Montrose
Statistical Area - sa2

Montrose is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Montrose's population, as of Aug 2025, is approximately 6928, a decrease of 15 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 6943. This change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 6923 in June 2024 and additional 6 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is around 657 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration primarily drove recent population growth. 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, VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 are used, adjusted employing weighted aggregation method to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on latest population numbers, Montrose is expected to grow by approximately 335 persons by 2041, an increase of about 4.7% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Montrose is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Montrose has approved approximately four residential properties annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics provides development approval data on a financial year basis. Between FY21 and FY25, 22 homes were approved, with one recorded so far in FY26. The population has declined recently, but the relative development activity has been adequate.

New properties are constructed at an average cost of $516,000. This year, $5.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating limited commercial development focus compared to Greater Melbourne, where development activity is 84.0% higher per person on average. The scarcity of new dwellings typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties due to the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent development has consisted entirely of standalone homes, maintaining Montrose's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. As of now, there are an estimated 1442 people per dwelling approval in the area.

Future projections show Montrose adding 328 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, intensifying buyer competition and potentially driving price growth.

Montrose has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Nine projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include Yarra Ranges Council Drainage Infrastructure Program, Liverpool Road Shared User Path, Sherbrooke Children's Centre Services, and Kilsyth Townhouse Developments.

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

Employment conditions in Montrose demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Montrose has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 2.2%. Over the past year, it saw estimated employment growth of 1.4%.

As of June 2025, 3702 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.4%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.6%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Melbourne's at 64.1%. Dominant employment sectors include construction, healthcare & social assistance, and manufacturing. Construction has a notable concentration, with employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average.

Professional & technical services have limited presence at 6.2%, compared to the regional average of 10.1%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited as indicated by Census data. Over the past year, employment increased by 1.4% while labour force grew by 0.7%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.5% and a rise in unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.1% over ten years for Montrose, based on its current employment mix.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2022, Montrose had median income among taxpayers of $56,012 with average income standing at $68,097. This is higher than national averages of $54,892 and $73,761 across Greater Melbourne respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth rate of 10.11% since financial year ended June 2022, current estimates would be approximately $61,675 (median) and $74,982 (average) as of March 2025. From the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes in Montrose cluster around the 66th percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that 33.5% of locals (2,320 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to broader trends across surrounding region with 32.8% in same category. After accounting for housing costs, residents retain 86.7% of income, indicating strong purchasing power and area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Montrose is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Montrose's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.1% houses and 7.8% other dwellings. In contrast, Melbourne metro had 93.8% houses and 6.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Montrose was 37.8%, similar to Melbourne metro's rate. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (53.5%) or rented (8.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Montrose was $2,000, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $1,950 and the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Montrose was $365, lower than Melbourne metro's $380 and the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 79.4% of all households, including 42.8% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 8.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 20.6%, composed of 19.2% lone person households and 1.3% group households. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than Greater Melbourne's average of 2.7 people.

The educational profile of Montrose exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 23.9%, significantly below the Greater Melbourne average of 37.0%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 16.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 4.0% and graduate diplomas at 3.2%. Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 12.5% and certificates at 28.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.2% in primary, 7.3% in secondary, and 3.5% pursuing tertiary education. Montrose's three schools have a combined enrollment reaching 1,710 students. Montrose demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1053. The educational mix includes two primary schools and one K-12 school. The area functions as an education hub with 24.7 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 15.5, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Montrose has 39 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 16 different routes that combined provide 1,807 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport is rated as good, with residents being located on average 368 meters away from their nearest stop.

On average, there are 258 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 46 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Montrose are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Montrose shows below-average health outcomes, with common conditions slightly more prevalent than average among both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 53% (~3,699 people) have private health cover, a rate higher than the norm. Mental health issues affect 8.9%, while asthma impacts 8.4%. Around 66.8% report no medical ailments, similar to Greater Melbourne's 66.9%. The area has 19.0% of residents aged 65 and over (1,314 people), roughly aligning with the general population's health profile.

Montrose ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Montrose's population was found to be predominantly Australian-born, with 85.0% having been born in Australia. Citizenship was also high, at 92.7%. English was the language spoken at home by 95.0% of residents.

Christianity was the primary religion, practiced by 42.5% of Montrose's population. The most significant deviation from regional averages was seen in Judaism, which constituted 0.2% of Montrose's population compared to 0.1% in Greater Melbourne. In terms of ancestry, Australian (31.2%), English (30.6%), and Scottish (8.0%) were the top represented groups. Notably, Dutch ancestry was overrepresented at 3.8%, compared to 3.2% regionally, as were Hungarian (0.4%, vs 0.3%) and South African (0.5%, vs 0.4%).

Montrose's median age exceeds the national pattern

Montrose's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and somewhat older than Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Montrose has an over-representation of the 5-14 age group (14.2% locally), while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented (10.3%). According to the 2021 Census, the 5-14 age group has increased from 13.2% to 14.2%. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort has decreased from 10.1% to 9.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Montrose's age profile will change significantly. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 88%, adding 181 residents to reach 388. Residents aged 65 and older represent 60% of the anticipated growth. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups.