Moonee Ponds

Moonee Ponds lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Moonee Ponds's population is around 17,875 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,651 people (10.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,224 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,823 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 758 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 4,099 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, making land in the area a highly sought-after resource. Moonee Ponds's 10.2% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 87.5% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including natural growth and interstate migration, were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilizing the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Anticipating future population dynamics, a significant population increase in the top quartile of statistical areas analyzed by AreaSearch is forecast, with the area expected to increase by 4,945 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 27.4% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Moonee Ponds among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Moonee Ponds has averaged around 210 new dwelling approvals per year, with 1,054 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 17 so far in FY-26. With an average of 1.6 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), the market shows a good balance between supply and demand, supporting stable conditions, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $394,000. Additionally, $62.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity.

When measured against Greater Melbourne, Moonee Ponds records somewhat elevated construction (45.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period), maintaining good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. This is well above average nationally, reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. Recent construction comprises 7.0% detached dwellings and 93.0% townhouses or apartments. This trend toward denser development provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This marks a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 45.0% houses), suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 381 people per dwelling approval, Moonee Ponds shows a developed market.

Population forecasts indicate Moonee Ponds will gain 4,893 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Moonee Ponds has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 41stth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 17 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Moonee Valley Racing Club Grandstand & Clubhouse Redevelopment, Moonee Valley Park, Chain of Ponds Collaboration Moonee Ponds Creek Improvement, and York Street Park (A Park Close to Home) - Pascoe Vale South, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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

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Employment performance in Moonee Ponds exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Moonee Ponds features a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of 4.2%, and 4.7% estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 11,272 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 0.6% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation is fairly standard (75.6% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%). Based on Census responses, a high 44.0% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in professional & technical services, with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average. Meanwhile, manufacturing has a limited presence with 4.3% employment compared to 7.2% regionally. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of the Census working population relative to the local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 4.7% while the labour force increased by 4.7%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Moonee Ponds. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Moonee Ponds's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.2% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Moonee Ponds SA2's median income among taxpayers is $69,390, with an average of $97,393. This is exceptionally high nationally, and compares to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $75,115 (median) and $105,428 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Moonee Ponds, between the 73rd and 86th percentiles nationally. Looking at income distribution, 30.7% of the population (5,487 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, aligning with the surrounding region where this cohort likewise represents 32.8%. A significant 33.1% earn above $3,000 weekly, reflecting pockets of prosperity that drive robust local economic activity. Housing accounts for 14.5% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 75th percentile for disposable income and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Moonee Ponds displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Moonee Ponds, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 44.7% houses and 55.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Moonee Ponds was in line with that of Melbourne metro, at 30.8%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (29.8%) or rented (39.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Melbourne metro average at $2,167, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $400, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Moonee Ponds's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are exceeding the national figure of $375.

Moonee Ponds features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 60.2% of all households, comprising 25.7% couples with children, 26.2% couples without children, and 6.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 39.8%, with lone person households at 34.4% and group households comprising 5.4% of the total. The median household size of 2.2 people is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Moonee Ponds places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Moonee Ponds significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 48.8% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in VIC. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 30.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.0%) and graduate diplomas (5.7%). Vocational pathways account for 22.0% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (10.3%) and certificates (11.7%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.1% in tertiary education, 6.9% in primary education, and 5.9% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 84 active transport stops operating within Moonee Ponds, comprising a mix of light rail and buses. These stops are serviced by 18 individual routes, collectively providing 14,713 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 166 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 66%, with 15% by train and 6% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 0.9 per dwelling, below the regional average. A high 44.0% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 2,101 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 175 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Moonee Ponds is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Moonee Ponds demonstrates above-average health outcomes, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population, though higher than the national average across older, at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 70% of the total population (12,458 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 8.9% and 7.4% of residents, respectively, while 71.3% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 17.9% of residents aged 65 and over (3,206 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, though they rank lower nationally than the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Moonee Ponds was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Moonee Ponds is more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 29.1% of its population born overseas and 25.3% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Moonee Ponds is Christianity, which makes up 51.9% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 0.2% of the population, compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Moonee Ponds are English, comprising 20.0% of the population, Australian, comprising 17.6% of the population, and Italian, comprising 12.1% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 5.2%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Maltese is notably overrepresented at 1.7% of Moonee Ponds (vs 1.1% regionally), Greek at 3.7% (vs 2.7%) and Croatian at 1.1% (vs 0.7%).

Moonee Ponds's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The 38-year median age in Moonee Ponds is close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and similarly equivalent to the Australian median of 38. Relative to Greater Melbourne, Moonee Ponds has a higher concentration of 25 - 34 residents (18.6%) but fewer 5 - 14 year-olds (8.5%). Since the 2021 Census, the 65 to 74 age group has grown from 8.4% to 9.8% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 13.1% to 12.1%. By 2041, Moonee Ponds is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. Leading the demographic shift, the 55 to 64 group will grow by 42% (903 people), reaching 3,081 from 2,177.