Rowville - South
Statistical Area - sa2

Rowville - South has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Rowville - South's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, was approximately 10,672 by August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 297 individuals (2.9%) since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 10,375. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 10,594 in June 2024 and the addition of 50 validated new addresses after the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,141 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Rowville - South's growth rate since the census (2.9%) is within 1.0 percentage points of its SA3 area's growth rate (3.9%), indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 62.1% of overall population gains in recent periods, driving primary growth for the area.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to calculate population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on these trends, the area is expected to grow by approximately 201 persons by 2041, representing a total gain of 1.9% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Rowville - South is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Rowville - South has seen approximately 13 new homes approved annually. Development approval data is provided by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 69 homes approved over the past five financial years between FY21 and FY25, and 4 so far in FY26. The population decline in recent years suggests that development activity has been adequate relative to demand, benefiting buyers while new properties are constructed at an average value of $684,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment with higher-end dwellings. There have also been $8.0 million in commercial approvals this financial year, reflecting the area's residential character.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, Rowville - South has significantly less development activity, 72.0% below the regional average per person, which typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. This activity is also lower than nationally, suggesting market maturity and possible development constraints. New building activity shows 64.0% detached houses and 36.0% medium and high-density housing, offering a range of medium-density options to create opportunities across price brackets from traditional family housing to more affordable compact alternatives. This shift represents a notable change from the area's existing housing composition, currently at 95.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles requiring diverse, affordable housing options. With around 1233 people per dwelling approval, Rowville - South reflects a highly mature market. Population forecasts indicate Rowville - South will gain 123 residents by 2041.

Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects likely to impact the area. Major projects include Wellington Village Shopping Centre, Dorset Road Extension, Bankside Rowville, and The Rowville Plan. Below is a detailed list of these projects, focusing on those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis places Rowville - South well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Rowville - South has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.6% as of June 2025, lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%.

The area experienced an estimated employment growth of 0.7% over the past year. As of June 2025, 6,209 residents were employed with a workforce participation rate of 68.9%, similar to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Manufacturing is particularly strong, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 7.7% compared to the regional average of 10.1%. Analysis of SALM and ABS data over the 12 months to June 2025 shows employment increased by 0.7%, while labour force grew by 0.7%. Unemployment remained essentially unchanged during this period. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5% with unemployment rising 0.5 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 indicates Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. This is slightly higher than the national rate of 4.5%, but Victoria's employment growth outpaced the national average of 0.26%. 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 nationally. Applying these projections to Rowville - South's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Rowville - South had a median income among taxpayers of $55,884 and an average of $67,683. This is higher than the national average, with Greater Melbourne having a median of $54,892 and an average of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest approximately $61,534 (median) and $74,526 (average) as of March 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, household incomes rank at the 86th percentile ($2,363 weekly), while personal incomes rank lower at the 58th percentile. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 33.0% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (3,521 residents), similar to the metropolitan region where 32.8% occupy this bracket. Notably, 35.8% earn above $3,000/week, indicating strong economic capacity in the suburb. After housing costs, residents retain 87.8% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Rowville - South's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 94.7% houses and 5.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 83.4% houses and 16.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rowville - South stood at 39.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 49.2% and rented ones at 11.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,062, exceeding Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Rowville - South was $471, higher than Melbourne metro's $400. Nationally, Rowville - South's median mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,062 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while median rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Rowville - South features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 86.0% of all households, including 48.9% couples with children, 27.1% couples without children, and 9.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 14.0%, with lone person households at 12.3% and group households making up 1.8%. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.7.

Rowville - South shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational qualifications in Rowville South trail regional benchmarks; 31.3% of residents aged 15+ have university degrees compared to 37.0% in Greater Melbourne. This indicates potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 21.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 30.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials; advanced diplomas account for 12.1% while certificates make up 18.0%.

Educational participation is high at 28.3%; this includes 8.5% in secondary education, 8.1% in primary education, and 6.3% pursuing tertiary education. Heany Park Primary School serves Rowville South with an enrollment of 309 students; it focuses exclusively on primary education while secondary options are available nearby. Rowville South has above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1088). Local school capacity is limited at 2.9 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 12.0, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Transport analysis shows that as of January 2021, there are 36 active transport stops operating in Rowville - South. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with 16 individual routes providing service. Collectively, these routes offer 3,094 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 308 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 442 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 85 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Analysis of health metrics indicates robust performance throughout Rowville - South.

Both younger and older age groups exhibit low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is found to be relatively high at approximately 53% of the total population (~5,698 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 7.5 and 6.3% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 72.7%, report being completely free from medical ailments compared to 69.4% across Greater Melbourne. As of the latest data (18th April 20XX), 19.2% of residents are aged 65 and over (~2,053 people). Health outcomes among seniors align closely with those of the general population.

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

Rowville-South scores highly in cultural diversity with 36.0% of its population born overseas, and 32.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Rowville-South, comprising 52.7% of people. Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 5.7% versus 4.6%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.6%), Australian (18.6%), and Other (14.3%). Sri Lankan, Polish, and Hungarian ethnicities show notable divergences in representation compared to regional averages.

Rowville - South hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Rowville - South is 42 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. The 55-64 age group constitutes 16.0% of the population, compared to Greater Melbourne, while the 25-34 age group makes up 10.0%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 65-74 age group has grown from 9.2% to 10.7%, and the 75-84 cohort has increased from 5.0% to 6.3%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has declined from 16.0% to 13.8%, and the 15-24 age group has dropped from 14.9% to 13.5%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Rowville - South, with the 75-84 age group expected to grow by 53%, reaching 1,023 people from 668. Notably, all population growth will come from the combined 65+ age groups, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. In contrast, the 5-14 and 45-54 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.