Wallan

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 around 31,599 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 8,972 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 22,627 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 30,342 from the ABS as of June 2025 and an additional 3,865 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 62 persons per square kilometer. Wallan's growth of 39.7% since the 2021 census exceeded the state (9.3%) and national average. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 71.3% of overall population gains.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering these projections, exceptional growth is predicted over the period, with the area expected to expand by 45,734 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 140.8% over the 16 years.

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

Wallan has averaged approximately 853 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 4,269 homes. As of FY-26511 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.9 new residents are associated with each dwelling constructed annually between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating balanced supply and demand and stable market conditions. The average construction cost for new properties is $269,000, which is below regional norms, reflecting more affordable housing options.

This financial year has seen $18.7 million in commercial development approvals, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Wallan has 150% more new home approvals per person, providing ample choice for buyers. This activity is significantly higher than the national average, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. New building activity consists predominantly of detached dwellings (94%) and townhouses or apartments (6%), maintaining the area's traditional low-density character focused on family homes. With approximately 33 people per dwelling approval, Wallan exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Wallan is expected to grow by 44,477 residents through to 2041, with building activity keeping pace with growth projections despite potential increased competition among buyers as the population grows.

Wallan has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 61 potential impact projects. Major initiatives include Beveridge North West Precinct Structure Plan, Wallan Junction, Darraweit Road Upgrade, and Wallan Town Heart. Below is a detailed list of the most relevant ones.

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

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Wallan has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Wallan has a skilled workforce with the construction sector being notably prominent. As of December 2025, 15,361 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 5.3%. This is 0.6% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, but workforce participation is similar at 70.0%.

According to Census data, 17.9% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries include construction, health care & social assistance, and manufacturing. Construction is particularly strong with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level. However, professional & technical services are under-represented at 4.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%.

The area may have limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 0.5% while the labour force grew by 1.6%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a smaller unemployment rate increase of 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia indicate that employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wallan's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.7% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not consider localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Wallan SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $57,613 and an average of $65,520. This is slightly lower than the national average. In Greater Melbourne, the median was $57,688 and the average was $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for March 2026 would be approximately $63,155 (median) and $71,823 (average). Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Wallan cluster around the 63rd percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 41.7% of the community, with a total of 13,176 individuals. This aligns with the broader area where this cohort also represents 32.8%. High housing costs consume 15.9% of income. Despite this, disposable income is at the 65th 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 structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 94.9% houses and 5.1% other dwellings such as semi-detached properties, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Melbourne metro's composition of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wallan stood at 21.0%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 60.2% and rented properties making up 18.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,800, lower than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Wallan was recorded at $361, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. 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 at 15.2% and group households comprising 1.7%. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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 common at 12.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.7% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.6%) and certificates (29.1%). Educational participation is high, with 32.0% currently enrolled in formal education: 12.7% in primary, 7.8% in secondary, and 3.3% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.7% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Wallan has 47 operational public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 9 different routes that collectively facilitate 742 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility in Wallan is limited, with residents typically residing 661 meters away from the nearest transport stop. As predominantly residential, most residents commute outward, with car being the primary mode of transportation at 94%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.9, exceeding the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 17.9% of Wallan's residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 106 trips per day, translating to approximately 15 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 based on AreaSearch's assessment as of June 2021. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were found to be low among the general population but higher than the national average for older, at-risk cohorts.

Private health cover was present in approximately 52% of the total population (~16,399 people), slightly lagging behind the average SA2 area's 56.7%. The most common medical conditions were asthma and mental health issues, affecting 9.1% and 8.2% of residents respectively, while 71.4% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 9.9% of residents aged 65 and over (3,115 people), lower than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Wallan's population shows above-average cultural diversity, with 19.9% born overseas and 18.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Wallan, accounting for 45.0% of its population. Notably, the 'Other' religious category comprises 5.3%, higher than Greater Melbourne's 2.3%.

For ancestry, Australian is the most represented group at 26.7%, significantly higher than the regional average of 18.4%. English follows with 24.5% and Other at 10.7%. Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Maltese are overrepresented at 2.2% compared to the region's 1.1%, Macedonian at 0.9% (regional average is 0.7%), and Italian at 5.5% (close to the regional average of 5.2%).

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

Wallan has a median age of 32 years, which is younger than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and significantly lower than Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Wallan has a higher percentage of residents aged 5-14 (16.0%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (2.9%). Post-2021 Census data indicates that the age group 35-44 grew from 15.5% to 18.1%, while the groups 55-64 declined from 10.3% to 8.9% and 45-54 dropped from 12.3% to 11.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Wallan's age profile will change significantly, with the strongest projected growth in the 35-44 cohort, increasing by 129% to add 7,385 residents and reach a total of 13,105.