Creswick - Clunes

An assessment of population growth drivers in Creswick - Clunes reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Creswick-Clunes' population, as of November 2025, is approximately 8,321, indicating a rise of 236 individuals (2.9%) since the 2021 Census figure of 8,085. This increase is inferred from ABS's June 2024 estimated resident population of 7,997 and an additional 86 validated new addresses post-Census. The population density stands at 9.7 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration was the primary driver of this growth. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For unsupported areas, they employ VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods. Age-specific growth rates are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the area is projected to increase by 579 persons, reflecting a total gain of 3.1% over the 17-year period, aligning with Australia's non-metropolitan median growth trends.

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

Creswick-Clunes has recorded approximately 43 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 215 homes were approved, with an additional 20 approved so far in FY26. On average, over these five years, there have been zero new residents arriving per year for each new home approved, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand and supporting potential population growth while providing greater buyer choice.

The average construction value of new properties during this period was $330,000. This financial year has seen $16.1 million in commercial development approvals recorded, demonstrating steady commercial investment activity in the area. Compared to the rest of Victoria, Creswick-Clunes records about three-quarters the building activity per person and ranks among the 67th percentile nationally when assessed areas are considered.

All new construction in Creswick-Clunes has been comprised of detached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 219 people per approval, Creswick-Clunes reflects a low-density area. Future projections estimate that Creswick-Clunes will add approximately 255 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Creswick - Clunes has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 26 projects that could impact the region. Notable ones include 35 Elizabeth Road Land Release, Waters Edge, Miners Rest, Miners Rest Township Plan, and Miners Rest Primary School Redevelopment. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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The employment landscape in Creswick - Clunes shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Creswick-Clunes has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 3.6% in the past year. Employment growth was estimated at 2.0%.

As of September 2025, there were 3,747 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.7%, 0.1% below Rest of Vic.'s rate. Workforce participation was 57.6%, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 61.4%. Home-based workers made up 20.8% of the workforce. Leading industries were health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and construction.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing had a share of employment 1.5 times the regional level. Accommodation & food services had limited presence at 5.0%, compared to 6.9% regionally. Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.0%, labour force grew by 1.5%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Vic.'s employment fell by 0.7%, labour force contracted by 0.6%, and unemployment rose marginally. National employment forecasts from May-25 project national growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Creswick-Clunes's industry mix suggests local employment could increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

The Creswick-Clunes SA2's median income among taxpayers was $47,937 in financial year 2023. The average income stood at $59,698 during the same period. This compares to figures for Rest of Vic., which were $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $51,892 (median) and $64,623 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Creswick-Clunes all fall between the 15th and 16th percentiles nationally. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 dominated with 29.5% of residents (2,454 people). Housing costs are modest with 88.1% of income retained. However, the total disposable income ranks at just the 20th percentile nationally.

Creswick - Clunes is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Creswick-Clunes, as per the latest Census, consisted of 94.7% houses and 5.3% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Vic had 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Creswick-Clunes was at 48.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.1% and rented ones at 14.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, lower than Non-Metro Vic's average of $1,430. The median weekly rent figure was $250, compared to Non-Metro Vic's $285. Nationally, Creswick-Clunes had significantly lower mortgage repayments at $1,300 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and substantially lower rents at $250 compared to the national figure of $375.

Creswick - Clunes features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 67.2% of all households, including 23.9% couples with children, 33.2% couples without children, and 9.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 32.8%, with lone person households at 30.7% and group households comprising 2.1% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

Educational attainment in Creswick - Clunes aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 21.4%, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 39.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.8%) and certificates (28.1%). Educational participation is high, with 26.4% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.1% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 2.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Creswick-Clunes has 58 operational public transport stops, served by eight routes offering 329 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is limited, with residents typically living 721 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward, primarily using cars (92%). Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, higher than the regional average. In 2021 Census data, 20.8% of residents worked from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 47 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately five weekly trips per stop.

Service frequency averages 47 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 5 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Creswick - Clunes is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Creswick-Clunes faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are substantial across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is low at approximately 49% of the total population (~4,068 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (11.1%) and mental health issues (9.8%), while 59.9% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% in Rest of Vic.. Working-age population health challenges include elevated chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 26.2%, with 2,179 people, compared to the state average of 23.5%. Health outcomes among seniors present notable challenges, ranking even higher than those for the general population nationally.

Creswick - Clunes is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Creswick-Clunes, as per the data from June 2016, had a lower than average cultural diversity with 90.2% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (89.1%), and speaking English at home exclusively (96.8%). Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 45.5% of the population. The 'Other' category showed an apparent overrepresentation compared to the rest of Victoria, with 0.8% versus 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (31.7%), Australian (29.6%), and Irish (11.1%). Notable divergences included Scottish (10.3% vs regional 8.8%), Dutch (2.4% vs 1.7%), and Maltese (0.6% vs 0.5%) groups being overrepresented in Creswick-Clunes compared to the rest of Victoria.

Creswick - Clunes hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Creswick-Clunes has a median age of 49, which is higher than Rest of Vic's figure of 43 and Australia's average of 38 years. Comparing with Rest of Vic., the 55-64 cohort is notably over-represented at 15.7% locally while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 7.8%. Between 2021 and present, the 35-44 age group has grown from 10.6% to 11.4% of the population. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort has declined from 11.4% to 10.6%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Creswick-Clunes's age structure. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 217 people (33%), from 652 to 870. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 55-64 and 5-14 cohorts.