Werribee - South
Statistical Area - sa2

Werribee - South lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Werribee - South's population is approximately 17,922 as of August 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 1,112 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,810. The change is inferred from ABS estimates: 17,937 in June 2024 plus 43 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 157 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Werribee - South has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 4.7%, outperforming its SA4 region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 54.8% to recent population gains, although all drivers were positive factors.

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, adjusting using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics predict exceptional growth, placing Werribee - South in the top 10 percent of statistical areas nationally. By 2041, based on latest numbers, the area is expected to increase by 8,872 persons, a total increase of 49.6% over 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Werribee - South among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Werribee - South has recorded approximately 91 residential properties granted approval each year. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, showing 455 homes over the past five financial years from FY21 to FY25, with an additional 5 approved in FY26 so far. On average, around 6.4 new residents have arrived per dwelling constructed each year between FY21 and FY25. This demand significantly outpaces supply, typically putting upward pressure on prices and increasing competition among buyers.

The average construction value of new dwellings is $505,000. In the current financial year, there have been $179.2 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Werribee - South has significantly less development activity, with 65.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes.

Recent construction comprises 72.0% detached dwellings and 28.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population count of 440 people per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate Werribee - South will gain 8,887 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Area's performance is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure. AreaSearch has identified 53 projects that could impact the area. Notable projects include Werribee Mercy Hospital Emergency Department Expansion, Wyndham Law Courts, Grange Estate, and Werribee City Centre Structure Plan 2040. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

Werribee - South has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Werribee - South has an educated workforce with varied sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 5.9% in June 2025, with estimated employment growth of 5.9% over the past year.

Of its residents, 10,153 were employed as of June 2025, with an unemployment rate of 6.9%, 1.3 percentage points higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation was similar to Greater Melbourne's at 64.1%. Dominant employment sectors included construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. The area had a strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 5.7 times the regional level.

Health care & social assistance had limited presence, at 11.6% compared to 14.2% regionally. The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.8, indicating above-normal local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 5.9%, while the labour force grew by 5.8%, reducing unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 3.5%, with unemployment increasing by 0.5 percentage points despite a labour force growth of 4.0%. State-level data to Sep-25 showed VIC employment growth at 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, compared to the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia projected a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Werribee - South's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

Werribee - South had a median taxpayer income of $49,426 and an average income of $61,288 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is below the national average, with Greater Melbourne having a median income of $54,892 and an average income of $73,761. As of March 2025, current estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022 are approximately $54,423 (median) and $67,484 (average). Werribee - South's incomes cluster around the 54th percentile nationally, according to Census 2021 income data. Income analysis shows that 34.4% of individuals in Werribee - South earn between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to the metropolitan region where 32.8% fall into this range. Housing costs consume 15.8% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 54th percentile nationally. Werribee - South's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

In Werribee - South, as evaluated at the latest Census in 2016, dwelling structures consisted of 80.2% houses and 19.9% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This differed from Melbourne metro's structure which was 88.1% houses and 12.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Werribee - South stood at 29.6%, with mortgaged properties at 34.7% and rented dwellings at 35.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area, as of June 2018, was $2,000, exceeding Melbourne metro's average of $1,924. The median weekly rent figure for Werribee - South was recorded at $351 in September 2020, compared to Melbourne metro's $370. Nationally, mortgage repayments in Werribee - South were higher than the Australian average of $1,863 as of June 2019, while rents were lower than the national figure of $375 recorded in September 2020.

Werribee - South has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 71.9% of all households, including 34.6% couples with children, 24.4% couples without children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 28.1%, with lone person households at 25.0% and group households comprising 3.1%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 3.1.

The educational profile of Werribee - South exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

In Werribee - South, 29.9% of residents aged 15 and above hold university degrees, compared to the SA3 area's 37.0%. This difference indicates potential for educational development. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 19.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 30.8% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 11.0% and certificates at 19.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: primary (10.1%), secondary (7.8%), and tertiary (5.0%). Werribee - South has a robust network of 10 schools educating approximately 5,326 students, demonstrating typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities (ICSEA: 1044). The area functions as an education hub with 29.7 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 18.4, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note that where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

The Werribee - South area has 78 active public transport stops. These include train stations and bus stops serviced by five routes. The total number of weekly passenger trips provided by these routes is 1,811.

The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 321 meters. Service frequency across all routes averages 258 trips per day. This equates to approximately 23 weekly trips per individual stop.

Werribee - South's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Werribee - South residents showed positive health outcomes overall, with low prevalence rates for common conditions among the general population, but higher than national averages for older and at-risk groups.

Private health cover was relatively low, at approximately 51% of the total population (around 9,068 people). Mental health issues impacted 7.6% of residents, while arthritis affected 7.0%. A significant portion, 72.2%, reported no medical ailments, compared to Greater Melbourne's 79.2%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over (15.0%, or around 2,688 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 8.3%. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

Werribee - 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

Werribee-South has a high cultural diversity, with 39.0% of its population born overseas and 35.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Werribee-South, making up 52.0% of people there. Hinduism comprises 8.5%, lower than the Greater Melbourne average of 15.7%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (18.2%), Australian (17.5%), and Other (14.5%). Italian is overrepresented at 10.2% compared to the regional average of 3.3%, Maltese is slightly higher at 1.8% versus 1.7%, while Indian is lower at 6.9% against the regional average of 14.7%.

Werribee - South's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Werribee-South has a median age of 37, matching Greater Melbourne's figure and closely aligning with Australia's median age of 38. The 35-44 age group constitutes 17.2% of Werribee-South's population, higher than Greater Melbourne's percentage. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort makes up 13.9%, lower than Greater Melbourne's figure. Between 2021 and present, the 35-44 age group has increased from 16.1% to 17.2%. During this period, the 25-34 cohort decreased from 15.6% to 13.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Werribee-South's age structure. Notably, the 45-54 group is projected to grow by 73%, adding 1,672 people and reaching a total of 3,975 from its current figure of 2,302.