Murrumbeena
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Murrumbeena's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, stood at around 10,082 by August 2025. This figure represents a rise of 713 individuals, marking a 7.6% increase since the 2021 Census which recorded 9,369 people. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 10,051 in June 2024 and an additional 43 validated new addresses post-Census date. This results in a density ratio of 4,016 persons per square kilometer, placing Murrumbeena among the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth of 7.6% since the 2021 census outpaced the SA4 region's 7.0%, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration accounted for approximately 83.4% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving Murrumbeena's population growth.

AreaSearch adopts 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 uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends project an above median growth, with Murrumbeena expected to expand by 2,234 persons to reach 2041, reflecting a total increase of 21.8% over the 17-year period based on latest population numbers.

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

Murrumbeena averaged approximately 48 new dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, showing 241 homes approved over the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, with 6 approvals so far in FY-26. Over these five years, an average of 0.7 people moved to Murrumbeena annually for each dwelling built, indicating that new supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost value of $640,000, which is moderately above regional levels, suggesting an emphasis on quality construction.

Commercial approvals this financial year totalled $19.7 million, demonstrating moderate commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Murrumbeena records around three-quarters the building activity per person and ranks among the 80th percentile nationally in terms of development activity, though there has been a pickup in recent periods. New development consists of 23.0% detached houses and 77.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a trend towards denser development that appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This shift represents a notable change from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 48.0% houses, suggesting decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and demand for more diverse, affordable housing options. The location has approximately 185 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market.

By 2041, Murrumbeena is projected to grow by 2,197 residents. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Murrumbeena has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

A total of 27 projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Among these key projects are Rosella Apartments Murrumbeena, Rosella Murrumbeena, Neerim Road Murrumbeena, and Murrumbeena Activity Centre Program. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis indicates Murrumbeena maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Murrumbeena has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in professional services. The unemployment rate is 4.0%.

Over the past year, employment stability has been relative. As of June 2025, 6,036 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is 0.6% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate. Workforce participation in Murrumbeena is 70.3%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Residents' employment 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. Construction employment is limited at 6.9%, compared to the regional rate of 9.7%. Labour force levels increased by 1.4% over the 12 months to June 2025, while employment decreased by 0.1%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.5% and labour force expand by 4.0%, with unemployment rising by 0.5 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Murrumbeena's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.0%% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

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

AreaSearch aggregated latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2022. Murrumbeena's median taxpayer income was $59,864 and average income stood at $79,426. These figures were among the highest in Australia, compared to Greater Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. By March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $65,916 (median) and $87,456 (average), based on a 10.11% growth in the Wage Price Index since financial year ending June 2022. According to Census 2021 income data, Murrumbeena ranked between the 72nd and 81st percentiles nationally for household, family, and personal incomes. The $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket dominated with 29.3% of residents (2,954 people), similar to broader metropolitan trends at 32.8%. Economic strength was evident with 33.8% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing expenses accounted for 14.7% of income, while strong earnings placed residents in the 74th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 9th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Murrumbeena, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 29 August 2016, comprised 48.5% houses and 51.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 47.8% houses and 52.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Murrumbeena was in line with that of Melbourne metro, at 31.2%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (32.7%) or rented (36.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,200 as of June 2019, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $390 during the same period, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,396 and $435 respectively. Nationally, Murrumbeena's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863 as of June 2019, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375 during the same period.

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

Family households constitute 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 account for 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

Educational attainment in Murrumbeena is notably higher than broader benchmarks. 51.3% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. 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 among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 9.9% and certificates 11.0%.

Educational participation is high, 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. The area has two schools serving students: St Patrick's School and Murrumbeena Primary School, with a total of 810 students. Murrumbeena demonstrates strong educational performance, with an ICSEA score of 1150, indicating high advantage compared to national averages. Both schools focus on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. The school places per 100 residents (8.0) are lower than the regional average (14.2), suggesting some students may attend schools outside the area.

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, together facilitating 6,136 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically living 174 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 876 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 125 weekly trips per individual 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 across all age groups, with a very low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 59% (5,988 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Melbourne's 65.2%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions at 7.4% and 7.0%, respectively, while 74.3% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments. This compares with 74.0% across Greater Melbourne. In Murrumbeena, 14.8% (1,487 people) are aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Melbourne's 16.8%. Seniors' health outcomes align broadly with the general population's profile.

Murrumbeena is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Murrumbeena has a high cultural diversity with 34.8% of its population born overseas and 31.7% speaking a language other than English at home. The predominant religion in Murrumbeena is Christianity, accounting for 43.3% of the population. However, Judaism is overrepresented, comprising 3.7% compared to Greater Melbourne's average of 17.5%.

The top three ancestral groups are English (19.6%), Australian (17.8%), and Other (11.8%). Notably, Greek (6.0%) Polish (1.5%) and Russian (1.0%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 4.6%, 3.1% and 2.2% respectively.

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%). Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, the population aged 15-24 grew from 11.8% to 13.6%, while the 5-14 age group declined from 11.4% to 10.8%. By 2041, Murrumbeena's age composition is expected to change significantly. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 32%, reaching 1,789 people from the current 1,354.