Lalor - West
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Lalor - West's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, is approximately 14,031 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 518 individuals, a rise of 3.8% since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 13,513. This change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 13,933 as of June 2024 and an additional 64 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density for Lalor - West stands at 1,605 persons per square kilometer, exceeding the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 76.6% of overall population gains in recent periods.

AreaSearch employs 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 uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting via weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Lalor - West is projected to increase by 5,670 persons, reflecting a total increase of 39.7% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Lalor - West, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Lalor - West averaged approximately 38 new dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Between FY-21 and FY-25, there were 193 homes approved. As of FY-26, two dwellings have been approved so far.

On average, 0.5 people moved to the area per dwelling built over these five years. This indicates that new supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand, offering ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction value of new properties is $431,000, consistent with regional patterns. In FY-26, there have been $1.9 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Lalor - West has significantly lower building activity, 80.0% below the regional average per person. This typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties, which is also below national averages, indicating maturity and possible planning constraints.

New development consists of 63.0% detached houses and 37.0% townhouses or apartments, demonstrating a shift from the area's current housing composition of 94.0% houses. This suggests decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles requiring more diverse, affordable housing options. The location has approximately 1180 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. By 2041, Lalor - West is projected to grow by 5,572 residents. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Lalor - West has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Thirty projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to influence the local area's performance. Key projects include Whittlesea Public Gardens Redevelopment, Epping Renewal Site, High Street Walking and Cycling Paths, and Thomastown and Lalor Place Framework. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

AreaSearch assessment indicates Lalor - West faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Lalor-West has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 6.7% as of June 2021, with an estimated employment growth of 2.8%.

As of June 2025, the area had 6,203 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 6.7%, which is 2.1% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation was lower at 52.8% compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. The dominant employment sectors among Lalor-West residents are health care and social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. The area specializes in manufacturing, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

However, professional and technical services have lower representation at 6.2%, compared to the regional average of 10.1%. Over the year ending June 2025, Lalor-West's employment increased by 2.8% while labour force grew by 1.4%, reducing the unemployment rate by 1.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a 0.5 percentage point rise in unemployment. By Sep-25 2025, Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5%, and employment growth was 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that over five years, national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% and by 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Lalor-West's employment mix indicates local growth of approximately 6.1% over five years and 12.9% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Lalor-West has a median taxpayer income of $46,196 and an average of $53,219 based on the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. This is lower than the national average, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $54,892 and average income of $73,761. By March 2025, current estimates suggest a median income of approximately $50,866 and an average income of $58,599, accounting for Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since the financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, individual incomes rank at the 7th percentile with a weekly income of $558, while household income ranks at the 33rd percentile. The largest income segment comprises 33.4% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, with 4,686 residents falling into this category. This aligns with the region where this cohort also represents 32.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.1% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 32nd percentile.

Lalor - West is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

As of the latest Census, dwelling structures in Lalor - West comprised 93.8% houses and 6.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Melbourne metro had 87.2% houses and 12.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Lalor - West stood at 39.9%, with the remainder being mortgaged (36.5%) or rented (23.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,876, below Melbourne metro's average of $1,900. The median weekly rent figure in Lalor - West was $366, compared to Melbourne metro's $371. Nationally, Lalor - West's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Lalor - West features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households compose 78.9% of all households, including 40.1% couples with children, 22.7% couples without children, and 14.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 21.1%, with lone person households at 18.7% and group households comprising 2.3%. The median household size is 2.9 people, aligning with Greater Melbourne's average.

Lalor - West shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 22.5%, significantly below the Greater Melbourne average of 37.0%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 15.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 25.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (9.9%) and certificates (15.7%).

Educational participation is high at 30.7%, including 10.5% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 5.5% pursuing tertiary education. Lalor-West has 5 schools with a combined enrollment of 914 students, demonstrating typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1004) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 2 primary, 1 secondary, and 2 K-12 schools. Local school capacity is limited at 6.5 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.1, leading many families to travel for schooling. Note: if a school shows 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Lalor - West has 43 active transport stops operating within it. These stops offer a mix of train and bus services. There are 12 individual routes serving these stops, providing a total of 5,900 weekly passenger trips.

The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents located an average of 307 meters from the nearest transport stop. Across all routes, service frequency averages 842 trips per day, which equates to approximately 137 weekly trips per individual stop.

Lalor - West's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Lalor - West residents show relatively positive health outcomes, with low prevalence of common conditions among the general population, though higher than national averages for older and at-risk groups. Private health cover is very low, at approximately 47% (~6,552 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 49.8% and the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (7.8%) and diabetes (6.2%).

About 72.8% of residents report no medical ailments, close to Greater Melbourne's 74.0%. Lalor - West has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 17.5% (2,451 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 13.2%. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

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

Lalor-West has a culturally diverse population with 48.4% born overseas and 67.0% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, comprising 51.6%. Islam makes up 18.2%, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 9.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (23.7%), Italian (12.0%), and Australian (10.9%). Notably, Macedonian is overrepresented at 9.3% compared to the regional average of 4.6%, Greek at 6.6% versus 4.1%, and Vietnamese at 5.6% against 1.6%.

Lalor - West's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Lalor-West has a median age of 37, matching Greater Melbourne's figure and closely resembling Australia's median age of 38. The 75-84 age group comprises 6.4% of Lalor-West's population, higher than Greater Melbourne's percentage. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort makes up 13.7%, lower than Greater Melbourne's figure. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 12.0% to 12.9%. However, the 25 to 34 cohort has decreased from 14.5% to 13.7%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Lalor-West's age structure. Notably, the 45 to 54 group is expected to grow by 59%, adding 1,035 people and reaching a total of 2,784 from its current figure of 1,748.