Carnegie

Population growth drivers in Carnegie are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Carnegie's population was around 21,006 as of February 2026. This showed an increase of 2,472 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,534. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,903 in June 2024 and an additional 344 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 5,527 persons per square kilometer, placing Carnegie in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Carnegie's population growth of 13.3% since the 2021 Census exceeded the SA4 region's 8.7% and the national average, indicating it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 91.7% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using 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 the 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 latest annual ERP population numbers, Carnegie is forecasted to expand by 6,253 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 29.3% in total over the 17-year period.

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 65 approved in FY-26 so far. Each dwelling built over this period attracted an average of 2.5 new residents per year, reflecting robust demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value of these new homes was $289,000, which is below regional norms, offering more affordable housing options for purchasers. In FY-26, Carnegie has recorded $23.0 million in commercial development approvals, indicating moderate levels of commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Carnegie has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 55th percentile of areas assessed nationally for new dwellings. The new building activity in Carnegie comprises 12.0% detached dwellings and 88.0% medium and high-density housing. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points, suiting downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 31.0% houses. Carnegie shows a mature, established population density of around 775 people per approval. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Carnegie is forecasted to gain approximately 6,150 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Carnegie 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 30 projects that may impact this region. Notable ones include Housing Choices Carnegie - Egan Street, Eighty East, Lord Reserve Pavilion Redevelopment, and Carnegie Station & Level Crossing Removal. The following list details those most likely to be 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 strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 4.4% as of September 2025. Over the past year, employment has been relatively stable.

As of September 2025, 13,025 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, which is 0.2% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Melbourne at 74.0%. According to Census responses, 44.6% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The leading employment industries are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

Carnegie specializes in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. Conversely, construction is under-represented at 6.1% compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. Limited local employment opportunities are suggested by the ratio of working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 0.5%, labour force grew by 1.0%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.0% and unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Carnegie's employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows median income in Carnegie SA2 was $62,279 and average income was $80,061. This is higher than Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. By September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $67,417 and average income $86,666, based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25%. According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 79th percentile ($1,011 weekly), while household income is at the 57th percentile. Income distribution shows 32.1% earn $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (6,742 residents). High housing costs consume 16.6% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 57th percentile. Carnegie SA2's SEIFA income ranking is 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, consisted of 31.1% houses and 68.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% 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, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Carnegie was $395, slightly above Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Carnegie's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than 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 constitute 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 comprise the remaining 41.8%, with lone person households at 35.5% and group households comprising 6.3%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Carnegie's educational attainment exceeds national averages: 55.4% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. The area has a significant educational advantage with bachelor degrees being the most common (33.6%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.3%). Vocational pathways account for 20.7%, including advanced diplomas (10.3%) and certificates (10.4%). Educational participation is high, with 28.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 9.9% in tertiary, 7.0% in primary, and 5.2% in secondary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.9% in tertiary education, 7.0% in primary education, and 5.2% pursuing secondary education.

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, offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 15 different routes, collectively facilitating 7,350 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 165 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 69%, while train usage stands at 18%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.8 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 44.6% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,050 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 98 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Carnegie is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Carnegie shows better-than-average health results based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is quite low across both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 60% of Carnegie's total population (12,498 people) has private health cover, compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 8.0 and 6.8% of residents respectively. A total of 74.2% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 15.1% of residents aged 65 and over (3,161 people). Health outcomes among seniors are above average, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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 population shows high cultural diversity, with 39.7% speaking a language other than English at home and 44.7% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Carnegie, comprising 34.1% of its population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented at 6.5%, compared to Greater Melbourne's average of 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (17.7%), Australian (15.8%), and Other (14.5%). Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Russian (1.7% vs regional 0.4%), Polish (1.5% vs 0.8%), and Hungarian (0.6% vs 0.3%) are notably overrepresented in Carnegie.

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 comprises 23.6%, higher than Greater Melbourne's percentage but lower than the national average of 14.4%. The 5-14 age group is less prevalent at 7.6% in Carnegie compared to Greater Melbourne. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group grew from 11.5% to 13.2%, while the 25-34 cohort increased from 22.0% to 23.6%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort declined from 9.0% to 7.6%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Carnegie. The 25-34 age group is projected to increase substantially by 1,350 people (27%) from 4,961 to 6,312. Meanwhile, the 15-24 cohort grows modestly by 6% (175 people).