Chirnside Park

Chirnside Park lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Nov 2025, the estimated population for the Chirnside Park statistical area (Lv2) is around 12,548. This figure reflects an increase of 769 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,779. The increase was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 12,506 residents following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024, along with an additional 72 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 565 persons per square kilometer. The area's growth rate of 6.5% since the 2021 census exceeded both its SA3 area (3.9%) and SA4 region, indicating it as a growth leader. Natural growth contributed approximately 40.0% to overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch projects above median population growth for the area, expecting an expansion of 2,629 persons by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 20.6% over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates Chirnside Park has had around 104 dwellings receiving development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 524 homes were approved, with a further 8 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, about 2 people have moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five years, suggesting balanced supply and demand conditions. However, this has moderated to 1.1 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, indicating an improving supply-demand balance.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $446,000, which is higher than regional norms due to quality-focused development. In FY-26, commercial approvals registered totalled $60.9 million, reflecting high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Chirnside Park has 119.0% more building activity per person, offering buyers greater choice. In terms of dwelling types, new development consists of 16.0% standalone homes and 84.0% attached dwellings. This skew towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways, attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 98.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles.

Chirnside Park has approximately 64 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Looking ahead, AreaSearch projects that the location will grow by 2,587 residents through to 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Chirnside Park has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 22 projects that could impact the area. Notable projects include Chirnside Park Structure Plan, Chirnside Park Shopping Centre Refresh, Brushy Creek Recycled Water Project, and Proposed Cave Hill Railway Station. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Chirnside Park demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Chirnside Park has a skilled workforce with notable representation in the construction sector. The unemployment rate was 2.8% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.4% over the past year.

This is based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of that date, 6,860 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.9%, lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation was at 66.8%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key industries for employment among residents are construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade.

Construction is particularly prominent, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. However, professional & technical services employ only 7.2% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census data comparing working population and resident population. In the past year, employment increased by 1.4%, while labour force grew by 0.9%, leading to a decrease in unemployment rate of 0.4 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne, where employment rose by 3.0% but unemployment also rose by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data as of 25-Nov shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Chirnside Park's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

The suburb of Chirnside Park had median taxpayer income of $54,426 and average income of $67,718 in the financial year 2023, according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. These figures compare with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth since then, current estimates for Chirnside Park are approximately $58,916 (median) and $73,305 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census shows household incomes in Chirnside Park cluster around the 65th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that 34.6% of residents fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, with a total of 4,341 people in this category. This aligns with the regional trend where this cohort also represents 32.8%. Housing accounts for 14.7% of income. Residents rank within the 73rd percentile for disposable income. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Chirnside Park's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 98.0% houses and 2.0% other types such as semi-detached and apartments. In comparison, Melbourne metro had 93.8% houses and 6.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Chirnside Park was at 37.0%, similar to Melbourne metro's level. Mortgaged dwellings were 47.9%, while rented ones made up 15.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $1,950. Median weekly rent in Chirnside Park was $443, compared to Melbourne metro's $380. Nationally, Chirnside Park's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,167 versus the Australian average of $1,863. Rents in Chirnside Park were also substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 80.7 percent of all households, including 40.7 percent couples with children, 28.1 percent couples without children, and 11.2 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 19.3 percent, with lone person households at 17.5 percent and group households comprising 1.7 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.7.

Chirnside Park shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's university qualification rate is 25.0%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 17.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 37.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.5%) and certificates (24.9%). Educational participation is high at 28.1%, with 9.6% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 4.4% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.6% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 4.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis shows 39 active transport stops in Chirnside Park, all of which are bus stops. There are 22 different bus routes serving these stops, together offering 4,352 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to public transport is rated as moderate, with residents on average located 469 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 621 trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 111 weekly trips per individual stop.

Chirnside Park'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

Chirnside Park residents have shown relatively positive health outcomes, with a low prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups.

The area has approximately 54% private health cover, slightly higher than the average SA2 area. Asthma and mental health issues are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 8.1% and 8.0% of residents respectively. About 69.6% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 66.9% in Greater Melbourne. Around 18.1% of residents are aged 65 and over (2,271 people), lower than the 19.4% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, similar to those of the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Chirnside Park was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Chirnside Park's population shows above-average cultural diversity, with 22.2% born overseas and 14.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, accounting for 47.4%. Notably, Judaism, which makes up 0.1%, is proportionally higher compared to Greater Melbourne's 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (29.1%), Australian (26.6%), and Irish (7.1%). Some ethnic groups have notable differences: Dutch at 2.6% (vs regional 3.2%), Italian at 5.3% (vs 3.4%), and Sri Lankan at 0.4% (vs 0.3%).

Chirnside Park's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Chirnside Park is 38 years, similar to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Chirnside Park has a higher proportion of residents aged 75-84 (6.9%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (10.4%). Between the 2016 and 2021 Census, the population aged 15-24 grew from 12.0% to 13.4%, while those aged 35-44 increased from 13.8% to 15.2%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 decreased from 13.0% to 10.4%. By 2041, Chirnside Park's age composition is expected to change significantly. The 45-54 group will grow by 44%, reaching 2,226 people from 1,543. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age group will decrease by 23 residents.