Wantirna South
Statistical Area - sa2

Wantirna South is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Wantirna South's population was around 18,454 as of Aug 2025. This showed an increase of 512 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,942. The change was inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 18,390 in Jun 2024 and additional 206 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 1,381 persons per square kilometer, above average national levels assessed by AreaSearch. Wantirna South's growth rate of 2.9% since census was close to the SA3 area's 3.9%, indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration primarily drove this growth.

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 utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made via weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on latest population numbers, Wantirna South is expected to grow by 1,440 persons to 2041, recording a total gain of 7.5% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Wantirna South according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Wantirna South has seen approximately 82 new homes approved annually. Development approval data from the ABS covers financial years FY-21 to FY-25, totalling 410 homes. As of FY-26, 16 homes have been approved. Despite population decline in recent years, development activity has been adequate relative to population changes, which may benefit buyers.

The average expected construction cost for new properties is $677,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year, there have been $48.7 million in commercial approvals, suggesting strong local business investment. Comparing Wantirna South's development levels to Greater Melbourne shows similar figures per capita, maintaining market balance with surrounding areas. In terms of new building activity, 38.0% are detached houses and 62.0% medium to high-density housing, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This shift from the area's existing 77.0% houses suggests decreasing developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles requiring diverse housing options.

With around 337 people per dwelling approval, Wantirna South exhibits low-density characteristics. Population forecasts indicate a gain of 1,374 residents by 2041. If current development patterns continue, new housing supply should meet demand, presenting good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond projections.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 30 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include Mirvac Wantirna South (Boral Quarry Development), Waverley One Estate, Arc Chappell Townhomes, and Heart of Knox Project. The following list details those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis indicates Wantirna South maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Wantirna South has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate is 3.3%, showing a growth of 0.6% over the past year.

As of June 2025, 9,531 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.3%, below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation in Wantirna South is 60.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key employment industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. The area has a strong specialization in wholesale trade, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level, but lower representation in transport, postal & warehousing at 3.3% compared to the regional average of 5.2%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 0.6%, labour force by 0.7%, leading to a slight rise in unemployment (0.1 percentage points). In comparison, Greater Melbourne had higher growth rates: employment rose by 3.5% and labour force by 4.0%. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, slightly above the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts by Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wantirna South's employment mix suggests local growth rates could be approximately similar, around 6.6%% over five years and 13.7% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2022 indicates that Wantirna South's median income is $50,029 and average income is $64,255. This differs from Greater Melbourne's median income of $54,892 and average income of $73,761. Based on a 10.11% increase in Wage Price Index since financial year ending June 2022, estimated incomes for March 2025 would be approximately $55,087 (median) and $70,751 (average). According to Census 2021 data, Wantirna South's household income ranks at the 54th percentile ($1,821 weekly), with personal income at the 33rd percentile. Income brackets show that 30.7% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week (5,665 people). After housing costs, 85.4% of income remains for other expenses. Wantirna South's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Wantirna South, as evaluated at the latest Census conducted in 2016, comprised 77.3% houses and 22.7% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compared to Melbourne metropolitan area's dwelling composition of 83.4% houses and 16.7% other dwellings during the same period. In Wantirna South, home ownership stood at 42.5%, with mortgaged properties at 35.4% and rented dwellings at 22.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,100 as of the 2016 Census data, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure for Wantirna South was recorded at $426, compared to Melbourne metro's $400. Nationally, mortgage repayments in Wantirna South were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863 reported in 2016, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375 for the same period.

Wantirna South has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 76.4% of all households, including 39.2% couples with children, 25.8% couples without children, and 10.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for 23.6%, with lone person households at 21.5% and group households at 2.1%. The median household size is 2.7 people, aligning with the Greater Melbourne average.

Wantirna South 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 37.5% for residents aged 15+, exceeding the Australian average of 30.4% and the SA3 area average of 30.7%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 24.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 26.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 11.2% and certificates at 15.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 26.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 8.1% in primary, 7.3% in secondary, and 6.1% in tertiary education. There are seven schools operating within Wantirna South, educating approximately 4,818 students. The area has significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1107. The educational mix includes four primary and three K-12 schools. Wantirna South functions as an education hub with 26.1 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 12.0, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Wantirna South has 128 active public transport stops. All these stops are served by buses, with a total of 32 individual routes in operation. These routes combined provide 7,987 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have excellent access to transport, as they are typically located just 180 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 1,141 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 62 weekly trips per individual stop.

Wantirna South's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Wantirna South's health metrics are close to national benchmarks with a standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population (~9,577 people), leading that of the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.7 and 7.0% of residents respectively. 69.7% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.4% across Greater Melbourne. Wantirna South has 25.4% of residents aged 65 and over (4,678 people), which is higher than the 19.5% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

Wantirna 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

Wantirna South has high cultural diversity, with 43.2% speaking a language other than English at home and 45.7% born overseas. The predominant religion is Christianity, practiced by 49.1%. Buddhism is overrepresented at 5.9%, compared to Melbourne's 4.6%.

Top ancestry groups are Chinese (21.7%), English (19.0%), and Australian (16.4%). Sri Lankan (1.5%), Korean (0.8%) and Indian (4.7%) groups are notably overrepresented in Wantirna South compared to regional averages.

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

Wantirna South's median age is 44, surpassing Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's national norm of 38. The 65-74 age group constitutes 13.2%, higher than Greater Melbourne's, while the 25-34 cohort stands at 9.8%. Post-2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group grew from 7.0% to 8.3%, and the 15 to 24 group increased from 12.4% to 13.7%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort decreased from 13.9% to 12.2%, and the 25 to 34 group dropped from 11.2% to 9.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Wantirna South's age profile. The 75 to 84 group is expected to grow by 51% (784 people), reaching 2,322 from 1,537. Those aged 65 and above are projected to comprise 75% of the population growth. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.