Sunshine West

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

Sunshine West's population was 18,558 as of the 2021 Census. By Nov 2025, it is estimated to be around 18,853, reflecting an increase of 295 people (1.6%) since the Census date. This change can be inferred from the ABS's estimated resident population of 18,795 as of June 2024 and the addition of 131 validated new addresses post-Census. The population density ratio is 1,453 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade (2011-2021), Sunshine West has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.1%, outpacing its SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 81.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusting with a weighted aggregation method from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering these projections, Sunshine West is expected to have an above median population growth, expanding by 3,620 persons to reach approximately 22,473 by 2041, reflecting an increase of 18.9% over the 17-year period.

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

Sunshine West has received approximately 53 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totaling 268 homes. As of FY-26, 15 approvals have been recorded. The population decline in recent years has maintained adequate housing supply relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with diverse buyer options. New properties are constructed at an average cost of $277,000, below the regional average, indicating more affordable housing choices.

In FY-26, $62.2 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting strong commercial development momentum. Sunshine West's construction rates per person are similar to Greater Melbourne's, maintaining market balance with the broader area, but are below national averages, suggesting maturity and potential planning constraints. New building activity consists of 32.0% standalone homes and 68.0% townhouses or apartments, favoring higher-density living for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift represents a notable departure from the area's current housing composition (83.0% houses), indicating decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles. With approximately 373 people per approval, Sunshine West indicates a mature market. AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate forecasts Sunshine West to gain 3,557 residents by 2041.

If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 22 projects that could affect the region. Notable ones include 10-12 Marchant Crescent in Sunshine West, the Vietnamese Museum Australia, Derrimut Industrial Precinct Expansion, and Sunshine Superhub and Albion Station Upgrade. The following list details those most likely to be 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 performance in Sunshine West lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Sunshine West has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 8.6% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.0%.

As of September 2025, 8,903 residents were employed, but the unemployment rate was higher than Greater Melbourne's at 4.7%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 53.1% compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment was concentrated in health care & social assistance, transport, postal & warehousing, and manufacturing. The area had a high specialization in transport, postal & warehousing with an employment share of 2.1 times the regional level.

Conversely, professional & technical services showed lower representation at 5.9% compared to the regional average of 10.1%. The ratio of 0.6 workers per resident indicated local employment opportunities above the norm. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 4.0%, labour force by 5.2%, resulting in a 1.1 percentage point rise in unemployment. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data from November 25 showed Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May-25 projected national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Sunshine West's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.5% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Sunshine West SA2 had a median income of $47,258 and an average income of $54,744. Both figures are below the national averages. In comparison, Greater Melbourne had a median income of $54,892 and an average income of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, estimated median and average incomes for Sunshine West SA2 as of September 2025 are approximately $53,005 and $61,401 respectively. Census data indicates individual incomes lag at the 7th percentile with a weekly income of $565, while household incomes perform better at the 30th percentile. Distribution data shows that 31.5% of individuals in Sunshine West SA2 earn between $1,500 and $2,999, mirroring regional levels where 32.8% fall within this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 84.5% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 30th percentile.

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

Sunshine West's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 81.3% houses and 18.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sunshine West stood at 40.6%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (30.6%) or rented (28.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,700, aligning with Melbourne metro's average, while median weekly rent was $346, matching Melbourne metro figures. Nationally, Sunshine West's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Sunshine West features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 74.0% of all households, including 33.1% couples with children, 22.3% couples without children, and 16.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 26.0%, with lone person households at 21.5% and group households making up 4.5% of the total. The median household size is 2.8 people, smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.9.

Educational outcomes in Sunshine West fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 23.2%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 25.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.1%) and certificates (16.5%). Educational participation is high at 29.9%, with 9.0% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 5.5% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.0% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 5.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Sunshine West has 99 active public transport stops. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 23 different routes operating in total, providing 6,517 weekly passenger trips collectively.

The accessibility of these services is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 184 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 931 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to approximately 65 weekly trips per individual stop.

Sunshine West's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Health data indicates relatively positive outcomes for Sunshine West residents. Prevalence of common health conditions is quite low among the general population but higher than the national average among older, at-risk cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 47% of the total population (~8,898 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and arthritis, impacting 7.0 and 6.8% of residents respectively. 71.9% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 73.5% across Greater Melbourne. As of 2021, 18.9% of residents are aged 65 and over (3,559 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges requiring more attention than the broader population.

Sunshine West is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Sunshine West has a population where 54.3% were born overseas, with 66.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Sunshine West, making up 49.2% of its population. Buddhism is notably high at 12.7%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 12.5%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (21.1%), Vietnamese (17.6%), and Australian (10.6%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Maltese at 4.8% (vs regional 4.6%), Macedonian at 2.6% (vs 2.5%), and Croatian at 1.4% (vs 2.2%).

Sunshine West's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Sunshine West is 38 years, close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and equivalent to Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Sunshine West has a higher percentage of residents aged 75-84 (7.4%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (10.1%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the proportion of residents aged 75 to 84 increased from 6.7% to 7.4%, while the proportion of those aged 5 to 14 decreased from 11.1% to 10.1%. By 2041, Sunshine West's age composition is expected to change significantly. The 55-64 age group is projected to grow by 32%, reaching 2,788 people from the current 2,107. Meanwhile, the 5-14 age group is expected to decrease by 17 residents.