Craigieburn - North West
Statistical Area - sa2

Craigieburn - North West lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Craigieburn - North West's population is around 11,198 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,356 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,842 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 11,198 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 76 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 5,832 persons per square kilometer. Craigieburn - North West's growth of 13.8% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (8.9%). Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 54.3%.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered, AreaSearch uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation method from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Exceptional growth is predicted over the period, placing Craigieburn - North West in the top 10 percent of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch. The area is expected to grow by 8,534 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting an increase of 76.2% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Craigieburn - North West when compared nationally

Craigieburn - North West averaged approximately 87 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25. A total of 438 homes were approved during this period, with an additional two approved in FY26 so far. On average, around 6.6 new residents arrived per year for each dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25, indicating significant demand exceeding supply, which typically drives price growth and increased buyer competition.

The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings was $101,000, below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. In this financial year, $25.0 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating balanced commercial development activity compared to Greater Melbourne. Craigieburn - North West shows approximately 75% of the construction activity per person when measured against Greater Melbourne, and it ranks among the 16th percentile of areas assessed nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing homes.

New building activity consists of 84.0% detached houses and 16.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. With around 958 people per approval, Craigieburn - North West appears to be a mature, established area. Looking ahead, it is projected that Craigieburn - North West will grow by 8,534 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Craigieburn - North West 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 four projects expected to impact the area. Key projects are True North Estate, Greenvale North Part 2 Residential Development, Merrifield City Centre, and Merrifield City Shopping Centre. The following details those likely 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.

Employment performance in Craigieburn - North West has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Craigieburn - North West has a well-educated workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 7.1% as of an unspecified date.

Over the past year, estimated employment growth was 3.3%. As of June 2025, 5,439 residents were in work and the unemployment rate was 2.5% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation was fairly standard at 66.7%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading employment industries among residents included health care & social assistance, transport, postal & warehousing, and construction.

The area had a particularly notable concentration in transport, postal & warehousing, with employment levels at 2.3 times the regional average. Conversely, professional & technical services showed lower representation at 6.2% versus the regional average of 10.1%. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 3.3%, while labour force increased by 4.6%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 1.1 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5%, labour force growth of 4.0%, with unemployment rising 0.5 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in May 2025, projected that national employment would expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Craigieburn - North West's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.4%% over five years and 13.4% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch reports that Craigieburn - North West had a median taxpayer income of $58,027 and an average income of $66,765 in financial year 2022. These figures are slightly higher than the national averages of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively for Greater Melbourne. By September 2025, estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $65,083 and $74,884 respectively, based on a 12.16% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. According to Census 2021 data, household income ranks at the 58th percentile ($1,876 weekly), while personal income is at the 42nd percentile. In Craigieburn - North West, 44.3% of individuals (4,960 people) fall within the $1,500 to $2,999 income range. This aligns with broader trends in the surrounding region, where 32.8% of individuals are in the same category. Housing costs consume 21.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 51st percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

Craigieburn - North West's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.6% houses and 7.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Melbourne metro had 87.6% houses and 12.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Craigieburn - North West was at 6.0%, with the rest being mortgaged (62.6%) or rented (31.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,907, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $1,834 and the Australian average of $1,863. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure was $396, compared to Melbourne metro's $369 and the national figure of $375.

Craigieburn - North West features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 87.1% of all households, including 60.6% couples with children, 15.2% couples without children, and 10.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 12.9%, with lone person households at 10.4% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 3.4 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 3.2.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 33.9% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA3 average of 24.3% and the SA4 region's rate of 27.7%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 21.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are held by 30.3% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 14.9% and certificates at 15.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 37.2% currently enrolled in formal education: 15.1% in primary, 6.7% in secondary, and 4.1% in tertiary education. Newbury Primary School serves 1,189 students and is the area's main educational institution, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1032) and balanced opportunities. There is one primary school, with secondary options available nearby. School places per 100 residents are 10.6, below the regional average of 17.5, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Craigieburn - North West has 18 active public transport stops operating. These are mixed bus stops serviced by two routes, providing a total of 1,465 weekly passenger trips. Residents' accessibility to these stops is rated good, with an average distance of 226 meters to the nearest stop.

The service frequency averages 209 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 81 weekly trips per individual stop.

Craigieburn - North West's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Craigieburn - North West shows excellent health outcomes with low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Private health cover stands at approximately 52%, higher than Greater Melbourne's 49.1%.

Asthma and mental health issues affect 4.6% and 3.7% respectively, while 85.5% report no medical ailments, compared to 76.3% in Greater Melbourne. The area has 5.5% residents aged 65+, with strong health outcomes among seniors requiring more attention than the broader population.

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

Craigieburn-North West has a high level of cultural diversity, with 58.6% of its population born overseas and 74.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Craigieburn-North West, comprising 37.3% of its population. Notably, the category 'Other' makes up 15.9%, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 5.9%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups are Other (45.5%), Indian (17.0%), and Australian (10.1%). Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Samoan at 1.5% compared to the regional average of 1.3%, Sri Lankan at 1.3% versus 1.1%, and Lebanese at 1.6% against a regional average of 4.2%.

Craigieburn - North West hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Craigieburn-North West's median age was 31 years in the year 2021, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Craigieburn-North West had a higher proportion of residents aged 35-44 (22.6%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (5.5%). This concentration of residents aged 35-44 was significantly higher than the national average of 14.2%. Between 2021 and the present, demographic aging is evident with the median age increasing from 30 to 31 years. During this period, notable shifts include the 45 to 54 age group growing from 7.8% to 9.8% of the population, while the 65 to 74 cohort increased from 2.6% to 4.1%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 age group declined from 20.7% to 16.0%, and the 0 to 4 age group dropped from 12.0% to 10.6%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Craigieburn-North West, with the 45 to 54 age cohort projected to more than double, expanding by 1,534 people (139%) from 1,101 to 2,636.