Historically lower middle class, it has long been among the city's most diverse areas, attracting British, Greek and Portuguese immigrants in the post war era.

[3] After independence, Eastlea's relative affordability, attracted many upwardly mobile black Zimbabweans, becoming a destination for students, young professionals and civil servants in large part due to its proximity to downtown.

Historically, Milton Park was occupied predominantly by recently arrived blue-collar workers from Britain while Avenues and Eastlea attracted Southern Europeans, mostly Greeks and Portuguese (via Mozambique and Madeira), who worked in factories in Willowvale and Southerton or in the city centre.

The cityscape and history of the community is rooted firmly in Eastlea's role as a home for new immigrants to the city and for its post-independence position as a destination for an upwardly-mobile black middle class many of whom work for non governmental organisations nearby.

Eastlea first rose to prominence as an important middle-class suburb towards the mid century, initially populated by the (then) white-collar workforce and accessible via bus and road to and from the city centre.

Concurrently, black Zimbabweans were attracted to Eastlea, and many coloured families were drawn to the area from their traditional suburbs (nearby Braeside and Hillside) replacing many older whites.

The multitude of services, including parks and other green space, schools, clinics, and major institutions, make it an ideal neighborhood to raise a family close to the Central Business District.