Oak Park

Oak Park lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Oak Park's population is around 8,594 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 696 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,898 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,559 from the ABS as of June 2025 and an additional 134 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,657 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Oak Park's growth rate of 8.8% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 7.9%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 74.8% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering projected demographic shifts, exceptional growth is predicted over the period, with the area expected to increase by 4,015 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 46.3% in total over the 16 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Oak Park when compared nationally

Oak Park has seen approximately 74 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 371 homes were approved. By February 2026, 61 homes have been approved in FY-26.

On average, about 1.1 new residents arrive per year for each new home over the past five financial years, indicating a balanced supply and demand market that supports stable conditions. The average construction cost of new properties is around $315,000, aligning with regional trends. This financial year has seen $1.9 million in commercial approvals, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Comparatively, Oak Park records 37.0% higher construction activity per person than the Greater Melbourne average over the past five years. This maintains good buyer choice and supports existing property values, although recent periods have shown a moderation in development activity.

The majority of new building activity involves townhouses or apartments (85.0%), with a smaller proportion being detached houses (15.0%). This shift towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways, attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This marks a significant change from the current housing pattern, which is predominantly houses (53.0%), suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 167 people per dwelling approval, Oak Park exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Oak Park is projected to add approximately 3,980 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, there may be a struggle to match population growth with housing supply, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Oak Park has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects that could affect the region. Notable ones include M-City 2 - Oak Park, Glenroy Structure Plan, Oak Park Sports and Aquatic Centre Redevelopment, and 299 Pascoe Vale Road Mixed-Use Development. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Oak Park significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Oak Park has a highly educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate was 2.5% as of December 2025. This rate is 2.3% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation in Oak Park is 75.8%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 40.7% of residents work from home. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area has a particular specialization in professional & technical employment, with an employment share of 1.2 times the regional level.

Manufacturing, however, is under-represented at 5.1% compared to Greater Melbourne's 7.2%. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.8%, and employment decreased by 0.3%, resulting in a fall of 0.5 percentage points in the unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Oak Park's employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to Oak Park's employment mix.

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

The Oak Park SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $59,292 and an average income of $68,740 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is slightly above national averages, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $64,996 (median) and $75,353 (average). From the 2021 Census, Oak Park's household, family, and personal incomes ranked highly nationally, between the 78th and 79th percentiles. Distribution data shows that the largest segment comprises 34.0% of residents earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (2,921 residents), consistent with broader trends across the region showing 32.8% in the same category. Economic strength is evident through 33.5% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 14.6% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 79th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Oak Park, as evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 53.2% houses and 46.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Oak Park was at 29.1%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (37.4%) or rented (33.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Oak Park was $2,167, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Oak Park was recorded at $401, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Oak Park's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Oak Park features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 70.2% of all households, including 31.7% couples with children, 27.7% couples without children, and 9.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 29.8%, with lone person households at 24.7% and group households comprising 5.1%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Oak Park shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Oak Park significantly surpasses broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 43.8% of residents aged 15+ hold university qualifications, compared to 27.7% in the SA4 region and 30.4% nationwide. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 27.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 26.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 11.7% and certificates for 14.4%.

Educational participation is notably high in Oak Park, with 28.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.1% in primary education, 6.7% in tertiary education, and 5.4% pursuing secondary education.

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

Oak Park has 24 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are served by four different routes that collectively facilitate 2,067 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 227 meters from their nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward using various modes of transportation. Cars remain the primary mode of commuting at 74%, while train use accounts for 18%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling in Oak Park is 1.1, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a significant portion of residents, specifically 40.7%, work from home. This figure may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 295 trips per day, translating to approximately 86 weekly trips per individual stop.

Oak Park's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Oak Park. AreaSearch's assessment indicates low prevalence of common health conditions among the general population, nearing the nation's average for older, at-risk cohorts.

Private health cover rate is approximately 53% of the total population (~4,580 people), slightly higher than the average SA2 area but lower than Greater Melbourne's 56.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (7.5%) and asthma (7.0%), with 74.2% of residents reporting no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Oak Park has 12.9% of residents aged 65 and over (1,108 people), lower than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but rank lower nationally compared to the broader population.

Oak Park 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

Oak Park's population shows high cultural diversity, with 36.6% born overseas and 35.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Oak Park, accounting for 44.6%. Hinduism is notably overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 7.6% of Oak Park's population versus 4.4%.

The top three ancestral groups are English (18.0%), Other (17.2%), and Australian (17.0%). Italian ancestry is overrepresented at 8.9%, Maltese at 1.5%, and Sri Lankan at 0.8%, each higher than their respective regional percentages of 5.2%, 1.1%, and 0.8%.

Oak Park's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Oak Park's median age is 36 years, nearly matching Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and slightly below Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Oak Park has a higher percentage of residents aged 35-44 (19.4%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (10.5%). This concentration of 35-44 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.3%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the percentage of residents aged 65-74 has increased from 6.1% to 7.5%, while the percentage of those aged 15-24 has decreased from 11.3% to 10.5%. By 2041, Oak Park's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 45-54 age cohort is expected to grow by 80%, adding 853 residents and reaching a total of 1,923.