Werribee - West
Statistical Area - sa2

Werribee - West 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 - West's population is around 32,649 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 10,308 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 22,341 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 30,552 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 2,653 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 255 persons per square kilometer. Werribee - West's growth rate of 46.1% since the 2021 census exceeded both national (8.9%) and state averages, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 75.1% 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, and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 for areas not covered by this data, adjusted 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. Future population trends predict exceptional growth placing Werribee - West in the top 10 percent of statistical areas nationally, with an expected increase of 32,473 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 93.0% over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Werribee - West was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Werribee - West has received around 997 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 4,988 homes. As of FY26330 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years, an average of 2.6 new residents per dwelling was noted, reflecting robust demand that supports property values. The average construction cost value for new homes is $256,000, below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options.

This financial year has seen $200.3 million in commercial approvals, suggesting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Werribee - West has 186.0% more building activity per person, offering ample choice for buyers despite recent moderation in development activity. The area's new development consists of 90.0% detached dwellings and 10.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving its low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers with around 35 people per dwelling approval. Future projections indicate Werribee - West adding 30,376 residents by 2041, with current development patterns suggesting new housing supply should readily meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Future projections show Werribee - West adding 30,376 residents by 2041. 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.

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

Thirty-seven projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly, with local infrastructure changes being particularly influential. Notable projects include Cornerstone Estate, Ballan Road Intersection Upgrade, Werribee Open Range Zoo Expansion, and 160 & 290 Hobbs Road Residential Development. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

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

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

Werribee West has a well-educated workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 6.1% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.9%. There were 16,520 residents in work, with an unemployment rate of 7.6%, 3 percentage points higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation was high at 69.4%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key employment sectors included health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Transport, postal & warehousing had a notably high concentration with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average. Professional & technical services had limited presence at 6.7%, compared to the regional average of 10.1%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census data. Over the past year, employment increased by 4.9% while labour force grew by 5.8%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.8 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 3.5%, labour force grow by 4.0%, and unemployment increase by 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project that Werribee West's local employment growth over five years could be approximately 6.4% and over ten years around 13.2%.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Werribee-West has a higher income level than the national average, according to AreaSearch aggregated ATO data for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers in Werribee-West is $55,489, with an average income of $68,971. These figures compare to Greater Melbourne's median and average incomes of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes are approximately $62,236 (median) and $77,358 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Werribee-West cluster around the 65th percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate that 41.0% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (13,386 residents), consistent with broader trends across the broader area showing 32.8% in the same category. High housing costs consume 16.1% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 65th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Werribee-West's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, showed 90.5% houses and 9.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 88.1% houses and 12.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Werribee-West was 19.5%, similar to Melbourne metro, with mortgaged dwellings at 49.8% and rented ones at 30.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,842, lower than Melbourne metro's $1,924, while median weekly rent stood at $360 compared to Melbourne metro's $370. Nationally, Werribee-West's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Werribee - West features high concentrations of family households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 78.2% of all households, including 40.2% couples with children, 23.8% couples without children, and 12.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 21.8%, with lone person households at 18.8% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 3.1.

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

Educational qualifications in Werribee - West trail regional benchmarks show 29.2% of residents aged 15+ have university degrees, compared to 37.0% in the SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are most common at 18.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 35.0% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas (11.9%) and certificates (23.1%). Educational participation is high, with 31.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.0% in primary education, 7.2% in secondary education, and 4.7% pursuing tertiary education. As of 2016, 11 schools serve 2,948 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1014) providing balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 8 primary, 2 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. School capacity is limited locally (9.1 places per 100 residents vs 18.4 regionally), leading many families to travel for schooling. Note: 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 analysis of public transport in Werribee - West shows that there are 68 active transport stops currently operating. These stops offer a mix of train and bus services. There are 11 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 4,265 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as limited, with residents typically located 601 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, there are 609 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 62 weekly trips per individual stop.

Werribee - West's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Werribee - West, with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is found to be fairly high at approximately 54% of the total population (~17,532 people), compared to 51.4% across Greater Melbourne.

The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 7.8 and 7.7% of residents respectively, while 74.6% declare themselves as completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 79.2% across Greater Melbourne. As of 31 December 2020, the area has 7.7% of residents aged 65 and over (2,504 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, requiring more attention than the broader population.

Werribee - West 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-West has a high level of cultural diversity, with 37.4% of its population born overseas and 34.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Werribee-West, comprising 43.3% of people. The most notable overrepresentation is in the 'Other' category, which makes up 4.5% of the population compared to Greater Melbourne's average of 7.1%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (20.2%), Australian (20.0%), and Other (16.5%). Notably, Indian (7.7%) is overrepresented in Werribee-West compared to regional averages, while Maltese (1.9%) and Maori (1.2%) have similar representation compared to regional averages.

Werribee - West hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

At 32 years, Werribee-West has a median age that is notably younger than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and significantly lower than Australia's national average of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Werribee-West has a higher proportion of residents aged 35-44 (19.8%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (2.0%). This concentration of 35-44 year-olds is substantially higher than the national average of 14.2%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the proportion of Werribee-West's population in the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 16.7% to 19.8%, while the 5 to 14 age cohort has risen from 13.8% to 15.1%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 has decreased from 20.8% to 19.2%, and the 55 to 64 age group has dropped from 8.9% to 7.8%. Demographic projections suggest that Werribee-West's age profile will change significantly by 2041, with the 35 to 44 age cohort projected to grow by 84%, adding 5,433 residents to reach a total of 11,891.