Carnegie
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Carnegie are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Carnegie's population was approximately 20,995 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 2,461 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,534. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,903 in June 2024 and an additional 344 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 5,525 persons per square kilometer, placing Carnegie in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. Carnegie's growth rate of 13.3% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the SA4 region (7.1%) and the SA3 area, positioning it as a growth leader within its region. Overseas migration accounted for approximately 91.7% of overall population gains in recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using 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, Carnegie is forecasted to experience significant population growth, with an expected increase of 6,253 persons, representing a total gain of 29.4% over the 17-year period based on the latest population numbers.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Carnegie among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Carnegie has recorded approximately 97 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25489 homes were approved, with a further 56 approved so far in FY-26. Each dwelling built over these years has led to an average of 2.5 new residents per year, reflecting strong demand that supports property values.

New homes are being constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $289,000, which is below regional norms, offering more affordable housing options for purchasers. In FY-26, $23.0 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Carnegie has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 56th percentile of areas assessed nationally. The majority of new building activity consists of medium and high-density housing, with 12.0% being detached dwellings. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and caters to downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers, marking a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 31.0% houses.

With around 775 people per approval, Carnegie demonstrates its status as a mature, established area. Population forecasts indicate that Carnegie will gain approximately 6,161 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting property price increases.

Carnegie has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 30 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Housing Choices Carnegie - Egan Street, Mimosa Row Apartments, Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool Redevelopment, and Eighty East. The following list details those expected to be 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.

Carnegie has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Carnegie's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in professional services. As of June 2025, its unemployment rate was 4.7%.

Over the past year, employment has remained relatively stable. In June 2025, 12,773 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.8%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation in Carnegie was 69.5%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key industries for employment among residents are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

Professional & technical services have a notably high concentration with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average. Conversely, construction has limited presence in Carnegie, with only 6.1% of residents employed in this sector compared to the regional average of 9.7%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population figures. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Carnegie's labour force increased by 1.4% while employment remained stable at 0.0%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 1.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with an increase in unemployment rate of only 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that Carnegie may experience local employment growth of approximately 7.1% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment profile.

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

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows median income in Carnegie is $59,161 and average income is $78,494. This is higher than Greater Melbourne's median income of $54,892 and average income of $73,761. By September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $66,355 and average income would be around $88,039, based on a 12.16% growth since financial year 2022. Census 2021 data shows individual earnings at the 80th percentile nationally are $1,011 weekly. In Carnegie, 32.1% of locals (6,739 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category. High housing costs consume 16.6% of income. Despite this, disposable income ranks at the 58th percentile nationally. Carnegie's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Carnegie features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Carnegie's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census report, consisted of 31.1% houses and 68.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Melbourne metro had 47.8% houses and 52.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Carnegie was at 26.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.9% and rented ones at 43.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,025, below Melbourne metro's average of $2,396. Median weekly rent in Carnegie was $395, compared to Melbourne metro's $435. Nationally, Carnegie's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 58.2% of all households, including 24.1% couples with children, 25.8% couples without children, and 6.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 41.8%, with lone person households at 35.5% and group households making up 6.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.5.

Carnegie demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Carnegie's educational attainment exceeds national averages. 55.4% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are most common at 33.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.3%). Vocational pathways account for 20.7%, with advanced diplomas at 10.3% and certificates at 10.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.9% in tertiary, 7.0% in primary, and 5.2% in secondary education. Carnegie has 4 schools with a combined enrollment of 964 students. These schools focus on primary education, with secondary options available nearby due to limited local capacity (4.6 places per 100 residents vs regional average of 14.2). Some families travel for schooling due to this limitation.

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

Carnegie has 75 active public transport stops, operating a mix of train, light rail, and bus services. These stops are served by 14 different routes, collectively providing 6,874 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 165 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 982 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 91 weekly trips per individual stop.

Carnegie's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Carnegie. Younger cohorts particularly have low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover rate is high at approximately 59% of the total population (12,345 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 65.2%. Mental health issues and asthma are most common in the area, impacting 8.0% and 6.8% respectively. 74.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to Greater Melbourne's 74.0%. Carnegie has 14.7% of residents aged 65 and over (3,082 people), lower than Greater Melbourne's 16.8%. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention despite being above average.

Carnegie is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Carnegie's cultural diversity ranks high, with 39.7% speaking a language other than English at home and 44.7% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, comprising 34.1%. Judaism, at 6.5%, is lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 17.5%.

Top ancestry groups are English (17.7%), Australian (15.8%), and Other (14.5%). Notable differences exist for Russian (1.7% vs regional 2.2%), Polish (1.5% vs 3.1%), and Hungarian (0.6% vs 0.8%).

Carnegie's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Carnegie's median age is 35 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Melbourne's 37 and somewhat younger than the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group has strong representation in Carnegie at 23.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne, while the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 7.7%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and the present, the 25-34 age group has grown from 22.0% to 23.9%, while the 15-24 cohort increased from 11.5% to 13.3%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort has declined from 9.0% to 7.7%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Carnegie. The 25-34 age group is projected to increase substantially by 1,298 people (26%) from 5,013 to 6,312. Meanwhile, the 15-24 cohort grows by a modest 6% (160 people).