Coburg - East

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Coburg - East's population is around 14,731 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 2,196 people (17.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,535 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,966 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 452 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 3,928 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, making land in the area a highly sought resource. Coburg - East's 17.5% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 83.4% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including natural growth and interstate migration, were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilizing the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Anticipating future population dynamics, exceptional growth, placing it in the top 10 percent of national areas, is predicted over the period, with the area expected to expand by 8,504 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 52.5% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Coburg - East among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Coburg - East has recorded around 258 residential properties granted approval per year, with 1,294 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 11 so far in FY-26. At an average of just 0.4 new residents per year arriving per new home over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), new construction is matching or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations, while new dwellings are developed at an average value of $398,000. Additionally, $5.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, demonstrating the area's primarily residential nature.

Relative to Greater Melbourne, Coburg - East has 76.0% more new home approvals (per person), offering buyers greater choice. This is well above average nationally, reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. New development consists of 4.0% detached dwellings and 96.0% medium and high-density housing. This trend toward denser development provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This marks a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 54.0% houses), suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. At around 117 people per approval, Coburg - East reflects a developing area.

Population forecasts indicate Coburg - East will gain 7,739 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Coburg - East has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 37thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects and planning initiatives. In total 30 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Coburg Health and Community Services Precinct, Sydney Road Coburg BTR (511-537), Holstep Health Community Hub (Coburg), and The Avenue, Coburg, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

Coburg - East shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Coburg - East possesses a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector a particular standout in terms of representation, an unemployment rate of 8.1%, and 4.3% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 8,297 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 3.3% above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, showing room for improvement, and workforce participation is fairly standard (73.8% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%). Based on Census responses, a high 44.1% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical. The area shows particularly strong specialization in education & training, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. On the other hand, construction is under-represented, with only 5.7% of Coburg - East's workforce compared to 9.7% in Greater Melbourne. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of Census working population to local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 4.3% while labour force increased by 4.6%, resulting in unemployment rising by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Coburg - East. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Coburg - East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Coburg - East SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $62,085 with the average level standing at $77,360. This is well above average nationally and compares to levels of $57,688 and $75,164 across Greater Melbourne respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $67,207 (median) and $83,742 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Coburg - East cluster around the 63rd percentile nationally. Distribution data shows the predominant cohort spans 32.4% of locals (4,772 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, aligning with regional levels where this cohort likewise represents 32.8%. High housing costs consume 15.9% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 62nd percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Coburg - East displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure within Coburg - East, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 53.6% houses and 46.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Coburg - East was in line with that of Melbourne metro, at 30.5%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (30.4%) or rented (39.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Melbourne metro average at $2,100, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $416, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Coburg - East's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 61.8% of all households, comprising 25.0% couples with children, 26.3% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 38.2%, with lone person households at 28.5% and group households comprising 9.6% of the total. The median household size of 2.4 people is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Coburg - East shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Coburg - East significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 46.5% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in VIC. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 27.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.1%) and graduate diplomas (4.9%). Vocational pathways account for 22.1% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (10.4%) and certificates (11.7%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.2% in tertiary education, 6.4% 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

Public transport analysis reveals 84 active transport stops operating within Coburg - East comprising a mix of light rail and buses. These stops are serviced by 16 individual routes, collectively providing 12,723 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 165 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward - the car remains the dominant mode at 63%, with 10% by train and 6% cycling. Vehicle ownership averages 0.9 per dwelling, below the regional average. A high 44.1% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 1,817 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 151 weekly trips per individual stop.

Coburg - East'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

Health data indicates relatively positive outcomes for Coburg - East residents, with AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and health conditions showing results broadly in line with national benchmarks. A fairly standard level of common health conditions is seen across both young and old age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 58% of the total population (~8,543 people).

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be mental health issues and asthma, impacting 12.6 and 8.2% of residents, respectively, while 66.8% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 13.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,963 people), which is lower than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Coburg - East 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

Coburg - East scores highly on cultural diversity, with 33.5% of its population born overseas and 34.2% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Coburg - East is Christianity, which makes up 35.1% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Islam, which comprises 8.2% of the population, compared to 5.6% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Coburg - East are English, comprising 18.6% of the population, Australian, comprising 16.0% of the population, and Other, comprising 13.2% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Italian is notably overrepresented at 11.9% of Coburg - East (vs 5.2% regionally), Lebanese at 3.4% (vs 0.8%) and Greek at 4.4% (vs 2.7%).

Coburg - East's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

With a median age of 37, Coburg - East is equal to the Greater Melbourne figure of 37 and remains comparable to Australia's 38 years. The 25 - 34 age group shows strong representation at 21.5% compared to Greater Melbourne, whereas the 5 - 14 cohort is less prevalent at 7.8%. This 25 - 34 concentration is well above the national 14.4%. In the period since 2021, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 11.4% to 12.0% of the population. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 7.1% to 6.5%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Coburg - East's age structure. Leading the demographic shift, the 45 to 54 group will grow by 75% (1,436 people), reaching 3,344 from 1,907.