Coburg North

Coburg North lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Coburg North's population is around 8,968 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 543 people (6.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,425 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,935 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 66 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,837 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Coburg North has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a 1.8% compound annual growth rate, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 93.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 utilising 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. Considering the projected demographic shifts, exceptional growth, placing in the top 10 percent of statistical areas across the nation, is predicted over the period with the area expected to increase by 4,040 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 44.7% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Coburg North according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Coburg North has experienced around 23 dwellings receiving development approval each year, totalling 118 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 10 approvals have been recorded. With an average of 2 people per year moving to the area per new home constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), indicating healthy demand that should support property values, new homes are being built at an average value of $311,000, in line with regional trends. Additionally, $44.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity.

Relative to Greater Melbourne, Coburg North records markedly lower building activity (59.0% below regional average per person). This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. This activity is similarly under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. New building activity shows 44.0% detached houses and 56.0% medium and high-density housing. This skew toward compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing (currently 75.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. With around 524 people per dwelling approval, Coburg North shows a developed market.

Population forecasts indicate Coburg North will gain 4,007 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Coburg North has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 17 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Assembly Broadmeadows, Kodak Lands Redevelopment (Merri-bek Gardens Estate), Gaffney St, Coburg North, Coburg North Village, and Lincoln Mills Redevelopment, with the below list 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.

AreaSearch assessment positions Coburg North ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Coburg North features a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of only 3.2%, and relative employment stability over the past year. As of December 2025, 5,215 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.5% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation is broadly similar to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. Based on Census responses, a high 42.2% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area has a particular employment specialization in education & training, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 6.9% versus the regional average of 9.7%. The ratio of 0.6 workers for each resident, as at the Census, indicates a level of local employment opportunities above the norm.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.8% alongside a 0.2% employment decline, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Coburg North. 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 North's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% 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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for FY-23 reveals that income in the Coburg North SA2 is very high nationally, with the median assessed at $62,133 while the average income stands at $77,387. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's figures of a median income of $57,688 and an average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $67,259 (median) and $83,771 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Coburg North cluster around the 64th percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 33.4% of the community (2,995 individuals), aligning with the metropolitan region where this cohort likewise represents 32.8%. High housing costs consume 16.0% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 64th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Coburg North is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure within Coburg North, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 75.4% houses and 24.6% 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 North was in line with that of Melbourne metro, at 30.7%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (38.0%) or rented (31.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Melbourne metro average at $2,167, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $401, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Coburg North's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceed the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 68.9% of all households, comprising 33.0% couples with children, 22.8% couples without children, and 11.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 31.1%, with lone person households at 24.7% and group households comprising 6.5% of the total. The median household size of 2.5 people is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

The educational profile of Coburg North exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in Coburg North significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 42.2% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 27.7% in the SA4 region and 30.4% in Australia. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 25.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%). Vocational pathways account for 24.2% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (10.9%) and certificates (13.3%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.1% in primary education, 7.3% in tertiary education, and 6.6% 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 60 active transport stops operating within Coburg North, comprising a mix of light rail and buses. These stops are serviced by 7 individual routes, collectively providing 7,366 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 149 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 74%, with 11% by train and 5% cycling. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, below the regional average. A high 42.2% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 1,052 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 122 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Coburg North is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Coburg North faces significant health challenges, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is found to be very high at approximately 58% of the total population (~5,201 people).

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be mental health issues and asthma, impacting 10.1 and 7.8% of residents, respectively, while 68.9% 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 13.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,207 people), which is lower than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, though ranking lower nationally than the broader population.

Coburg North 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 North scores highly on cultural diversity, with 32.5% of its population born overseas and 34.6% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Coburg North is Christianity, which makes up 41.2% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Islam, which comprises 7.5% 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 North are English, comprising 18.2% of the population, Australian, comprising 17.3% of the population, and Other, comprising 14.4% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Italian is notably overrepresented at 13.0% of Coburg North (vs 5.2% regionally), Greek at 4.5% (vs 2.7%) and Lebanese at 2.6% (vs 0.8%).

Coburg North's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The 38-year median age in Coburg North is close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and similarly equivalent to the Australian median of 38. Relative to Greater Melbourne, Coburg North has a higher concentration of 35 - 44 residents (17.6%) but fewer 15 - 24 year-olds (11.1%). Since the 2021 Census, the 55 to 64 age group has grown from 9.6% to 10.9% of the population. Conversely, the 85+ cohort has declined from 4.0% to 3.0%. By 2041, Coburg North is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. Leading the demographic shift, the 45 to 54 group will grow by 65% (807 people), reaching 2,048 from 1,240.