Craigieburn - West
Statistical Area - sa2

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 is approximately 15,281 as of Aug 2025. This figure represents an increase of 2,282 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,999. The growth is inferred from ABS estimated resident population figures of 14,760 in June 2024 and validated new addresses added after the Census date. This results in a population density of 3,736 persons per square kilometer, placing Craigieburn - West in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. The area's growth rate of 17.6% since the 2021 census exceeds both national (8.6%) and state averages, positioning it as a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 66.7% of overall population gains in 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, it utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on these projections, 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 12,285 persons, marking a total rise of 77.0% over the 17-year period.

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 has averaged approximately 138 new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data is produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis, with 690 dwellings approved over the past five financial years between FY-21 and FY-25, including 31 approvals so far in FY-26. On average, 4.2 new residents have been added per year for every home built during these five years. This demand outpaces supply, which typically puts upward pressure on prices and increases competition among buyers.

New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost of $337,000, reflecting more affordable housing options compared to regional norms. There have been $5.1 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating the area's primarily residential nature. When compared to Greater Melbourne, Craigieburn - West records 13.0% less building activity per person while it ranks among the 75th percentile of areas assessed nationally, reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. New building activity consists of 92.0% detached dwellings and 8.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character focused on family homes.

With around 189 people per dwelling approval, Craigieburn - West exhibits characteristics of a growth area. By 2041, it is expected to grow by approximately 11,764 residents. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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 16 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones include Merrifield City Centre, Merrifield Mixed-Use Development, Merrifield Business Park, and True North Estate. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Craigieburn - West shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Craigieburn - West has an educated workforce with strong manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate in June 2025 was 7.7%.

Over the past year, there was an estimated employment growth of 4.3%. As of June 2025, 6911 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 3.1% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation was lower at 60.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, transport, postal & warehousing, and manufacturing.

The area specializes in transport, postal & warehousing with an employment share of 2.2 times the regional level. However, professional & technical services are under-represented at 6.1% compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Local employment opportunities appear limited based on Census data analysis. From June 2024 to June 2025, employment levels increased by 4.3%, and labour force grew by 4.5%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.5%, labour force expansion of 4.0%, and an unemployment increase of 0.5 percentage points. As of Sep-25, state-level data shows Victorian employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5%, and employment growth averaged 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Craigieburn - West's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.2% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Craigieburn - West's median taxpayer income was $51,991 and average was $59,819 in financial year 2022. This was lower than national averages, with Greater Melbourne having a median income of $54,892 and an average of $73,761. As of March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $57,247 (median) and $65,867 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022. According to Census 2021 income data, household income ranked at the 50th percentile ($1,752 weekly), while personal income was at the 26th percentile. In Craigieburn - West, 40.5% of individuals earned within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 78.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 45th percentile.

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

Dwelling structure in Craigieburn - West, as per the latest Census, consisted of 79.8% houses and 20.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 87.6% houses and 12.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Craigieburn - West was at 10.6%, with the rest of dwellings either mortgaged (54.5%) or rented (34.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,900, above Melbourne metro's average of $1,834. Median weekly rent was recorded at $381, compared to Melbourne metro's $369. Nationally, Craigieburn - West's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 83.4% of all households, including 53.5% couples with children, 17.3% couples without children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 16.6%, with lone person households at 14.3% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 3.3 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 3.2.

Craigieburn - West performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

Craigieburn - West has a notable educational profile compared to its region, with 31.4% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, exceeding the SA3 area 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 are also prevalent, with 27.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas (12.8%) and certificates (14.6%).

Educational participation is high, at 37.9%, including 14.0% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 4.9% pursuing tertiary education. The area's three schools have a combined enrollment of 1,834 students, with Craigieburn - West demonstrating typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1001) and balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes two primary schools and one K-12 school. School places per 100 residents stand at 12.0, below the regional average of 17.5, indicating some students may attend schools in nearby areas.

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

Craigieburn - West has 46 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 6 different routes that collectively facilitate 3,878 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents residing an average of 222 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, service frequency averages 554 trips across all routes, resulting in approximately 84 weekly trips per individual stop.

Craigieburn - West's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Craigieburn - West's health outcomes data shows excellent results, with younger cohorts having a very low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately half (50%) of its total population (~7,564 people) has private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 5.0% and 4.5% of residents respectively. A higher proportion of Craigieburn - West's residents (81.6%) report being completely clear of medical ailments than Greater Melbourne's population (76.3%). The area has a lower percentage of seniors aged 65 and over, at 8.3% (1,275 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.8%. However, health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

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 high level of cultural diversity, with 57.6% of its population born overseas and 69.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Craigieburn-West, accounting for 41.3% of people there. However, the category 'Other' comprises 11.0%, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 5.9%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups are Other (46.3%), Indian (12.1%), and Australian (10.3%). Notably, Sri Lankan (1.6%) and Samoan (1.6%) populations are overrepresented compared to regional averages, while Lebanese presence is relatively lower at 1.5%.

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 younger than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and significantly lower than Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Craigieburn-West has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (16.9%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (6.9%). Post-2021 Census data shows the age group of 15-24 has increased from 12.0% to 13.2%, while the age group of 25-34 has decreased from 18.5% to 16.5%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Craigieburn-West's age profile, with the strongest growth expected in the 45-54 cohort, which is projected to grow by 124%, adding 1,983 residents to reach a total of 3,583.