Woodend
Statistical Area - sa2

Woodend lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Woodend's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 8,053, marking a 1.3% increase from the 7,949 reported in the 2021 Census. This growth is inferred from an estimated resident population of 8,035 in June 2024 and an additional 63 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density stands at 38 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Woodend has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 1.6%, outperforming its SA4 region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 53.5% of overall population gains recently. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered, it 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. By 2041, a significant population increase is forecast, with Woodend expected to expand by 2,874 persons, resulting in a total gain of 35.5% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Woodend recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Woodend has recorded approximately 101 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 505 homes approved over the past five years between FY20 and FY25, and two so far in FY26. An average of 2.7 people have moved to the area per new home constructed over these five years, indicating strong demand that supports property values. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $793,000, suggesting developers focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

In FY26, $10.3 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of Victoria, Woodend has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 43rd percentile nationally, offering more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. New development consists of 88% standalone homes and 12% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low-density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 412 people, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate Woodend will gain 2,856 residents by 2041, and current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Woodend has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 23rdth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified six projects expected to affect the region. Notable projects are Hanging Rock to Daylesford Shared Trail, Hamilton Road Reconstruction New Gisborne to Riddells Creek, Macedon Ranges Sports Precinct, and Kyneton Recycled Water Irrigation Project. The following list details those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis reveals Woodend significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Woodend has a well-educated workforce. Professional services are strongly represented, with an unemployment rate of 1.6% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.2%. There were 3,956 residents in work in June 2025, with an unemployment rate of 2.2%, which is below Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation was fairly standard at 60.8% compared to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training.

The area has a particularly notable concentration in professional & technical services, with employment levels at 2.5 times the regional average. In contrast, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 2.1% of local workers, below Rest of Vic.'s 7.5%. There appears to be limited employment opportunities locally based on Census working population vs resident population data. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 1.2% while labour force increased by 1.8%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.6 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Vic. experienced an employment decline of 0.9% and a labour force decline of 0.4%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. State-level data from Sep-25 shows VIC employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Woodend's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.8% over five years and 13.8% 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

Woodend's median income among taxpayers was $57,970 and average income stood at $85,059 in financial year 2022, according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. These figures compare to the Rest of Vic.'s median income of $48,741 and average income of $60,693 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Woodend would be approximately $63,831 (median) and $93,658 (average) as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, incomes in Woodend cluster around the 67th percentile nationally. The data shows that 27.7% of the community earn between $1,500 and 2,999 per week (2,230 individuals), consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 30.3% in the same category. A substantial proportion of high earners, at 34.5%, indicates strong economic capacity throughout Woodend. After housing costs, residents retain 88.0% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Woodend's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.0% houses and 7.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Vic.'s 95.2% houses and 4.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Woodend stood at 42.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 42.5% and rented ones at 14.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, higher than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,600. The median weekly rent in Woodend was $392, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $320. Nationally, Woodend's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents surpassed the national figure of $375.

Woodend features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 77.2 percent of all households, including 35.4 percent couples with children, 30.4 percent couples without children, and 11.1 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 22.8 percent, with lone person households at 21.1 percent and group households accounting for 1.7 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

Educational achievement in Woodend places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Woodend's educational attainment is notably high. Among residents aged 15 and above, 39.2% have university qualifications, surpassing the broader benchmarks of 21.7% in Rest of Vic. and 25.4% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 23.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.1%) and graduate diplomas (5.5%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 29.6% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (18.0%).

Educational participation is high, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (11.5%), secondary education (9.5%), and tertiary education (3.9%). Woodend's four schools have a combined enrollment of 679 students. The area shows significant socio-educational advantages, with an ICSEA score of 1105. The educational mix includes three primary schools and one K-12 school.

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

Woodend has five active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by fifteen different routes, carrying a total of 532 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is limited, with residents generally located 1312 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 76 trips per day across all routes, equating to about 106 weekly trips per individual stop.

Woodend's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Woodend's health metrics closely match national benchmarks with common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts at a standard level. Approximately 62% of Woodend's total population (5,025 people) has private health cover, which is higher than Rest of Vic.'s 52.9% and the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues impact 8.8% of residents and arthritis affects 8.2%, while 67.4% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% in Rest of Vic..

The area has 23.2% (1,867 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Rest of Vic.'s 24.9%. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

Woodend ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Woodend has a lower than average cultural diversity, with 83.2% of its population born in Australia, 90.9% being citizens, and 95.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, making up 41.1% of Woodend's population. While Judaism is slightly overrepresented, comprising 0.2% compared to 0.2% in Rest of Vic.

The top three ancestry groups are English (30.5%), Australian (26.7%), and Irish (12.2%). Notably, Scottish (10.3%) and Maltese (0.9%) are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 10.1% and 0.6%, respectively.

Woodend hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Woodend's median age is 46, slightly higher than Rest of Vic.'s figure of 43 and significantly higher than the national norm of 38. The 45-54 age group comprises 16.1% of Woodend's population, compared to Rest of Vic., while the 25-34 cohort makes up only 5.1%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75-84 age group has grown from 6.7% to 8.4%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 9.7% to 11.2%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort has declined from 6.6% to 5.1%. By 2041, Woodend's age composition is expected to shift notably, with the 45-54 group growing by 44%, reaching 1,860 people from the current 1,294.