Canterbury (Vic.)

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the population of the suburb of Canterbury (Vic.) is estimated at around 7,754 as of May 2026. This reflects a decrease of 46 people (0.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,800 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 7,752 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 13 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,469 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the 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 from these aggregations are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Anticipating future population dynamics, lower quartile growth is anticipated in the area, with an expected increase of 342 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 4.4% over the 16 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Canterbury according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Canterbury recorded around 33 residential properties granted approval annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 166 homes were approved, with a further 26 approved in FY-26. Despite population decline, new supply has likely kept up with demand, offering buyers good choice.

Average construction value of new dwellings is $1,753,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment. Commercial approvals totaled $12.1 million this financial year, showing moderate commercial development levels. Canterbury demonstrates approximately 75% of Greater Melbourne's construction activity per person and ranks among the 66th percentile nationally in terms of assessed areas. New development consists of 46.0% detached dwellings and 54.0% attached dwellings, marking a shift from existing housing patterns (currently 65.0% houses). Canterbury reflects a low density area with around 212 people per approval.

Future projections estimate an increase of 340 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds 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 identified 16 projects likely affecting the region. Notable ones are Maling Road Mixed-Use Development (Canterbury Hill), Glyndon Residences, Highfield Park Residential Estate, and 359-365 Canterbury Road Retail Development. The following details those most relevant.

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

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Canterbury ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Canterbury has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 2.2% as of December 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.3% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of that date, 4,082 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate was 2.6%, which is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation in Canterbury lagged at 62.4% compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 49.1% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The dominant employment sectors among residents included health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. Canterbury had a particular specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction was under-represented, with only 5.6% of Canterbury's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. While local employment opportunities exist, many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 1.3%, labour force increased by 1.6%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points in Canterbury, compared to Greater Melbourne's growth rates of 2.4% and 2.8% for employment and labour force respectively, with a similar increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project an expansion of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. 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, using 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

The suburb of Canterbury has a median taxpayer income of $65,247 and an average income of $126,680 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This places it in the top percentile nationally, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $71,524 (median) and $138,867 (average) as of March 2026. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Canterbury, between the 85th and 95th percentiles nationally. In terms of income distribution, 37.7% of the population (2,923 individuals) fall within the $4000+ income range, contrasting with the broader area where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 32.8%. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 48.8% exceeding $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 87.7% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and 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

Canterbury's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 64.7% houses and 35.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Canterbury was at 49.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.3% and rented ones at 19.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,500, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure in Canterbury was $515, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Canterbury's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than 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 comprise the remaining 22.7%, with lone person households at 21.1% and group households making up 1.7%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Canterbury's educational attainment exceeds national averages significantly. Among residents aged 15+, 57.0% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 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 at 8.8% and certificates at 6.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.1% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.5% in secondary education, 9.0% in primary education, and 8.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Canterbury indicates that there are currently 30 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops offer a mix of light rail and bus services, with a total of 8 individual routes providing weekly passenger trips amounting to 5,078. The accessibility of transport is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 215 meters from their nearest transport stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward. The car remains the primary mode of transportation for 81% of residents, while train use stands at 9%, and walking accounts for 4%. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling in Canterbury.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, specifically 49.1%, work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages approximately 725 trips per day, equating to around 169 weekly trips per individual stop.

Canterbury's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Canterbury's health outcomes show excellent results, with AreaSearch's assessment revealing low mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence among younger cohorts. Private health cover stands at approximately 77% of Canterbury's total population (5,938 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 56.7%, and the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 6.8% and 6.8% of residents respectively.

A majority, 71.2%, report being free from medical ailments, compared to Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. Canterbury has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 27.5% (2,132 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. While health outcomes among seniors are above average, they rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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's cultural diversity exceeds most local markets, with 32.5% born overseas and 27.2% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Canterbury, comprising 45.5%. Judaism is overrepresented at 0.6%, compared to Melbourne's 1.0%.

Top ancestral groups are English (22.3%), Australian (19.4%), and Chinese (14.7%), significantly higher than regional averages. Notably, Sri Lankan, Russian, and Vietnamese ethnicities diverge from regional norms: Sri Lankan at 0.8% vs 0.8%, Russian at 0.4% vs 0.4%, and Vietnamese at 1.2% vs 1.9%.

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 the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, the 75-84 age cohort makes up 10.1% of Canterbury's population, while the 25-34 year-olds make up 7.4%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 7.4% to 10.1%, and the 15 to 24 cohort has increased from 14.9% to 16.3%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 14.1% to 11.9%, and the 5 to 14 age group has dropped from 12.6% to 11.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Canterbury. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to expand by 297 people (38%), from 783 to 1,081. Those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 93% of the population growth, while the 35 to 44 and 0 to 4 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.