, which is 0.9% below Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation is at 68.1%, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 61.4%. According to Census responses, 19.4% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Retail trade has an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 0.8%.

Labour force levels remained stable by 0.0% over the 12 months to September 2025, alongside a 0.3% employment decline, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Grovedale - Mount Duneed's employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 indicates that Grovedale - Mount Duneed SA2 has a median income of $56,722 and an average income of $68,776. This is higher than the Rest of Vic.'s median income of $50,954 and average income of $62,728. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $61,402 (median) and $74,450 (average). According to Census 2021 income data, Grovedale - Mount Duneed's household, family, and personal incomes rank modestly, between the 45th and 51st percentiles. The $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 35.7% of the community (10,010 individuals), which aligns with the metropolitan region's figure of 30.3%. High housing costs consume 15.1% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 53rd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Grovedale - Mount Duneed is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Grovedale - Mount Duneed's dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Grovedale - Mount Duneed was at 32.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.9% and rented ones at 26.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, higher than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,430. Median weekly rent in the area was $390, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $285. Nationally, Grovedale - Mount Duneed's mortgage repayments were lower than Australia's 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 account for 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, which is larger than the Rest of Vic average of 2.4 people.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 27.9%, exceeding the Rest of Vic average of 21.7%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 18.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are held by 35.9% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 12.1% and certificates at 23.8%. Educational participation is high, with 29.6% 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 offering a mix of train services. These are covered by 34 routes, facilitating 3,241 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically residing 232 meters from the nearest stop. Primarily residential, most commuters travel outward, predominantly by car (94%). On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 19.4% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 463 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 27 weekly trips per individual stop. A map accompanies this data, displaying the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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 faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 53% of the total population (~14,945 people), leading that of the average SA2 area but slightly lower than Rest of Vic's 50.5%. Mental health issues impact 9.8% of residents, while asthma affects 8.9%. 66.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.4% across Rest of Vic. Working-age residents show above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 15.2% of residents aged 65 and over (4,267 people), lower than the 23.9% in Rest of Vic. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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 was found to be largely in line with the broader regional average. Specifically, 87.8% of its population were citizens, 81.3% were born in Australia, and 87.6% spoke English only at home. Christianity was identified as the predominant religion, accounting for 45.2% of Grovedale-Mount Duneed's population.

However, there was a notable overrepresentation in the 'Other' category, comprising 1.5% compared to the regional average of 0.8%. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (28.7%), Australian (27.6%), and Irish (8.6%). There were also significant differences in the representation of Dutch (2.0% vs 1.7%), Scottish (8.6% vs 8.8%), and Croatian (0.6% vs 0.4%) groups compared to regional averages.

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 lower than the Rest of Vic average of 43 and slightly younger than the Australian median of 38. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented at 19.7%, compared to the Rest of Vic's average, while those aged 65-74 are under-represented at 7.9%. This concentration of young adults is well above the national average of 14.4%. According to the 2021 Census, younger residents have shifted the median age down by 1.2 years to 35. Specifically, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has grown from 15.6% to 19.7%, while those aged 35-44 increased from 13.2% to 15.4%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 55-64 has declined from 9.8% to 8.4%, and those aged 15-24 have dropped from 13.8% to 12.4%. Demographic projections suggest that Grovedale-Mount Duneed's age profile will change significantly by 2041, with the strongest projected growth in the 25-34 cohort at 79%, adding 4,393 residents to reach a total of 9,929.