Croydon (Vic.)

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

As of May 2026, the population of the suburb of Croydon (Vic.) is estimated at around 30,823 people. This reflects an increase of 2,215 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 28,608 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 30,612 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 629 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,186 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Croydon's growth of 7.7% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (3.8%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 75.0% 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 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises 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 the years 2032 to 2041. Looking at population projections moving forward, an above median population growth is projected for statistical areas across the nation. The suburb of Croydon (Vic.) is expected to grow by 4,290 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 13.2% in total over the 16 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Croydon when compared nationally

Croydon has seen around 169 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 845 homes. As of FY-26, 69 approvals have been recorded. On average, Croydon adds 1.4 new residents per year per dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating balanced supply and demand. However, recent data shows this has increased to 7.8 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential supply constraints. The average construction value of development projects is $540,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

In FY-26, Croydon has registered $72.3 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Croydon shows moderately higher construction activity, maintaining good buyer choice and supporting property values, although recent periods have seen development activity moderate. New building activity comprises 42% detached houses and 58% attached dwellings, reflecting a shift towards denser development to cater to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This marks a significant change from the current housing mix of 84% houses, driven by reduced availability of development sites and shifting lifestyle demands. Croydon's population is forecasted to grow by 4,079 residents through 2041, with current construction levels expected to meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially exceeding current forecasts.

Population forecasts indicate Croydon will gain 4,079 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch 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.

Croydon has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 32 projects likely affecting the area. Notable ones include Croydon Community Wellbeing Precinct, Croydon Main Street Revitalisation, 295 Mt Dandenong Road Residential Development, and The Outlook Croydon North. Below is a list of those most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Croydon remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Croydon has an educated workforce with notable representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 5.0% as of the past year, with estimated employment growth at 1.4%. As of December 2025, 15,734 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.3% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation in Croydon was 64.7%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 30.3% of residents worked from home. Leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction had particularly high representation at 1.2 times the regional average.

Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing showed lower representation at 3.1%, compared to the regional average of 5.2%. Over the year to December 2025, employment increased by 1.4% while labour force grew by 1.7%, leading to a slight rise in unemployment. In Greater Melbourne, employment rose by 2.4%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. 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 for Croydon, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Croydon suburb's income level is approximately average nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Median income among taxpayers in Croydon is $54,990 and average income stands at $67,110, compared to Greater Melbourne's figures of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $60,280 (median) and $73,566 (average) as of March 2026. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Croydon, between the 42nd and 52nd percentiles. Income distribution shows that 32.2% of locals (9,925 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, mirroring the region where 32.8% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 41st percentile. Croydon's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Croydon's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, was 83.5% houses and 16.5% other dwellings. Compared to Melbourne metro's 74.0% houses and 26.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Croydon stood at 33.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.4% and rented ones at 27.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,985, below Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Croydon was $380, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Croydon's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 67.2% of all households, consisting of 29.2% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 11.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 32.8%, with lone person households at 30.0% and group households comprising 2.8% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

The educational profile of Croydon exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Croydon's residents aged 15+ have 30.3% with university degrees, compared to Greater Melbourne's 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational credentials are held by 33.3% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.9% and certificates at 21.4%. Current educational participation is high at 26.8%, including 9.1% in primary, 6.5% in secondary, and 4.2% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.1% in primary education, 6.5% in secondary education, and 4.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Croydon has 145 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 31 different routes that collectively facilitate 6,431 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's location to the nearest transport stop is 236 meters, indicating good accessibility. In this primarily residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport for residents, with 88% using this option, while only 6% use trains. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high percentage of residents, specifically 30.3%, work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 918 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 44 weekly trips per individual stop. A map accompanies this data and displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Health outcomes in Croydon are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Croydon's health indicators show below-average outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The level of common health conditions among the general population is somewhat typical but higher than the national average among older cohorts.

Private health cover stands at approximately 53% of the total population (~16,450 people), slightly above the average SA2 area rate of 52%. This compares to Greater Melbourne's rate of 56.7%. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and arthritis, affecting 9.0% and 8.4% of residents respectively. 66.7% 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. The area has 21.8% of residents aged 65 and over (6,719 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Croydon's population was found to be more culturally diverse compared to most other local markets, with 26.3% born overseas and 19.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Croydon, comprising 45.8% of its population. However, the category 'Other' shows overrepresentation, making up 1.4% compared to Greater Melbourne's 2.3%.

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups are English (27.3%, higher than regional average of 20.1%), Australian (24.0%, higher than regional average of 18.4%), and Other (9.8%). Notably, Dutch (2.2% vs region's 1.2%) and Sri Lankan (0.4% vs 0.8%) groups are overrepresented in Croydon, while Hungarian shows no significant divergence from the regional average (0.3% vs 0.3%).

Croydon's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Croydon is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years, and close to the national average of 38 years. Comparing with Greater Melbourne, the 75-84 age group is over-represented at 8.4% locally, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 13.7%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75-84 age group has increased from 7.1% to 8.4%, and the 0-4 age group has decreased from 6.5% to 5.7%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Croydon. The 85+ age group is expected to grow by 82% (956 people), reaching 2,128 from 1,171. Those aged 65 and older will represent 58% of the anticipated growth, while the 35-44 and 0-4 age groups are projected to decline in population.