Mount Waverley
Premium pricing is only one part of Mount Waverley's appeal. Overseas-born residents account for 49.3% of the population, while 58.6% hold a university qualification, 28.5 percentage points above the national comparison. Unlike a more apartment-oriented choice such as Burwood, Mount Waverley is anchored by 68.6% separate houses and 43.9% four-bedroom-plus homes. Household income ranks at the 77.7th percentile, helping explain the suburb's premium positioning and strong owner-occupier base.
Population
35,340
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,066/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
274
Median House
$1.6M
October to December 2025
Mount Waverley suits buyers seeking established family housing, but the entry point is substantial. Separate houses account for 68.6%, compared with 21.5% apartments and 9.8% semi-detached homes, so detached stock remains the defining purchase choice. The typical mortgage repayment is $2,600 per month and mortgage costs equal 29.1% of household income, below the level commonly associated with acute stress.
For Buyers
Mount Waverley suits buyers seeking established family housing, but the entry point is substantial. Separate houses account for 68.6%, compared with 21.5% apartments and 9.8% semi-detached homes, so detached stock remains the defining purchase choice. The typical mortgage repayment is $2,600 per month and mortgage costs equal 29.1% of household income, below the level commonly associated with acute stress.
For Investors
Mount Waverley offers a sizeable rental market, but investors should allow for moderate leasing competition. Rent is $476 per week, 24.5% of households rent, and the vacancy rate is 7.7%, meaning tenants have more choice than they would in a tightly supplied market. Rent growth of 30.6% supports the income case, while overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver and may sustain demand for established homes. A further consideration is development activity: 257 matters were recorded over 12 months, which may increase future supply and create competition for older housing stock.
Development Activity
Total DAs
326
Last 12 Months
274
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+1091.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mount Waverley
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Essex Heights Primary School
Holy Family School
Mount Waverley Heights Primary School
Mount Waverley North Primary School
Mount Waverley Primary School
Demographics
Mount Waverley has a settled but internationally connected population of 35,340, with a median age of 40 and an average household size of 2.7 people. The overseas-born share is 49.3%, 27.7 percentage points above the national comparison, while university attainment is 58.6%, or 28.5 points above national levels. Chinese ancestry is the largest recorded group at 9,426 people, followed by English at 6,495, Indian at 2,714 and Greek at 2,272. Mandarin is spoken by 2,780 residents, ahead of Greek at 804 and Cantonese at 758. Couples with children represent 52.0% of families, helping explain the strong demand for 3 and 4-plus bedroom homes. Compared with the national household size, Mount Waverley is 0.2 people higher.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
68.6%
Houses
9.8%
Townhouse
21.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Mount Waverley's housing market has delivered long-term growth but has also moved below its recent peak. Tenure is relatively owner-heavy: 42.4% own outright, 31.8% have a mortgage and 24.5% rent. Compared with smaller-home markets, the suburb is weighted towards larger dwellings, with 43.9% containing 4 or more bedrooms and 43.8% containing 3 bedrooms.
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $476.
$695
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $660 · units $540
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$810
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.7%
Unoccupied
1,046
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
52.0%
Couples with children
33.0%
Couples, no children
13.4%
Single parent
9,879
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mount Waverley's economy is supported by professional employment, education, healthcare and household services. Professional and technical industries account for 16.0% of workers, followed by healthcare at 15.2%, education at 11.4%, retail at 7.8% and finance at 7.4%. Professionals number 5,826 and managers 2,678, while clerical and administrative workers total 2,280. The labour force includes 10,127 full-time and 5,946 part-time workers, with unemployment at 5.4% and participation at 61.3%. SEIFA rankings are also strong: education and occupation sits in decile 9, economic resources in decile 8, and disadvantage and advantage/disadvantage both rank in decile 9. This combination reflects high skills and incomes, although housing costs remain elevated.
Unemployment
5.4%
Labour Force
17,989
Unemployed
969
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.5%
Part-time
34.9%
Participation
61.3%
Employed
17,020
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
58.6%
Postgraduate
20.5%
Born Overseas
49.3%
Dwellings
12,476
Transport to Work
Mount Waverley provides practical family amenity through nine local schools, including seven primary and two secondary campuses across government and Catholic sectors. The mix includes seven government schools, two Catholic schools, and both primary and secondary options, although enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Daily travel is car-led, with 49.7% driving to work, while 41.5% work from home; public transport accounts for 3.8% and walking or cycling for 1.5%. Recorded crime is 2,059 offences, or 58.3 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences the largest category at 1,313. Compared with a transit-first suburb, the transport pattern is less convenient without a car, but the suburb's IRSAD position ranks in decile 9 and its median household income is $2,066 per week. These factors support strong amenity for established households, subject to budget and commuting needs.
Drive
49.7%
Public Transport
3.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
41.5%
Population Forecast
+0.85%/yr
(+175 people/yr)
EstablishedMount Waverley is an established market with measured rather than fringe-style expansion. Forecast growth is 0.85% annually, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver, while the wider area's population change is 12.2% over 10 years. The trajectory is classified as Mixed because affordability has improved from 62.8 in 2011 to 57.3 in 2021 even as prices remain premium. Compared with a rapid-development corridor, the suburb's gentrification signal is still at the Early signs stage, with a score of 25. The market also recovered after a 3.1% COVID dip, recording a 5.4% recovery. Rent growth of 30.6% and 257 development matters in 12 months indicate continuing demand and redevelopment pressure, but the established housing base should limit the pace of physical change.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+538
Net Internal / yr
-235
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +15% since 2011, Net internal outflow -235/yr, Strong overseas inflow +538/yr, COVID recovered (-3% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
2,059
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
58.3
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mount Waverley compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Mount Waverley?
Mount Waverley has 9 listed schools across primary and secondary education. The mix includes 7 government schools and 2 Catholic schools, including Mount Waverley Secondary College, Mount Waverley Primary School, Pinewood Primary School and Avila College. Enrolment zones should be checked for each address.
Is Mount Waverley safe?
Recorded crime totals 2,059 offences, equivalent to 58.3 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for 1,313 incidents, compared with 241 crimes against the person. Buyers should assess the exact street and use current local safety information before deciding.
How is Mount Waverley's population changing?
The wider area's population change is forecast at 12.2% over 10 years, with annual growth of 0.85%. Overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, while gentrification remains at the Early signs stage with a score of 25, indicating gradual change rather than rapid transformation.
What languages are spoken in Mount Waverley?
Mandarin is the most common listed language, spoken by 2,780 residents, followed by Greek at 804, Cantonese at 758, Sinhalese at 644 and Hindi at 426. The overseas-born population is 49.3%, supporting a broad range of cultural and language services.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
Explore Mount Waverley on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map