Campbellfield
Half of Campbellfield's 4,977 residents were born overseas, 28.9 points above the national figure, yet the median household income of $1,110 a week sits in just the 17.9th percentile nationally. That combination of strong migration and modest earnings defines the suburb. It scores decile 1 on all four SEIFA indexes, the most disadvantaged tier in Australia, while the $594,000 median house price keeps it affordable by Melbourne standards. The population has grown 42.7% over the decade, far higher than most established suburbs, driven mainly by net internal migration of about 136 people a year settling into a stock that is 85.1% separate houses.
Population
4,977
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,110/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
13
Median House
$594K
Apr-Jun 2024
At $594,000 the median house price is well below Melbourne's metropolitan average, which is why first home buyers and growing families have driven the suburb's 42.7% population rise over the decade. The market has cooled recently: the median fell 9.1% from its $653,500 peak in early 2024, though it is still up 80% from $330,000 in 2013, a compound rate of 4.3% a year over 14 years. Stock heavily favours owner-occupiers, with 85.1% separate houses and only 2.8% apartments, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 64.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,600, but against the low local income that produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 33.3%, above the 30% stress threshold, so buyers should budget carefully despite the cheaper entry price.
For Buyers
At $594,000 the median house price is well below Melbourne's metropolitan average, which is why first home buyers and growing families have driven the suburb's 42.7% population rise over the decade. The market has cooled recently: the median fell 9.1% from its $653,500 peak in early 2024, though it is still up 80% from $330,000 in 2013, a compound rate of 4.3% a year over 14 years. Stock heavily favours owner-occupiers, with 85.1% separate houses and only 2.8% apartments, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 64.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,600, but against the low local income that produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 33.3%, above the 30% stress threshold, so buyers should budget carefully despite the cheaper entry price.
For Investors
Weekly rent of $320 against the $594,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.8%, higher than premium Melbourne suburbs where yields fall below 2%. The renter pool is moderate at 27.4% of households, lower than the national share, because owner-occupation is entrenched: 41.2% own outright and 31.4% carry a mortgage. A 5.9% vacancy rate is elevated and signals investors should expect some letting friction. The stronger case is demand growth, with net internal migration adding about 136 residents a year and total annual population growth of 2.57%, well above flat established suburbs. Rent has climbed 49.1% over the measured period, so the investment thesis rests on affordability-driven tenant demand and rent escalation rather than a deep existing rental market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
29
Last 12 Months
13
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+62.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Campbellfield iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Campbellfield Heights Primary School
Prep-6 · 148 students
Demographics
The migrant character is the standout: 50.5% of residents were born overseas, 28.9 points above the national figure, with Lebanese (951) and Italian (471) the largest ancestry groups. Arabic is the most spoken non-English language at 667 speakers, ahead of Italian (150) and Greek (108), and Islam (1,909 residents) sits close behind Christianity (2,093), an unusually even split compared with most suburbs. The median age of 38 is 2 years below national, and the average household size of 2.9 runs 0.4 above national, consistent with larger family households: 1,802 families are couples with children versus 680 couples without. University qualifications reach 24.5%, which is 5.6 points below the national rate, reflecting a workforce weighted toward trades and service roles rather than professional ones.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.1%
Houses
5.5%
Townhouse
2.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure leans firmly to ownership, with 41.2% owning outright and 31.4% holding a mortgage, leaving only 27.4% renting, below the national share. That outright-ownership weight points to a settled, long-held housing base, supported by an 88.9% residential stability rate. The stock is 85.1% separate houses with just 2.8% apartments, and three-bedroom dwellings make up 64.7% against 18.0% with four or more bedrooms. The median house price of $594,000 is down 9.1% from the $653,500 peak but up 80% from $330,000 in 2013. The strain shows in serviceability rather than purchase price: the mortgage-to-income ratio of 33.3% exceeds the stress threshold, while rent-to-income at 28.8% stays just under it, a gap that reflects how low local incomes are relative even to affordable prices.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,600
Rent / wk
$320
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$444
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.9%
Unoccupied
99
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.3% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
16.6%
Couples, no children
4,086
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local economy is anchored in hands-on sectors: Healthcare leads employment at 14.6%, followed by Construction at 11.2%, Retail at 11.0%, Education at 8.3% and Transport at 8.0%, a manufacturing and logistics belt rather than an office one. By occupation, Labourers (197), Clerical and Administrative workers (179) and Machinery Operators and Drivers (178) outnumber Professionals (148), which explains why university qualifications run 5.6 points below national. The labour market is strained: unemployment is 13.1%, well above typical metropolitan rates, and the participation rate is only 37.9%, with 2,026 residents not in the labour force. These pressures align with the decile 1 scores across all four SEIFA indexes, the lowest advantage tier nationally, where the IER economic resources score of 902 sits at the bottom decile.
Unemployment
14.2%
Labour Force
6,133
Unemployed
869
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.7%
Part-time
27.2%
Participation
37.9%
Employed
1,315
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.5%
Postgraduate
5.5%
Born Overseas
50.5%
Dwellings
1,594
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-dependent: 86.2% of commuters drive while only 3.7% use public transport and 3.0% walk or cycle, higher car reliance than the national average and a function of the suburb's 12.25 km2 industrial-edge layout. Safety is the main concern, with a crime rate of 311.4 offences per 1,000 residents, well above typical metropolitan levels, and 1,137 of the 1,550 recorded offences fall under property and deception. The decile 1 IRSAD score, the lowest advantage tier nationally, reflects the broader disadvantage profile, and 13.1% of residents (605 people) need daily assistance. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring areas, a practical trade-off against the area's lower $594,000 house prices.
Drive
86.2%
Public Transport
3.7%
Walk / Cycle
3.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.57%/yr
(+138 people/yr)
EstablishedCampbellfield is classified as established yet growing fast, with annual population growth of 2.57%, or about 138 people a year, and a 42.7% rise over the past decade that outpaces most settled suburbs. The medium forecast lifts the population from 5,365 in 2025 to 6,009 by 2031. The primary driver is net internal migration of about 136 residents a year, ahead of net overseas migration of 58, suggesting Melbourne households are moving in for affordability rather than fresh arrivals from abroad. The gentrification reading is Early signs at a score in the low 40s, with real incomes up 22.0% and rents up 49.1% over the period, though affordability has held stable at roughly 34.5% versus 34.8% a decade earlier, so the pace of change remains modest.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+58
Net Internal / yr
+136
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Net internal migration +136/yr, Accelerating: -0% → 62%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,550
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
311.4
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Campbellfield compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Campbellfield a good suburb to live in?
Campbellfield suits buyers prioritising affordability, with a $594,000 median house price well below Melbourne's average and 85.1% separate houses. The main trade-offs are a high crime rate of 311.4 per 1,000 residents and decile 1 SEIFA scores, the most disadvantaged tier nationally.
What is the median house price in Campbellfield?
The median house price is $594,000 as of the April to June 2024 quarter, down 9.1% from the $653,500 peak in early 2024 but up 80% from $330,000 in 2013. Weekly rent averages $320 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,600.
What schools are in Campbellfield?
No schools are recorded inside the Campbellfield boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. University qualifications among residents reach 24.5%, which is 5.6 points below the national figure, reflecting a trades-weighted workforce.
Is Campbellfield safe?
Campbellfield records a crime rate of 311.4 offences per 1,000 residents, above typical metropolitan levels, with 1,137 of 1,550 total offences being property and deception crimes. The decile 1 IRSAD score, the lowest tier nationally, is consistent with a higher-disadvantage area.
Is Campbellfield good for property investment?
Rent of $320 a week against the $594,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.8%, higher than premium Melbourne suburbs below 2%. Population growth of 2.57% a year supports demand, but the 5.9% vacancy rate is elevated, so returns lean on affordability-driven tenant demand.
How is Campbellfield's population changing?
The population is growing fast for an established suburb, up 2.57% a year and 42.7% over the decade, reaching 5,365 in 2025. The medium forecast lifts it to 6,009 by 2031, driven mainly by net internal migration of about 136 residents a year.
What languages are spoken in Campbellfield?
About 50.5% of residents were born overseas, 28.9 points above the national figure. Arabic is the most common non-English language with 667 speakers, ahead of Italian (150) and Greek (108), reflecting large Lebanese and Italian ancestry communities.
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), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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