Caulfield - South

Caulfield - South has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Caulfield - South's population is around 19,205 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,130 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,075. The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 18,975 in June 2024 and an additional 324 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,051 persons per square kilometer, placing Caulfield - South in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 6.3% growth since census positions it within 2.2 percentage points of the SA4 region (8.5%). Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 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 demographic trends and latest annual ERP population numbers, Caulfield - South is projected to expand by 3,101 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 14.9% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Caulfield - South when compared nationally

Caulfield - South has seen approximately 133 new home approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 666 homes. As of FY26, 24 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.3 new residents per year have arrived for each new home approved between FY21 and FY25, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand. The average construction value of these new properties is $514,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year has seen $109.5 million in commercial development approvals, demonstrating strong commercial development momentum in the area. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Caulfield - South has shown elevated construction activity over the past five years, recording 11.0% above the regional average per person. This has preserved reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand, although building activity has slowed in recent years. The majority of new developments (83.0%) are townhouses or apartments, with standalone homes making up 17.0%. This shift towards denser development provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

Currently, the area is predominantly houses (50.0%), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and demand for diverse housing options. With approximately 178 people per dwelling approval, Caulfield - South exhibits characteristics of a low density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is expected to grow by around 2,871 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Caulfield - South has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects that may impact this area. Notable ones include Former ABC Elsternwick Studio Site (8 Gordon Street), Olive Green, Elsternwick Cultural Precinct, and Fabric Residential Development. The following list details those likely 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.

Employment conditions in Caulfield - South remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Caulfield - South has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 4.0% as of an unspecified date. Over the past year, employment remained relatively stable.

As of September 2025, 10,496 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is 0.7% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation was somewhat lower at 68.9% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. Census responses indicated that 45.9% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Dominant employment sectors included professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

The area showed strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level. Conversely, construction had limited presence at 5.9% compared to the regional average of 9.7%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 0.0%, labour force by 0.6%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 0.5 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.0% and unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May-25, project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Caulfield - South's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Caulfield - South SA2 has high incomes nationally. The median assessed income is $65,561 and the average income stands at $101,861. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $70,970 (median) and $110,265 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023. Census data reveals that household, family, and personal incomes in Caulfield - South rank highly nationally, between the 82nd and 83rd percentiles. Income distribution shows 27.0% of the population (5,185 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to the surrounding region where 32.8% occupy this bracket. There's a substantial proportion of high earners (38.9% above $3,000/week), indicating strong economic capacity throughout Caulfield - South. High housing costs consume 15.5% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 82nd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Caulfield - South displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Caulfield - South, as per the latest Census evaluation, 50.0% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 50.1% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. In comparison, Melbourne metropolitan area had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Caulfield - South stood at 38.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.6% and rented ones at 28.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,798, surpassing Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure for Caulfield - South was $483, higher than Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Caulfield - South's median monthly mortgage repayment was significantly higher at $2,798 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while its median weekly rent figure of $483 was substantially above the national average of $375.

Caulfield - South features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 71.2% of all households, including 34.8% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 8.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 28.8%, with lone person households at 24.8% and group households comprising 4.0%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Caulfield - South's residents aged 15+ have a higher educational attainment than national averages. 52.3% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 35.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.6%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational pathways account for 21.2%, with advanced diplomas at 10.9% and certificates at 10.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.5% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.0% in primary, 8.0% in secondary, and 7.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Caulfield - South has 84 active public transport stops, offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 8 different routes, collectively facilitating 4585 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically residing just 183 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 80%, with trains used by 9% of residents. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 45.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 655 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 54 weekly trips per individual stop.

Caulfield - South's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Caulfield - South residents show positive health outcomes according to AreaSearch's analysis. Mortality rates and health conditions align with national benchmarks. Common health conditions are seen across all age groups.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at 71% of the total population (13,712 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues (8.0%) and arthritis (6.4%). 71.1% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has a higher proportion of seniors at 21.2%, or 4,067 people, compared to 14.9% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average and align with national rankings for the general population.

Caulfield - South was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Caulfield-South ranks high in cultural diversity, with 27.8% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home and 39.3% born overseas. The predominant religion is Judaism, comprising 40.8%, significantly higher than the Greater Melbourne average of 1%. For ancestry, 'Other' tops at 20.7%, above the regional average of 14.6%, followed by Australian (18.6%) and English (16.0%).

Notably, Polish (6.1% vs 0.8%), Russian (4.0% vs 0.4%), and South African (3.7% vs 0.4%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to the regional averages.

Caulfield - South's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Caulfield - South's median age is 41 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and slightly above Australia's median of 38. Compared to the Greater Melbourne average, the 75-84 cohort is notably over-represented at 7.8%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 12.6%. Post the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group grew from 11.1% to 13.0%, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 6.0% to 7.8%. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort declined from 11.5% to 10.4%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 13.5% to 12.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Caulfield - South's age profile. The 75-84 cohort is expected to grow by 50%, adding 746 residents to reach 2,244. Residents aged 65 and older are projected to represent 54% of the growth. The 0-4 age group is expected to grow at a more modest rate of 3%, adding only 27 residents.