Lilydale - Coldstream

Lilydale - Coldstream has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Lilydale - Coldstream's population is around 20,855 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,256 people (6.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 19,599 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,533 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 543 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 190 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Lilydale - Coldstream's 6.4% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (4.0%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth, which contributed approximately 52.8% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. As we examine future population trends, an above-median population growth of statistical areas across the nation is projected, with the area expected to expand by 3,923 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 17.3% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Lilydale - Coldstream among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Lilydale - Coldstream has averaged around 165 new dwelling approvals per year, with 828 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 80 so far in FY-26. With an average of only 0.8 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts, while new homes are being built at an average construction cost of $337,000. Additionally, $58.7 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, indicating strong commercial development momentum.

When measured against Greater Melbourne, Lilydale - Coldstream has 111.0% more construction activity (per person), creating greater choice for buyers. New development consists of 57.0% detached houses and 43.0% attached dwellings, featuring an increasing blend of attached housing types offering choices across price ranges, from spacious family homes to more accessible compact options. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing (currently 82.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. With around 118 people per dwelling approval, Lilydale - Coldstream shows characteristics of a low density area.

Population forecasts indicate Lilydale - Coldstream will gain 3,601 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Lilydale - Coldstream has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 36thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 41 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Lilydale Structure Plan Implementation, Chapel Street Lilydale Drainage Improvements, Kinley Estate (Former Lilydale Quarry), and the Lilydale Food Waste to Energy Project, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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 labour market in Lilydale - Coldstream demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Lilydale - Coldstream possesses a skilled workforce, with the construction sector a particular standout in terms of representation, an unemployment rate of only 3.9%, and 1.6% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 11,200 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.9% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation is somewhat below standard (67.8% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 24.5% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in construction, with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average. In contrast, professional & technical services employ just 6.3% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of Census working population to local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 1.6% and the labour force increased by 1.6%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, and unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Lilydale - Coldstream. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Lilydale - Coldstream's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.0% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

The Lilydale - Coldstream SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $57,815 and an average of $70,130 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is just above the national average, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $62,585 (median) and $75,916 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Lilydale - Coldstream cluster around the 50th percentile nationally. The data shows the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 34.1% of residents (7,111 people), mirroring regional levels where 32.8% occupy this bracket. High housing costs consume 15.6% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 53rd percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Lilydale - Coldstream, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 81.9% houses and 18.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Lilydale - Coldstream was well beyond that of Melbourne metro, at 34.5%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (46.5%) or rented (18.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Melbourne metro average at $1,950, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $369, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Lilydale - Coldstream's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are less than the national figure of $375.

Lilydale - Coldstream has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households dominate at 73.8% of all households, comprising 33.7% couples with children, 28.1% couples without children, and 11.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 26.2%, with lone person households at 24.1% and group households comprising 2.1% of the total. The median household size of 2.6 people matches the Greater Melbourne average.

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

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (20.4%) substantially below the Greater Melbourne average of 37.0%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 14.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 40.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (12.2%) and certificates (28.0%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.9% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 3.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 103 active transport stops operating within Lilydale - Coldstream, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 21 individual routes, collectively providing 5,584 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 305 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 92%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. Some 24.5% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 797 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 54 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Lilydale - Coldstream's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates relatively positive outcomes for Lilydale - Coldstream residents, with AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and health conditions showing results broadly in line with national benchmarks. The prevalence of common health conditions is quite low across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover just leads the average SA2 area at approximately 54% of the total population (~11,240 people). This compares to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne.

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.3 and 9.0% of residents, respectively, while 65.6% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents show an above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 20.4% of residents aged 65 and over (4,260 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Lilydale - Coldstream ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Lilydale - Coldstream was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 82.8% of its population born in Australia, 90.8% being citizens, and 92.1% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Lilydale - Coldstream is Christianity, which makes up 46.5% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Judaism, which comprises 0.1% of the population, compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Lilydale - Coldstream are English, comprising 31.3% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 20.1%, Australian, comprising 28.3% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 18.4%, and Scottish, comprising 7.6% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Dutch is notably overrepresented at 3.1% of the population (vs 1.2% regionally), Hungarian at 0.4% (vs 0.3%) and Italian at 5.1% (vs 5.2%).

Lilydale - Coldstream's population is slightly older than the national pattern

With a median age of 40, Lilydale - Coldstream is somewhat higher than the Greater Melbourne figure of 37 and similarly marginally higher than Australia's 38 years. Compared to the Greater Melbourne average, the 75 - 84 cohort is notably over-represented (7.8% locally), while 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented (12.8%). In the period since 2021, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 6.0% to 7.8% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 13.6% to 12.4%. Demographic modeling suggests Lilydale - Coldstream's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to see notable expansion, increasing by 720 people (45%) from 1,618 to 2,339. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 cohort grows by a modest 5% (59 people).