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 28,626 as of May 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 3,863 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 24,763. The change is inferred from ABS estimates of 28,587 in June 2025 and an additional 1,361 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 761 persons per square kilometer. Grovedale - Mount Duneed's growth rate of 15.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the Rest of Vic.'s 4.3%. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 63.5% of gains. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered, they use VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made via weighted aggregation. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the area is predicted to grow by 15,087 persons, reflecting a total gain of 52.6% over the 16-year period.

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. In FY-26, up to May, 312 approvals have been recorded. On average, 2.1 people per year moved to the area with each new home constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating strong demand that may support property values. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $261,000.

This financial year has seen $62.5 million in commercial approvals, reflecting significant local commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of Vic., Grovedale - Mount Duneed has 73.0% more new home approvals per person. Building activity has slowed recently but remains above the national average, indicating robust developer interest. New building activity comprises 93.0% detached houses and 7.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character favoured by families seeking space. With around 86 people per dwelling approval, Grovedale - Mount Duneed exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

Population forecasts suggest it will gain 15,046 residents by 2041 (latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Development is keeping pace with projected growth, though increasing competition among buyers is expected as the population expands.

Grovedale - Mount Duneed has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 48 projects likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives 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 had an unemployment rate of 3.0% as of December 2025. It had 14,965 residents in work, with a participation rate of 66.5%, compared to Regional Vic.'s 3.7% and 61.0% respectively. Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered regarding the moderate 19.4% of residents working from home.

Employment was concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction, with a particular specialization in retail trade at 1.3 times the regional level, but lower representation in agriculture, forestry & fishing at 0.8%. Over December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.7% alongside an employment decline of 0.8%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with local growth patterns estimated at 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years based on the area's employment mix.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.7% alongside a 0.8% employment decline, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Vic. experienced employment decline of 0.6% and labour force decline of 0.7%, with a 0.1 percentage point drop. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Grovedale - Mount Duneed. 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 Grovedale - Mount Duneed's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

Grovedale - Mount Duneed SA2 had median assessed income of $56,722 and average income of $68,776 in financial year 2023. This is slightly above national averages of $50,954 (median) and $62,728 (average) for Regional Vic. By March 2026, estimated median income would be approximately $62,179 and average income $75,392, based on a 9.62% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. Census 2021 data shows incomes in Grovedale - Mount Duneed rank modestly, between the 45th and 51st percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 35.7% of the community (10,219 individuals), similar to metropolitan regions at 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

Dwelling structure in Grovedale - Mount Duneed, as per the latest Census, consisted of 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Regional Vic.'s 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Grovedale - Mount Duneed stood 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 Regional Vic.'s average of $1,430. Median weekly rent in the area was $390, compared to Regional Vic.'s $285. 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%, comprising 23.6% lone person households and 4.5% group households. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Regional 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 university qualification rate is 27.9%, which exceeds the Rest of Vic average of 21.7%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 18.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 6.0% and graduate diplomas at 3.1%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 35.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them. This includes advanced diplomas (12.1%) and certificates (23.8%).

Educational participation is high, with 29.6% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.4% in primary, 6.8% in tertiary, and 6.6% in 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 serving a mix of train routes. These are serviced by 34 individual routes, providing 3,241 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents have good transport accessibility, typically located 232 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily, with car being the dominant mode at 94%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 19.4% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 463 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 27 weekly trips per stop. The map shows 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, as assessed by AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 53% of the total population (~15,257 people), leading that of the average SA2 area but slightly higher than Regional Vic.'s 50.5%. Mental health issues impact 9.8% of residents, while asthma affects 8.9%. About 66.6% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Regional Vic.'s 63.4%. Working-age residents show an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 15.5% of residents aged 65 and over (4,442 people), lower than Regional Vic.'s 23.9%. 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 population is culturally diverse, mirroring the wider region's average. 87.8% are citizens, 81.3% were born in Australia, and 87.6% speak English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion, comprising 45.2%.

Notably, the 'Other' category represents 1.5%, compared to Regional Vic's 0.8%. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (28.7%), Australian (27.6%), and Irish (8.6%). Some ethnicities have different representations: Dutch at 2.0% (vs regional 1.7%), Scottish at 8.6% (vs 8.8%), and Croatian at 0.6% (vs 0.4%).

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 Regional 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 7.9%. Following the census conducted on 2021/08/03, younger residents have shifted the median age down by 1.1 years to 35. The 25 to 34 age group has grown from 15.6% to 18.9%, and the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 13.2% to 15.3%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 9.8% to 8.3%, and the 15 to 24 group dropped from 13.8% to 12.4%. Demographic modeling suggests that by 2041/07/01, Grovedale-Mount Duneed's age profile will evolve significantly. The 25 to 34 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 76%, adding 4,091 residents to reach 9,490.