Murrumbeena

Murrumbeena has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Murrumbeena's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 10,084 people. This figure represents an increase of 715 individuals, a rise of 7.6%, since the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 9,369 people. This change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 10,058 as of June 2024 and an additional 41 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio stands at 4,017 persons per square kilometer, placing Murrumbeena in the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. Murrumbeena's growth rate of 7.6% since the 2021 Census exceeds that of its SA4 region (7.1%), positioning it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 83.4% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving this 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, AreaSearch employs the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusting using weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future trends project an above median population growth, with the area expected to expand by 2,234 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 21.8% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Murrumbeena when compared nationally

Murrumbeena averaged approximately 48 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with a total of 241 homes approved during this period. In FY-26, up to May, 15 dwellings have been approved. The average population growth per dwelling built in Murrumbeena was 0.7 people over the past five financial years.

This indicates that new supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand, offering ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction cost value of new homes being developed is $511,000, suggesting a focus on the premium market. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $19.7 million, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Murrumbeena shows approximately 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 80th percentile nationally in terms of development activity. New development consists of 23.0% detached houses and 77.0% townhouses or apartments, a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 48.0% houses).

This trend reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles, indicating a need for more diverse, affordable housing options. The location has approximately 185 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Murrumbeena is expected to grow by 2,195 residents through to 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Murrumbeena 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 28 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Neerim Road Murrumbeena, Murrumbeena Activity Centre Program, Suburban Rail Loop East, and Rosella Murrumbeena. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

The employment landscape in Murrumbeena shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Murrumbeena has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 4.2% as of September 2021.

Over the past year, there has been relative employment stability. As of September 2025, 6,043 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, which is 0.5% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation in Murrumbeena is 70.3%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

The area has a particularly strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. However, construction has limited presence with 6.9% employment compared to 9.7% regionally. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.8%, while employment decreased by 0.4%, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 1.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.0% and labour force expand by 3.3%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov-2025 shows VIC employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Murrumbeena's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though 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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2022, Murrumbeena SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $59,864 with an average level standing at $79,426. These figures are among the highest in Australia and compare to levels of $54,892 and $73,761 across Greater Melbourne respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth rate of 12.16% from financial year ended June 2022 until September 2025, current estimates for Murrumbeena SA2 would be approximately $67,143 (median) and $89,084 (average). Census data from 2021 shows household, family and personal incomes in Murrumbeena SA2 rank highly nationally, between the 71st and 80th percentiles. Income brackets indicate that the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates with 29.3% of residents (2,954 people), which is consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region showing 32.8% in the same category. Economic strength emerges through 33.8% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 14.7% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 73rd percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Murrumbeena displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Murrumbeena, as per the latest Census, 48.5% of dwellings were houses while 51.4% consisted of semi-detached homes, apartments and other types. This compares to Melbourne metropolitan area's 47.8% houses and 52.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Murrumbeena stood at 31.2%, matching Melbourne metro's rate, with mortgaged properties at 32.7% and rented ones at 36.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,200, lower than Melbourne metro's $2,396. Median weekly rent in Murrumbeena was $390, compared to Melbourne metro's $435. Nationally, Murrumbeena's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,200 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were also higher at $390 against the national figure of $375.

Murrumbeena has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 66.8% of all households, including 32.1% couples with children, 25.9% couples without children, and 7.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 33.2%, with lone person households at 29.5% and group households comprising 3.7%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.5.

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

Murrumbeena's educational attainment is notably higher than national and state averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 51.3% have university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in Victoria. This high level of educational attainment positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 31.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.4%) and graduate diplomas (5.0%).

Vocational pathways account for 20.9% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.9% and certificates at 11.0%. Educational participation is high in the area, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.9% in tertiary education, 8.6% in primary education, and 6.7% pursuing secondary education.

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

Murrumbeena has 49 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 14 individual routes, collectively handling 6,136 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 174 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 876 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 125 weekly trips per stop.

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

Murrumbeena shows excellent health outcomes with a low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Private health cover is high at approximately 59% (5,989 people), compared to 65.2% in Greater Melbourne.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 7.4% and 7.0% respectively. 74.3% of residents report no medical ailments, similar to Greater Melbourne's 74.0%. The area has 14.8% (1,487 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Melbourne's 16.8%. Seniors' health outcomes align with the general population's profile.

Murrumbeena was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Murrumbeena's cultural diversity is notable, with 34.8% of its population born overseas and 31.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Murrumbeena, accounting for 43.3% of people. However, Judaism is underrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne's average, comprising only 3.7%.

The top three ancestral groups are English (19.6%), Australian (17.8%), and Other (11.8%). Some ethnic groups show significant variations: Polish (1.5%, vs regional 3.1%), Russian (1.0%, vs 2.2%), and Greek (6.0%, vs 4.6%) are notably different in representation compared to the Greater Melbourne average.

Murrumbeena's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Murrumbeena is 38 years, close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and equivalent to Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Murrumbeena has a higher percentage of residents aged 45-54 (13.4%) but fewer children aged 0-4 (4.6%). According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 increased from 11.8% to 13.6%, while those aged 5-14 decreased from 11.4% to 10.8%. By 2041, Murrumbeena's age composition is projected to change significantly. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 32%, reaching 1,789 people from the current 1,354.