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 per AreaSearch's analysis, is approximately 8,042 as of May 2026. This figure reflects a decrease of 43 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 8,085. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 8,038 in June 2025 and an additional 98 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 9.4 persons per square kilometer. Interstate migration contributed approximately 64.1% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For uncovered areas, it utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted employing weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, Creswick-Clunes is expected to increase by 564 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 7.0% over the 16-year period.

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

Creswick-Clunes granted around 43 residential property approvals annually, with 215 homes approved from FY-21 to FY-25. In FY-26, 33 properties have been approved so far. Over the past five financial years, an average of zero new residents per year arrived per new home, indicating supply meeting or exceeding demand.

The average construction value for new properties was $330,000. This year, $16.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded. Compared to Rest of Vic., Creswick-Clunes records about three-quarters the building activity per person and ranks at the 67th percentile nationally.

All new construction has been detached dwellings, preserving low density nature. With around 219 people per approval, Creswick-Clunes reflects a low-density area. Future projections estimate an addition of 560 residents by 2041. Current construction levels should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth exceeding 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 24 projects that could impact this 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.

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.

The employment landscape in Creswick - Clunes presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.3%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Creswick-Clunes has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of 3.3%. As of December 2025, there are 3788 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.4% lower than Regional Vic.'s rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is somewhat below standard at 57.3%, compared to Regional Vic.'s 61.0%.

According to Census responses, 20.8% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and construction. The area has a particular specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share of 1.5 times the regional level. However, accommodation & food services have limited presence at 5.0%, compared to Regional Vic.'s 6.9%.

It appears there are limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the working population versus resident population count. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.8% and employment decreased by 0.5%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate of 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Vic.'s employment contracted by 0.6%, labour force fell by 0.7%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points during the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May-25, suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Creswick-Clunes's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

Creswick-Clunes SA2's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2023 was $47,937. The average income stood at $59,698 during the same period. These figures are lower than those for Regional Vic., which were $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated median income as of March 2026 would be approximately $52,549, with the average being around $65,441. Census data indicates that incomes in Creswick-Clunes fall between the 15th and 16th percentiles nationally. The majority of residents, 29.5% or 2,372 people, earn within the $1,500-$2,999 bracket. Housing costs are modest, with 88.1% of income retained. However, 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

In Creswick-Clunes, as per the latest Census, 94.7% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 5.3% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This contrasts with Regional Vic.'s figures of 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Creswick-Clunes stood at 48.5%, with mortgaged properties at 37.1% and rented ones at 14.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, lower than Regional Vic.'s average of $1,430. The median weekly rent in Creswick-Clunes was $250, compared to Regional Vic.'s $285. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,863 and rents substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households compose 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 account for the remaining 32.8%, with lone person households at 30.7% and group households comprising 2.1%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Regional 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% of residents 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

The analysis shows that there are 58 active public transport stops operating within the Creswick-Clunes area. These stops offer a mix of train services, with 8 individual routes collectively providing 329 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 721 meters from the nearest stop. In this primarily residential area, most residents commute outward using their cars, which remains the dominant mode at 92%. Five percent of residents walk for their commutes. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, some 20.8% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions. 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 cohorts.

Private health cover is low at approximately 49% of the total population (~3,932 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.1%) and mental health issues (9.8%). Conversely, 59.9% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, lower than Regional Vic.'s 63.4%. Working-age population health is notably challenging due to high chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 27.4% (2,201 people), compared to Regional Vic.'s 23.9%. Health outcomes among seniors present additional challenges, ranking even higher than 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 showed cultural diversity below average, with 90.2% of its population being citizens and 89.1% born in Australia. English was spoken at home by 96.8%. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 45.5%.

The 'Other' religious category comprised 0.8%, similar to Regional Vic's 0.8%. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (31.7%), Australian (29.6%), and Irish (11.1%). Scottish ancestry was notably higher at 10.3% compared to Regional Vic's 8.8%. Dutch ancestry was also higher at 2.4%, compared to 1.7% regionally, and Maltese ancestry was slightly higher at 0.6% versus 0.5%.

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

Creswick-Clunes has a median age of 49, higher than Regional Vic's figure of 43 and Australia's 38 years. Locally, those aged 65-74 comprise 16.0%, significantly more than the Regional Vic average, while those aged 25-34 make up only 7.5%. This 65-74 concentration is notably higher than the national figure of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 8.2% to 9.5%, while the 5 to 14 cohort has decreased from 11.4% to 10.2%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts: the 25 to 34 age cohort is expected to grow by 213 people (35%), reaching 815 from an initial 601. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 5 to 14 and 65 to 74.