Werribee - South

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Werribee - South's population is around 18,004 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,194 people (7.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,810 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,937 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 51 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 157 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Over the past decade, Werribee - South has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a 4.7% compound annual growth rate, outpacing the SA4 region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 54.8% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including interstate migration and natural growth, were positive factors.

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. Considering the projected demographic shifts, exceptional growth, placing in the top 10 percent of national areas, is predicted over the period, with the area expected to increase by 8,872 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 48.9% in total over the 17 years.

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

Werribee - South has seen around 91 new homes approved each year, with 455 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 37 so far in FY-26. Given an average of 6.4 new residents per year arriving per dwelling constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply is substantially lagging demand, which generally means heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $279,000—below the regional average—suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. Additionally, $179.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, indicating strong commercial development momentum.

Relative to Greater Melbourne, Werribee - South records markedly lower building activity (65.0% below regional average per person). This scarcity of new properties typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. New building activity consists of 72.0% detached houses and 28.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low-density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated count of 440 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low-activity development environment.

Looking ahead, Werribee - South is expected to grow by 8,805 residents through to 2041 (based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 52 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Werribee Mercy Hospital Emergency Department Expansion, Grange Estate, East Werribee Precinct, and the Werribee City Centre Structure Plan 2040, 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.

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The employment landscape in Werribee - South shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Werribee - South has a well-educated workforce with diverse sector representation, an unemployment rate of 5.9%, and 4.4% estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 9,932 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 1.2% above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation is broadly similar to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. Based on Census responses, a high 28.2% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. The area shows particularly strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share of 5.7 times the regional level. Conversely, health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 11.6% of Werribee - South's workforce compared to 14.2% in Greater Melbourne. The ratio of 0.8 workers for each resident, as at the Census, indicates a level of local employment opportunities above the norm.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 4.4% while the labour force increased by 4.2%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.1 percentage points. This compares to Greater Melbourne, where employment grew by 2.4%, the labour force expanded by 2.8%, and unemployment rose 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Werribee - 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 Werribee - South's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.0% 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 Werribee - South SA2 is lower than average on a national basis, with the median assessed at $52,530 while the average income stands at $63,038. 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 $56,864 (median) and $68,239 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Werribee - South cluster around the 54th percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows the predominant cohort spans 34.4% of locals (6,193 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, reflecting patterns seen in the region where 32.8% similarly occupy this range. High housing costs consume 15.8% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 54th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Werribee - South is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure within Werribee - South, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 80.2% houses and 19.9% 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 Werribee - South was in line with that of Melbourne metro, at 29.6%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (34.7%) or rented (35.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was in line with the Melbourne metro average at $2,000, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $351, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Werribee - South's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are less than the national figure of $375.

Werribee - South has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households dominate at 71.9% of all households, comprising 34.6% couples with children, 24.4% couples without children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 28.1%, with lone person households at 25.0% and group households comprising 3.1% of the total. The median household size of 2.6 people matches the Greater Melbourne average.

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

Educational qualifications in Werribee - South trail regional benchmarks, with 29.9% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 37.0% in the SA3 area. This gap highlights the potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees lead at 19.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 30.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.0%) and certificates (19.8%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.1% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 5.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 78 active transport stops operating within Werribee - South, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 6 individual routes, collectively providing 2,048 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 322 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 86%, with 7% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. A high 28.2% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 292 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 26 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Werribee - South is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data reveals substantial challenges facing Werribee - South, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~9,074 people). This compares to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 7.6% and 7.0% of residents, respectively, while 72.2% 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 15.3% of residents aged 65 and over (2,756 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general 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 scores highly on cultural diversity, with 39.0% of its population born overseas and 35.8% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Werribee - South is Christianity, which makes up 52.0% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Hinduism, which comprises 8.5% of the population, compared to 4.4% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Werribee - South are English, comprising 18.2% of the population, Australian, comprising 17.5% of the population, and Other, comprising 14.5% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Italian is notably overrepresented at 10.2% of Werribee - South (vs 5.2% regionally), Indian at 6.9% (vs 4.2%) and Maltese at 1.8% (vs 1.1%).

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

With a median age of 37, Werribee - South is equal to the Greater Melbourne figure of 37 and remains comparable to Australia's 38 years. The 35 - 44 age group shows strong representation at 17.1% compared to Greater Melbourne, whereas the 25 - 34 cohort is less prevalent at 13.3%. In the period since 2021, the 45 to 54 age group has grown from 12.0% to 13.0% of the population, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 16.1% to 17.1%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 15.6% to 13.3%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Werribee - South's age structure. Leading the demographic shift, the 45 to 54 group will grow by 69% (1,627 people), reaching 3,975 from 2,347.