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 4,589 as of November 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure shows an increase of 132 people from the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,457. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,547 in June 2024 and an additional 30 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 55 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed approximately 60.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using 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 the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting them employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Considering projected demographic shifts, a significant population increase is forecast for Riddells Creek. The area is expected to expand by 1,322 persons to the year 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting an increase of 27.9% in total over the 17 years.

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

Riddells Creek averaged approximately 31 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY2021 to FY2025, totaling 155 homes. In FY2026 up until now, 2 dwellings have been approved. On average, 1.3 people moved to the area per dwelling built over these five years, indicating a balanced supply and demand, though this ratio has moderated to 0.1 people per dwelling in the past two financial years. New homes are expected to cost around $387,000 on average.

This year, $3.0 million worth of commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting limited focus on commercial development. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Riddells Creek shows about 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 76th percentile nationally when measured by area assessments. Recent construction comprises 92.0% detached houses and 8.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers with its emphasis on detached housing.

With around 170 people per approval, Riddells Creek reflects a low-density area. Future projections estimate an addition of 1,280 residents by 2041, with building activity keeping pace with growth projections, though increased competition among buyers is expected as the population grows.

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 four projects that may impact the area. Key projects are Gisborne Business Park Development, Willow, Gisborne, Willowbank Primary School, and Melbourne Metro Tunnel - Rail Systems Alliance. The following details these projects' likely relevance.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Riddells Creek significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Riddells Creek has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 2.5% in the past year, showing an employment growth of 3.8%.

As of June 2025, 2766 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.1% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation is at 66.4%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading employment industries include construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area has a strong specialization in construction with an employment share of 1.6 times the regional level, while retail trade has limited presence at 7.3% compared to the regional average of 9.8%.

Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data analysis. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 3.8%, labour force grew by 4.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.5 percentage points. Greater Melbourne recorded similar trends with employment growth of 3.5%, labour force growth of 4.0%, and a rise in unemployment by 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industries. 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 AreaSearch's postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2022. This was higher than the national average, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $54,892 and average income of $73,761. By September 2025, based on a 12.16% growth in wages since financial year 2022, estimated incomes would be approximately $62,122 (median) and $78,984 (average). Census 2021 data showed that incomes in Riddells Creek clustered around the 69th percentile nationally. Income distribution indicated that 33.5% of residents earned between $1,500 and $2,999, consistent with regional trends where 32.8% fell into this category. A substantial proportion of high earners (32.3%) suggested strong economic capacity in the district. After housing costs, residents retained 87.3% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 7th decile.

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

Riddells Creek's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 94.3% houses and 5.7% other dwellings. This is similar to Melbourne metro's structure with 94.7% houses and 5.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Riddells Creek was at 38.9%, matching Melbourne metro's rate, with mortgaged dwellings at 49.7% and rented ones at 11.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, lower than Melbourne metro's average of $2,014. Median weekly rent in Riddells Creek was recorded at $400, equal to Melbourne metro's figure. Nationally, Riddells Creek's mortgage repayments are higher than Australia's average of $1,863, while rents exceed 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 at 16.3% and group households comprising 1.4% of the total. 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%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.2%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 40.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.6%) and certificates (28.0%). Educational participation is high at 29.5%, with 10.5% in primary, 9.9% in secondary, and 3.9% in tertiary education.

Riddells Creek Primary School serves the area, with an enrollment of 276 students as of the latest data. The school focuses on primary education, with ICSEA score of 1040, indicating typical Australian school conditions. Secondary options are available nearby due to limited local capacity (6.0 places per 100 residents vs regional average of 16.4).

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 consist of a mix of train and bus services, with eight routes in total providing 407 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is limited, as residents are typically located 1070 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 58 daily trips across all routes, which amounts to approximately 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

Health data shows positive outcomes for Riddells Creek residents with standard levels of common health conditions seen across both young and old age groups. The rate of private health cover is high at approximately 55% of the total population (~2,523 people), compared to 58.9% in Greater Melbourne.

Asthma and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, affecting 9.1 and 8.5% of residents respectively. 66.9% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.3% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 20.3% of residents aged 65 and over (931 people), higher than the 18.7% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing better than the general population in health 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, as per the data, had a population with 88.3% born in Australia, 92.5% being citizens, and 96.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 46.6% of the population, slightly lower than Greater Melbourne's 47.0%. The top three ancestry groups were English (30.8%), Australian (28.8%), and Irish (9.9%).

Some ethnic groups had notable differences in representation: Maltese at 2.3%, Scottish at 9.5%, and Polish at 0.9% compared to regional averages 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, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 55-64 age group makes up 14.3% of the population in Riddells Creek, compared to a lower prevalence of the 25-34 cohort at 7.1%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 5.0% to 6.9%, while the 15 to 24 cohort has risen from 12.4% to 13.7%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has decreased from 8.9% to 7.1%, and the 5 to 14 group has dropped from 14.2% to 12.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest substantial demographic changes in Riddells Creek, with the 75 to 84 age group projected to grow by 104% (330 people), reaching a total of 649 from 318. 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 to 4 cohort shows minimal growth of just 0% (0 people).