Wantirna South

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Wantirna South's population is around 18,566 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 624 people (3.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,942 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 18,388 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 210 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,389 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Wantirna South's 3.5% growth since the census positions it within 1.4 percentage points of the SA4 region (4.9%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Regarding demographic trends, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas across the nation is expected, with the area expected to grow by 1,440 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, recording a gain of 6.8% in total over the 17 years.

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 around 82 new homes approved each year, with 410 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 51 so far in FY-26. With population declining over recent years, new supply has likely been keeping up with demand, offering good choice to buyers, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $424,000—moderately above regional levels—indicating an emphasis on quality construction. Additionally, $48.7 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, suggesting robust local business investment.

When measured against Greater Melbourne, Wantirna South has similar development levels (per person), preserving market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas. New building activity shows 38.0% detached houses and 62.0% medium and high-density housing. This skew toward compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing (currently 77.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. With around 337 people per dwelling approval, Wantirna South shows characteristics of a low density area.

Population forecasts indicate Wantirna South will gain 1,262 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 33 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Heart of Knox Project, Waverley One Estate, Knox Off the Plan Developments, and Knoxfield Residential Development, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

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

Wantirna South features a well-educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of only 3.8%, and 1.2% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 9,567 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.9% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation lags significantly (62.9% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%). Based on Census responses, a high 32.1% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. The area shows particularly strong specialization in wholesale trade, with an employment share of 1.5 times the regional level. Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing shows lower representation at 3.3% versus the regional average of 5.2%. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of Census working population to local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 1.2% while labour force increased by 1.6%, resulting in unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Wantirna South. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Wantirna South's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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 FY-23 reveals that income in the Wantirna South SA2 is in line with national averages, with the median assessed at $53,026 while the average income stands at $67,699. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's figures of a median income of $57,688 and an average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $57,401 (median) and $73,284 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household income ranks at the 54th percentile ($1,821 weekly), while personal income sits at the 32nd percentile. Income brackets indicate the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 30.7% of the community (5,699 individuals), aligning with the metropolitan region where this cohort likewise represents 32.8%. After housing, 85.4% of income remains for other expenses and the area'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 within Wantirna South, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 77.3% houses and 22.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Wantirna South was well beyond that of Melbourne metro, at 42.5%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (35.4%) or rented (22.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Melbourne metro average at $2,100, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $426, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Wantirna South's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Wantirna South has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 76.4% of all households, comprising 39.2% couples with children, 25.8% couples without children, and 10.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 23.6%, with lone person households at 21.5% and group households comprising 2.1% of the total. The median household size of 2.7 people is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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 stands out regionally, with university qualification rates (37.5% of residents aged 15+) exceeding the Australian average of 30.4% and that of the SA3 area (30.7%), reflecting the community's emphasis on higher education. Bachelor degrees lead at 24.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 26.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.2%) and certificates (15.3%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.1% in primary education, 7.3% in secondary education, and 6.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 128 active transport stops operating within Wantirna South, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 29 individual routes, collectively providing 6,992 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 180 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 90%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.6 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. A high 32.1% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 998 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 54 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

The level of general health in Wantirna South is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Wantirna South demonstrates above-average health outcomes, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is quite low across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover just leads that of the average SA2 area at approximately 53% of the total population (~9,765 people). This compares to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne.

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.7% and 7.0% of residents, respectively, while 69.7% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 26.2% of residents aged 65 and over (4,864 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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 scores highly on cultural diversity, with 43.2% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 45.7% born overseas. The main religion in Wantirna South is Christianity, which makes up 49.1% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Buddhism, which comprises 5.9% of the population, compared to 4.2% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Wantirna South are Chinese, comprising 21.7% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 6.5%, English, comprising 19.0% of the population, and Australian, comprising 16.4% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Sri Lankan is notably overrepresented at 1.5% of Wantirna South (vs 0.8% regionally), Korean at 0.8% (vs 0.3%) and Indian at 4.7% (vs 4.2%).

Wantirna South hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

With a median age of 44, Wantirna South notably exceeds the Greater Melbourne figure of 37 and substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. The 65 - 74 age group shows strong representation at 13.4% compared to Greater Melbourne, whereas the 25 - 34 cohort is less prevalent at 9.4%. Following the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 7.0% to 8.8% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 12.4% to 14.0%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 11.2% to 9.4% and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 13.9% to 12.1%. Demographic modeling suggests Wantirna South's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. Leading the demographic shift, the 75 to 84 group will grow by 42% (688 people), reaching 2,322 from 1,633. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those 65+ comprising 71% of projected growth. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.