Creswick - Clunes
Statistical Area - sa2

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 8,102, indicating an increase of 17 people (0.2%) since the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 8,085. This change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 7,999 in June 2024 and an additional 86 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 9.5 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth 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 utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting using weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on the latest demographic trends, Creswick-Clunes is expected to increase by approximately 579 persons by 2041, a gain of about 5.8% over the 17-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 has recorded approximately 43 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, a total of 215 homes were approved, with an additional 13 approved so far in FY26. This results in an average of zero new residents per year arriving per new home over these five years.

The supply of new properties is meeting or exceeding demand, offering greater buyer choice and supporting potential population growth above projections. The average construction value for new properties is $330,000. In FY26, commercial development approvals totalled $16.1 million, indicating 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 places among the 67th percentile nationally when measured against other assessed areas. All new construction consists 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 indicate an addition of 474 residents by 2041. Current construction levels should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Creswick - Clunes has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 38thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 25 projects likely to affect the area. 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 relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis indicates Creswick - Clunes maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Creswick-Clunes has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 3.5% as of June 2025.

This rate is 0.7 percentage points lower than the Rest of Vic.'s rate of 4.2%. Employment in the area grew by 7.6% over the past year, compared to a decrease of 0.9% in Rest of Vic. The workforce participation rate was 53.0%, below Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and construction.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing is particularly specialized with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. Meanwhile, accommodation & food has limited presence at 5.0% compared to region's 6.9%. Employment opportunities may be limited locally as Census working population vs resident population indicates. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 7.6%, labour force by 6.8%, reducing unemployment by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Vic.'s employment fell by 0.9%, labour force contracted by 0.4%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest Creswick-Clunes' employment could grow by approximately 6.0% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections.

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

Creswick-Clunes's median income among taxpayers was $45,547 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $57,009 during the same period. These figures are below those of Rest of Vic., which had median and average incomes of $48,741 and $60,693 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, estimated current median and average incomes for Creswick-Clunes are approximately $51,086 and $63,941 as of September 2025. According to census data, household, family, and personal incomes in Creswick-Clunes fall between the 15th and 16th percentiles nationally. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 29.5% of residents (2,390 people), consistent with broader regional trends showing 30.3% in the same category. Housing costs are modest, with 88.1% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just the 21st percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Creswick-Clunes, as per the latest Census, comprised 94.7% houses and 5.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Non-Metro Vic., meanwhile, had 96.1% houses and 3.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Creswick-Clunes was 48.5%, with the rest either mortgaged (37.1%) or rented (14.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, below Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,538 and Australia's figure of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Creswick-Clunes was $250, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $300 and the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 67.2 percent of all households, including 23.9 percent couples with children, 33.2 percent couples without children, and 9.4 percent single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 32.8 percent, with lone person households at 30.7 percent and group households comprising 2.1 percent 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 prominent, 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, 7.9% in secondary, and 2.8% in tertiary education. There are six schools operating within Creswick-Clunes, educating approximately 551 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 997) and balanced educational opportunities. All six schools focus on primary education, with secondary options available nearby.

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

Creswick-Clunes has 58 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 18 different routes, facilitating 401 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is limited, with residents on average situated 722 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 57 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 6 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, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low, at approximately 48% (around 3,913 people), compared to 51.4% in Rest of Vic., and the national average of 55.3%. The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis (11.1%) and mental health issues (9.8%), while 59.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.5% in Rest of Vic..

The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 26.2% (2,121 people), than Rest of Vic.'s 24.2%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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 had a cultural diversity index below the average, 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 most notable overrepresentation was observed in the 'Other' category, comprising 0.8% compared to 0.6% across the rest of Victoria.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (31.7%), Australian (29.6%), and Irish (11.1%). There were notable divergences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Scottish at 10.3% compared to 9.9%, Dutch at 2.4% compared to 2.0%, and Maltese at 0.6% compared to 1.3%.

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

The median age in Creswick-Clunes is 49, which exceeds Rest of Vic's figure of 43 and is above Australia's median age of 38. The 55-64 cohort is notably over-represented locally at 15.7%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 7.8%. Between 2021 and present, the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 10.6% to 11.4% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has decreased from 11.4% to 10.6%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Creswick-Clunes's age structure. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 234 people (37%), from 635 to 870. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 65 to 74 cohorts.