Golden Square

Population growth drivers in Golden Square are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

The estimated population of Golden Square is around 10,036 as of February 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 816 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,220. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 9,453 in June 2024, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS, and an additional 101 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,182 persons per square kilometer. Golden Square's growth rate of 8.9% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (8.0%) and Rest of Vic., making it a growth leader in the area. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using 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 from 2023, adjusted 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 these projections, the suburb is forecasted to experience significant population increase, with an expected growth of 2,608 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 20.2% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Golden Square when compared nationally

Golden Square recorded approximately 40 residential property approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 204 homes. As of FY-26, 19 approvals have been granted. An average of 1.4 people moved to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25. Residential properties are constructed at an average cost of $382,000.

In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $10.2 million. Relative to Rest of Vic., Golden Square records around 61% of building activity per person, placing it in the 70th percentile nationally. Recent construction comprises 63.0% detached houses and 37.0% medium and high-density housing. With approximately 189 people per dwelling approval, Golden Square exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

AreaSearch projects an addition of 2,025 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 26 projects that could impact this region. Notable ones include Crusoe College Infrastructure, Chum Street Remediation Project, Flora Hill Housing Development, and Golden Rise Bendigo. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Golden Square has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Golden Square has a skilled workforce with notable representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 5.4%, with an estimated employment growth of 1.5% over the past year, according to AreaSearch data aggregation. As of December 2025, there are 4,337 employed residents, while the unemployment rate is 1.7% higher than Regional Vic.'s rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation stands at 58.5%, compared to Regional Vic.'s 61.5%. Home-based work accounts for a moderate 14.8% of jobs, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area specializes in health care & social assistance with an employment share 1.2 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 1.2% compared to Regional Vic.'s 7.5%.

Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by the working population vs resident population count. Over the year to December 2025, employment increased by 1.5%, and labour force by 1.8%, raising unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. In comparison, Regional Vic. saw employment decline by 0.6% and labour force by 0.7%, with a slight fall in unemployment of 0.1 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia for May-25 project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but these vary significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Golden Square's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

The suburb of Golden Square's income level is below the national average according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year ended June 30, 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Golden Square was $51,083, with an average income of $59,383. These figures compare to regional Victoria's median income of $50,954 and average income of $62,728. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year ended June 30, 2023, current estimates for Golden Square would be approximately $55,297 (median) and $64,282 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes in Golden Square rank modestly, between the 23rd and 32nd percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 31.7% of the community earns between $1,500 and $2,999 (3,181 individuals), consistent with broader trends across metropolitan regions showing 30.3% in the same category. After housing costs, 84.9% of income remains, ranking at the 25th percentile nationally.

Golden Square is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Golden Square, as assessed at the latest Census, consisted of 91.7% houses and 8.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Regional Vic.'s 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. The home ownership level in Golden Square was at 31.6%, with the rest of dwellings either mortgaged (32.8%) or rented (35.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,300, below Regional Vic.'s average, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $295, compared to Regional Vic.'s $285. Nationally, Golden Square's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Golden Square features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 63.7% of all households, including 22.8% couples with children, 25.9% couples without children, and 13.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 36.3%, with lone person households at 32.4% and group households comprising 3.8%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Regional Vic average of 2.4.

Educational outcomes in Golden Square fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 21.6%, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 37.4% of residents aged 15 and above holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.5%) and certificates (26.9%). Educational participation is high, with 27.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 9.6% in primary, 7.3% in secondary, and 3.6% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.6% in primary education, 7.3% in secondary education, and 3.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Golden Square has 65 operational public transport stops. These are served by eight distinct routes, offering a total of 1079 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents usually located 272 meters from the nearest stop. The area is predominantly residential, and most commuters travel outward; cars remain the primary mode at 93%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling, lower than the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, 14.8% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

The average service frequency is 154 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 16 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Golden Square is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Golden Square faces substantial health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are notable across both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~5,054 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues (11.7%) and arthritis (10.0%), while 60.9% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% across Regional Vic.. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 19.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,946 people), which is lower than the 23.9% in Regional Vic.. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Golden Square had below average cultural diversity, with 89.8% citizens and 89.5% born in Australia. English was spoken at home by 92.5%. Christianity dominated, at 45.0%, slightly overrepresented compared to Regional Vic's 36.1%.

The Other religion category was also overrepresented, at 0.8% versus the regional average of 0.7%. Top three ancestral groups were English (31.7%), Australian (30.0%), and Irish (10.0%). Scottish ancestry was slightly overrepresented at 9.1%, while Samoan and Dutch were underrepresented at 0.1% each, compared to regional averages of 0.1% and 1.7% respectively.

Golden Square's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

Golden Square's median age is 38, which is below Regional Vic.'s figure of 43 but matches the national norm of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 16.6% of Golden Square's population compared to Regional Vic., while the 65-74 cohort comprises 9.9%. According to the 2021 Census, the 35-44 age group has increased from 12.6% to 14.7%, and the 25-34 cohort has risen from 15.2% to 16.6%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 11.7% to 10.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling indicates that Golden Square's age profile will change significantly. Leading this shift, the 25-34 group is projected to grow by 45%, adding 750 people and reaching a total of 2,416 from its current figure of 1,665. Meanwhile, the numbers in the 55-64 age range are expected to fall by 52%.