Ferny Creek

Ferny Creek is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

The estimated population of Ferny Creek is around 1,527 as of May 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 3 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 1,524. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 1,527 based on examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2025 and validation of 12 new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 338 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 64.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for the area.

AreaSearch adopts 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 VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 and employs weighted aggregation methods to adjust population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Demographic trends suggest lower quartile growth for Australian statistical areas, with Ferny Creek expected to grow by 48 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections. This reflects a total increase of 3.1% over the 16 years.

The level of residential development activity in Ferny Creek is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Ferny Creek has seen around 2 residential properties granted approval per year over the past 5 financial years, totalling an estimated 11 homes. So far in FY-26, 3 approvals have been recorded. The population decline in recent years suggests that new supply has likely kept up with demand, offering good choice to buyers.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $859,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment with higher-end properties. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Ferny Creek records markedly lower building activity, 63.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. However, building activity has accelerated in recent years. Recent development has been entirely comprised of detached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers.

The estimated count of 376 people per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment. Looking ahead, Ferny Creek is expected to grow by 48 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Ferny Creek has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 48thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely impacting the area: Six Senses Resort And Spa At Burnham Beeches, Angliss Hospital Expansion, Mountain Highway Logistics Hub, and Dandenong Ranges Environmental Protection Program are key projects, with the following list detailing 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.

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

Ferny Creek has a highly educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate was 2.4% in December 2025, which is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.4%.

As of December 2025884 residents were in work and workforce participation was broadly similar to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. A high 39.1% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Key industries of employment among residents are education & training, health care & social assistance, and construction. Education & training shows notable concentration with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average.

Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing has lower representation at 2.5% versus the regional average of 5.2%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data on working population vs resident population. During the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 2.4% and labour force increased by 2.0%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.3 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Ferny Creek's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

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

Ferny Creek suburb's income level is high nationally based on latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Median income among taxpayers is $53,490 and average income stands at $74,504. These figures compare to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164 respectively. With a Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Ferny Creek are approximately $58,636 (median) and $81,671 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census, household incomes rank exceptionally at the 87th percentile ($2,393 weekly). Distribution data shows that 29.9% of residents (456 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, mirroring regional levels where 32.8% occupy this bracket. Ferny Creek demonstrates considerable affluence with 37.9% earning over $3,000 per week. After housing costs, residents retain 87.1% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Ferny Creek's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted entirely of houses with 0% other dwellings. This contrasted with Melbourne metro's mix of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ferny Creek stood at 37.2%, with mortgaged properties at 57.0% and rented ones at 5.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000. Median weekly rent in Ferny Creek was $400, slightly above Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Ferny Creek's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 79.5% of all households, including 41.5% couples with children, 31.3% couples without children, and 6.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 20.5%, consisting of 19.3% lone person households and 0.9% group households. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Ferny Creek is notably higher than broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 42.0% of residents aged 15 years and over hold university qualifications, compared to 23.8% in the SA3 area and 30.4% nationwide. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 25.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.5%) and graduate diplomas (5.6%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 31.2% of residents aged 15 years and over holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 13.1% and certificates for 18.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 8.3% in secondary education, and 5.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Ferny Creek has ten operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by seven different routes that combined offer 885 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as moderate, with residents typically located 447 meters from the nearest stop. As a mainly residential area, most residents commute outward, primarily using cars (94%). On average, there are 2.0 vehicles per dwelling, which exceeds the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 39.1% of Ferny Creek's residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 126 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 88 weekly trips per individual stop.

Ferny Creek's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates robust performance across Ferny Creek.

AreaSearch's assessment shows low prevalence of common health conditions among both young and old age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is high at approximately 56% of the total population (~858 people). Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 8.7 and 8.2% of residents respectively. 67.4% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among working-age individuals are generally typical. Ferny Creek has 21.4% of residents aged 65 and over (326 people), higher than the 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than those of the general population.

Ferny Creek ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Ferny Creek had a cultural diversity score below average, with 81.5% of its population born in Australia, 90.5% being citizens, and 93.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 31.6% of Ferny Creek's population. However, Judaism showed an overrepresentation, with 0.6% compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (29.7%, regional average: 20.1%), Australian (26.4%, regional average: 18.4%), and Irish (9.4%). Notably, Hungarian (0.7% vs regional 0.3%), Dutch (2.9% vs regional 1.2%), and Polish (1.1% vs regional 0.8%) groups were also overrepresented.

Ferny Creek hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Ferny Creek is 45 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Ferny Creek has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (15.3%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (5.8%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 75 to 84 increased from 5.0% to 7.7%, while the proportion of those aged 25 to 34 decreased from 7.4% to 5.8%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate substantial shifts in Ferny Creek's age structure. The number of residents aged 85 and above is expected to grow by 193%, reaching 76 from 25 people currently. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 78% of total population growth, reflecting Ferny Creek's aging demographic trend. In contrast, both the 25-34 and 0-4 age groups are projected to decrease in number.