Mount Eliza

An assessment of population growth drivers in Mount Eliza reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Mount Eliza's population, as of May 2026, is approximately 19,110. This figure represents a growth of 376 people, a 2.0% increase from the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 18,734. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 19,110 as of June 2025 and an additional 62 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 823 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Mount Eliza's growth rate of 2.0% since the census is within 1.2 percentage points of the SA4 region's 3.2%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in 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 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. By 2041, Mount Eliza is projected to increase by approximately 1,850 persons based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 9.7% over the 16-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Mount Eliza according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Mount Eliza has recorded approximately 51 residential properties granted approval annually. Between FY21 and FY25256 homes were approved, with an additional 54 approved in FY26 so far. This indicates a steady supply of new dwellings, likely keeping pace with demand despite population decline.

The average construction value of these properties is $822,000, suggesting developers focus on the premium market. In terms of commercial development, $45.4 million in approvals have been registered this financial year, reflecting strong momentum. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Mount Eliza has roughly half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 38th percentile nationally, indicating more limited housing choices for buyers. This supports demand for existing dwellings and suggests potential planning limitations.

Recent construction comprises 88% standalone homes and 12% medium to high-density housing, maintaining Mount Eliza's traditional low density character. The estimated population per dwelling approval in the area is 465 people, reflecting its quiet development environment. Future projections estimate Mount Eliza will add approximately 1,850 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Mount Eliza has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 37thth percentile nationally

Six projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area, including key projects such as Mount Eliza: Canadian Bay Carpark, Mount Eliza Landfill Capping Rehabilitation Works, Mount Eliza: Emil Madsen Reserve - East Pavilion, and Moondah Mansion Retirement Village. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Mount Eliza rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Mount Eliza has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate is 1.2% as of December 2025. The area saw an estimated employment growth of 1.9% over the past year.

As of December 2025, 9748 residents are employed while the unemployment rate stands at 3.6%, which is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation in Mount Eliza is 63.9%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 39.6% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Major employment sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training.

Notably, education & training employs 1.2 times the regional average. Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing employs only 2.2% of local workers, lower than Greater Melbourne's 5.2%. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 1.9%, while labour force grew by 1.9%, keeping unemployment largely stable at 3.6%. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising to 5.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Mount Eliza's employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

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

AreaSearch aggregated postcode-level ATO data released for financial year 2023. Mount Eliza SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $62,743 and an average income of $104,226. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. As of March 2026, estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $68,779 and $114,253 respectively, based on a 9.62% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. Census data shows household incomes rank at the 91st percentile with weekly earnings of $2,547. Income distribution indicates that 29.2% of Mount Eliza's population (5,580 individuals) earns over $4,000 annually, contrasting with the region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 32.8%. Higher earners make up a substantial presence, with 42.6% exceeding $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 87.6% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power within the community. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Mount Eliza's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 91.8% houses and 8.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Eliza stood at 46.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 45.2% and rented ones at 8.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, exceeding Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Mount Eliza was $512, higher than Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Mount Eliza's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 82.2% of all households, including 44.0% couples with children, 30.2% couples without children, and 7.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 17.8%, with lone person households at 16.9% and group households comprising 1.0%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Mount Eliza demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Mount Eliza has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above, with 37.9% holding university qualifications. This figure surpasses both the SA4 region (23.5%) and SA3 area (25.0%) benchmarks. The most common university qualification is the Bachelor degree, held by 25.3% of residents in this age group, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 8.0%, and graduate diplomas at 4.6%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 30.5% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications.

This includes advanced diplomas held by 13.6% and certificates held by 16.9% of residents in this age group. Educational participation is high, with 31.6% of Mount Eliza residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (11.6%), secondary education (10.5%), and tertiary education (4.7%).

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

Mount Eliza has 31 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by five different routes that together facilitate 771 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is considered limited, with residents typically living 669 meters away from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most Mount Eliza residents commute outwards, primarily using cars (94%). On average, there are 1.9 vehicles per dwelling in the area, which is higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 39.6% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency across all routes averages 110 trips per day, equating to approximately 24 weekly trips per individual stop.

Mount Eliza's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Mount Eliza's health outcomes show impressive results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 73% of the total population (13,969 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 7.8% and 7.0% of residents respectively. Notably, 71.5% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 24.0%, or 4,588 people, compared to 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are strong and align with national rankings for the general population.

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

Mount Eliza, surveyed in 2016, had a below-average cultural diversity with 77.0% of its population born in Australia, 90.9% being citizens, and 93.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 46.6%. Judaism, at 0.3%, was overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%.

In terms of ancestry, English (33.8%) and Australian (25.3%) were significantly higher than regional averages of 20.1% and 18.4% respectively. Irish ancestry was also notable at 9.3%. Scottish (9.1%), Dutch (1.7%), and Welsh (0.7%) groups were overrepresented compared to regional figures of 5.6%, 1.2%, and 0.4% respectively.

Mount Eliza hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Mount Eliza is 45 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Mount Eliza has a higher proportion of residents aged 75-84 (9.3%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (3.5%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15-24 increased from 11.8% to 14.1%, while the 75-84 age group rose from 7.7% to 9.3%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group decreased from 4.9% to 3.5%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Mount Eliza's age structure. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 106%, reaching 1,290 people from 624. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 69% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are projected to decrease in number.