Melton West

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 November 2025, is approximately 22,718. This figure represents an increase of 1,510 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 21,208. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 22,691 in June 2024 and an additional 54 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 938 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Melton West has exhibited consistent growth with a compound annual growth rate of 3.1%, surpassing the SA4 region's growth rate. 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 employs the 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 projected demographic shifts, a significant population increase is forecasted for the top quartile of Australian statistical areas. Melton West is expected to expand by 8,485 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 37.2% over the 17-year period, according to the latest annual ERP population numbers.

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, 30 approvals have been recorded. On average, around 4.6 people per year move to the area for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating high demand exceeding new supply. 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, showing steady investment activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Melton West has significantly lower building activity (87.0% below regional average per person), which typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. This activity is also below national averages, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. The development consists of 92.0% standalone homes and 8.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining Melton West's traditional low density character focused on family homes. As of now, there are approximately 619 people per dwelling approval in the area.

By 2041, Melton West is projected to gain 8,458 residents. 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 to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 33 projects that could affect the region. Notable initiatives include Hopkins Road Level Crossing Removal in Truganina, Western Freeway Upgrade from Melton to Caroline Springs, Harkness Memorial Park, and Masjid Tawheed Melton Community Hub. The following list details 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 performance in Melton West has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Melton West's workforce comprises both white and blue-collar jobs, with construction being notably prominent. The unemployment rate was 8.1% in the past year, seeing a 5.0% employment growth.

As of June 2025, 11,303 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.5% higher than Greater Melbourne's 4.6%. Workforce participation was lower at 61.5%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key employment industries included construction, retail trade, and health care & social assistance. The area showed strong specialization in transport, postal & warehousing (2.2 times the regional level), but professional & technical jobs were less represented at 3.6% versus the regional average of 10.1%.

Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census data comparisons. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 5.0%, while labour force grew by 5.8%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.5% and a 0.5 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data to Nov-25 showed Victorian employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, compared to the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts from May-25 projected national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Melton West's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, though these figures are illustrative extrapolations and do 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 SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $52,216 and an average of $59,422. This is below the national average. Greater Melbourne had a median income of $54,892 and an average of $73,761 in the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes for Melton West are approximately $58,565 (median) and $66,648 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Melton West rank modestly, between the 33rd and 42nd percentiles. Income distribution data indicates that 39.0% of locals (8,860 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, which is similar to regional levels at 32.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Melton West, with only 82.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 41st 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 dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 93.9% houses and 6.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 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, below Melbourne metro's average of $1,800. Median weekly rent in Melton West was $340, compared to Melbourne metro's $351. Nationally, mortgage repayments averaged $1,863 and rents were $375.

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

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

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

The area's university qualification rate is 16.8%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne'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, with 38.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.0%) and certificates (27.4%). Educational participation is high, with 34.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 13.5% in primary, 9.5% in secondary, and 3.7% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 34.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.5% in primary education, 9.5% in secondary education, and 3.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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.

Across all routes, there are an average of 759 daily trips, 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 (~11,245 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. In contrast, 70.1% of Melton West's residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 73.7% across Greater Melbourne. As of 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 for 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 had 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 was the predominant religion in Melton West, accounting for 49.8% of the population. However, the most notable overrepresentation was in Other religions, which comprised 4.1% of the population compared to 5.6% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry, Australians made up 22.5%, English 21.3%, and Other groups 15.3%. Notably, Maltese were overrepresented at 4.1% (vs regional 5.1%), Samoan at 1.8% (vs 1.0%), and Serbian at 0.8% (vs also 0.8%).

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 proportion of residents aged 5-14 (16.6%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.9%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the population aged 15-24 has increased from 12.7% to 14.2%, while the proportion of those aged 25-34 has decreased from 15.0% to 12.9%. By 2041, significant demographic shifts are projected for Melton West. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 55%, adding 1,505 residents and reaching a total of 4,259.