Sunbury - South

Sunbury - South lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Sunbury - South's population is approximately 17,748 as of May 2026. This figure represents an increase of 2,763 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 14,985. The increase is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 17,683 in June 2025 and an additional 2,276 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 428 persons per square kilometer. Sunbury - South's growth rate of 18.4% since the 2021 census exceeds both the state average of 9.3% and the national average, indicating significant growth in the area. Interstate migration contributed approximately 72.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied across all areas until 2041. Future population dynamics predict exceptional growth for Sunbury - South, with an expected increase of 13,208 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 74.0% over the 16-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Sunbury - South was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Sunbury - South has recorded approximately 362 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 1813 homes have been approved, with an additional 461 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, about 1.2 people move to the area each year for every dwelling built during these five financial years.

This indicates a balanced supply and demand market, supporting stable conditions. The average construction value of new homes is $322,000. In FY-26, there have been $5.8 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the residential character of the area. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Sunbury - South has slightly more development activity, around 30.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period.

This preserves reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. The development activity is notably higher than the national average, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. New developments consist of approximately 90.0% detached houses and 10.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. With around 36 people per dwelling approval, Sunbury - South exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Sunbury - South is expected to grow by approximately 13,143 residents through to 2041. Construction activity is maintaining pace with projected growth, although buyers may encounter growing competition as population increases.

Sunbury - South has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 34 projects that could impact the area. Key projects include Redstone Town Centre, Plumpton Aquatic and Leisure Centre, The Sunbury Gateway, and Bloomdale Estate by AVID Property Group. 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.

Employment performance in Sunbury - South has been broadly consistent with national averages

Sunbury - South has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate is 3.6%. Employment stability has been relatively consistent over the past year.

As of December 2025, 9,275 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.2% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation in Sunbury - South is somewhat below Greater Melbourne's rate at 66.3%. A high proportion of residents work from home, with 25.8% reporting this arrangement based on Census responses. The dominant employment sectors include construction, healthcare & social assistance, and retail trade.

Transport, postal & warehousing is particularly specialized in the area, employing 1.9 times more workers than the regional average. However, professional & technical services employ only 5.4% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between December 2024 and December 2025, Sunbury - South's labour force decreased by 0.7% while employment remained stable at a decline of 0.0%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 2.4% during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 indicate potential future demand within Sunbury - South. National employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Sunbury - South's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.0% over ten years.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

The Sunbury - South SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $60,683 and an average of $71,490 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This is higher than 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 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $66,521 (median) and $78,367 (average). Census data shows household, family and personal incomes in Sunbury - South cluster around the 51st percentile nationally. The income distribution reveals that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 35.7% of residents (6,336 people), similar to the metropolitan region where this cohort represents 32.8%. High housing costs consume 15.6% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 50th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Sunbury - South's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 76.1% houses and 23.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sunbury - South was 31.0%, similar to Melbourne metro's level. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 43.0% and rented ones for 26.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,800, lower than Melbourne metro's $2,000 average. The median weekly rent figure was $351, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Sunbury - South's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,863 and rents were less at $375.

Sunbury - South has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 69.9% of all households, including 31.8% couples with children, 24.0% couples without children, and 13.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 30.1%, with lone person households at 27.8% and group households comprising 2.2%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 22.0%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 38.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 12.1% and certificates at 25.9%. Educational participation is high, with 28.2% currently enrolled in formal education: 10.3% in primary, 7.5% in secondary, and 3.8% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 7.5% 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

Sunbury - South has 106 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are serviced by 13 routes, collectively providing 7,198 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 285 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to the area's residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 90%, while train usage stands at 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 25.8% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,028 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 67 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Health performance in Sunbury - South is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Sunbury - South faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across all age groups but to a higher degree among older cohorts. Approximately 55% (~9,743 people) of the total population has private health cover. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 10.3% of residents and asthma impacting 9.7%. A total of 63.8% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 17.6% (3,128 people) of residents aged 65 and over, which is higher than the 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Sunbury - South records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Sunbury-South, when compared to the broader region, showed a similar level of cultural diversity. As of a certain date, approximately 80.1% of its residents were born in Australia, with 89.4% being citizens and 87.8% speaking English exclusively at home. Christianity was identified as the predominant religion in Sunbury-South, accounting for about 51.8% of the population.

However, there was a notable overrepresentation of Judaism, which constituted approximately 0.2% of Sunbury-South's population, compared to around 1.0% across Greater Melbourne. In terms of ancestry, based on the country of birth of parents, the top three groups in Sunbury-South were English (26.7%), Australian (26.3%), and Irish (9.0%). These percentages were substantially higher than the regional averages for these groups: 20.1% for English, 18.4% for Australian, and an unspecified figure for Irish. Additionally, there were notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups compared to regional averages. Maltese was notably overrepresented at approximately 2.7% in Sunbury-South (compared to around 1.1% regionally), Croatian at about 1.1% (vs 0.7%), and Hungarian at approximately 0.4% (vs 0.3%).

Sunbury - South's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Sunbury-South is 38 years, similar to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Sunbury-South has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (9.1%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (13.7%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the age group 35-44 has increased from 14.2% to 15.4%, while the age group 45-54 has decreased from 13.2% to 12.4%. By 2041, Sunbury-South's population is projected to experience significant shifts in its age composition, with the 45-54 age group expected to grow by 85%, reaching 4,082 people from the current 2,206.