VIC 3217 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Armstrong Creek

At a median age of 30, Armstrong Creek is 10 years below the national comparison and already houses 11,247 residents across 18.34 square kilometres. Its profile is defined by growth estates, with 95.0% of dwellings separate houses, 70.7% containing 4 or more bedrooms and a forecast annual growth rate of 4.15%. Compared with nearby Mount Duneed's semi-rural edge, Armstrong Creek is a more conventional planned housing market.

Armstrong Creek urban fabric map

Population

11,247

Median Age

30.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,200/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

20

Median House

$680K

October to December 2025

18.34 km²· 613.2 people/km²· Family income $2,285/wk

Armstrong Creek suits buyers seeking newer detached housing, particularly families needing space. A typical mortgage is listed at $1,800 per month, while the mortgage-to-income ratio is 18.9%, below the rent-to-income figure of 19.1%. Car access matters because 72.9% drive to work and only 1.3% use public transport.

For Buyers

Armstrong Creek suits buyers seeking newer detached housing, particularly families needing space. A typical mortgage is listed at $1,800 per month, while the mortgage-to-income ratio is 18.9%, below the rent-to-income figure of 19.1%. Car access matters because 72.9% drive to work and only 1.3% use public transport.

For Investors

The rental market has a substantial tenant base, with 34.6% renting compared with 11.0% owning outright. Weekly rent is $420 and vacancy is 4.3%, indicating more availability than a tightly constrained market, although the 95.0% separate-house share supports a clear family-rental focus. Rent growth of 40.0% is higher than the suburb's 2.0% long-run house-price CAGR, while the wider growth forecast runs at 4.15% annually and is driven by internal migration. Twenty development matters were recorded over 12 months, so new supply should be considered when assessing competition between established and newly built properties.

Development Activity

Total DAs

88

Last 12 Months

20

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

-25.9%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Subdivision
32
Other
12
Change of Use
1
Multi-Dwelling / Townhouse
1
Commercial / Industrial
1

Schools in Armstrong Creek

Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.

Geelong Lutheran College

Pri/Sec Independent

Armstrong Creek School

Primary Government

St Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary School

Primary Catholic

Oberon High School

Secondary Government

Demographics

Armstrong Creek has a young family profile, with a median age of 30, 2.9 people per household and 51.1% of families being couples with children. Age is 10 years below the national comparison, while university qualification attainment is 37.4%, or 7.3 percentage points above the national figure. The overseas-born share is 19.4%, 2.2 points below the national comparison. English ancestry is most common at 4,401 people, followed by Irish at 1,305, Scottish at 1,185 and German at 545. No religion is recorded for 5,847 residents compared with 4,077 identifying with Christianity. These patterns align with the large 4 or more bedroom housing share and the suburb's young-resident base.

Age Distribution

0-14
25.9%
15-24
11.9%
25-44
41.5%
45-64
14.0%
65+
6.7%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
0.2%
2 bed
1.5%
3 bed
27.6%
4+ bed
70.7%

Dwelling Structure

95.0%

Houses

5.0%

Townhouse

0.0%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 11.0% Mortgage 53.5% Rent 34.6% Other 0.9%

Compared with the 2015 trough, the market remains materially higher despite the recent retreat. Tenure is mortgage-led: 53.5% of households have a mortgage, 34.6% rent and only 11.0% own outright. The stock is overwhelmingly detached, with 95.0% separate houses, and 70.7% have 4 or more bedrooms, reinforcing a family-oriented housing pattern.

Mortgage / mo

$1,800

Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.

$420

Census 2021

HH Size

2.9

Personal Income / wk

$997

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

4.3%

Unoccupied

169

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

19.1%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

18.9%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Punjabi
132
Malayalam
60
Hindi
40
Mandarin
37
Sinhal
35
Urdu
26

Ancestry

English
4,401
Irish
1,305
Other
1,199
Scottish
1,185
German
545
Italian
494

Household Composition

51.1%

Couples with children

32.5%

Couples, no children

15.3%

Single parent

3,033

Total families

Economy & Employment

Armstrong Creek combines high labour-force engagement with above-average household resources. Participation is 79.0%, unemployment is 3.2% and 57.6% of workers are employed full time. Household income is $2,200 per week, placing the suburb at the 83.6th percentile. Healthcare leads local employment at 22.9% and 1,081 workers, followed by education at 12.6% and 593, construction at 11.1% and 525, public administration at 8.3% and 390, and retail at 7.7% and 364. Professionals number 1,486, while community and personal services account for 1,042 and trades for 912. SEIFA results sit in the upper deciles: IEO 8, IER 9, IRSD 9 and IRSAD 8, consistent with strong income and employment indicators, although the construction and trades presence adds a practical workforce dimension.

Unemployment

3.2%

Labour Force

6,583

Unemployed

212

Source: ABS Census 2021

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
8
Disadvantage
9
Economic resources
9
Education & occupation
8

Full-time

57.6%

Part-time

35.6%

Participation

79.0%

Employed

6,371

Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021

Occupations

Professionals 1,486
Community/Personal 1,042
Trades 912
Clerical/Admin 738
Managers 681
Sales 561
Labourers 534
Machinery/Drivers 334

Top Industries

Healthcare 22.9%
Education 12.6%
Construction 11.1%
Public Admin 8.3%
Retail 7.7%

University

37.4%

Postgraduate

8.4%

Born Overseas

19.4%

Dwellings

3,724

Transport to Work

Daily life is strongly car-oriented because 72.9% of workers drive, compared with 1.3% using public transport and 0.7% walking or cycling; a further 21.0% work from home. Families have access to 4 nearby schools spanning 2 primary options, secondary education and Pri/Sec provision across government, Catholic and independent sectors. Enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Recorded crime totals 544 incidents, or 48.4 per 1,000 residents, led by property and deception offences at 303, followed by justice procedures at 110 and crimes against the person at 102. IRSAD is in decile 8 and IRSD in decile 9, both above the midpoint and supportive of a relatively advantaged socioeconomic setting.

Drive

72.9%

Public Transport

1.3%

Walk / Cycle

0.7%

Work from Home

21.0%

Population Forecast

+4.15%/yr

(+653 people/yr)

High Growth

Armstrong Creek carries a high-growth outlook, with annual growth forecast at 4.15% and internal migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 161.6% over 10 years, a much higher trajectory than a flat or mature-market pattern. The shift assessment is Mixed, with rent growth of 40.0%, a young-share increase of 1.4 percentage points and a senior-share increase of 0.2 points. The area is classified as New development, with a gentrification score of 0, while another shift label describes it as Not gentrifying. This combination suggests expansion through new housing and incoming households rather than established-suburb upgrading.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Internal Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+70

Net Internal / yr

+868

0

Gentrification Signal

New development

Safety & Crime

Total Offences

544

Year ending June 2024

Rate per 1,000 People

48.4

Offence Categories

Property and deception offences
303
Justice procedures offences
110
Crimes against the person
102
Drug offences
14

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Armstrong Creek compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 4%
Household Income
Top 16%
Rent Level
Top 13%
Apartments
Bottom 0%
Renters
Top 15%
Uni Educated
Top 22%
Public Transport
Bottom 27%
Born Overseas
Top 31%
Density
Top 18%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Armstrong Creek a good suburb to live in?

Armstrong Creek is suited to households wanting newer detached housing, with 95.0% of dwellings separate houses and 70.7% containing 4 or more bedrooms. Its median age of 30 is 10 years below the national comparison. Car dependence is high at 72.9%, while IRSAD sits in decile 8.

What schools are in Armstrong Creek?

There are 4 nearby schools covering primary, secondary and Pri/Sec education. The mix includes 2 government primary or secondary options, 1 Catholic primary school and 1 independent Pri/Sec college. Families should check enrolment zones for the exact address because boundaries can differ from suburb boundaries.

Is Armstrong Creek safe?

Recorded crime totals 544 incidents, equivalent to 48.4 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for 303 incidents, justice procedures for 110, crimes against the person for 102 and drug offences for 14. Local conditions can vary by street, so recent records and practical inspections are useful.

Is Armstrong Creek good for property investment?

The suburb has 34.6% renters, a $420 weekly median rent and a 4.3% vacancy rate. Rent growth is listed at 40.0%, while annual growth is forecast at 4.15% with internal migration as the primary driver. Compared with the 11.0% outright ownership share, the rental base is substantial, but new development may add competing supply.

How is Armstrong Creek's population changing?

Armstrong Creek has 11,247 residents today and a forecast annual growth rate of 4.15%, driven primarily by internal migration. Population change across the wider area is 161.6% over 10 years. The trajectory is labelled Mixed, with the young share up 1.4 percentage points and the senior share up 0.2 points.

How to read these comparisons

Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.

Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.

Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.

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