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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
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Sunshine (Vic.) has an estimated 10,174 residents, up from 9,445 at the 2021 Census — a change of 729 people, or 7.7%. 181 new addresses have been validated here since Census night. Overseas migration accounts for 89.0% of that increase. That puts 2,151 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
As of Aug 2026, the population of the suburb of Sunshine (Vic.) is estimated at approximately 10,174, according to AreaSearch evaluations combining broader regional ABS population revisions with 181 validated new addresses recorded since the Census. In comparison to the 9,445 residents counted in the 2021 Census, this represents a gain of 729 people, or a 7.7% rise. This update is grounded in an estimated resident population of 10,151 derived from the June 2025 ABS ERP release alongside post-Census address additions. The local population density stands at 2,151 persons per square kilometer, which exceeds national benchmark averages recorded across AreaSearch assessment areas.
Outperforming the wider SA3 area figure of 2.2%, the 7.7% expansion in the suburb of Sunshine (Vic.) since the 2021 census positions it as a regional growth frontrunner, with net overseas migration generating around 89.0% of these overall demographic additions in recent times. SA2 projections published by ABS/Geoscience Australia in 2024 (using 2022 as a base year) are utilised by AreaSearch, supplemented where necessary by 2023 VIC State Government Regional/LGA figures aggregated to SA2 levels via population growth weighting. These aggregated age-bracket growth trajectories are extended across all locations for the period covering 2032 to 2041. Over the longer horizon, the suburb of Sunshine (Vic.) is anticipated to place in the top quartile of statistical areas nationwide for demographic growth, with SA2-level modeling forecasting an increase of 3,134 persons by 2041, representing a total rise of 30.6% across 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
248 new dwellings have been approved in Sunshine (Vic.) over the past five years, an average of 49 a year. That places the area in the 66th percentile for residential development activity nationally, about 5 approvals per 1,000 residents a year. Of the 81 dwellings approved in the latest reporting year, 15% were detached houses and the rest townhouses or apartments. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 216, running ahead of that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this Suburb (SAL) boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Analysis by AreaSearch of ABS building permit records indicates that annual approvals in Sunshine average roughly 49 dwellings, culminating in 248 residential units approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), with 216 approved during FY-25 to date. Housing additions have balanced or outstripped demographic demand, given an average ratio of 0.1 people added annually per dwelling constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), thereby broadening residential choice and enabling prospective expansion beyond baseline projections. Typical construction costs sit at $372,000 per dwelling, a figure below regional benchmarks that highlights cost-effective building activity.
Additionally, commercial development has shown significant momentum with $48.4 million in commercial building approvals lodged this financial year. Per capita building approvals in Sunshine outpace Greater Melbourne by 166.0%, giving buyers substantial residential options. Medium to high-density dwellings make up the vast bulk of recent approvals, with 85.0% classified as townhouses or apartments and 15.0% as detached houses. This structural shift towards higher-density configurations provides more accessible entry-level price points for first-home buyers, investors, and downsizers, diverging from the current neighbourhood profile where houses make up 69.0% of stock. This pattern mirrors evolving living preferences, mounting affordability considerations, and constrained greenfield land supply. Showing approximately 74 people per dwelling approval, the locality displays typical growth-corridor dynamics. Projections indicate that Sunshine will add 3,111 residents through to 2041 relative to the latest quarterly estimate from AreaSearch. Should building approvals remain at their current tempo, residential construction might fail to match population additions, which could heighten buyer demand and encourage stronger property capital appreciation.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Sunshine (Vic.)
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 5 current infrastructure and development projects inside Sunshine (Vic.), worth an estimated $24.1 billion. A further 75 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $60.1 billion. 25 are already under construction and 19 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans communities, precincts & urban renewal, residential development and transport & logistics. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Strategic planning frameworks, major developments, and infrastructure upgrades play a central role in shaping local growth. AreaSearch has identified 12 key projects anticipated to impact Sunshine, headlined by initiatives such as the Sunshine Superhub and Albion Station Upgrade, the Sunshine Priority Precinct Vision 2050, the Western Rail Plan, and Next Generation Trams.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Sunshine Superhub and Albion Station Upgrade
A major transformation of Sunshine Station into a transport superhub and the complete rebuild of Albion Station as part of Melbourne Airport Rail Stage 1. The 4.1 billion dollar project spans 6km of track upgrades from West Footscray to Albion, untangling a complex rail junction to enable airport services and Melton Line electrification. Major construction is actively underway following early works and utility relocations, with completion targeted for 2030.
Sunshine Priority Precinct Vision 2050
The Sunshine Priority Precinct Vision 2050 is a 30-year urban renewal strategy establishing Sunshine as the capital of Melbourne's west. It leverages over $20 billion in broader infrastructure investments, including the $4.1 billion Sunshine Superhub, and targets 43,000 new residents and up to 50,000 new jobs by 2051. Key components include the Sunshine Station Precinct Masterplan Stage 1, the Albion Quarter Structure Plan, and the 54-hectare Sunshine Energy Park.
Western Rail Plan - Sunshine Superhub (West Footscray to Albion Rail Upgrade)
The Western Rail Plan umbrella program is now centred on the Sunshine Superhub, formally known as the Melbourne Airport Rail Stage 1 West Footscray to Albion Rail Upgrade. The $4.1 billion program spans 6km from West Footscray to Albion, untangling a complex rail junction by building 6km of new raised track and 2 rail bridges to separate 6 regional and metropolitan rail lines. Sunshine Station will be transformed into a superhub with 2 new dedicated regional platforms and an extended concourse, supporting more than 1,000 train services per day.A new Tottenham Station and a rebuilt Albion Station are also included. The enabling works contract was awarded in February 2026 to a consortium of McConnell Dowell, Arup, Metro Trains Melbourne, V/Line and VIDA Rail, with early works commencing April 2026. Full construction completion is targeted for 2030. The Geelong Fast Rail component has been cancelled following the withdrawal of federal funding in November 2023. Electrification to Melton and Wyndham Vale remains a future stage subject to separate business cases.
Next Generation Trams
The Victorian Government is investing 1.85 billion AUD to deliver 100 accessible, low-floor Next Generation G Class trams and infrastructure upgrades, including the newly completed Maidstone Tram Depot. Designed by Alstom, the fleet of 25-metre-long vehicles will feature enhanced disability access, accommodating up to 150 passengers. The first test tram was delivered to Maidstone in September 2025, launching an extensive network testing and enabling works program across local routes before progressively rolling out to passengers.
Vietnamese Museum Australia
Australia's first museum dedicated to preserving and sharing the story of Vietnamese refugee settlement in Australia. The three-storey building, designed by Konzepte Melbourne, features a wave-like facade and bamboo exterior details symbolising the journey to freedom. Total funding of approximately $20.4 million includes $9.7M Federal, $8.7M State, and $2M additional State contributions plus community fundraising. The museum will house over 100,000 stories on veterans, refugees, and Vietnamese Australians, receive more than 280 artefacts, and include a resource centre, function centre and cafe for up to 450 guests.Part of the Multicultural Museums Victoria network. Construction commenced April 2025 and reached the topping-out milestone in September 2025, two weeks ahead of schedule. Builder is McCorkell Constructions.
Sunshine Precinct
Long-term Victorian Government urban renewal and transport precinct program centred on Sunshine Station, Sunshine CBD and Albion Quarter. The precinct is being positioned as a major centre for Melbourne's west, supported by Melbourne Airport Rail, Suburban Rail Loop connections, regional rail upgrades, the $4.1 billion Sunshine Superhub, the Sunshine Station Masterplan and the Albion Quarter Structure Plan. Current activity includes Superhub and West Footscray to Albion rail upgrade works, station precinct improvements, and continuing structure planning for Albion Quarter to support jobs, innovation, services, housing and public realm enhancements.
Melbourne Airport Rail - Sunshine to Albion Package
Stage 1 of the Melbourne Airport Rail connecting passengers from West Footscray to Albion. The project involves upgrading Sunshine Station into a superhub, laying over 6 kilometres of new track, constructing two new rail bridges, and adding new regional platforms. Construction commenced in early 2026.
Dempster Park Children's and Community Centre
Integrated early years and community hub replacing North Sunshine Kindergarten and Dempster Park Hall. The project will deliver two 33-place kindergarten rooms (up to 66 children at a time), an outdoor learning environment, staff spaces and amenities, a family space, a community hall, and two maternal and child health offices. The project is a Building Blocks Partnership between the Victorian Government and Brimbank City Council, receiving 5.89 million AUD in funding. Demolition of the existing kindergarten and hall and construction of the new facility is underway from mid to late June 2026, with opening expected in September 2027.
5,548 residents of Sunshine (Vic.) are employed, from a labour force of 5,960. Unemployment sits at 6.9%, with participation at 70.1%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.3% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 11,421, about 112% of the resident population, so the area draws in more workers than it sends out. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Workforce conditions in Sunshine are shaped by an educated local talent base across multiple industries, a 6.9% unemployment rate, and a 2.7% annual rise in employment based on aggregated statistical area figures from AreaSearch. Employed residents numbered 5,548 as of March 2026, while the local jobless rate sits 2.1% higher than the Greater Melbourne figure of 4.8%. The local participation rate matches the Greater Melbourne benchmark of 70.1%. According to Census responses, 27.2% of workers worked from home, a figure potentially influenced by Covid-19 restrictions. Key fields of employment among residents comprise retail trade, education & training, and health care & social assistance.
Employment concentration is notably pronounced in transport, postal & warehousing, which registers 1.5 times the regional proportion. Conversely, the professional & technical sector represents 7.4% of the local workforce compared to 10.1% across the broader region. Demonstrating solid local job availability, Census findings recorded 0.8 workers for each resident in the area. According to AreaSearch evaluations of ABS and SALM figures aggregated from surrounding statistical areas, the past 12-month period saw employment increase by 2.7% and the labour force expand by 1.9%, leading to a 0.7 percentage point reduction in the unemployment rate. Over the same span, Greater Melbourne recorded a 2.1% rise in employment and a 2.3% gain in the labour force, resulting in a 0.2 percentage point increase in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia as of Mar-26 provide additional context for prospective labour demand across Sunshine. Local industry weighting applied to these five- and ten-year national estimates—which project 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally—indicates local employment expansion of 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years (calculated as a simple illustrative weighting that excludes localized population projections).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Sunshine (Vic.) is $1,566 a week (about $81,000 a year), with median personal income at $706 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $54,025 a year against an average of $62,581. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
Postcode-level ATO records compiled by AreaSearch for financial year 2023 show Sunshine taxpayers recorded a median income of $54,025 and an average income of $62,581. These figures place the suburb below national averages, as well as the Greater Melbourne median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. Factoring in a 9.62% increase in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, modeled estimates reach roughly $59,222 for median earnings and $68,601 for average earnings as of March 2026. Figures from the 2021 Census indicate that personal, family, and household earnings in Sunshine sit between the 29th and 39th percentiles nationally.
The predominant income bracket accounts for 31.1% of workers earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (3,164 residents), mirroring the wider regional share of 32.8%. Affordability pressures are notable, with the remaining income metric standing at 82.7%, positioned at the 39th percentile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Sunshine (Vic.) had 3,365 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 69% detached houses and 8% apartments. 30% are owned with a mortgage, 42% rented and 28% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $340 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,842 a month. Rent absorbs 21.7% of household income here and mortgage repayments 27.1%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
According to the latest Census, residential dwellings in Sunshine comprised 69.4% separate houses and 30.6% other forms of accommodation (including semi-detached units, apartments, and other dwellings), whereas Melbourne metro recorded 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Outright home ownership accounted for 27.9% of households, slightly below the wider metropolitan level, while mortgaged properties stood at 29.9% and rental properties constituted 42.2%. Median monthly mortgage costs sat at $1,842 in Sunshine compared to $2,000 in Melbourne metro and $1,863 nationally. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent stood at $340, below both the Melbourne metro benchmark of $390 and the Australian median of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Sunshine (Vic.) counted 3,365 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 3,625 today, averaging 2.6 people each. 29% are couples with children, against 22% couples without children. 26% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.3 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Family arrangements constitute 66.8% of local households, encompassing couples with children at 28.9%, couples without children at 21.7%, and single parent families at 13.6%. Non-family households represent the remaining 33.2%, consisting of lone person households (25.5%) and group households (7.7%). The median household size of 2.6 people aligns directly with the Greater Melbourne average.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
35.4% of adults in Sunshine (Vic.) hold a university qualification, including 22.6% with a bachelor degree and 9.8% with postgraduate qualifications. A further 14.8% hold a vocational qualification. 6 schools serve the area, with 901 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 1,011 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Educational attainment levels among Sunshine residents aged 15+ noticeably outperform the surrounding region, with 35.4% holding a tertiary qualification compared to 23.9% across the SA3 area, providing a solid base for knowledge-intensive industries. Bachelor degrees are held by 22.6% of residents aged 15+, followed by 9.8% with postgraduate credentials and 3.0% with graduate diplomas. Vocational qualifications account for 24.2% of the cohort aged 15+, consisting of certificates (14.8%) and advanced diplomas (9.4%). A substantial 31.3% of local residents are actively engaged in formal study. Within this student cohort, 8.4% attend primary education, 7.2% are enrolled in tertiary education, and 5.9% participate in secondary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Sunshine (Vic.) reaches 100 stops on 32 routes, timetabled for about 18,500 services a week. The typical home sits about 130 m from its nearest stop. Buses carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 1.0 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Public transport connectivity across Sunshine includes 100 operating stops covering bus and train networks, with 32 routes delivering 18,482 passenger trips each week. Transport access is rated as excellent, featuring an average distance of 131 meters to the nearest stop. Commuting patterns reflect an outward-bound residential workforce, with 72% traveling by car, 16% using train services, and 6% taking buses. Private vehicle ownership stands at 1.0 per dwelling, below the wider metropolitan norm, while 27.2% of residents worked from home according to the 2021 Census under potential COVID-19 influences. Transit schedules across the network generate an average of 2,640 daily trips across all routes, which corresponds to around 184 weekly trips per individual transit stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
74.4% of residents in Sunshine (Vic.) report no long-term health condition. 7.2% need daily assistance with core activities, and 51.6% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 5.6 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health indicators across Sunshine reflect generally favorable outcomes, with AreaSearch evaluations of mortality and medical condition rates aligning with national standards across both younger and older cohorts. Private health insurance coverage is held by approximately 52% of the population (~5,249 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne. The most prevalent long-term health conditions recorded in the community are asthma, affecting 7.1% of residents, and mental health issues, reported by 7.0%. Meanwhile, 74.4% of residents reported having no long-term health conditions, exceeding the Greater Melbourne proportion of 72.6%. Health metrics for the under-65 cohort outperform national averages.
Residents aged 65 and over make up 13.5% of the local population (1,373 people), compared to 15.1% across Greater Melbourne, with older residents experiencing above-average health results and general rankings that align with broader national patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
51.3% of Sunshine (Vic.) residents were born overseas and 56.6% speak a language other than English at home, more culturally diverse than 92% of areas nationally. The largest reported ancestries are English (14.7%) and Australian (13.6%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Displaying high cultural diversity, Sunshine records 51.3% of its population born overseas and 56.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity represents the leading religious affiliation at 40.1% of the community. In contrast to the Greater Melbourne average of 4.2%, Buddhism shows notable local overrepresentation, comprising 11.1% of residents. Ancestry data based on parental birthplace shows that the leading background is Other at 20.3% (above the 14.6% regional average), followed by English ancestry at 14.7% (below the 20.1% regional mark) and Australian ancestry at 13.6%. Pronounced demographic variations are also evident across specific communities, with Vietnamese ancestry comprising 13.5% of Sunshine residents (compared to 1.9% regionally), Maltese at 1.4% (versus 1.1%), and Croatian at 1.0% (versus 0.7%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Sunshine (Vic.) is 35, younger than 76% of areas nationally. 32.4% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
Sunshine maintains a younger demographic profile relative to Greater Melbourne. Adults aged 25 - 44 account for 36.9% of residents as at August 2026 compared to 32.1% regionally, while children and youth aged 0 - 24 represent 27.9% locally versus 30.5% across Greater Melbourne. As at August 2026, the estimated median age remains at 35, matching the 2021 Census figure and sitting 2 years younger than the Greater Melbourne median of 37 from that Census. Long-term projections to 2041 indicate that the largest numerical increase will occur in the 45 - 64 age category, adding 1,112 residents (50%) to reach 3,330, while the 65+ age bracket is forecast to experience the fastest proportional growth, rising 59% to 2,184 residents.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Sunshine (Vic.)
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Aug 2026 2 months ago all 5 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Aug 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 181 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (9,445 at the 2021 Census → 10,174 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL22395). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.