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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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Sales Activity
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
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Sales Detail
Population
Craigieburn - 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 - West's population was approximately 14,970 as of May 2026. This figure represents an increase of 1,971 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,999. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 14,970 in June 2025 and an additional 231 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 3,660 persons per square kilometer, placing Craigieburn - West in the upper quartile nationally. The area's population growth of 15.2% since the 2021 census exceeded both the state average of 9.3% and the national average, indicating strong growth. Overseas migration contributed approximately 70.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.
AreaSearch uses 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 employs the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, Craigieburn - West is expected to experience exceptional growth, placing it in the top 10 percent of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch. By 2041, the area's population is projected to increase by 11,617 persons, reflecting a total increase of 77.6% over the 16-year period.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
The level of residential development activity in Craigieburn - West was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country
Craigieburn - West averaged approximately 138 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 690 homes. As of FY26, 61 approvals have been recorded. On average, 4.2 new residents per year are associated with every home built between FY21 and FY25, indicating a significant demand outpacing supply. The average construction cost value for new dwellings is $170,000, which is below regional norms, suggesting more affordable housing options in the area.
In FY26, there have been $5.1 million in commercial approvals, reflecting Craigieburn - West's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Melbourne, the area records 15.0% less building activity per person but ranks among the 74th percentile nationally when measured by dwelling approvals. Recent construction comprises 92.0% standalone homes and 8.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining Craigieburn - West's suburban identity with a focus on family homes suitable for buyers seeking space.
The area currently has approximately 189 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Craigieburn - West is projected to grow by 11,617 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Craigieburn - West
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
Craigieburn - West has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally
Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 11 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones are Merrifield City Centre, Merrifield, Merrifield Business Park, and True North Estate, as detailed below.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Merrifield
Merrifield is Victoria's largest masterplanned mixed-use community, spanning 900+ hectares in Melbourne's north. A joint venture between MAB Corporation and Gibson Property Corporation, it is designed to accommodate 20,000+ residents across 7,500+ homes. The precinct features a 165-hectare city centre, a 330-hectare business park targeting 30,000 jobs, and extensive community infrastructure. As of May 2026, the Merrifield North PSP is in active planning with the Vision and Purpose Report released in March 2026, while retail expansions for Merrifield City Stage 3 and major industrial completions for tenants like Stellantis (2025) and Ford are progressing the site's evolution.
Merrifield Masterplanned Community
Victoria's largest mixed-use masterplanned community, spanning approximately 900 hectares in Mickleham, around 30 km north of Melbourne CBD. A joint venture between MAB Corporation and Gibson Property Corporation (GPC), with QIC as joint venture partner for the City Centre, Merrifield is set to deliver around 7,000 residential lots, townhouses and apartments alongside a 165-hectare City Centre and a 415-hectare Business Park targeting up to 30,000 jobs. The community already has a population of over 8,000, projected to reach more than 17,000 at completion. Key completed elements include the Merrifield City shopping hub (Coles, Liquorland, Chemist Warehouse and 21 specialty tenancies), the 9.5-hectare Merrifield Recreation Reserve, the Mickleham North Community Centre, and the second-stage 4-level all-electric office building at 21 Cityside Drive (completed 2024) along with the adjoining Merrifield Swim School. Major Business Park occupiers include Ford, Dulux, DHL and D'Orsogna. Schools now operating include Gaayip-Yagila Primary School, Holy Cross Primary School and Mickleham Secondary College. Current focus is on a new townhome release in the heart of Merrifield, ongoing residential land releases, and the next stage of the City Centre - planned to include a major supermarket, mini-majors, additional specialty stores, food and beverage tenancies, large format retail, a residential hotel, additional office space, an aquatic centre and a civic hub.
Merrifield City Centre
Merrifield City Centre is the mixed-use town centre within the Merrifield masterplanned community at Mickleham. The first Merrifield City retail stage, anchored by Coles and specialty stores, is complete, and 21 Cityside Drive is now complete with childcare, gym, swim school, allied health and office uses. Further stages are planned to expand retail, dining, hotel, office, large format retail and civic-style public realm uses as the regional town centre grows.
Merrifield City Shopping Centre
Merrifield City is the primary retail and lifestyle core of the 900-hectare Merrifield masterplanned community. A joint venture between MAB Corporation, QIC Real Estate, and Gibson Property Corporation, the centre is expanding into a major regional hub. Following the completion of early stages featuring Coles and specialty retail, current works focus on significant expansion including a major supermarket, mini-majors, and outdoor dining precincts. The masterplan integrates 80,000 sqm of retail space with commercial offices, a residential hotel, and civic facilities to serve Melbourne's northern growth corridor.
Merrifield Business Park
Victoria's largest masterplanned business and employment precinct spanning 415 hectares, offering premium land for sale, turnkey packages, and pre-lease opportunities. It provides supply chain connectivity, sustainability features, and attracts major companies including Dulux, Ford, DHL, and D'Orsogna. The park is part of a 900-hectare mixed-use community and is expected to create 25,000 jobs.
True North Estate
Award-winning masterplanned residential community by Satterley Property Group spanning Greenvale and Roxburgh Park suburbs, approximately 198 hectares. Features elevated parcels with Melbourne skyline views, a completed 10-hectare multi-million dollar sporting precinct with two sporting fields, pavilion and adventure playground, multiple completed parks and quality infrastructure. The Roxburgh Park neighbourhood is fully sold out; the Greenvale neighbourhood has recent stages titled and limited lots remaining for sale (e.g., Stage 24/024). Over 2,500 dwellings delivered or planned across the estate, with future neighbourhood releases expected in several years following rezoning.
DHL Distribution Centre
Australia's largest distribution centre, spanning 100,000 square metres on 28 hectares in Mickleham, Melbourne's north. Originally commissioned by Kaufland, the facility was sold mid-construction to Fife Capital in 2020 for $83 million after Kaufland's withdrawal from Australia. It features a 73,200 sqm main warehouse, a 13,000 sqm temperature-controlled social building, and a 4,000 sqm office entry building, with 10.7 hectares of hardstand and 168 loading docks. Completed in 2021 by Vaughan Constructions, it is leased to DHL for 10 years, supporting specialised warehousing for healthcare and vaccine distribution.
Mickleham Fire Station (Donnybrook Road)
Proposed new Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) fire station to be located on Donnybrook Road, servicing the rapidly growing Mickleham, Kalkallo and Donnybrook corridor in Melbourne's north. The Whittlesea Municipal Fire Management Sub-Plan 2023-2026 confirms a new FRV station is planned for Donnybrook Road to address the significant increase in residential and commercial buildings linked to growth at Merrifield, Cloverton and surrounding precincts. The project remains in the early planning and site investigation phase as part of FRV's long-term infrastructure delivery strategy and no specific site, design or construction timeline has been publicly announced. Career firefighters from FRV currently work alongside Kalkallo CFA and other local brigades to provide coverage to the growth corridor.
Employment
Employment drivers in Craigieburn - West are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia
Craigieburn - West has an educated workforce with strong manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 6.7% in December 2025. Over the past year, employment stability was relative.
As of December 2025, 6,940 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate at 1.9% above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation was lower, at 65.7% compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. Home work was moderate at 20.0%, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, transport, postal & warehousing, and manufacturing.
Transport, postal & warehousing had notable concentration, at 2.2 times the regional average. Professional & technical services showed lower representation at 6.1%. Local employment opportunities seemed limited based on resident population vs working population count. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 0.3%, labour force decreased by 0.6%, resulting in a 0.8 percentage point unemployment fall. Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Craigieburn - West's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis
Craigieburn-West SA2 had median taxpayer income of $54,580 and average income of $62,067 in financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This was below national averages of $57,688 (median) and $75,164 (average). Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since FY2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $59,831 (median) and $68,038 (average). Census 2021 data showed household income ranked at the 50th percentile ($1,752 weekly), with personal income at the 26th percentile. Income distribution indicated 40.5% of population (6,062 individuals) fell within $1,500-$2,999 range. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 78.8% of income remaining, ranking at the 45th percentile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Craigieburn - West is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region
Craigieburn - West's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 79.8% houses and 20.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Craigieburn - West stood at 10.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 54.5% and rented ones at 34.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,900, lower than Melbourne metro's $2,000. Median weekly rent in Craigieburn - West was $381, slightly higher than the national average of $375 but below Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Craigieburn - West's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,900 compared to Australia's average of $1,863.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Craigieburn - West features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size
Family households constitute 83.4 percent of all households, including 53.5 percent couples with children, 17.3 percent couples without children, and 11.4 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 16.6 percent, with lone person households at 14.3 percent and group households making up 2.4 percent of the total. The median household size is 3.3 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Craigieburn - West performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes
The area's university qualification rate is 31.4%, exceeding the SA3 average of 24.3%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials held by residents aged 15+ stand at 27.4%, with advanced diplomas at 12.8% and certificates at 14.6%.
Educational participation is high, with 37.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.0% in primary, 8.2% in secondary, and 4.9% in tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Craigieburn - West has 53 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 7 different routes that together facilitate 2,177 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 183 metres from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 86%, while 8% use trains. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.
According to the 2021 Census, 20% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 311 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 41 weekly trips per stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Health outcomes in Craigieburn - West are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts
Craigieburn - West shows below-average health indicators based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The level of common health conditions among residents is somewhat typical but higher than the national average for older cohorts. Approximately 50% of Craigieburn - West's total population (~7,455 people) has private health cover, compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.
The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (5.0%) and arthritis (4.5%). 81.6% of residents claim to be completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents exhibit low chronic condition prevalence. As of 2021, the area has 8.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,247 people), which is lower than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges, ranking lower nationally than the broader population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
Craigieburn - 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-West has a population where 57.6% were born overseas, with 69.9% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, accounting for 41.3%. The 'Other' category comprises 11.0%, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 2.3%.
In terms of ancestry, the top groups are Other (46.3%), Indian (12.1%), and Australian (10.3%). Notably, Sri Lankan, Samoan, and Lebanese groups are overrepresented in Craigieburn-West compared to regional averages.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Craigieburn - West hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide
Craigieburn-West has a median age of 32 years, which is notably younger than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and significantly lower than Australia's national average of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Craigieburn-West has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (16.6%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (6.9%). Post-2021 Census data indicates that the population aged 15-24 grew from 12.0% to 13.5%, while the 45-54 age group increased from 9.6% to 10.8%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group decreased from 18.5% to 16.3%, and the 0-4 age group dropped from 8.9% to 7.7%. Demographic projections suggest significant changes in Craigieburn-West's age profile by 2041, with the strongest growth expected in the 45-54 age cohort, projected to increase by 119%, adding 1,929 residents and reaching a total of 3,551.