Croydon - West
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Croydon - West are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Croydon - West's population is approximately 14,900 as of August 2025. This figure represents a growth of 761 people (5.4%) since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 14,139. The increase is inferred from ABS estimates: 14,828 residents in June 2024 and an additional 127 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 2,191 persons per square kilometer, higher than national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Croydon - West's growth rate exceeded regional averages: 5.4% compared to SA4's 3.9%. Overseas migration accounted for approximately 88.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, though all drivers contributed positively.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch employs VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future trends project above median population growth nationally; Croydon - West is expected to expand by 1,907 persons to 2041 based on current numbers, reflecting a total increase of 12.3% over the 17 years.

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

Croydon - West has averaged approximately 47 new dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, with 236 homes approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, and 14 approved so far in FY-26. Over these five years, an average of 1.3 people moved to the area per dwelling built. However, this figure has increased to 8.9 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply. The average expected construction cost value for new homes is $654,000, indicating emphasis on quality construction.

This financial year has seen $17.6 million in commercial approvals, showing moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Croydon - West records about three-quarters the building activity per person and ranks among the 40th percentile nationally, suggesting relatively constrained buyer choice and interest in existing properties. New development consists of 63.0% detached houses and 37.0% townhouses or apartments, offering choices across price ranges. This is a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 93.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and demand for diverse housing options. The location has approximately 439 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area.

By 2041, Croydon - West is expected to grow by 1,835 residents, with construction maintaining a reasonable pace to accommodate projected growth, although buyers may face growing competition as population increases.

Croydon - West has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 24 projects likely to affect the area. Notable ones include the Croydon Community Wellbeing Precinct - Library and Cultural Hub, the development at 189-191 Dorset Road Townhouses, the Croydon Community Wellbeing Precinct - Cultural Hub, and the Bellara Drive Social Housing Development. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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

Croydon - West has a well-educated workforce with an unemployment rate of 3.7% as of June 2025. This is 0.9% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%.

The area experienced an estimated employment growth of 1.1% over the past year. As of June 2025, 7,504 residents are in work while workforce participation is at 60.8%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The area has a high specialization in construction with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing shows lower representation at 2.9% versus the regional average of 5.2%. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 1.1% while labour force increased by 0.7%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a rise in unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows VIC employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 estimate growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Croydon - West's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, although this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

Croydon - West has a median taxpayer income of $55,043 and an average income of $67,330 according to AreaSearch data based on postcode level ATO figures for the financial year 2022. This is higher than the national average, compared to Greater Melbourne's median income of $54,892 and average income of $73,761. By March 2025, estimated incomes would be around $60,608 (median) and $74,137 (average), adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since 2022. Incomes in Croydon - West rank modestly according to the 2021 Census, between the 47th and 50th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The largest income segment comprises 29.8% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, with 4,440 residents falling into this category. This aligns with the regional trend where this cohort represents 32.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Croydon - West, with only 83.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 47th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Croydon - West's dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 93.0% houses and 7.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 87.2% houses and 12.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Croydon - West was 37.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.9% and rented ones at 22.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,078, above Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Croydon - West was $399, higher than Melbourne metro's $385. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Croydon - West has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.2% of all households, including 31.9% couples with children, 26.5% couples without children, and 10.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 29.8%, with lone person households at 27.4% and group households making up 2.4%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

In Croydon-West, 31.6% of residents aged 15 and above hold university degrees, compared to Greater Melbourne's 37.0%. This indicates potential for educational development. Bachelor degrees are the most common (20.5%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 32.3% of residents holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 12.2% and certificates at 20.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.4% currently enrolled in formal education: 9.3% in primary, 7.1% in secondary, and 4.4% in tertiary education. There are seven schools operating within Croydon-West, educating approximately 1,622 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1009) with balanced educational opportunities. Schools are split between three primary and four secondary institutions. School places per 100 residents stand at 10.9, below the regional average of 15.5, suggesting some students attend schools in adjacent areas. Note that for schools with 'n/a' listed for enrolments, please refer to their parent campus.

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

Transport analysis indicates 68 active stops in Croydon - West offering train and bus services. These stops are served by 19 routes facilitating 3,797 weekly passenger trips. Residential accessibility is rated good with an average proximity of 248 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 542 daily trips across all routes, equating to approximately 55 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Croydon - West is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Croydon - West faces significant health challenges.

Common health conditions are prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Approximately 53% of the total population (~7,956 people) have private health cover. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.6 and 8.1% of residents respectively. 67.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 68.7% across Greater Melbourne. 24.8% of residents are aged 65 and over (3,696 people), higher than the 19.0% in Greater Melbourne. This is broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Croydon - West was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Croydon-West was found to have higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 25.8% of its population born overseas and 18.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Croydon-West, making up 46.3%. The category 'Other' had a slightly higher representation in Croydon-West at 1.4%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.1%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (27.4%), Australian (24.0%), and Other (8.6%). Notably, Dutch ancestry was proportionally equal to the regional average at 2.1%, while Hungarian and Sri Lankan ancestries were slightly higher than the regional averages at 0.4% and 0.5% respectively.

Croydon - West's median age exceeds the national pattern

Croydon - West's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and slightly older than Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to the Greater Melbourne average, Croydon - West has a notably higher proportion of residents aged 75-84 (10.0% locally), while those aged 25-34 are under-represented (10.9%). According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group grew from 8.3% to 10.0% of the population, while the 25 to 34 cohort declined from 12.1% to 10.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Croydon - West's age profile will change significantly. The 75 to 84 cohort is projected to grow by 46%, adding 685 residents to reach a total of 2,171. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 72% of the population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 0 to 4 and 25 to 34 years.