Templestowe Lower

An assessment of population growth drivers in Templestowe Lower reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Templestowe Lower's population is 15,202 as of February 2026. This figure shows an increase of 1,011 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,191. The growth is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 14,612 in June 2024 and an additional 137 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,559 persons per square kilometer, placing Templestowe Lower in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. The area's 7.1% growth since the census is within 2.5 percentage points of its SA3 area's growth rate of 9.6%, indicating strong population fundamentals driven primarily by overseas migration. AreaSearch uses 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 employs the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on these trends and latest annual ERP population numbers, Templestowe Lower is expected to increase by 1,499 persons to 2041, reflecting a total growth of 6.0% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Templestowe Lower when compared nationally

Templestowe Lower has seen approximately 76 new home approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 380 homes. By June 2026, 31 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.5 new residents arrive per new home each year between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand. The average construction cost value of new dwellings is $539,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment.

In FY-26, $7.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Templestowe Lower has 11.0% less building activity per person but ranks among the 72nd percentile nationally. New building activity consists of 33.0% standalone homes and 67.0% medium to high-density housing. This shift from the current housing mix (81.0% houses) reflects reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands. With approximately 190 people per dwelling approval, Templestowe Lower exhibits growth area characteristics.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Templestowe Lower is projected to add 909 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Templestowe Lower has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

AreaSearch has identified a total of 22 projects that are expected to impact the area significantly due to their influence on local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. Among these key projects are Templestowe Road Duplication and Upgrade, Aquarena Outdoor Masterplan Redevelopment, Serpell Residence Templestowe, and 6 Rosa Street Townhouses. The following list details those projects that are likely to be most relevant.

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

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Templestowe Lower has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Templestowe Lower has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 4.4% as of September 2025, which is 0.3% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.0%.

There are 7,276 residents currently in work, with a workforce participation rate of 61.5%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. A significant proportion, 37.8% of residents, were found to work from home according to Census responses, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade.

Manufacturing is under-represented, with only 4.9% of Templestowe Lower's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 7.2%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by the difference between the working population and resident population counts. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.0%, labour force grew by 2.5%, resulting in a decrease of unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 3.0%, labour force grow by 3.3%, and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in May 2025, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Templestowe Lower's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on June 30, 2023, Templestowe Lower SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $53,161 and an average income of $73,736. These figures are above the national averages of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively for Greater Melbourne. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since June 30, 2023, estimated median income is approximately $57,547 and average income is approximately $79,819 by September 2025. Census data from 2021 shows household income ranks at the 60th percentile with a weekly income of $1,919, while personal income sits at the 39th percentile. The earnings profile indicates that 29.3% of the population (4,454 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to the surrounding region where this cohort represents 32.8%. Economic strength is evident with 30.1% of households earning more than $3,000 weekly, supporting higher consumer spending. After housing expenses, 85.6% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

As per the latest Census evaluation in Templestowe Lower, 80.7% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 19.3% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This is compared to Melbourne metropolitan area's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Templestowe Lower stood at 48.7%, with mortgaged properties at 33.3% and rented ones at 17.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,500, exceeding Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Templestowe Lower was recorded as $475, higher than Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Templestowe Lower's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 78.9% of all households, including 39.3% couples with children, 27.1% couples without children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 21.1%, with lone person households at 19.3% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Templestowe Lower 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 at 40.4%, exceeding the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 26.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Vocational pathways account for 24.5% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.4% and certificates at 13.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.8% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 5.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Templestowe Lower has 63 active public transport stops, serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are served by 20 individual routes, collectively facilitating 3,030 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 209 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode at 88%, with bus usage at 7%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling, exceeding the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 37.8% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 432 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 48 weekly trips per individual stop.

Templestowe Lower's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance throughout Templestowe Lower, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Younger cohorts particularly show very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is found to be very high at approximately 56% of the total population (~8,528 people). The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.9 and 6.1% of residents respectively. Seventy-one point one percent of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 24.0% of residents aged 65 and over (3,643 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but rank lower nationally than those of the broader population.

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

Templestowe Lower has a high level of cultural diversity, with 41.1% of its population born overseas and 46.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Templestowe Lower, comprising 55.9% of its population. Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 0.5% of Templestowe Lower's population versus 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (16.9%), English (15.1%), and Australian (14.1%). There are notable differences in the representation of Greek (9.4% vs regional average of 2.7%), Italian (9.8% vs 5.2%), and Macedonian (1.0% vs 0.7%) ethnic groups.

Templestowe Lower hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Templestowe Lower is 45 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Templestowe Lower has a higher percentage of residents aged 75-84 (8.8%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (9.0%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15-24 increased from 10.5% to 13.0%, while the 55-64 age group rose from 11.4% to 12.5%. Conversely, the 75-84 age group decreased from 10.2% to 8.8%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Templestowe Lower's age structure. The 85+ age group is expected to grow by 43%, reaching 1,159 people from 813. Conversely, the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are projected to experience population declines.