Vermont South
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Vermont South's population was 12,300 as of Aug 2025. This reflected an increase of 346 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 11,954. The change was inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 12,275 in June 2024 and 81 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 1,990 persons per square kilometer, above national averages according to AreaSearch's assessments. Vermont South's growth rate of 2.9% since the census was within 1.0 percentage points of its SA4 region (3.9%). Overseas migration primarily drove population growth in recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch used VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting with weighted aggregation method to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on these projections, Vermont South is expected to increase by just below the median of Australian statistical areas to 2041, adding 1,084 persons and an overall increase of 8.6%.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Vermont South, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Vermont South has recorded approximately 34 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is provided by the ABS on a financial year basis, totalling 172 approvals over the past five years from FY-21 to FY-25, with an additional three approvals in FY-26. The population has declined recently, suggesting new supply has kept pace with demand, offering buyers good choice while developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties valued at around $812,000 on average. This financial year, $14.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating balanced commercial development activity.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, Vermont South records about three-quarters of the building activity per person and ranks among the 41st percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings. This is below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New building activity comprises 41.0% standalone homes and 59.0% townhouses or apartments, promoting higher-density living for affordability and lifestyle demands. The current housing mix is 88.0% houses, indicating a shift towards more diverse dwelling types due to reduced development sites availability. Vermont South has approximately 416 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area with population forecasts expecting an increase of 1,059 residents by 2041. Building activity appears to be keeping pace with growth projections, though buyers may face increased competition as the population grows.

Population forecasts indicate Vermont South will gain 1,059 residents through to 2041. Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, though buyers may experience heightened competition as the population grows.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects that may impact this region. Key projects include 289-291 Morack Road Townhouses, Serenity, Wantirna Health Precinct West, and Billabong Park Master Plan. The following list details those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis reveals Vermont South significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Vermont South has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. The unemployment rate was 1.8% in June 2025, showing a 1.0% employment growth over the past year.

This is below Greater Melbourne's unemployment rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation is lower at 56.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key industries for employment among residents are health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade.

Construction has a limited presence with 7.5% employment, compared to the regional average of 9.7%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.0%, labour force grew by 0.7%, resulting in a 0.3 percentage point decrease in unemployment. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded higher growth rates and an increase in unemployment. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National forecasts suggest employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Vermont South's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7%% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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 for financial year ended June 2022, Vermont South had a median taxpayer income of $47,165 and an average income of $65,062. These figures align with national averages and compare to $54,892 and $73,761 respectively for Greater Melbourne. Based on Wage Price Index growth from financial year 2022 to March 2025, current estimates suggest a median income of approximately $51,933 and an average of around $71,640. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, household income ranks at the 62nd percentile ($1,944 weekly), while personal income is at the 31st percentile. The data shows that 28.3% of Vermont South's population (3,480 individuals) falls within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, similar to the surrounding region where 32.8% occupy this range. Economic strength is evident with 30.4% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, 86.5% of income remains for other expenses. Vermont South's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Vermont South's dwellings, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 88.3% houses and 11.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 73.0% houses and 26.9% other dwellings. The home ownership level in Vermont South was 50.7%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (34.7%) or rented (14.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,383, above Melbourne metro's average of $2,200. The median weekly rent figure for Vermont South was recorded at $496, compared to Melbourne metro's $410. Nationally, Vermont South's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 81.3% of all households, including 40.8% couples with children, 30.0% couples without children, and 9.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 18.7%, comprising 16.7% lone person households and 2.1% group households. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Vermont South is notable, with 43.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to national figures of 30.4% for Australia and 31.2% for the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 26.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational pathways account for 23.6% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 11.6% and certificates at 12.0%. Educational participation is high, with 29.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 8.5% in secondary, 8.1% in primary, and 6.9% in tertiary education.

Vermont South has 5 schools with a combined enrollment of 2,455 students. The area's socio-educational conditions are above average (ICSEA: 1091). Educational facilities include 3 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 20.0 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.4, indicating Vermont South serves as an educational hub for the broader region.

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

Vermont South has 51 active public transport stops operating within it. These are a mix of light rail and bus services. There are 17 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 4927 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have good transport accessibility, with an average distance of 261 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 703 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 96 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Vermont South is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Vermont South shows superior health outcomes, with both young and elderly cohorts experiencing low prevalence of common health conditions. Its private health cover rate is approximately 52%, slightly higher than the average SA2 area's rate (~6,383 people).

This compares to Greater Melbourne's 54.2%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (7.5%) and asthma (5.9%), with 72.1% of residents reporting no medical ailments, similar to Greater Melbourne's 72.3%. Vermont South has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 27.3% (3,359 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 20.4%. Health outcomes among seniors in Vermont South are notably strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

Vermont 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

Vermont South has a high level of cultural diversity, with 47.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 47.3% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Vermont South, comprising 46.9% of the population. Buddhism is notably overrepresented, making up 6.0% compared to the Greater Melbourne average of 5.3%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are Chinese (24.8%), English (17.4%), and Australian (14.0%). Some other ethnic groups show significant divergences: Sri Lankan is overrepresented at 1.4% compared to the regional average of 0.9%, Greek is at 4.1% versus 2.4%, and Korean is at 0.7% compared to 0.6%.

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

Vermont South's median age is 46 years, notably higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years, and well above Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, the 75-84 age cohort is significantly over-represented in Vermont South at 10.9%, while those aged 25-34 are under-represented at 9.9%. Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the percentage of residents aged 75 to 84 has increased from 8.9% to 10.9%, while the percentage of those aged 65 to 74 has decreased from 13.8% to 12.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Vermont South. The number of residents aged 85 and above is projected to grow by 420 people (an increase of 84%) from 501 to 922. This growth reflects the aging population trend, with those aged 65 and above comprising 66% of the projected population growth. Conversely, the 15-24 and 0-4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.