Canterbury (Vic.)

Canterbury has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Population for Canterbury (Vic.) as of November 2025 is estimated at around 8,028 people. This figure reflects an increase of 228 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,800. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of resident population at 7,960 in June 2024, based on ABS ERP data release and validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,556 persons per square kilometer, placing Canterbury (Vic.) in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 are used, adjusted employing weighted aggregation to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate lower quartile growth, with Canterbury (Vic.) expected to grow by 387 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 4.5% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Canterbury, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, shows Canterbury recorded around 21 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years up to FY-25, totalling an estimated 109 homes. As of FY-26, 5 approvals have been recorded. The area has experienced population decline, suggesting new supply has likely kept pace with demand, offering good choice to buyers. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $1,753,000, indicating developers focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

This financial year, $864,000 in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Canterbury shows substantially reduced construction, 51.0% below regional average per person, reflecting limited new supply that generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes. This level is also below national average, indicating the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent construction comprises 38.0% detached houses and 62.0% townhouses or apartments, focusing on higher-density living to create more affordable entry points and suit downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a considerable change from the current housing mix of 65.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. Canterbury indicates a mature market with around 354 people per approval. Population forecasts indicate Canterbury will gain 357 residents through to 2041 (from AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate).

With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Canterbury has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 16 projects likely affecting the region. Notable projects include Maling Road Mixed-Use Development (Canterbury Hill), Glyndon Residences, Highfield Park Residential Estate, and 359-365 Canterbury Road Retail Development. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

The labour market strength in Canterbury positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Canterbury has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 1.8% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 3.5%.

As of June 2025, 4,281 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 2.8% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation lags at 58.8%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. Canterbury has a notable concentration in professional & technical services, with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average.

However, construction is under-represented, with only 5.6% of Canterbury's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 3.5%, while labour force increased by 3.0%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.5%, labour force expand by 4.0%, and unemployment rise by 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Canterbury's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.6% over five years and 15.2% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

Canterbury's median income among taxpayers was $65,244 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $126,672 during the same period. These figures compare to Greater Melbourne's median and average incomes of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. By September 2025, estimates based on a 12.16% Wage Price Index growth suggest Canterbury's median income will be approximately $73,178 and the average income will reach around $142,075. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family, and personal incomes in Canterbury rank highly nationally, between the 85th and 95th percentiles. Income analysis shows that 37.7% of Canterbury's community earns over $4,000 weekly (3,026 individuals), while surrounding regions have a higher proportion earning between $1,500 - $2,999 weekly. In Canterbury, 48.8% of residents exceed $3,000 weekly earnings, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. After housing costs, residents retain 87.7% of their income, reflecting robust purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Canterbury displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Canterbury, as per the latest Census evaluation, 64.7% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 35.4% being semi-detached apartments, or other types. This compares to Melbourne metro's 55.5% houses and 44.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Canterbury stood at 49.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.3% and rented ones at 19.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,500, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $3,000. The median weekly rent in Canterbury was $515, compared to Melbourne metro's $451. Nationally, Canterbury's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,500 against the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 77.3% of all households, including 38.5% couples with children, 28.5% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 22.7%, with lone person households at 21.1% and group households comprising 1.7%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.5.

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

Educational attainment in Canterbury is notably high, with 57% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications. This compares favourably to the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 34.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.2%) and graduate diplomas (5.1%). Vocational pathways account for 15.5% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 8.8% and certificates 6.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.5% in secondary education, 9.0% in primary education, and 8.9% pursuing tertiary education. There are seven schools operating within Canterbury, educating approximately 4,312 students. The area's educational performance is high (ICSEA: 1173), placing local schools among the most advantaged nationally. The educational mix includes one primary school, one secondary school, and five K-12 schools. Canterbury functions as an education hub with 53.7 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 19.2, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' in enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Canterbury's public transport analysis shows 30 active stops in operation, offering a mix of train, light rail, and bus services. These stops are served by 7 distinct routes, collectively facilitating 2,994 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents on average situated 215 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 427 trips daily across all routes, translating to approximately 99 weekly trips per individual stop.

Canterbury's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Canterbury residents show relatively positive health outcomes, with low prevalence of common conditions across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 77%, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 6.8% each. 71.2% report no medical ailments, compared to 73.8% in Greater Melbourne. 26.6% of residents are aged 65 and over (2,135 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 19.4%. Health outcomes among seniors align with the general population's profile.

Canterbury was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Canterbury, surveyed between June 2016 and August 2017, had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 32.5% of its residents born overseas and 27.2% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Canterbury as of June 2016 to August 2017, comprising 45.5% of the population. However, Judaism had a higher representation in Canterbury compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 0.6% versus 0.9%.

The top three ancestry groups based on parental birthplaces were English (22.3%), Australian (19.4%), and Chinese (14.7%). Notably, Sri Lankan, Russian, and Vietnamese ethnicities had higher representations in Canterbury compared to regional averages: Sri Lankan at 0.8% versus 0.7%, Russian at 0.4% versus 0.3%, and Vietnamese at 1.2% versus 1.2%.

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

The median age in Canterbury is 46 years, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and also exceeds the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Canterbury has a notably higher proportion of people aged 75-84 (9.5% locally), while those aged 25-34 are under-represented at 7.0%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the 75-84 age group has grown from 7.4% to 9.5%, and the 15-24 cohort has increased from 14.9% to 16.2%. Meanwhile, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 14.1% to 12.4%, and the 5-14 group has dropped from 12.6% to 11.1%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Canterbury. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to expand by 363 people (48%), from 762 to 1,126. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising all of the projected growth. Conversely, the 45-54 and 25-34 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.