Riddells Creek
Statistical Area - sa2

Riddells Creek lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Riddells Creek's population was 4,581 as of August 2025, an increase of 124 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 4,457. This increase is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 4,548 in June 2024 and additional 27 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was 55 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed approximately 60.4% to overall population gains recently. AreaSearch adopts 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 uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted employing weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, a significant population increase is forecasted, with the area expected to expand by 1,322 persons, reflecting an increase of 28.1% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Riddells Creek when compared nationally

Riddells Creek has averaged around 31 new dwelling approvals each year. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 155 homes approved over the past five years between FY2021 and FY2025, and two so far in FY2026. On average, 1.3 new residents have arrived per new home each year over the past five financial years, suggesting a balanced supply-demand ratio. However, recent data shows this has moderated to 0.1 people per dwelling over the past two financial years. New homes are expected to cost an average of $458,000, in line with regional patterns.

There have also been $3 million worth of commercial approvals in FY2026, indicating a residential character for the area. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Riddells Creek shows approximately 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 76th percentile of areas assessed nationally. New building activity comprises 92% standalone homes and 8% medium and high-density housing, reflecting the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes.

With around 170 people approved per dwelling, Riddells Creek reflects a low-density area. Future projections show Riddells Creek adding 1,288 residents by 2041, with development keeping pace with projected growth, although buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

Riddells Creek has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects likely impacting the area. These key projects are Gisborne Business Park Development, Willowbank Primary School, Melbourne Metro Tunnel - Rail Systems Alliance, and Sunbury Community Hospital. The following details those most relevant.

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

Riddells Creek ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Riddells Creek has a skilled workforce with 2.5% unemployment as of June 2025. Employment grew by 3.8% over the past year, outpacing Greater Melbourne's growth rate of 3.5%.

The unemployment rate in Riddells Creek is lower than Greater Melbourne's at 2.1% compared to 4.6%, with workforce participation at 66.4% versus 64.1%. Key industries include construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training, with construction being particularly specialized at 1.6 times the regional level. Retail trade is under-represented, at 7.3% compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.8%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 3.8%, labour force by 4.3%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.5 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows VIC employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Riddells Creek's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.4%% over five years and 13.1% over ten years.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

Riddells Creek had a median taxpayer income of $55,387 and an average of $70,421 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. This is higher than the national average. Greater Melbourne's median income was $54,892 with an average income of $73,761 in the same period. By March 2025, estimates suggest a median taxpayer income of approximately $60,987 and an average of $77,541 based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022. Census data indicates that incomes in Riddells Creek cluster around the 69th percentile nationally. The largest earnings segment comprises 33.5% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, with 1,534 residents falling into this category. This aligns with the surrounding region where a similar cohort represents 32.8%. Riddells Creek shows affluence with 32.3% earning over $3,000 per week. After housing costs, residents retain 87.3% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power in the area. The SEIFA income ranking places Riddells Creek in the 7th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Riddells Creek, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 94.3% houses and 5.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is compared to Melbourne metro's 94.7% houses and 5.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Riddells Creek was at 38.9%, similar to Melbourne metro. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (49.7%) or rented (11.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, lower than Melbourne metro's average of $2,014. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $400, matching Melbourne metro's figure. Nationally, Riddells Creek's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Riddells Creek features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 82.4% of all households, including 41.0% couples with children, 31.1% couples without children, and 9.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 17.6%, with lone person households making up 16.3% and group households comprising 1.4%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which aligns with the Greater Melbourne average.

The educational profile of Riddells Creek exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 25.8%, substantially lower than the Greater Melbourne average of 37.0%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 16.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (12.6%) and certificates (28.0%).

Educational participation is high at 29.5%, including primary education (10.5%), secondary education (9.9%), and tertiary education (3.9%). Riddells Creek Primary School, with an enrollment of 276 students, serves the area. The school demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1040) with balanced educational opportunities. It focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. Local school capacity is limited at 6.0 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 16.4, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Riddells Creek has four operational public transport stops. These are served by a combination of train and bus routes, totalling eight unique services. Weekly, these routes facilitate 407 passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as limited, with residents on average located 1070 metres from the nearest stop. Service frequency across all routes averages 58 trips per day, equating to around 101 weekly trips per individual stop.

Riddells Creek's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Riddells Creek's health data shows positive results with common health conditions evenly distributed across age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 55% (~2,519 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 58.9%.

Asthma and arthritis are most prevalent, affecting 9.1 and 8.5% respectively. 66.9% report no medical ailments, versus Greater Melbourne's 69.3%. The area has 20.3% (929 people) aged 65+, higher than Greater Melbourne's 18.7%. Seniors' health outcomes are above average and better than the general population in key metrics.

Riddells Creek is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Riddells Creek had a cultural diversity below average, with 88.3% of its population born in Australia, 92.5% being citizens, and 96.3% speaking English only at home. The dominant religion was Christianity, comprising 46.6% of the people in Riddells Creek, compared to 47.0% across Greater Melbourne. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups were English (30.8%), Australian (28.8%), and Irish (9.9%).

Notably, Maltese was overrepresented at 2.3%, Scottish at 9.5%, and Polish at 0.9%, compared to regional percentages of 2.1%, 8.8%, and 0.8% respectively.

Riddells Creek hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Riddells Creek is 42 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's average of 38 years. The 55-64 age group comprises 14.3% of the population, compared to a lower prevalence of the 25-34 cohort at 7.1%. Post-2021 Census data indicates the 75-84 age group grew from 5.0% to 6.9%, while the 15-24 cohort increased from 12.4% to 13.7%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort declined from 8.9% to 7.1%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 14.2% to 12.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest substantial demographic changes in Riddells Creek, with the 75-84 age group projected to grow by 104% (331 people), reaching 649 from 317. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 55% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0-4 cohort is forecast to show minimal growth of just 0% (0 people).