Malvern East
Statistical Area - sa2

Malvern East has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Malvern East's population was approximately 23,763 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,840 people, or 8.4%, since the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 21,923. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 23,738 in June 2024 and the addition of 112 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 3,139 persons per square kilometer, placing Malvern East in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. The area's growth rate exceeded that of its SA4 region (7.1%) between the 2021 Census and June 2024, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth during this period.

AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, they are utilizing VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting them employing weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied across all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on recent demographic trends and latest population numbers, Malvern East is projected to grow by 5,346 persons to reach a total of 29,109 by 2041, an increase of 22.4% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Malvern East when compared nationally

Malvern East has recorded approximately 83 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling 418 homes. As of FY-26, 18 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.5 people per year moved to the area for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating balanced supply and demand with stable market conditions. However, recent data shows this has intensified to 9.9 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $546,000, reflecting developers' targeting of the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This year, $95.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Malvern East records about 65% of building activity per person and ranks among the 46th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings. New building activity comprises approximately 43.0% standalone homes and 57.0% townhouses or apartments, promoting affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. With around 387 people per approval, Malvern East indicates a mature market.

By 2041, the area is expected to grow by approximately 5,321 residents. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Malvern East has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 81 projects that could impact the area. Key projects include Central Park Residences, Monash University Caulfield Campus Expansion, Sycamore Place, and Malea on Central Park. The following details those likely to be 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.

Employment performance in Malvern East exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Malvern East has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 3.3%.

Employment stability has been maintained over the past year. As of June 2025, 14,047 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.2% compared to Greater Melbourne's 4.6%. Workforce participation is at 67.2%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

Notably, the area has a high concentration of professional & technical jobs, with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average. Conversely, construction is under-represented, with only 6.1% of Malvern East's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.6, indicating ample local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 0.1%, while the labour force grew by 1.4%, resulting in a 1.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced stronger growth with employment increasing by 3.5% and labour force by 4.0%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Malvern East's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.3% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 on Malvern East. The median income among taxpayers was $62,754 with an average of $111,222, placing it in the top percentile nationally. This compared to 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 for Malvern East would be approximately $70,385 (median) and $124,747 (average) as of September 2025. Census data revealed household incomes ranked at the 83rd percentile nationally, family incomes at the 86th percentile, and personal incomes at the 88th percentile. The earnings profile showed that 30.5% of individuals earned over $4,000 per week (7,247 individuals), differing from the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominated at 32.8%. This affluence was reflected in premium retail and service offerings. Housing expenses accounted for 14.7% of income. Residents ranked within the 87th percentile for disposable income, with the area's SEIFA income ranking placing it in the 9th decile.

Malvern East displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Malvern East's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 53.5% houses and 46.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's figures of 46.2% houses and 53.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Malvern East was at 36.2%, similar to Melbourne metro, with the remaining dwellings being mortgaged (32.0%) or rented (31.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Malvern East was $2,944, above Melbourne metro's average of $2,817. Median weekly rent in Malvern East was $421, compared to Melbourne metro's $416. Nationally, Malvern East's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Malvern East features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 67.8 percent of all households, including 34.2 percent couples with children, 24.6 percent couples without children, and 7.7 percent single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 32.2 percent, with lone person households at 26.3 percent and group households comprising 5.9 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.4.

Educational achievement in Malvern East places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Malvern East is notably high, with 53.4% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications. This exceeds the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 33.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.9%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%). Vocational pathways account for 18.8% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 10.0% and certificates 8.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.4% in tertiary education, 8.3% in primary education, and 8.0% pursuing secondary education. Malvern East's 5 schools have a combined enrollment of 910 students. The area has significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1134. The educational mix includes 3 primary and 2 K-12 schools. School capacity is limited locally at 3.8 places per 100 residents, compared to the regional average of 10.1. Many families travel to nearby areas for schooling. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Malvern East has 102 active public transport stops. These include train, light rail, and bus services. There are 37 individual routes operating in total.

Weekly passenger trips across these routes amount to 14,093. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 195 meters to the nearest stop. Daily service frequency averages 2,013 trips across all routes, equating to approximately 138 weekly trips per individual stop.

Malvern East's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Malvern East, with younger cohorts seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover was found to be exceptionally high at approximately 76% of the total population (18,107 people), compared to 80.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area were asthma and mental health issues, impacting 6.8 and 6.7% of residents respectively, while 74.2% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 73.4% across Greater Melbourne.

The area has 17.3% of residents aged 65 and over (4,103 people), which is lower than the 18.8% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of the broader population.

Malvern East 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

Malvern East, as per the findings, exhibits a higher degree of cultural diversity compared to most other local areas, with 30.6% of its residents born overseas and 26.3% communicating primarily in a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Malvern East, accounting for 47.6% of the population. Notably, Judaism is disproportionately represented, comprising 3.0% of Malvern East's population, compared to the regional average of 4.1%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (22.4%), Australian (19.2%), and Other (9.1%). There are also significant differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Greeks are overrepresented at 5.6% compared to the regional average of 4.6%, Poles at 1.2% versus 1.4%, and Sri Lankans at 0.8% against the regional average of 0.6%.

Malvern East's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Malvern East's median age is 37 years, matching Greater Melbourne's figure and closely resembling Australia's median age of 38 years. The 15-24 age group comprises 17.2% of Malvern East's population, higher than Greater Melbourne's percentage, while the 35-44 cohort constitutes 12.2%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 14.5% to 17.2%, and the 25-34 cohort has risen from 14.7% to 15.8%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has decreased from 13.8% to 12.3%, and the 5-14 group has fallen from 11.3% to 10.1%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Malvern East's age structure. The 35-44 cohort is projected to grow by 29%, adding 849 people and reaching a total of 3,741 from the current 2,891. Meanwhile, the 15-24 group is expected to decrease by 79 residents.