Montrose

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 was 6,943 as of May 2021. By May 2026, it decreased to 6,904, a drop of 39 people (0.6%). This change is inferred from ABS estimated resident populations and validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density in Montrose was 655 persons per square kilometer as of June 2025. Overseas migration primarily drove recent population growth.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for SA2 areas, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For uncovered SA2 areas, it employs VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments using weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas until 2041. Montrose is expected to grow by 283 persons by 2041, reflecting a 4.1% increase over the 16 years based on latest annual ERP population numbers.

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

Montrose has recorded approximately four residential properties granted approval per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, 22 homes were approved, with seven more approved so far in FY26. The average construction cost value for new properties is $352,000.

In FY26, $5.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Montrose has significantly less development activity, 84.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction often reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. Nationally, Montrose's development activity is also below average, indicating the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent development has consisted entirely of standalone homes, preserving Montrose's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers with detached housing options.

The estimated population per dwelling approval in Montrose is 1442 people. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Montrose is forecasted to gain 283 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Montrose has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified nine projects that could affect this region. Notable ones are Yarra Ranges Council Drainage Infrastructure Program, Liverpool Road Shared User Path, Sherbrooke Children's Centre Services, and Kilsyth Townhouse Developments. 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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Montrose ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Montrose has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 2.5% as of December 2025. This is lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. The employment growth in Montrose over the past year was estimated at 1.8%.

As of December 2025, there are 3,671 residents employed. Workforce participation in Montrose is similar to Greater Melbourne's rate of 69.9%. According to Census responses, 26.5% of Montrose residents work from home. The key industries of employment among residents are construction, health care and social assistance, and manufacturing.

Construction shows notable concentration with employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average. Conversely, professional and technical services have lower representation at 6.2% compared to the regional average of 10.1%. The predominantly residential area may offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. In the 12-month period ending December 2025, employment in Montrose increased by 1.8%, labour force increased by 1.5%, and unemployment fell by 0.3 percentage points. This compares to Greater Melbourne where employment grew by 2.4%, labour force expanded by 2.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Montrose's employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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

The median income among taxpayers in Montrose SA2 was $58,814 according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The average income stood at $71,958. In Greater Melbourne, the median income was $57,688 and the average was $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Montrose SA2 would be approximately $64,472 (median) and $78,880 (average) as of March 2026. From the 2021 Census, incomes in Montrose cluster around the 66th percentile nationally. The largest segment comprises 33.5% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, with 2,312 residents falling into this bracket, mirroring regional levels where 32.8% occupy this bracket. After housing costs, residents retain 86.7% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The 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 structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.1% houses and 7.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Montrose stood at 37.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 53.5% and rented ones at 8.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, aligning with Melbourne metro's average, while the median weekly rent was $365 compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Montrose's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were lower than 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 make up the remaining 20.6%, with lone person households at 19.2% and group households comprising 1.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 23.9%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (12.5%) and certificates (28.3%).

Educational participation is high, with 27.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (10.2%), secondary education (7.3%), and tertiary education (3.5%).

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 together facilitate 1,605 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these stops is rated as good, with residents living an average of 368 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to Montrose's primarily residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport, used by 95% of residents. On average, there are 1.9 vehicles per dwelling in Montrose, which is higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a significant proportion of residents, 26.5%, work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 229 trips per day, equating to approximately 41 weekly trips per stop.

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

Health data indicates significant challenges for Montrose based on AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are notable across both younger and older age cohorts. Approximately 55% of the total population (~3,790 people) has private health cover. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 8.9% of residents and asthma impacting 8.4%. Sixty-six point eight percent of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. Nineteen point two percent of residents are aged 65 and over (1,329 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. National rankings for health indicators are even higher than the general population.

Montrose is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Montrose's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 85.0% of its population born in Australia, 92.7% being citizens, and 95.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Montrose, comprising 42.5% of people. However, Judaism is overrepresented, making up 0.2% compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%.

In terms of ancestry, Australian (31.2%) and English (30.6%) are the top groups, both substantially higher than regional averages of 18.4% and 20.1%, respectively. Scottish ancestry comprises 8.0%. Notably, Dutch (3.8%), Hungarian (0.4%), and South Australian (0.5%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional figures of 1.2%, 0.3%, and 0.4% respectively.

Montrose's population is slightly older than 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 cohort at 14.3% locally, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 10.0%. According to the 2021 Census, the 5-14 age group grew from 13.2% to 14.3%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 11.1% to 12.2%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort declined from 11.2% to 10.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Montrose's age profile will change significantly. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 83%, adding 155 residents to reach 343. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 55% of the population growth, while declines are projected for the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups.