Highett (West) - Cheltenham
Statistical Area - sa2

Highett (West) - Cheltenham lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Highett (West) - Cheltenham's population was around 13,171 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 732 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,439. The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data of 13,161 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This equates to a density ratio of 2,475 persons per square kilometer, placing Highett (West) - Cheltenham in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth of 5.9% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth of 5.4%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 75.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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, adjusted employing weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate a significant increase in the top quartile of national statistical areas, with Highett (West) - Cheltenham expected to expand by 4,109 persons to 2041 based on latest population numbers, recording a gain of 30.6% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Highett (West) - Cheltenham among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Highett West-Cheltenham has seen approximately 153 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 766 homes. As of FY26, 12 approvals have been recorded. On average, one person moves to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating supply meeting or exceeding demand. The average construction cost value is $496,000, suggesting a focus on premium segment properties.

Commercial development approvals this year amount to $11.8 million, demonstrating moderate commercial activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Highett West-Cheltenham shows elevated construction levels (26.0% above the regional average per person over five years). New building activity comprises 15.0% standalone homes and 85.0% medium-high density housing, reflecting reduced development site availability and shifting lifestyle demands. The area currently has a low-density characteristic with around 56 people per dwelling approval. Future projections estimate an addition of 4,036 residents by 2041, aligning with current development levels to maintain stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

Future projections show Highett (West) - Cheltenham adding 4,036 residents by 2041. Existing development levels seem aligned with future requirements, maintaining stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

Highett (West) - Cheltenham has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 28 projects likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives include 91 McKinnon Road Development, Highett Common, Banksia Apartments Cheltenham, and Highett Common. The following list details those expected to have the most relevance.

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

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Highett (West) - Cheltenham has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Highett West - Cheltenham has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation and an unemployment rate of 5.0% as of June 2025. There are 7,422 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 0.4% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%.

Workforce participation is high at 69.3%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key employment industries include professional & technical services, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area specialises in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level, but has lower representation in transport, postal & warehousing at 2.8% compared to the regional average of 5.2%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work.

In the year ending June 2025, labour force increased by 1.4%, while employment declined by 0.6%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 3.5% and unemployment increase by 0.5 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May 2025, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Highett West - Cheltenham's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 13.9% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Highett (West) - Cheltenham has high incomes. The median assessed income is $63,114 and the average is $83,700. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $70,789 (median) and $93,878 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, Highett (West) - Cheltenham's incomes rank highly nationally, between the 81st and 83rd percentiles for households, families, and individuals. Income distribution shows that 27.3% of residents earn $1,500-$2,999 weekly (3,595 people), similar to the broader area at 32.8%. Notably, 38.2% earn above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 16.0% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 82nd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Highett (West) - Cheltenham displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Highett (West) - Cheltenham's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 61.7% houses and 38.3% other dwellings. In comparison, Melbourne metro had 62.6% houses and 37.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Highett (West) - Cheltenham was at 30.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 42.3% and rented ones at 27.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,500, below Melbourne metro's average of $3,000. The median weekly rent was $450, compared to Melbourne metro's $520. Nationally, Highett (West) - Cheltenham's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were above the national figure of $375.

Highett (West) - Cheltenham has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 71.9% of all households, including 36.9% couples with children, 22.6% couples without children, and 11.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 28.1%, with lone person households at 25.6% and group households comprising 2.6%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the Greater Melbourne average.

Highett (West) - Cheltenham demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Highett (West) - Cheltenham has a higher educational attainment than national and state averages. 43.5% of its residents aged 15 and above have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 28.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 26.5% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.4%) and certificates (14.1%).

Educational participation is high, with 30.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.6% in primary education, 8.1% in secondary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education. The area's three schools have a combined enrollment of 550 students. Highett (West) - Cheltenham has significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1111. Education provision is balanced, with two primary schools and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. However, local school capacity is limited at 4.2 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.5, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

The analysis of public transport in Highett (West) - Cheltenham shows that there are 77 active transport stops operating. These stops offer a mix of train and bus services, with 16 individual routes providing a total of 4,051 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to these transport services is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 157 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 578 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 52 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Highett (West) - Cheltenham is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Highett West - Cheltenham exhibits better-than-average health outcomes. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among its general population and closer to national averages among older, at-risk groups. Approximately 61% of Highett West - Cheltenham's total population (8,073 people) has private health cover, compared to Greater Melbourne's 78.5%.

Nationally, this figure stands at 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 8.0% and 7.8% of residents respectively. A total of 71.8% of residents report no medical ailments, similar to Greater Melbourne's 72.0%. Highett West - Cheltenham has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 15.9% (2,096 people) compared to Greater Melbourne's 22.9%. However, health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

Highett (West) - Cheltenham was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Highett West-Cheltenham had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 18.4% of residents speaking a language other than English at home and 28.8% born overseas. Christianity was the dominant religion in Highett West-Cheltenham, accounting for 43.7%. However, Judaism's representation stood out at 1.3%, higher than Greater Melbourne's 0.9%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (26.2%), Australian (22.7%), and Irish (9%). Notably, Russian (0.9% vs regional 0.4%), Hungarian (0.5% vs regional 0.4%), and Polish (1.1% vs regional 1.4%) groups were overrepresented compared to the region.

Highett (West) - Cheltenham's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Highett (West) - Cheltenham has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 45-54 age cohort is notably over-represented in Highett (West) - Cheltenham at 15.8%, compared to the Greater Melbourne average. Meanwhile, the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 10.3%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 10.9% to 12.4%, while the 75-84 cohort has grown from 4.6% to 5.8%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has declined from 13.8% to 12.6%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Highett (West) - Cheltenham's age profile will significantly evolve, with the 45-54 age cohort projected to expand by 768 people, increasing from 2,077 to 2,846.