Mount Dandenong - Olinda
Statistical Area - sa2

Mount Dandenong - Olinda has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Mount Dandenong - Olinda's population is around 9,663 as of Aug 2025. This reflects a decrease of 43 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,706 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,609 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 24 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 118 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 64.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 utilising 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. As we examine future population trends, lower quartile growth of Australian statistical areas is anticipated, with the area expected to grow by 230 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, with an increase of 1.8% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Mount Dandenong - Olinda is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Mount Dandenong - Olinda has received approximately six dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics provides development approval data on a financial year basis. Between FY21 and FY25, there were 33 approvals in total. As of FY26, three dwellings have been approved so far.

Despite population decline during this period, the relative level of development activity has been adequate for buyers. The average expected construction cost value for new dwellings is $859,000, indicating a focus on premium developments. This financial year, commercial approvals totaling $1.7 million have been registered, suggesting a predominantly residential focus in the area. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Mount Dandenong - Olinda has significantly less development activity, with 83.0% fewer approvals per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings.

The low level of development activity is also lower than the national average, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. All new constructions in Mount Dandenong - Olinda have been detached dwellings, preserving its low-density nature. This focus on detached housing attracts space-seeking buyers. Currently, there are an estimated 1403 people per dwelling approval in the area, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment. Future projections estimate that Mount Dandenong - Olinda will add 176 residents by 2041. Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Mount Dandenong - Olinda has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects likely to impact the region. Notable projects include Mount Dandenong Tourist Road Landslide Repair Works, Six Senses Resort And Spa At Burnham Beeches, Dandenong Ranges Environmental Protection Program, and Sherbrooke Children's Centre Services. The following list details those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis places Mount Dandenong - Olinda well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Mount Dandenong - Olinda has a well-educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate in June 2025 was 2.1%, which is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%.

Workforce participation in the area is similar to Greater Melbourne's at 64.1%. Leading employment industries include education & training, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. The area has a notable concentration in education & training, with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average. However, transport, postal & warehousing is under-represented, with only 2.8% of Mount Dandenong - Olinda's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 5.2%.

Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data comparison. In the 12 months prior, employment increased by 1.1% while labour force grew by 0.7%, causing a 0.4 percentage point decrease in unemployment rate. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. National forecasts suggest employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Mount Dandenong - Olinda's employment mix suggests local growth could be approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.7% over ten years.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Mount Dandenong - Olinda's median taxpayer income was $53,368 and average income was $74,334 in financial year 2022. This is high nationally compared to Greater Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. By March 2025, estimates suggest the median would be approximately $58,764 and average around $81,849, based on a 10.11% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. According to 2021 Census figures, incomes in Mount Dandenong - Olinda cluster around the 67th percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows that 31.5% of locals (3,043 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 category. Across the region, 32.8% are in the same income bracket. Economic strength is evident with 31.1% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000. After housing costs, residents retain 86.9% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Mount Dandenong - Olinda's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 99.1% houses and 0.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 93.8% houses and 6.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Dandenong - Olinda stood at 39.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 51.8% and rented ones at 8.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,028, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $1,950. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $400, compared to Melbourne metro's $380. Nationally, Mount Dandenong - Olinda's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Mount Dandenong - Olinda features high concentrations of family households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 77.9% of all households, including 35.9% couples with children, 32.6% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 22.1%, with lone person households at 20.2% and group households comprising 1.9%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.7.

Mount Dandenong - Olinda shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Mount Dandenong - Olinda is notably high, with 38.5% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, compared to 23.8% in the SA3 area and 30.4% nationally. This educational advantage is led by bachelor degrees at 23.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.5%) and graduate diplomas (5.7%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 33.3% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (13.6%) and certificates (19.7%). Educational participation is high, with 27.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes primary education (9.7%), secondary education (8.0%), and tertiary education (4.8%). There are seven schools operating within Mount Dandenong - Olinda, educating approximately 854 students. The area has above-average socio-educational conditions, with an ICSEA score of 1057. The educational mix includes six primary schools and one K-12 school. School places per 100 residents (8.8) are below the regional average (15.5), suggesting some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Mount Dandenong-Olinda has 134 active public transport stops, all bus routes. There are 21 different routes serving these stops, resulting in 2,571 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is moderate, with residents usually 402 meters from the nearest stop.

Daily service frequency averages 367 trips across all routes, or approximately 19 weekly trips per individual stop.

Mount Dandenong - Olinda's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Mount Dandenong - Olinda residents show positive health outcomes with common conditions prevalent across all ages. Private health cover stands at approximately 56% (around 5,459 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 52.4%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common, affecting 9.0% and 8.9% respectively. About 67.1% report no medical ailments, similar to Greater Melbourne's 66.9%. The area has a higher senior population at 22.8% (around 2,200 people) compared to Greater Melbourne's 19.4%. Seniors' health outcomes are strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Mount Dandenong-Olinda showed lower cultural diversity with 80.9% of its residents born in Australia, 91.1% being citizens, and 93.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 31.7%. Judaism's representation was significantly higher at 0.6%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 0.1%.

The top ancestral groups were English (30.9%), Australian (24.5%), and Scottish (9.9%). Notable differences existed in Dutch (2.8% vs regional 3.2%), Hungarian (0.5% vs 0.3%), and Polish (1.1% vs 0.7%) representation.

Mount Dandenong - Olinda hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Mount Dandenong - Olinda is 45 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Mount Dandenong - Olinda has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (14.0%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (6.2%). According to the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group increased from 5.3% to 7.2%, while the 25-34 age group decreased from 8.4% to 6.2%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Mount Dandenong - Olinda's age structure. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 193%, reaching 439 people from 149. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 82% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 25-34 and 0-4 age groups are projected to decrease in number.