Wallan
Statistical Area - sa2

Wallan lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Wallan's population is approximately 31,476 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 8,849 people from the 2021 Census total of 22,627, marking a 39.1% growth rate since then. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 28,419 in June 2024 and an additional 3,275 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 62 persons per square kilometer. Wallan's growth exceeds both the national average (8.6%) and state averages, making it a growth leader in its region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 71.5% of overall population gains recently, with all drivers including natural growth and overseas migration being positive factors.

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. By 2041, Wallan is predicted to grow by 50,909 persons based on the latest population numbers, representing a 152.0% increase over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Wallan was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Wallan averaged 853 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 4,269 homes. As of FY-26144 approvals have been recorded. Each year, an average of 1.9 new residents per dwelling is added to Wallan's population. The average construction cost of new properties is $361,000.

This financial year, $18.7 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Wallan has 160.0% more new home approvals per person. New building activity consists of 94.0% detached dwellings and 6.0% townhouses or apartments. There are approximately 33 people per dwelling approval in Wallan. By 2041, Wallan is projected to grow by 47,848 residents.

Building activity is aligning with growth projections, but increased competition among buyers is expected as the population expands.

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

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes to its local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 63 projects that are likely to impact the area. Notable among these are the Darraweit Road Upgrade, Wellington Street Upgrade, Wallara Waters, and Wallan Junction. The following list details those projects deemed most relevant.

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

Employment performance in Wallan has been broadly consistent with national averages

Wallan has a skilled workforce with the construction sector being particularly prominent. Its unemployment rate was 4.3% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.1%.

As of June 2025, 14,545 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is 0.3% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation was 68.2%, similar to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading employment industries among residents include construction, healthcare & social assistance, and manufacturing. Construction shows strong specialization with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services are under-represented at 4.1% compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data analysis. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.1%, labour force grew by 1.4%, leading to a 0.7 percentage point decrease in unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a 0.5 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wallan's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.1% over five years and 12.7% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Wallan's median income among taxpayers is $55,041 with an average of $63,635. This is slightly lower than the national average and compares to Greater Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Wallan would be approximately $60,606 (median) and $70,068 (average) as of March 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Wallan cluster around the 63rd percentile nationally. Distribution data shows the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 41.7% of the community (13,125 individuals), aligning with the broader area where this cohort likewise represents 32.8%. High housing costs consume 15.9% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 66th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Wallan's dwelling structure, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 94.9% houses and 5.1% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Melbourne metropolitan area's 87.2% houses and 12.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wallan stood at 21.0%, with mortgaged properties accounting for 60.2% and rented dwellings making up 18.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,800, lower than Melbourne metro's average of $1,900. Wallan's median weekly rent figure was recorded at $361, compared to Melbourne metro's $371. Nationally, Wallan's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 83.0% of all households, including 45.0% couples with children, 24.7% couples without children, and 12.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 17.0%, with lone person households making up 15.2%, and group households comprising 1.7%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.9.

Educational attainment in Wallan aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 18.4%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 12.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 41.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 12.6% and certificates at 29.1%. Educational participation is high, with 32.0% currently enrolled in formal education: primary (12.7%), secondary (7.8%), and tertiary (3.3%).

Wallan has a robust network of 7 schools educating approximately 3,606 students, showing typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 995) with balanced educational opportunities. Education provision is balanced with 6 primary and 1 secondary school serving distinct age groups. Note: for schools with 'n/a' enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Wallan has 47 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 18 different routes, facilitating 1,118 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is assessed as limited, with residents situated an average of 657 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 159 daily trips across all routes, equating to approximately 23 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Wallan is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Wallan demonstrates above-average health outcomes with a low prevalence of common health conditions among its general population, although this is higher than the national average among older, at-risk cohorts.

Private health cover stands at approximately 51% of the total population (~16,115 people), slightly lagging behind the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 9.1 and 8.2% of residents respectively, while 71.4% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.0% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 9.6% of residents aged 65 and over (3,021 people), which is lower than the 13.2% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, requiring more attention than the broader population.

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

Wallan has a cultural diversity level above the average, with 19.9% of its population born overseas and 18.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Wallan, making up 45.0% of its population. However, the most notable overrepresentation is in the 'Other' category, comprising 5.3% of Wallan's population compared to 4.4% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are Australian (26.7%), English (24.5%), and Other (10.7%). These figures differ from regional averages: Australian is substantially higher than the average of 17.3%, English is also significantly higher at 15.5%, while Other is notably lower than the average of 17.4%. There are notable divergences in certain ethnic groups' representation, with Maltese being notably overrepresented at 2.2% (versus 1.5% regionally), Macedonian at 0.9% (versus 4.6%), and Italian at 5.5% (versus 9.6%).

Wallan's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Wallan's median age is 32 years, which is younger than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and significantly lower than Australia's national average of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Wallan has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (16.1%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (2.8%). According to post-2021 Census data, the population aged 35-44 grew from 15.5% to 18.1%, while the 45-54 age group declined from 12.3% to 11.3%. Demographic projections indicate that by 2041, Wallan's age profile will change significantly. The 35-44 age cohort is projected to grow by 145%, adding 8,253 residents and reaching a total of 13,951.