Sunbury - West

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

Sunbury - West's population is 11,664 as of Feb 2026. This reflects a 498 person increase since the 2021 Census, which reported 11,166 people. The change is inferred from ABS' June 2024 estimate of 11,404 and 36 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is 308 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed approximately 65.9% of recent population gains.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For uncovered areas, it uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made via weighted aggregation to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Projected demographic shifts indicate exceptional growth, placing Sunbury - West in the top 10 percent of national statistical areas. By 2041, the area is projected to increase by 5,074 persons, reflecting a 41.3% total increase over the 17 years based on latest annual ERP population numbers.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Sunbury - West, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Sunbury - West averaged approximately 34 new dwelling approvals annually between FY-21 and FY-25, with a total of 173 homes approved during this period. In FY-26 up to June, 9 dwellings have been approved.

The average construction cost value of these new homes is $318,000. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Sunbury - West has significantly less development activity, being 83.0% below the regional average per person. This limited supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings, which is also under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. The new development in Sunbury - West consists of 69.0% detached houses and 31.0% attached dwellings, representing a notable shift from the existing housing stock, which is currently 96.0% houses. This change reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles, with an increasing blend of attached housing types offering choices across various price ranges. The estimated population density in Sunbury - West is 396 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment.

According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, the area is forecasted to gain 4,814 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match this population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Sunbury - West has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 19 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones are Canterbury Hills Estate, The Sunbury Gateway, Sunbury South Town Centre, and Everley Estate, as detailed below.

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 Sunbury - West demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Sunbury - West has a skilled workforce with notable representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 3.8% as of September 2025, which is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.1%.

In September 2025, 6,743 residents were employed with a workforce participation rate of 76.3%, higher than Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. A moderate 24.1% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Leading employment industries include construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Construction employment levels are particularly high at 1.4 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services employ only 5.1% of local workers, lower than Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 1.1%, labour force grew by 1.2%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. In contrast, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with unemployment rising slightly to 5.0%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in May-25, suggest potential future demand within Sunbury - West. These projections estimate national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Sunbury - West's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by approximately 6.2% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

The median taxpayer income in Sunbury - West SA2 is $60,611, with an average of $71,481, based on the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is higher than the national average median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164 in Greater Melbourne. As of September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $65,611 (median) and $77,378 (average), accounting for an 8.25% growth since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Sunbury - West cluster around the 64th percentile nationally. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 is dominant, with 40.2% of residents (4,688 people) falling within this range, similar to regional levels where 32.8% occupy this bracket. After housing expenses, 86.2% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Sunbury - West is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Sunbury - West's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.5% houses and 4.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Melbourne metro's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sunbury - West stood at 30.1%, similar to Melbourne metro. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 49.2%, while rented dwellings made up 20.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, lower than the Melbourne metro average of $2,000 and the national average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Sunbury - West was $376, slightly higher than the national figure of $375 but below Melbourne metro's $390.

Sunbury - West features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 77.8 percent of all households, including 37.8 percent couples with children, 25.9 percent couples without children, and 13.3 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 22.2 percent, with lone person households at 19.5 percent and group households comprising 2.8 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 20.3%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 41.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.2%) and certificates (29.1%). Educational participation is high, with 28.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 9.7% in primary, 7.2% in secondary, and 4.2% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 7.2% in secondary education, and 4.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Sunbury - West has 71 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by four distinct routes that collectively facilitate 2,158 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents typically residing 203 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a predominantly residential region, most commuters travel outward, with cars being the primary mode of transportation at 92%. On average, there are 1.8 vehicles per dwelling, surpassing the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 24.1% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 308 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 30 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Sunbury - West faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch through mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across all age groups, but more so among older cohorts. Approximately 55% (~6,403 people) of the total population has private health cover. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 10.3 and 10.0% of residents respectively. However, 65.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The working-age population faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. As of 2021 data, the area has 16.2% (1,890 people) of residents aged 65 and over, which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, though they rank lower nationally compared to the broader population.

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

Sunbury-West has a relatively low cultural diversity, with 84.0% of its population born in Australia, 90.2% being citizens, and 91.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the dominant religion, comprising 48.9% of Sunbury-West's population. The most significant overrepresentation is seen in the 'Other' category, which makes up 0.8% of the population compared to Greater Melbourne's 2.3%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups are English (27.9%), Australian (27.1%), and Irish (9.8%). Notably, Maltese (2.5%) and Polish (0.9%) groups are overrepresented in Sunbury-West compared to regional averages.

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

Sunbury-West has a median age of 36, nearly matching Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years, which is slightly below the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Sunbury-West has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (12.4%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (13.3%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 35-44 has grown from 13.3% to 16.0%, while those aged 75-84 have increased from 3.6% to 5.3%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has decreased from 15.6% to 13.3%, and those aged 45-54 have dropped from 13.1% to 11.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Sunbury-West's age profile will change significantly. The 45-54 cohort is projected to grow by 61%, adding 796 residents to reach a total of 2,096.