Melton West
Statistical Area - sa2

Melton West lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Melton West's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 22,715. This figure represents an increase of 1,507 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,208. The change is inferred from ABS estimates; the resident population was 22,691 in June 2024, with an additional 53 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 938 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Melton West has shown resilient growth patterns, with a compound annual growth rate of 3.1%, outpacing its SA4 region. Natural growth contributed approximately 63.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 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 projected demographic shifts, Melton West is forecasted to experience a significant population increase, expanding by 8,485 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 37.2% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Melton West when compared nationally

Melton West has received approximately 73 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 367 homes. As of FY26, 26 approvals have been recorded. On average, 4.6 people per year moved to the area for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25. This significant demand coupled with limited supply typically drives price growth and increased buyer competition.

New properties are constructed at an average cost of $388,000, below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options. In FY26, $12.3 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Melton West has markedly lower building activity, 87.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new homes usually strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Nationally, this activity is also below average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints.

New building activity comprises 92.0% standalone homes and 8.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining Melton West's traditional low density character focused on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 619 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment. Population forecasts project Melton West will gain 8,461 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

Melton West has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 34 projects that could impact the area. Notable ones include Melton Level Crossing Removals & New Station, Mt. Atkinson Town Centre, Hopkins Road Level Crossing Removal - Truganina, and Stockland Mt. Atkinson Residential Development. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment performance in Melton West has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Melton West has a balanced workforce with representation across white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is prominent, with an unemployment rate of 8.1% and estimated employment growth of 5.0% over the past year.

As of June 2025, 11,303 residents are employed while the unemployment rate stands at 3.5%, higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation in Melton West is lower at 61.5% compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading employment industries among residents include construction, retail trade, and health care & social assistance. The area has a strong specialization in transport, postal & warehousing, with an employment share of 2.2 times the regional level.

Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 3.6% compared to the regional average of 10.1%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data comparing working population and resident population. From June 24 to July 25, employment increased by 5.0% while labour force grew by 5.8%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.7 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 rate. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia for May 2025 project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Melton West's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.0%% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Melton West's median income among taxpayers is $52,216. The average income is $59,422. Both figures are below the national average. Greater Melbourne has a median income of $54,892 and an average of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Melton West would be approximately $57,495 (median) and $65,430 (average) as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Melton West rank modestly, between the 33rd and 43rd percentiles. Income distribution data shows that 39.0% of locals (8,858 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 category, similar to regional levels where 32.8% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Melton West, with only 82.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 42nd percentile.

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

Melton West's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 93.9% houses and 6.1% other dwellings. In contrast, Melbourne metro had 90.9% houses and 9.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Melton West stood at 22.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 51.6% and rented ones at 26.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,625, lower than Melbourne metro's $1,800. Median weekly rent was $340, compared to Melbourne metro's $351. Nationally, Melton West's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,625 vs Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were also lower at $340 vs the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 79.0% of all households, including 39.7% couples with children, 20.7% couples without children, and 17.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 21.0%, comprising 18.7% lone person households and 2.3% group households of the total. The median household size is 3.0 people, which aligns with the Greater Melbourne average.

Educational outcomes in Melton West fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Melton West has lower university qualification rates than Greater Melbourne, with 16.8% compared to the region's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent among residents aged 15+, with 38.4% holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.0%) and certificates (27.4%). Current educational participation is high at 34.6%, comprising primary education (13.5%), secondary education (9.5%), and tertiary education (3.7%).

The area has nine schools educating approximately 6,694 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 974) and balanced educational opportunities. There are four primary schools, two secondary schools, and three K-12 schools operating within Melton West. The area functions as an education hub with a high ratio of school places per resident at 29.5, significantly above the regional average of 16.3.

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

Melton West has 86 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by seven different routes that together facilitate 5,313 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents on average being located 256 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 759 trips across all routes, which equates to approximately 61 weekly trips per individual stop.

Melton West's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Melton West's health metrics are close to national benchmarks, with common health conditions among its general population being somewhat typical but higher than the national average among older cohorts. Approximately 50% of Melton West's total population (~11,243 people) have private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 9.3 and 8.8% of residents respectively. Conversely, 70.1% of Melton West residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 73.7% across Greater Melbourne. As of a recent report (2021), 11.0% of Melton West's residents are aged 65 and over (2,494 people). Health outcomes among seniors in the area present some challenges that require more attention than those of the broader population.

Melton West 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

Melton West has a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 30.7% of its population born overseas and 29.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Melton West, accounting for 49.8% of people. However, there's an overrepresentation in the 'Other' category, which comprises 4.1% of the population compared to Greater Melbourne's 5.6%.

The top three ancestry groups are Australian (22.5%), English (21.3%), and Other (15.3%). Notably, Maltese (4.1%) and Samoan (1.8%) populations are overrepresented in Melton West compared to regional averages of 5.1% and 1.0%, respectively.

Melton West's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Melton West has a median age of 33, which is younger than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Melton West has a higher percentage of residents aged 5-14 (16.6%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.9%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the population aged 15-24 has increased from 12.7% to 14.2%, while the population aged 25-34 has decreased from 15.0% to 12.9%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Melton West, with the strongest projected growth in the 45-54 age group, which is expected to grow by 55%, adding 1,505 residents and reaching a total of 4,259.