Badger Creek

Badger Creek is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

The estimated population of the suburb of Badger Creek is 1,564 as of May 2026, a decrease of 46 people compared to the 2021 Census figure of 1,610. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 1,562 in June 2025 and one validated new address since the Census date. The population density is 174 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in recent periods. According to ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, the suburb's population is expected to increase by 63 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 3.9% over the 16-year period.

For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises 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 are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041.

The level of residential development activity in Badger Creek is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Badger Creek has had minimal development with just 2 approvals between 2016 and 2021. Despite its established nature, the area has seen virtually no new residential development during this period. This limited supply of new housing typically supports values for existing properties.

Factors such as planning constraints or limited market activity may contribute to this trend. Relative to Greater Melbourne, Badger Creek had significantly less development activity between 2016 and 2021 (94.0% below regional average per person). This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes in the area. Building activity has accelerated in recent years. However, this level remains below national averages, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints.

Badger Creek has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 48thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified one major project that could affect this region: Healesville Sanctuary Precinct Redevelopment (Stage 2). Other notable projects include Maroondah Highway & Don Road Interchange Upgrade, Graceburn Gardens Estate, and The Memo Healesville Redevelopment.

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

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Badger Creek has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Badger Creek has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is notably prominent, with an unemployment rate of 4.3% and estimated employment growth of 1%. As of December 2025793 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation in Badger Creek lags behind Greater Melbourne at 63.7% compared to 69.9%. According to Census data, 16.2% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The key industries for employment among residents are construction, health care & social assistance, and manufacturing. Badger Creek has a significant employment specialization in construction, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical jobs are under-represented at 3.1% compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. In the 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 1.0% while labour force grew by 1.1%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable at 4.3%. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne where employment grew by 2.4%, labour force expanded by 2.8%, and unemployment rose to 5.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Badger Creek's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.5% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Badger Creek's income level is lower than average nationally according to AreaSearch aggregated ATO data for financial year 2023. The suburb's median income among taxpayers was $44,945 and the average income stood at $57,284. This compares to Greater Melbourne's figures of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $49,269 (median) and $62,795 (average) as of March 2026. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Badger Creek rank modestly, between the 25th and 34th percentiles. Distribution data shows that 35.1% of locals (548 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, consistent with broader trends across the area showing 32.8% in the same category. After housing expenses, 86.0% of income remains for other expenses.

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

Badger Creek's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 93.4% houses and 6.6% other dwellings. This contrasts with Melbourne metro's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Badger Creek stood at 40.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 49.6% and rented ones at 10.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, lower than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000, and the median weekly rent was $323, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Badger Creek's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Badger Creek has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 74.7% of all households, including 30.2% couples with children, 30.7% couples without children, and 12.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 25.3%, with lone person households at 22.8% and group households comprising 2.6%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Educational outcomes in Badger Creek fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 15.8%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.2%, followed by graduate diplomas (3.0%) and postgraduate qualifications (2.6%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.7%) and certificates (31.6%). A total of 24.8% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, comprising 9.4% in primary, 6.8% in secondary, and 2.5% in tertiary education.

A substantial 24.8% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 9.4% in primary education, 6.8% in secondary education, and 2.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Badger Creek has four operational public transport stops, all of which serve buses. Two routes operate in total, offering 174 weekly passenger trips combined. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents typically residing 363 meters from the nearest stop. Predominantly residential, most Badger Creek residents commute outward, primarily by car (94%). On average, each dwelling owns 1.7 vehicles, exceeding the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, 16.2% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Daily service frequency across all routes averages 24 trips, translating to roughly 43 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Badger Creek are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Badger Creek shows below-average health indicators based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were found to be higher than average for both younger and older age groups. Common health conditions were slightly more prevalent in Badger Creek compared to Greater Melbourne.

Only approximately 50% of the population has private health cover, lower than Greater Melbourne's 56.7% and the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (11.2%) and asthma (8.6%). Conversely, 64.0% of residents claim to have no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. The working-age population faces significant health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. Badger Creek has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over (24.2%, or 378 people) than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are above average, ranking even higher nationally compared to the general population.

Badger Creek is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Badger Creek's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 85.7% of its population born in Australia, 91.4% being citizens, and 96.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 33.3% of Badger Creek's population. However, Judaism was not represented (0.0%), compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (32.3%, regional average: 20.1%), Australian (30.2%, regional average: 18.4%), and Scottish (9.1%). Notably, Dutch (3.2% vs regional 1.2%) and German (5.0% vs regional 2.2%) were overrepresented, while Hungarian was minimally represented at 0.5% (vs regional 0.3%).

Badger Creek hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Badger Creek is 43 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and exceeding the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that individuals aged 65-74 years make up 13.9% of the population, a prominent figure compared to other age groups. Conversely, those aged 25-34 years constitute only 11.0%, which is smaller than the proportion in Greater Melbourne. Between 2021 and present, the percentage of individuals aged 75-84 years has increased from 5.1% to 7.7%, while the 35-44 age group has risen from 11.2% to 12.9%. However, the 25-34 age group has decreased from 13.3% to 11.0%, and the 55-64 age group has dropped from 16.0% to 14.6%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Badger Creek's age structure. The population aged 85 years and above is expected to grow by 42 people, an increase of 104% from 40 to 83. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 years and above will account for 81% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. Conversely, the 55-64 and 15-24 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.