Ringwood East

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

Ringwood East's population was 21,132 as of May 2021. By May 2026, it is estimated to be around 22,262, an increase of 1,130 people (5.3%) since the 2021 Census. This increase is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 22,164 in June 2025 and an additional 236 validated new addresses since the Census date. Ringwood East's population density as of May 2026 is approximately 2,370 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Between May 2021 and May 2026, Ringwood East's population growth rate exceeded that of its SA4 region (3.8%) and SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 83.9% of overall population gains during this period.

For future projections up to 2041, AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for covered areas and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made for SA2 levels. Based on these projections, Ringwood East's population is expected to increase by approximately 10.7% from May 2026 to 2041, reaching around 24,850 persons.

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

Ringwood East has averaged approximately 140 new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, a total of 703 homes were approved, and by June 26th in FY26, an additional 53 dwellings had been approved. The average population growth associated with these approvals over this period is 0.3 people per year for each dwelling built.

This indicates that new supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand, providing ample buyer choice and creating capacity for future population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction cost value of new homes being built in the area is $496,000, suggesting a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY26, commercial development approvals totaled $14.6 million, indicating balanced commercial development activity in Ringwood East compared to Greater Melbourne. Over the past five years, Ringwood East has shown moderately higher new home approvals than the regional average per person (49.0% above). However, building activity has slowed in recent years, balancing buyer choice with support for current property values.

Recent construction trends show a shift towards higher-density living, with 26.0% standalone homes and 74.0% townhouses or apartments being built. This change from the area's existing housing composition (currently 92.0% houses) reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles that require more diverse, affordable housing options. The current population density in Ringwood East is approximately 288 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the location is expected to grow by 2,387 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Ringwood East has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 59 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Ryman Healthcare Ringwood East Retirement Village, Ringwood East Activity Centre Structure Plan, Bedford Rise, and Canterbury Road and Heathmont Road Intersection Improvements. 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 environment in Ringwood East shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Ringwood East has a well-educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate is 3.7% and there was an estimated employment growth of 1.5% in the past year. As of December 2025, 11,860 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.1% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

The workforce participation rate is somewhat below standard at 67.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 37.4% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Notably, the area has a high concentration in education & training with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing employs only 2.9% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 5.2%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 1.5% while labour force grew by 1.6%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, and an increase in unemployment of 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Ringwood East. These projections estimate national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates varying significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Ringwood East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.0% over ten years. However, it is important to note that this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

The Ringwood East SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $59,900 and an average income of $74,065 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This was higher than the national average for that year. In Greater Melbourne, the median income was $57,688 with an average income of $75,164 during the same period. Based on a 9.62% growth in wages since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $65,662 (median) and $81,190 (average). According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Ringwood East clustered around the 62nd percentile nationally. The majority of residents, 31.2%, fell into the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, with a total of 6,945 people. After housing costs, 85.1% of income remained for other expenses. Ringwood East's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 7th decile.

Ringwood East is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Ringwood East's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.1% houses and 7.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Melbourne metro's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ringwood East stood at 35.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.8% and rented ones at 25.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,100, surpassing Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent was $385, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Ringwood East's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Ringwood East has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 71.9% of all households, including 36.6% couples with children, 23.8% couples without children, and 10.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 28.1%, with lone person households at 25.3% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which matches the Greater Melbourne average.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates of 38.2% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and the SA4 region's rate of 31.2%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 23.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.6%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 29.6% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas comprise 11.9% and certificates make up 17.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.0% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 4.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Ringwood East has 55 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 14 different routes that collectively facilitate 3686 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 291 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Ringwood East being primarily residential. Cars remain the dominant mode of transportation at 86%, while trains account for 8%. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, specifically 37.4%, work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 526 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 67 weekly trips per individual stop.

Ringwood East's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Ringwood East's health data shows positive outcomes, aligning with national benchmarks for mortality rates and health conditions.

Common health issues are seen across all ages, with mental health issues affecting 9.0% and asthma impacting 8.6% of residents. Approximately 56% (~12,488 people) have private health cover. Around 68.7% report no medical ailments compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among working-age residents are typical. The area has 17.7% (3,933 people) aged 65 and over, higher than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%, with national rankings broadly comparable to the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Ringwood East was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Ringwood East has a higher level of cultural diversity than most other local areas, with 26.3% of its population born overseas and 21.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Ringwood East, accounting for 44.7% of the population. However, Buddhism is more prevalent in Ringwood East compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 2.3% versus 4.2%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups in Ringwood East are English at 26.4%, Australian at 23.5%, and Other at 9.3%. These figures are substantially higher than the regional averages for English and Australian ancestry, but notably lower for Other ancestry compared to regional averages (20.1% vs 18.4% vs 14.6%). There are also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Dutch at 2.0%, Hungarian at 0.4%, and Chinese at 6.6%.

Ringwood East's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Ringwood East is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. The 45-54 age cohort is over-represented in Ringwood East at 13.7%, compared to Greater Melbourne's average, while the 25-34 age cohort is under-represented at 11.9%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group has increased from 11.1% to 12.0%, and the 0-4 age group has declined from 6.1% to 5.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Ringwood East. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 33%, adding 477 people to reach a total of 1,907 from the current figure of 1,429. Residents aged 65 and older are anticipated to represent 53% of the population growth during this period. Conversely, the 0-4 and 5-14 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.