Carnegie

Population growth drivers in Carnegie are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, the suburb of Carnegie's population is estimated at around 20,319 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 2,410 people (13.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,909 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 20,220 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 344 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 5,506 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Carnegie's 13.5% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (8.7%), along with the national average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 92.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 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 also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking at population projections moving forward, a significant population increase in the top quartile of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is forecast for the suburb of Carnegie, with an expected growth of 6,043 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 29.2% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Carnegie among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Carnegie has received around 97 dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 489 homes were approved, with another 64 in FY-26 so far. Each new home constructed attracted an average of 2.4 people to the area over these five years.

The average construction cost value for new homes was $667,000, indicating a focus on premium developments. This financial year has seen $23.0 million in commercial approvals. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Carnegie had 19.0% less new development per person as of the latest data. Nationally, it ranked at the 57th percentile for new development. Of approved dwellings, 12.0% were standalone homes and 88.0% townhouses or apartments.

This shift from the current housing mix (32.0% houses) reflects reduced development sites and changing lifestyle demands. With around 275 people per dwelling approval, Carnegie's population is expected to grow by 5,944 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 31 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Housing Choices Carnegie - Egan Street, Eighty East, Lord Reserve Pavilion Redevelopment, and Carnegie Station & Level Crossing Removal. 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 in Carnegie demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Carnegie has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. Unemployment stands at 4.2%, stable over the past year (AreaSearch data). As of December 2025, 12,555 residents are employed, with a 0.5% lower unemployment rate than Greater Melbourne's 4.8%.

Workforce participation is 73.5%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. Home working is prevalent at 44.5%. Dominant sectors include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Professional & technical jobs are particularly strong, at 1.5 times the regional level, while construction is under-represented at 6.0% compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%.

Local employment opportunities appear limited. Between December 2024 and 2025, employment levels increased by 0.1%, labour force decreased by 0.2%, reducing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's May-25 forecasts project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, varying by industry sector. Applying these projections to Carnegie's mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.3% over ten years.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

The suburb of Carnegie has a median taxpayer income of $58,809 and an average income of $78,028 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Nationally, these figures are very high compared to Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Carnegie would be approximately $63,661 (median) and $84,465 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 79th percentile ($1,005 weekly), while household income sits at the 57th percentile. The earnings profile shows that 31.8% of locals (6,461 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, similar to the metropolitan region where 32.8% occupy this range. High housing costs consume 16.6% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 58th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Carnegie displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Carnegie's dwellings, as assessed in the most recent Census, consisted of 32.0% houses and 68.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Carnegie was at 26.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.7% and rented ones at 43.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,040, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000. Median weekly rent in Carnegie was $395, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Carnegie's mortgage repayments were above the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Carnegie features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 58.7% of all households, including 24.5% couples with children, 25.9% couples without children, and 6.7% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 41.3%, with lone person households at 34.9% and group households making up 6.4%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Carnegie demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Carnegie has a higher educational attainment than broader averages. 55.3% of its residents aged 15 and above have university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 33.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.3%). Vocational pathways account for 20.6% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.2% and certificates at 10.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.9% in tertiary education, 7.1% in primary education, and 5.3% pursuing secondary education.

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

Carnegie has 67 active public transport stops offering a mix of lightrail and bus services. These stops are served by 15 individual routes, facilitating 7,350 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 169 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Car remains dominant at 69%, while train usage stands at 18%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.8 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 44.5% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,050 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 109 weekly trips per stop.

Carnegie's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance across Carnegie.

AreaSearch's assessment shows mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are low among the general population, nearing national averages for older, at-risk cohorts. Private health cover is high, with approximately 58% (~11,707 people) of the total population having it. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues (7.9%) and asthma (6.8%), while 74.2% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Carnegie has 15.0% (3,047 people) of residents aged 65 and over, with health outcomes above average but ranking lower nationally than the broader population.

Carnegie is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Carnegie's cultural diversity is notable, with 39.8% speaking a language other than English at home and 44.7% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, accounting for 34.2%. Judaism is significantly overrepresented at 6.6%, compared to Greater Melbourne's average of 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (17.7%), Australian (15.7%), and Other (14.5%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Russian (1.7% vs regional 0.4%), Polish (1.5% vs 0.8%), and Hungarian (0.6% vs 0.3%) are overrepresented in Carnegie.

Carnegie's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Carnegie's median age is 35 years, slightly younger than Greater Melbourne's 37 and the national average of 38. The 25-34 age group constitutes 23.6%, higher than Greater Melbourne but lower than the national 14.4%. The 5-14 cohort makes up 7.7%. From 2021 to present, the 25-34 age group grew from 21.8% to 23.6%, while the 15-24 group increased from 11.6% to 13.2%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort declined from 9.1% to 7.7%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant changes: the 25-34 age group is projected to increase by 1,305 people (27%), reaching 6,101, and the 15-24 cohort will grow by a modest 7% (178 people).