Malvern - Glen Iris

An assessment of population growth drivers in Malvern - Glen Iris reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Malvern-Glen Iris' population, as of November 2025, is approximately 22,098. This figure represents an increase of 1,859 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 20,239. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates: 21,680 in June 2024 and an additional 607 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 3,587 persons per square kilometer, placing Malvern-Glen Iris in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. The area's growth rate of 9.2% since the 2021 Census exceeds both its SA4 region (8.5%) and SA3 area, indicating it is a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 96.3% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses 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 utilise VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on these projections, Malvern-Glen Iris is expected to grow by approximately 2,624 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of around 10.0% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Malvern - Glen Iris when compared nationally

Malvern - Glen Iris has granted approximately 166 residential property approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, it approved a total of 831 homes, with another 14 approved so far in FY-26. Over these five years, an average of 0.1 new residents per year was associated with each dwelling constructed.

This suggests that new construction is keeping pace with demand or even exceeding it, offering buyers more options and facilitating population growth beyond current expectations. The average expected construction cost for these properties is $505,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment. In FY-26 alone, there have been $94.8 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Melbourne's average, Malvern - Glen Iris has shown moderately higher development activity, with 38.0% more approvals per person over the past five years. This increased activity supports good buyer choice while maintaining existing property values.

Recent construction in Malvern - Glen Iris comprises 14.0% standalone homes and 86.0% attached dwellings, reflecting a shift towards higher-density living to create more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a significant change from the current housing mix of 39.0% houses. The area has approximately 170 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. By 2041, Malvern - Glen Iris is projected to grow by 2,206 residents, according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Malvern - Glen Iris has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Influence on local performance is significantly impacted by changes in infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 53 projects likely to affect the area. Notable projects include the 173 Burke Road Mixed-Use Development, Cabrini Hospital Major Redevelopment, Harold Holt Swim Centre Improvements, and Glen Iris Village Corner. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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The labour market in Malvern - Glen Iris shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Malvern - Glen Iris has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.7% as of September 2025. This is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%.

Workforce participation in the area was also lower at 68.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census data, 47.9% of residents worked from home. Employment among residents is concentrated in professional & technical services, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. The area has a notable concentration in professional & technical jobs, with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 5.4%, compared to the regional average of 9.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the year ending September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.5% while employment declined by 0.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.6 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne where employment grew by 3.0%. According to Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25, national employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Malvern - Glen Iris's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 15.0% over ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023, Malvern-Glen Iris SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $73,300 and an average level of $135,733. This places it in the top percentile nationally, compared to Greater Melbourne's levels of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $79,347 (median) and $146,931 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census shows household, family, and personal incomes in Malvern-Glen Iris rank highly nationally, between the 86th and 93rd percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 30.9% of individuals earn over $4,000 annually (6,828 individuals), contrasting with Greater Melbourne where the $1,500-$2,999 bracket leads at 32.8%. The district's affluent earnings are supported by premium retail and service offerings, with 41.8% earning over $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 14.0% of income, with residents ranking in the 87th percentile for disposable income. Malvern-Glen Iris' SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Malvern - Glen Iris features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Malvern - Glen Iris, as per the latest Census, consisted of 39.2% houses and 60.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Melbourne metro had a composition of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Malvern - Glen Iris stood at 36.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.4% and rented ones at 32.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,800, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in the area was $410, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Malvern - Glen Iris's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,800 against the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Malvern - Glen Iris features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 62.5% of all households, including 27.9% couples with children, 25.4% couples without children, and 7.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 37.5%, with lone person households at 33.4% and group households comprising 4.1%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Malvern - Glen Iris demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Malvern - Glen Iris has a higher educational attainment than Australian and Victorian averages. 57.3% of its residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 37.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.3%) and graduate diplomas (5.0%). Vocational pathways account for 17.1% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.9% and certificates at 7.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.8% in tertiary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 7.6% pursuing primary education.

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

Malvern - Glen Iris has 99 active public transport stops serving a mix of lightrail and bus routes. These stops are serviced by 11 individual routes that collectively provide 14,186 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 175 meters to the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward using different modes of transportation. The car remains the dominant mode at 72%, while 12% use the train and 6% walk. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 47.9% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 2,026 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 143 weekly trips per individual stop.

Malvern - Glen Iris's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Malvern - Glen Iris demonstrates excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 82% of the total population (18,230 people) have private health cover, compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and 55.7% nationally.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 7.2 and 7.0% of residents respectively. 72.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 20.6% of residents aged 65 and over (4,545 people), higher than the 14.9% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Malvern - Glen Iris was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Malvern-Glen Iris had a cultural diversity higher than most local markets, with 27.4% of its population born overseas and 19.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion in Malvern-Glen Iris, accounting for 46.3%. However, Judaism was significantly overrepresented at 5.3%, compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (25.1%), Australian (20.1%), and Irish (9.7%). Notable differences existed in Polish (1.6% vs regional 0.8%), Hungarian (0.5% vs 0.3%), and Russian (0.7% vs 0.4%) representation.

Malvern - Glen Iris's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Malvern - Glen Iris has a median age of 40, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's figure of 38. The 75-84 cohort is over-represented at 7.6%, while the 35-44 cohort is under-represented at 12.5% compared to the Greater Melbourne average. From 2021 to present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 12.9% to 14.2%, and the 25-34 cohort has increased from 14.7% to 15.8%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 13.8% to 12.1%, and the 5-14 group has dropped from 10.5% to 9.5%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Malvern - Glen Iris's age profile. The 75-84 cohort is projected to expand by 678 people (41%), from 1,670 to 2,349. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 71% of total population growth. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.