Coburg

Coburg has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

The suburb of Coburg's population is estimated at around 30,237 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 3,663 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 26,574 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 28,748 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 555 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,369 persons per square kilometer, placing Coburg in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 13.8% growth since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (9.9%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for Coburg was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 82.0% of overall population gains 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, 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 are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to increase by 14,604 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 43.4% in total over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis shows Coburg averaged approximately 297 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 1,486 homes. As of FY-26, 35 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.5 people per year moved to the area for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating supply meeting or exceeding demand. The average construction value was $456,000.

In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $5.7 million. Comparing Coburg's development levels with Greater Melbourne shows similar per capita figures, maintaining market balance. However, recent periods have seen increased activity, with 93% of new buildings being townhouses or apartments. This shift from the current 65% houses suggests diminishing developable land and responds to changing lifestyle preferences and affordability needs. Coburg has approximately 76 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market.

AreaSearch projects Coburg will add 13,115 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Coburg 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 42 projects that could impact this region. Notable initiatives include Pentridge Precinct, Coburg Health and Community Services Precinct, Holstep Health Community Hub (Coburg), and Sydney Road Transport Corridor Upgrade. The following list provides details on 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 employment landscape in Coburg shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Coburg has a highly educated workforce. Professional services are strongly represented, with an unemployment rate of 7.0% as of the past year. Employment growth was estimated at 4.5%.

As of December 2025, 16,928 residents were in work, with an unemployment rate of 2.3%, which is above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation was fairly standard at 73.4%. Census responses indicated that 44.1% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services.

The area has particular employment specialization in education & training, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. In contrast, construction employs just 6.7% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 4.5% alongside labour force growth of 4.6%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne, where employment rose by 2.4%, the labour force grew by 2.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Coburg's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Coburg is higher than average nationally. The median income is $58,713 and the average income stands at $73,658. In comparison, Greater Melbourne has a median income of $57,688 and an average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $63,557 and the average income around $79,735 as of September 2025. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Coburg cluster around the 67th percentile nationally. Income brackets show that the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates with 31.5% of residents (9,524 people). This pattern is also seen in the broader area where 32.8% occupy this range. Economic strength is evident through 31.4% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 15.0% of income. Strong earnings rank residents within the 72nd percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Coburg's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 65.2% houses and 34.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coburg stood at 33.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.9% and rented ones at 34.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Coburg was $430, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Coburg's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,167 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Coburg features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 65.8% of all households, including 29.9% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 9.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 34.2%, with lone person households at 25.3% and group households comprising 9.0%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Coburg is notably high, with 45.4% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications as of the latest data. This compares to national figures of 30.4% for Australia and 33.4% for Victoria. The area's educational advantage is reflected in its knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 27.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.2%) and graduate diplomas (5.0%).

Vocational pathways make up 21.8% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas accounting for 9.7% and certificates for 12.1%. Educational participation is notably high in Coburg, with 28.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the latest figures available. This includes 8.7% in tertiary education, 7.6% in primary education, and 5.9% pursuing secondary education.

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

Coburg has 134 active public transport stops, offering a mix of lightrail and bus services. These are served by 16 routes, providing 12,727 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents located an average of 174 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 67%, followed by train at 10% and cycling at 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.0 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 44.1% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,818 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 94 weekly trips per individual stop. The map accompanying the analysis shows the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Coburg's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Coburg's health metrics closely align with national benchmarks.

Common health conditions are slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is very high, at approximately 56% of the total population (around 16,908 people). The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 11.5 and 8.1% of residents respectively. 67.9% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. As of June 30th, 2021, 13.9% of residents are aged 65 and over (4,202 people), which is lower than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. National rankings for health outcomes among the elderly population are broadly in line with the general population.

Coburg 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

Coburg's population shows high cultural diversity, with 30.7% born overseas and 32.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Coburg, accounting for 39.1%. Islam's representation stands out at 6.8%, higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 5.6%.

Top ancestral groups include English (18.6%), Australian (16.6%), and Italian (12.1%), with Italians notably more prevalent in Coburg compared to the regional average of 5.2%. Other ethnicities with notable representation include Greek at 5.7% versus 2.7%, Lebanese at 3.6% versus 0.8%, and Maltese at 1.0% versus 1.1%.

Coburg's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Coburg has a median age of 37, which is equal to Greater Melbourne's figure and comparable to Australia's 38 years. The 25-34 age group comprises 19.3% of Coburg's population, higher than Greater Melbourne's percentage. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort makes up 8.9%, lower than Greater Melbourne's figure. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 11.2% to 12.2%. During this period, the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 10.0% to 8.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Coburg's age structure. Notably, the 45-54 group is projected to grow by 58%, adding 2,333 people and reaching a total of 6,355 from its current figure of 4,021.