Murrumbeena

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

Murrumbeena's population is approximately 10,298 as of May 2026. This represents an increase of 929 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 9,369. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 10,126 in June 2025 and an additional 122 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 4,102 persons per square kilometer, placing Murrumbeena in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's population growth of 9.9% since the 2021 census exceeds both the SA4 region (8.0%) and the state level, indicating it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.7% of overall population gains 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 the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using a weighted aggregation method 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 for statistical areas nationwide, with Murrumbeena expected to expand by 2,081 persons to 2041, reflecting an 18.5% increase over the 16-year period based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

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

Murrumbeena averaged around 48 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25241 homes were approved, with a further 23 approved in FY-26. Over these five years, an average of 0.7 people moved to the area per dwelling built.

This suggests that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction cost value of new homes was $511,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY-26, $19.7 million in commercial development approvals were recorded, suggesting balanced commercial development activity compared to Greater Melbourne. Nationally, Murrumbeena ranks at the 80th percentile for development activity, which has picked up recently. New development consists of 23.0% detached houses and 77.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a shift from the area's existing housing composition of 48.0% houses.

This trend reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring 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 1,909 residents. Construction activity is maintaining pace with this projected growth, but buyers may face increasing competition as the population grows.

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 identified 28 projects likely impacting 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.

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

Murrumbeena's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in professional services. The unemployment rate stands at 4.3%. As of December 2025, 6,006 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.4%, 0.4% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation is 73.0%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. Census responses indicate that 43.9% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance (25.6%), professional & technical services (20.8%), and education & training (12.7%). The area has a strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Construction employment is limited at 6.9%, compared to the regional average of 9.7%. Over the year ending December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.3% and employment fell by 1.0%, leading to an unemployment rate increase of 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 2.4% and a labour force expansion of 2.8%, with the unemployment rate rising by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Murrumbeena's employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.2% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows Murrumbeena SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $63,019 and an average income of $81,011. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Murrumbeena would be approximately $69,081 (median) and $88,804 (average) as of March 2026. Census 2021 income data ranks household, family, and personal incomes in Murrumbeena between the 71st and 80th percentiles nationally. The dominant income bracket is $1,500 - $2,999, with 29.3% of residents (3,017 people), similar to the metropolitan region's 32.8%. High weekly earnings exceeding $3,000 are achieved by 33.8% of households, indicating strong consumer spending. Housing accounts for 14.7% of income, with residents ranking in 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 above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Murrumbeena, as per the latest Census, consisted of 48.5% houses and 51.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Murrumbeena was 31.2%, with the rest being mortgaged (32.7%) or rented (36.1%), similar to Melbourne metro's figures. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Murrumbeena was $2,200, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Murrumbeena was $390, the same as Melbourne metro's figure. Nationally, Murrumbeena's median monthly mortgage repayment exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while median weekly rent surpassed 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, consisting of 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% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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 Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. 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, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 18 different routes, offering a total of 4,761 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to these stops is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 174 meters away from the nearest one. Most residents commute outwards daily. Cars remain the primary mode of transport for 74% of residents, while trains are used by 15%. On average, there's 1.1 vehicle per dwelling in Murrumbeena, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high percentage of residents, 43.9%, work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 680 trips daily across all routes, translating to roughly 97 weekly trips per individual stop.

Murrumbeena's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance across Murrumbeena. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were both low for young and old age cohorts.

Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (6,127 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne. The most common medical conditions were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.4 and 7.0% of residents respectively. 74.3% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 14.9% of residents aged 65 and over (1,531 people). Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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 population has a significant overseas-born proportion, with 34.8%. Additionally, 31.7% speak languages other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Murrumbeena, comprising 43.3% of its population.

Notably, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 3.7% versus 1.0%. The top three ancestry groups are English (19.6%), Australian (17.8%), and Other (11.8%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Polish at 1.5% (versus regional 0.8%), Russian at 1.0% (versus 0.4%), and Greek at 6.0% (versus 2.7%) in Murrumbeena.

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 proportion of residents aged 45-54 (13.4%) but fewer residents aged 0-4 (4.4%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 11.8% to 13.7%, while the age group of 5-14 has declined from 11.4% to 10.7%. By 2041, Murrumbeena's age composition is expected to change significantly. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 28%, adding 385 people and reaching a total of 1,763 from the current 1,377. The 15-24 age group is expected to grow at a slower pace, with an increase of 4% and an addition of only 59 residents.