Meadow Heights

An assessment of population growth drivers in Meadow Heights reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Meadow Heights' population was 15,035 as of November 2025. This figure reflects a 145-person increase (1.0%) since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 14,890 people. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 14,960 in June 2024 and an additional 77 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 3,247 persons per square kilometer, placing Meadow Heights in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 70.7% 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 by this data, AreaSearch uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted employing weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Meadow Heights is forecasted to have a population increase of 5,331 persons, reflecting a total increase of 35.0% over the 17-year period based on latest annual ERP population numbers.

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

Meadow Heights has seen approximately 31 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 158 homes. As of FY26, 18 approvals have been recorded. The average construction cost value for new properties is $227,000, which is below the regional average. This suggests more affordable housing options in Meadow Heights compared to other areas.

In FY26, $336,000 worth of commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Meadow Heights records significantly lower building activity, at 84.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties in the area. New development consists of 56.0% standalone homes and 44.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition of 82.0% houses. The location has approximately 635 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market. According to AreaSearch quarterly estimates, Meadow Heights is projected to add 5,256 residents by 2041.

If current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth in the area.

Meadow Heights has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified nine projects likely impacting the area, with notable ones including Meadow Heights Shopping Centre Redevelopment, Upfield Corridor - Rail Extension to Roxburgh Park, Canadian Court Reserve Playspace Improvements, and Redwood Close Reserve Playspace Upgrade. Below is a list detailing 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.

Employment conditions in Meadow Heights face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Meadow Heights has a skilled workforce with the construction sector being notably represented. Its unemployment rate was 17.5% in September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.0% over the past year. As of that date, 4882 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 12.8% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

Workforce participation lagged significantly at 50.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 13.8% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, construction, and manufacturing. Transport, postal & warehousing had notably high concentration with employment levels at 2.0 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services were under-represented, with only 4.3% of Meadow Heights's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. The area seemed to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data. Between September 2024 and 2025, employment increased by 1.0%, while labour force grew by 1.7%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.0% and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Meadow Heights. These projections estimate national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Meadow Heights's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by approximately 5.9% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

The Meadow Heights SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $43,214 and an average income of $49,012 in financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This was below the national average. In comparison, Greater Melbourne had a median income of $57,688 and an average income of $75,164 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $46,779 (median) and $53,055 (average). Census data showed household income ranked at the 18th percentile ($1,274 weekly), with personal income at the 1st percentile. The earnings profile indicated that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominated, with 30.2% of residents (4,540 people). This was similar to regional levels where 32.8% occupied this range. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 80.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 16th percentile.

Meadow Heights is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Meadow Heights, as evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 82.3% houses and 17.7% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Melbourne metro's dwelling structure of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Meadow Heights was at 27.9%, with the rest of dwellings either mortgaged (40.3%) or rented (31.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,460, below Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure for Meadow Heights was recorded at $346, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Meadow Heights' median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Meadow Heights features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households make up 82.4% of all households, consisting of 44.3% couples with children, 16.8% couples without children, and 19.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for 17.6%, with lone person households at 14.8% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 3.3 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Meadow Heights faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 17.9%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials are held by 26.0% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 9.4% and certificates at 16.6%. Educational participation is high, with 35.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.8% in primary education, 9.5% in secondary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Meadow Heights has 62 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 7 different routes, together offering 1863 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically living 177 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards, primarily using cars (91%). On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling, exceeding the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 13.8% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 266 trips per day, equating to approximately 30 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Meadow Heights is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Meadow Heights faces significant health challenges, according to AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Notably, both younger and older age cohorts have high prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is extremely low, at approximately 46% (about 6,931 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 56.7%.

Nationally, the average is 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and diabetes, affecting 7.2% and 6.9% of residents respectively. However, 71.6% claim to be completely free from medical ailments, compared to Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. Health outcomes among working-age residents are generally typical. Meadow Heights has 13.6% (around 2,049 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Melbourne's 14.9%. Senior health outcomes present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Meadow Heights has one of the highest levels of cultural diversity in the country, with 50.0% of its population born overseas and 74.3% speaking a language other than English at home. The predominant religion in Meadow Heights is Islam, accounting for 52.7% of the population, compared to just 5.6% across Greater Melbourne. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Other (50.9%), Australian (11.5%), and English (8.9%).

These percentages differ significantly from regional averages: Other is substantially higher at 50.9% vs 14.6%, Australian is notably lower at 11.5% vs 18.4%, and English is also notably lower at 8.9% vs 20.1%. Additionally, certain ethnic groups are notably overrepresented: Lebanese (8.5% vs regional 0.8%), Vietnamese (3.6% vs regional 1.9%), and Samoan (1.2% vs regional 0.3%).

Meadow Heights hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Meadow Heights's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and considerably younger than Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Meadow Heights has a higher percentage of residents aged 5-14 (14.6%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (12.3%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the population of Meadow Heights in the 65-74 age group has grown from 7.4% to 8.3%, while the 45-54 age group has declined from 12.2% to 11.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Meadow Heights, with the strongest projected growth in the 65-74 age group, which is expected to grow by 69%, adding 856 residents and reaching a total of 2,104 residents.