Reservoir - South East
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Reservoir - South East are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Reservoir - South East's population was approximately 14,125 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,326 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,799. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,875 in June 2024 and an additional 350 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 3,379 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's population growth rate of 10.4% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 8.6%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 90.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using 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 utilises the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted employing weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to population projections, exceptional growth is predicted over this period, with the area expected to grow by 6,754 persons by 2041, recording a total gain of 46.0%.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Reservoir - South East among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Reservoir - South East has seen approximately 126 dwellings granted development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 633 homes were approved, with a further 20 approved in FY-26. On average, about 0.6 new residents per year have been arriving for each new home over these five years, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand.

This has provided greater buyer choice and supported potential population growth beyond projections. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $387,000, which is below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. In FY-26 alone, there have been approximately $1.2 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's residential nature. Comparatively, Reservoir - South East has shown moderately higher building activity than Greater Melbourne over the past five years, with 25.0% more approvals per person. This has maintained good buyer choice while supporting existing property values.

The new development consists of around 18.0% detached dwellings and 82.0% attached dwellings, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 62.0% houses. This trend towards denser development provides accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers, suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With approximately 134 people per approval, Reservoir - South East is considered a developing area. Population forecasts indicate that the area will gain around 6,504 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Reservoir - South East has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

The performance of an area can be significantly influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 8 projects that are likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Suburban Rail Loop North, The Plenty Residences, Summerhill Shopping Centre Redevelopment, and Reservoir Leisure Centre Redevelopment, with the following list providing details on 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.

Employment performance in Reservoir - South East has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Reservoir - South East has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 5.5% as of June 2024, with estimated employment growth of 3.1% over the past year.

As of June 2025, 7,252 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 6.4%, which is 0.8% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 5.6%. Workforce participation in Reservoir - South East stands at 57.8%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. The area specializes in public administration & safety, with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services employ only 8.1% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. In the year to June 2025, employment levels in Reservoir - South East increased by 3.1%, while labour force grew by 1.4%, leading to a decrease in unemployment rate of 1.5 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with an increase in unemployment of 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years for national employment. Applying these projections to Reservoir - South East's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2022, Reservoir - South East had a median income among taxpayers of $53,397 with the average level standing at $63,288. This is slightly lower than national averages of $54,892 and $73,761 across Greater Melbourne respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year ended June 2022, current estimates would be approximately $59,890 (median) and $70,984 (average) as of September 2025. Census data from 2021 shows household incomes rank at the 26th percentile, family incomes at the 27th percentile, and personal incomes at the 29th percentile in Reservoir - South East. The largest income bracket comprises 29.8% earning $1,500 to $2,999 weekly, with 4,209 residents falling into this category. This pattern is also seen in the broader area where 32.8% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 80.5% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 24th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Reservoir - South East displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Reservoir - South East, as per the latest Census evaluation, 61.6% of dwellings were houses while 38.5% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Melbourne metro's figures of 60.2% houses and 39.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Reservoir - South East stood at 29.7%, similar to Melbourne metro's level. Mortgaged dwellings comprised 27.2% and rented dwellings made up 43.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,967, lower than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure for Reservoir - South East was $349, compared to Melbourne metro's $371. Nationally, Reservoir - South East's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,967 against the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $349 compared to the national figure of $375.

Reservoir - South East features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 58.4% of all households, including 24.4% couples with children, 21.2% couples without children, and 11.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 41.6%, with lone person households at 35.4% and group households making up 6.3%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Reservoir - South East exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Reservoir - South East has 34.5% of residents aged 15+ with university qualifications, exceeding the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 22.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 27.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 10.6% and certificates at 16.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 7.7% in primary education, 7.7% in tertiary education, and 6.4% pursuing secondary education. The area has five schools with a combined enrollment of 1,770 students, serving typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1030) with balanced educational opportunities. There are three primary and two secondary schools, providing adequate capacity for the residential population (12.5 places per 100 residents vs regional average of 10.2), indicating that Reservoir - South East serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Reservoir - South East has 98 active public transport stops. These are a mix of light rail and bus services. There are 8 individual routes operating, collectively providing 6744 weekly passenger trips.

The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 143 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 963 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 68 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Reservoir - South East is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Reservoir South East faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across all age groups but notably higher among older cohorts.

Approximately 51% of its total population (~7,232 people) has private health cover, slightly lower than the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues (9.3%) and arthritis (8.0%). About 69.0% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 70.2% in Greater Melbourne. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 18.0% (2,538 people), compared to 15.2% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

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

Reservoir-South East has high cultural diversity, with 37.3% of its population born overseas and 41.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Reservoir-South East, comprising 46.8% of people. Islam is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 7.1% vs 6.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (16.8%), Australian (15.1%), and Other (13.1%). Notably, Greek (6.5%) and Italian (10.9%) populations are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 6.1% and 12.3%, respectively. Macedonian population is equally represented at 2.1%.

Reservoir - South East's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Reservoir - South East is 38 years, closely matching Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Reservoir - South East has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (19.2%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.8%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 35-44 has increased from 14.7% to 15.9%, while the 45-54 age group has decreased from 12.3% to 11.3%. By 2041, Reservoir - South East's age composition is projected to change significantly, with the 45-54 age group set to grow by 62%, reaching 2,580 people from 1,593.