Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek

Population growth drivers in Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek's population is around 15,058 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 641 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 14,417 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,803 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 119 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 561 persons per square kilometer. Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek's growth rate of 4.4% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 2.8%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 61.7% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises 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 are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering the projected demographic shifts, a significant population increase is forecast, with the area expected to increase by 3,041 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 18.5% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek has seen approximately 62 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 312 homes. As of FY-26, 16 approvals have been recorded. On average, one new resident per year arrives for each new home built between FY-21 and FY-25. This pace mirrors or exceeds demand, providing buyers with more options while facilitating population growth that may exceed current projections.

The average construction value of these homes is $409,000. In the current financial year, there have been $11.5 million in commercial approvals, indicating moderate commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek exhibits 78.0% higher building activity per capita. This should offer buyers ample choice, although building activity has slowed in recent years.

The majority of new developments consist of detached dwellings (82.0%), with attached dwellings making up the remainder (18.0%), maintaining the area's low-density character and appealing to space-seeking buyers. With an estimated 392 people per dwelling approval, the development environment is quiet and low-key. By 2041, Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek is projected to gain 2,786 residents (based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate). Current construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering stable market conditions without excessive price pressure.

Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

The performance of a particular area can be significantly influenced by changes to its local infrastructure. AreaSearch has identified 18 projects that are expected to impact this area. Notable among these are the Diamond Creek Community Infrastructure Master Plan, Eltham Major Activity Centre, Nillumbik Waste Management Facility Upgrade, and Diamond Creek Outdoor Pool Upgrade. The following list provides details on those projects deemed most relevant.

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

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The exceptional employment performance in Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate in September 2025 was 1.7%. Employment stability over the past year is relatively high.

As of September 2025, 9,008 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.9% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation is higher at 76.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 31.2% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Leading employment industries include construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

The area has a high specialization in construction, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level. However, professional & technical services employ only 7.4% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by the working population count compared to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force increased by 0.2%, while employment declined by 0.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May-25, suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.6% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek SA2 has a high national income level according to AreaSearch data aggregating ATO figures for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers is $63,074 and the average income stands at $78,995. These compare to Greater Melbourne's figures of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. Based on an 8.25% growth in wages since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $68,278 (median) and $85,512 (average). Census 2021 data shows household incomes rank at the 90th percentile with a weekly income of $2,496. The largest income segment comprises 33.3% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, with 5,014 residents in this bracket. Notably, 39.0% earn above $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 87.6% of their income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.0% houses and 5.0% other dwellings such as semi-detached, apartments, and 'other' dwellings, compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek stood at 36.7%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (53.8%) or rented (9.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $429, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 84.7% of all households, including 47.4% couples with children, 25.8% couples without children, and 10.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 15.3%, with lone person households at 14.3% and group households comprising 0.9%. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

In Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek trail region, 28.9% of residents aged 15 and above hold university degrees, compared to Greater Melbourne's 37.0%. This difference suggests potential for educational development. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 19.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.1%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 36.7% of residents aged 15 and above holding them - advanced diplomas at 12.5% and certificates at 24.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.5% in primary education, 8.9% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transportation in the area between Wattle Glen and Diamond Creek shows that there are currently 50 active transport stops operating. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 11 individual routes providing service to the area. The combined weekly passenger trips across these routes amount to 5,831. The accessibility of transportation in this region is rated as good, with residents on average located approximately 307 meters from their nearest transport stop. As it is predominantly residential, most commuters travel outward from the area. The car remains the primary mode of transportation for residents, with a high ownership rate of 2.0 vehicles per dwelling, which is above the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 31.2% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 833 trips per day, equating to approximately 116 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek shows superior health outcomes as per AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Both young and elderly cohorts have low incidence of common health issues. Private health coverage is high at approximately 58% (~8,793 people). Mental health problems and asthma are the most prevalent conditions (8.0 and 7.8% respectively), with 71.0% reporting no medical ailments compared to Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. Under-65 residents have better-than-average health outcomes. The area has 16.6% of residents aged 65 and over (2,502 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 15.1%. Seniors' health outcomes are above average, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Wattle Glen-Diamond Creek showed low cultural diversity, with 85.1% born in Australia, 94.0% being citizens, and 91.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity dominated at 45.7%. Judaism was overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%.

Top ancestry groups were English (28.7%), Australian (26.9%), Irish (9.5%). Italian, Macedonian, and Maltese showed notable divergences: Italian at 6.5% vs regional 5.2%, Macedonian at 0.9% vs 0.7%, Maltese at 1.2% vs 1.1%.

Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek is 39 years, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, the 55-64 age cohort is notably over-represented at 13.9% locally, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 9.4%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75-84 age group has increased from 3.8% to 5.6% of the population, while the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 11.3% to 9.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek. Notably, the 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 68%, adding 574 people and reaching a total of 1,416 from 841. Conversely, the 0-4 age group is expected to decrease by 22 residents.