South Morang - South
Statistical Area - sa2

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

South Morang - South's population is around 13,558 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,166 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,392 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,889 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 480 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,751 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. South Morang - South's growth of 9.4% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (8.6%). Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 94.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. A significant population increase is forecast, with the area expected to increase by 5,140 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting an increase of 33.0% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions South Morang - South among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

South Morang - South has seen approximately 146 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totaling 733 homes. No approvals have been recorded so far in FY26. The average new resident per year per dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25 was 0.1. New construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current expectations.

The average construction value of new homes is $293,000, reflecting affordable housing options. This financial year has seen $19.5 million in commercial approvals, indicating steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, South Morang - South has 19.0% less new development per person but ranks among the 92nd percentile nationally, suggesting robust developer interest. New development consists of 28.0% detached dwellings and 72.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from existing housing patterns (currently 79.0% houses). With around 69 people per dwelling approval, South Morang - South exhibits characteristics of a growth area. Future projections indicate an addition of 4,471 residents by 2041, with current development patterns suggesting that new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Future projections show South Morang - South adding 4,471 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.

South Morang - South has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 24 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include Findon Road Arterial Road Completion from Plenty Road to Epping Road, 175 Gordons Road Development, Whittlesea Aboriginal Gathering Place, and 18 Bush Boulevard Apartments. The following list details those most pertinent.

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

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AreaSearch assessment positions South Morang - South ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

South Morang - South has a skilled workforce with strong representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 3.5% as of June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 2.1% over the past year.

In this period, 7,245 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.2% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation was broadly similar to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance (30.5%), construction (18.7%), and retail trade (15.9%).

Professional & technical services have limited presence with 6.0% employment compared to the regional average of 10.1%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census data on working population vs resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 2.1%, while labour force grew by 1.4%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate of 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 3.5%, labour force grow by 4.0%, and unemployment increase by 0.5 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% expansion in national employment over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to South Morang - South's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch reports median taxpayer income in South Morang - South was $54,958 and average income was $64,078 in financial year 2022. These figures align with national averages, which were $54,892 and $73,761 respectively for Greater Melbourne. Based on a 12.16% increase from the Wage Price Index since FY2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $61,641 (median) and $71,870 (average). Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in South Morang - South fall around the 52nd percentile nationally. The largest earnings segment consists of 38.3% earning between $1,500 to $2,999 weekly, with 5,192 residents falling into this category. This aligns with the surrounding region where this cohort represents 32.8%. Housing costs consume 15.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 60th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

South Morang - South is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In South Morang - South, as per the latest Census, 78.6% of dwellings were houses while 21.4% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Melbourne metropolitan area's figures of 87.2% houses and 12.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Morang - South stood at 27.5%, with mortgaged properties making up 49.5% and rented dwellings accounting for 23.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,787, lower than Melbourne metro's average of $1,900. Median weekly rent stood at $380 compared to Melbourne metro's $371. Nationally, South Morang - South's median monthly mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, while median weekly rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 78.1% of all households, including 42.8% couples with children, 21.1% couples without children, and 13.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 21.9%, with lone person households at 19.6% and group households making up 2.3%. The median household size is 2.8 people, smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.9.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 26.2%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 17.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 31.8% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.0%) and certificates (20.8%). Educational participation is high, with 30.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 9.7% in primary, 8.6% in secondary, and 5.4% in tertiary education.

South Morang - South has four schools with a combined enrollment of 2,759 students. The area's ICSEA score is 1033, indicating balanced educational opportunities. It includes one primary, one secondary, and two K-12 schools. As an education hub, the area offers 20.4 school places per 100 residents, higher than the regional average of 13.1, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: for schools with 'n/a' enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

South Morang - South has 42 active public transport stops. These are a mix of train and bus services. There are 8 individual routes operating in total.

They provide 5,927 weekly passenger trips combined. The accessibility of these transport options is rated as good. Residents typically live 281 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 846 trips per day across all routes. This equates to approximately 141 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in South Morang - South are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

South Morang - South's health indicators show below-average results compared to national averages.

Common health conditions are somewhat typical but higher among older residents. Private health cover is slightly lower at approximately 51%, covering around 6,941 people. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues and arthritis, affecting 8.1% and 7.3% of residents respectively. About 71.4% of residents claim to have no medical ailments, compared to 74.0% in Greater Melbourne. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 15.9%, totaling around 2,150 people, compared to the 13.2% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those for the broader population.

South Morang - 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

South Morang-South ranks high in cultural diversity, with 33.0% of its population born overseas and 37.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in South Morang-South, making up 57.8% of people there. However, Hinduism is notably overrepresented, comprising 5.3%, compared to 6.3% across Greater Melbourne.

The top three ancestry groups are Australian (18.6%), English (16.9%), and Other (13.5%). Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Macedonian at 5.0% vs 4.6% regionally, Italian at 11.8% vs 9.6%, and Sri Lankan at 0.9% vs 0.8%.

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

South Morang - South has a median age of 37, which is equal to Greater Melbourne's figure and comparable to Australia's median age of 38. The 55-64 age group comprises 11.9% of the population in South Morang - South, higher than Greater Melbourne's percentage. Conversely, the 35-44 cohort makes up 13.6%, which is less prevalent compared to Greater Melbourne. Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 4.7% to 5.8% of the population, while the 55 to 64 cohort grew from 10.8% to 11.9%. However, the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 14.4% to 13.4%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in South Morang - South's age structure. Notably, the 45 to 54 group is projected to grow by 41%, adding 750 people and reaching a total of 2,570 from its current figure of 1,819.