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

As of November 2025, Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek's population is approximately 15,023. This figure represents a growth of 606 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,417. The increase was inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,803 in June 2024 and an additional 118 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a population density ratio of 560 persons per square kilometer. Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek's growth rate of 4.2% since the 2021 Census exceeded the SA3 area average of 2.3%. Natural growth contributed approximately 61.7% to overall population gains during recent periods.

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 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. Based on these projections, Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek is expected to have an above median population growth, increasing by 3,041 persons by 2041. This reflects an overall increase of 18.8% over the 17-year period.

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, 10 approvals have been recorded. On average, one new resident arrives per year for each new home built between FY-21 and FY-25. This pace matches or exceeds demand, providing more options for buyers while enabling population growth that may surpass current expectations.

The average construction value of new homes is $409,000. In FY-26, commercial approvals have reached $11.5 million, indicating moderate commercial development. 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.

New developments consist of 82.0% detached dwellings and 18.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's low-density character and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population density is 392 people per dwelling approval. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek is projected to grow by 2,821 residents by 2041. Current construction rates appear balanced with future demand, promoting steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 18 projects likely to impact the area. Notable ones include Diamond Creek Community Infrastructure Master Plan, Eltham Major Activity Centre, Nillumbik Waste Management Facility Upgrade, and Diamond Creek Outdoor Pool Upgrade. The following list details those 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. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 1.7%.

Employment stability in the area has remained relatively consistent over the past year. There are 9,008 residents employed currently, with an unemployment rate of 2.9% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation is high at 71.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading employment industries among residents include construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

The area has a particular 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%. The predominantly residential area may offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population numbers. In the year to September 2025, the labour force in Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek increased by 0.2%, while employment declined by 0.1%, leading to a rise in unemployment of 0.4 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Providing broader context, state-level data from 25-Nov shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. This is compared to the national rate of 4.3%, where the state's employment growth outpaced the national average of 0.14%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insight into potential future demand within Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek. These projections suggest that national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to the local employment mix suggests that local employment should increase by approximately 6.7% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

The median income among taxpayers in Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek SA2 was $59,268 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $74,699 during the same period. These figures compare to those for Greater Melbourne, which were $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, estimated median income as of September 2025 would be approximately $66,475, with average income estimated at around $83,782. According to Census 2021 data, household incomes in the area rank at the 90th percentile, with a weekly figure of $2,496. The largest segment of earners comprises 33.3%, earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, which includes 5,002 residents. Notably, 39.0% earn above $3,000 weekly, reflecting areas of prosperity that contribute to local economic activity. After accounting for housing costs, residents retain 87.6% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. 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 a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek's dwellings were 95.0% houses and 5.0% other types (semi-detached, apartments, 'other') in the latest Census, compared to Melbourne metro's 93.9% houses and 6.0% other dwellings. Home ownership was 36.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 53.8% and rented at 9.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, matching Melbourne metro's average, while the median weekly rent was $429, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,167 and $431 respectively. Nationally, Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 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 account for 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 matches the Greater Melbourne average.

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 region, as of a certain date, 28.9% of residents aged 15 and above held university degrees, compared to Greater Melbourne's 37.0%. This indicates potential for educational development. Bachelor degrees were the most common at 19.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.1%). Vocational credentials were prominent with 36.7% of residents holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.5%) and certificates (24.2%).

Educational participation was high at 29.7%, with 9.5% in primary education, 8.9% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education on a specific date.

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

Transport analysis indicates 48 active stops operating within Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek. These include a mix of train and bus services. Nine individual routes service these stops, collectively providing 6,617 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 307 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 945 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 137 weekly trips per 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 for both young and elderly residents, with low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 56% (~8,487 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Melbourne's 60.1%.

Mental health issues affect 8.0%, asthma impacts 7.8%, while 71.0% report no medical ailments, similar to Greater Melbourne's 70.6%. The area has 15.8% (2,369 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Melbourne's 19.2%. Seniors' health outcomes are above average, mirroring the general population's profile.

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, as per the 2016 Census, exhibited below-average cultural diversity with 85.1% of residents born in Australia, 94.0% being citizens, and 91.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 45.7%. Judaism, however, showed an overrepresentation at 0.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (28.7%), Australian (26.9%), and Irish (9.5%). Italian (6.5% vs regional 6.2%), Macedonian (0.9% vs 0.7%), and Maltese (1.2% vs 1.0%) were notably overrepresented.

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 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 14.0% locally, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 9.8%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75-84 age group has grown from 3.8% to 5.2% of the population, and the 25-34 cohort has declined from 11.3% to 9.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Wattle Glen - Diamond Creek. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 80%, reaching 1,416 people from 788, with residents aged 65 and older representing 53% of anticipated growth. Conversely, the 0-4 age cohort is projected to decline by 51 people.