Lilydale - Coldstream

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

Lilydale - Coldstream's population was around 20,786 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 1,187 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 19,599. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,537 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 190 persons per square kilometer. Lilydale - Coldstream's growth of 6.1% since the 2021 census exceeded both its SA3 area (3.3%) and SA4 region, making it a growth leader. Natural growth contributed approximately 52.8% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted 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 used VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusting with weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends projected an above median growth, with the area expected to expand by 3,923 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 17.7% over the 17 years.

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

Lilydale - Coldstream averaged approximately 165 new dwelling approvals annually from FY-21 to FY-25. A total of 828 homes were approved during these years, with an additional 62 approved in FY-26 as of the given date. The average occupancy rate was 0.8 people per dwelling over this period.

This indicates that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction cost value of new homes was $337,000. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totaled $58.7 million, demonstrating strong commercial development momentum in the area. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Lilydale - Coldstream has 111.0% more construction activity per person. The new development composition is 57.0% detached houses and 43.0% attached dwellings, offering a blend of housing types catering to various price ranges and lifestyle needs.

This shift from the existing housing stock (currently 82.0% houses) reflects decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles. Lilydale - Coldstream has a low-density characteristic with around 118 people per dwelling approval. By 2041, the area is projected to gain approximately 3,670 residents. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Lilydale - Coldstream has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 44thth percentile nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 41 projects likely affecting the region. Notable ones are Kinley Estate (formerly Lilydale Quarry), Lilydale Structure Plan Implementation, Chapel Street Lilydale Drainage Improvements, and Lilydale Food Waste to Energy Project. The following list details those most 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 labour market in Lilydale - Coldstream demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Lilydale - Coldstream has a skilled workforce with the construction sector being particularly prominent. Its unemployment rate was 3.6% in September 2025, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.7%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.5%. There were 11,184 residents employed as of September 2025, with a workforce participation rate similar to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading employment industries include construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Construction employment levels are notably high, at 1.7 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services employ only 6.3% of local workers, lower than Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Many Lilydale - Coldstream residents commute elsewhere for work, as indicated by Census data on working population to local population ratio. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 1.5%, labour force grew by 1.0%, and unemployment fell by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.0% over the same period. State-level data as of 25-Nov shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, compared to the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Lilydale - Coldstream's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, although this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not consider localised population projections.

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

The median taxpayer income in Lilydale - Coldstream SA2 was $53,443 and the average was $67,574 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. This is higher than Greater Melbourne's median income of $54,892 and average income of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $59,942 (median) and $75,791 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Lilydale - Coldstream cluster around the 50th percentile nationally. The income bracket of $1,500 - $2,999 has 34.1% of residents, with a total of 7,088 people, which is similar to regional levels where 32.8% occupy this bracket. High housing costs consume 15.6% of income. Despite this, strong earnings place disposable income at the 53rd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Lilydale - Coldstream is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Lilydale - Coldstream, as per the latest Census, consisted of 81.9% houses and 18.1% other dwellings. In comparison, Melbourne metro had 93.8% houses and 6.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Lilydale - Coldstream was 34.5%, similar to Melbourne metro's level. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (46.5%) or rented (18.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,950, aligning with Melbourne metro's average. The median weekly rent figure was $369, compared to Melbourne metro's $380. Nationally, Lilydale - Coldstream's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower than the national figure of $375.

Lilydale - Coldstream has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 73.8% of all households, including 33.7% couples with children, 28.1% couples without children, and 11.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 26.2%, with lone person households at 24.1% and group households making up 2.1%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.7.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 20.4%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 14.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 40.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 12.2% and certificates at 28.0%. Educational participation is high, with 26.9% currently enrolled in formal education: 8.9% in primary, 7.9% in secondary, and 3.8% in tertiary education.

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

Lilydale-Coldstream has 104 operational public transport stops. These are a mix of train and bus services. There are 25 different routes serving these stops, which together facilitate 6,202 weekly passenger trips.

Residential accessibility to transport is considered good, with an average distance of 304 meters to the nearest stop. On average, there are 886 daily trips across all routes, translating to roughly 59 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Lilydale - Coldstream faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 53% of the total population (~11,099 people). The most common medical conditions are mental health issues impacting 9.3% of residents and asthma affecting 9.0%. A total of 65.6% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 66.9% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 19.7% of residents aged 65 and over (4,088 people). Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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 had a cultural diversity index below average, with 82.8% of its population born in Australia, 90.8% being citizens, and 92.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 46.5%. Judaism was slightly overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (31.3%), Australian (28.3%), and Scottish (7.6%). Notably, Dutch (3.1%) and Hungarian (0.4%) were overrepresented, while Italian was moderately so at 5.1%.

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

Lilydale - Coldstream has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Greater Melbourne average, the 55-64 age cohort is notably over-represented in Lilydale - Coldstream at 12.7%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 13.2%. Between 2021 and the present, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 6.0% to 7.3% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age cohort has decreased from 13.6% to 12.6%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Lilydale - Coldstream's age profile will change significantly. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 811 people (53%), increasing from 1,527 to 2,339 residents. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 51% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. The 0 to 4 age group is projected to grow at a more modest rate of 2%, adding only 21 residents.