Garfield

Garfield 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 Feb 2026, Garfield's population is estimated at around 2,431, reflecting an increase of 317 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,114. This growth rate of 15.0% exceeds the national average of 9.9%. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of resident population at 2,385 following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 35 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 92 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 40.0% of overall gains, although all drivers were positive factors. AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with base year 2022.

For areas not covered, they utilise VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 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. By 2041, the suburb is projected to grow by 466 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 17.3% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Garfield has seen approximately 19 dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 96 homes were approved, with an additional 12 approved in FY26 so far. On average, about two people move to the area per new home constructed over these years, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

New homes are constructed at an average cost of $440,000, which is higher than regional norms due to quality-focused development. This financial year has seen $1.1 million in commercial approvals, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Garfield has 17.0% less building activity per person but ranks among the 82nd percentile nationally for new building activity. Detached houses make up 79.0% of new building activity, with attached dwellings at 21.0%, maintaining the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

This is a shift from the current housing mix, which is 94.0% houses, reflecting reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands. Garfield has approximately 126 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects Garfield to grow by 420 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Garfield has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 44thth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified one major project likely to impact the area: Gippsland Line Upgrade - Bunyip and Longwarry Stations. Other key projects include Additional VLocity Trains, Victorian Desalination Plant Expansion, and Level Crossing Removal Project (Melbourne). 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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The employment landscape in Garfield shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Garfield's workforce comprises both white and blue-collar jobs, with construction being notably prominent. Its unemployment rate is 5.0%, having grown by an estimated 4.3% in the past year, according to AreaSearch data aggregation. As of December 2025, 1,200 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate is 0.2% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Garfield's workforce participation lags behind Greater Melbourne's, at 65.6% compared to 71.3%. Census responses indicate that 17.8% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The dominant employment sectors are construction, retail trade, and health care & social assistance. Garfield specializes in construction, with an employment share 2.2 times the regional level, but has lower representation in professional & technical services at 5.0% compared to the regional average of 10.1%.

Local employment opportunities appear limited, as indicated by the working population versus resident population count. Over a 12-month period ending December 2025, employment increased by 4.3%, while labour force grew by 4.5%, leading to a slight unemployment rate rise of 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced slower growth in employment and labour force, with a larger unemployment rate increase. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Garfield's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.0% over five years and 12.4% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows that the median income in Garfield is $48,893 and the average income is $71,527. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's figures of a median income of $57,688 and an average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% from July 2023 to September 2025, current estimates would be approximately $52,927 (median) and $77,428 (average). Census data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Garfield rank modestly, between the 37th and 46th percentiles. Income distribution reveals that 36.4% of locals fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 category, similar to metropolitan Melbourne's 32.8%. After housing costs, 85.0% of income remains for other expenses. Garfield's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Garfield, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 94.1% houses and 5.9% other dwellings. In comparison, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Garfield was 37.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 51.7% and rented ones at 11.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,800, below Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Garfield was $330, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Garfield's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 78.6% of all households, including 39.4% couples with children, 31.3% couples without children, and 7.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 21.4%, with lone person households at 20.1% and group households comprising 0.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Garfield shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's university qualification rate is 16.4%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 11.7%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.4%) and postgraduate qualifications (2.3%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.6%) and certificates (33.1%). Educational participation is high, with 31.5% currently enrolled in formal education: 13.2% in primary, 8.6% in secondary, and 3.2% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.2% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 3.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis indicates three active transport stops operating within Garfield. These comprise a mix of train services. Five individual routes serve these stops, collectively facilitating 291 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as moderate, with residents typically located 534 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Garfield's primarily residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 94%.

Vehicle ownership averages 1.9 per dwelling, exceeding the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 17.8% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 41 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 97 weekly trips per individual stop.

Garfield'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

Health data for Garfield residents shows positive outcomes overall.

Mortality rates and health conditions align with national benchmarks. Prevalence of common health conditions is low across all age groups. Private health cover is high at approximately 55% (1,339 people). The most common medical conditions are asthma (9.0%) and mental health issues (7.8%). 68.4% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have a higher prevalence of chronic health conditions than average. Garfield has 21.4% of residents aged 65 and over (520 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, ranking even higher than the general population nationally.

Garfield is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Garfield's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 90.0% of its population being citizens, 89.5% born in Australia, and 96.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Garfield, making up 50.9% of people, compared to 43.0% across Greater Melbourne. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (35.7%, regional average: 18.4%), English (29.3%, regional average: 20.1%), and Irish (9.5%).

Notably, Dutch representation was higher at 3.6% in Garfield compared to the regional average of 1.2%. Maltese and Polish groups were also overrepresented at 0.8% each in Garfield.

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

The median age in Garfield is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and very close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, the 65-74 age group is notably over-represented in Garfield at 11.4%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 10.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 65-74 age group has grown from 9.7% to 11.4% of the population, the 35-44 cohort increased from 11.9% to 13.5%, the 25-34 cohort declined from 12.6% to 10.4%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 12.2% to 10.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Garfield. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 58% (112 people), reaching 307 from 194, with residents aged 65 and older representing 66% of anticipated growth. Conversely, the 0-4 age cohort is projected to decline by 0 people.