Clifton Springs
An older, highly detached profile defines Clifton Springs, with a median age of 48, population of 7,646 and 98.0% of homes classed as separate houses. The median age is 8 years above the national average, while university attainment is 6.0 percentage points below it, shaping demand toward established households rather than student-oriented stock. Housing is concentrated in 3-bedroom homes at 61.8%, with 43.5% owned outright and 37.7% mortgaged. Compared with nearby Drysdale and Portarlington, Clifton Springs suits buyers prioritising conventional family housing and longer-term stability, reflected in an 81.5% same-address retention rate. Its 25.0 offences per 1,000 residents and 18.4% work-from-home rate reinforce a settled, car-oriented profile.
Population
7,646
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,348/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
4
Median House
$710K
October to December 2025
Mortgage costs equal 26.0% of household income and are not flagged as a stress level, although the upfront price still requires substantial borrowing capacity. The housing stock is practical for families, with 61.8% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and 30.3% having 4 or more, while 98.0% are separate houses. Compared with denser housing markets, the limited apartment share of 0.2% makes Clifton Springs more suitable for buyers seeking detached living and outdoor space.
For Buyers
Mortgage costs equal 26.0% of household income and are not flagged as a stress level, although the upfront price still requires substantial borrowing capacity. The housing stock is practical for families, with 61.8% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and 30.3% having 4 or more, while 98.0% are separate houses. Compared with denser housing markets, the limited apartment share of 0.2% makes Clifton Springs more suitable for buyers seeking detached living and outdoor space.
For Investors
The rental profile is supported by a $350 weekly median rent, an 18.2% renting share and an 8.9% vacancy rate. The rental pool is smaller than the owner-occupier base, with 43.5% of households owning outright and 37.7% paying a mortgage, so tenant demand can be more sensitive to the suburb's established-owner profile. Rent growth of 46.2% across the shift indicators is a positive signal, but the vacancy rate is higher than in a tightly supplied market and warrants careful property-level assessment. Five development applications were recorded over 12 months, suggesting some activity without evidence of a large construction pipeline. Internal migration is the primary growth driver, while the 2.26% annual trend supports a longer-term rather than purely short-term investment case.
Development Activity
Total DAs
15
Last 12 Months
4
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-20.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Clifton Springs
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Clifton Springs Primary School
Demographics
Clifton Springs has a median age of 48, which is 8 years above the national average, and its household size of 2.3 people is 0.2 below the national figure. University attainment is 24.1%, or 6.0 percentage points below the national comparison, while only 16.5% of residents were born overseas, 5.1 points below the national level. English ancestry is most common at 3,540 people, followed by Irish at 1,076 and Scottish at 1,025. No religion accounts for 3,669 people and Christianity for 3,454. Residential stability is high, with 81.5% staying at the same address and turnover of 18.5%. Compared with more mobile or migrant-heavy parts of Greater Geelong, these figures point to an older, Anglo-leaning population with strong local continuity.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.0%
Houses
1.8%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
The long-run compound annual growth rate is 4.0% over 19 years. Tenure is strongly owner-focused, with 43.5% owned outright, 37.7% mortgaged and 18.2% rented. The stock is more detached than apartment-based markets, with 98.0% separate houses, 61.8% 3-bedroom homes and 30.3% with 4 or more bedrooms. Compared with nearby Drysdale and Portarlington, this profile is suited to buyers seeking conventional houses and longer holding periods.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$350
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$683
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.9%
Unoccupied
311
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.7%
Couples with children
48.6%
Couples, no children
15.5%
Single parent
2,284
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest industry, employing 527 people or 23.1% of workers, followed by education at 289 people, construction at 285, public administration at 188 and retail at 155. The occupation mix is similarly broad, led by professionals at 637, trades at 604, community and personal service workers at 498, labourers at 421 and clerical or administrative workers at 388. The labour force numbers 3,638 people, including 1,862 full-time and 1,361 part-time workers, while unemployment is 4.4% and participation is 56.3%. Socioeconomic indicators sit around the middle, with IEO and IRSAD in decile 5, IER and IRSD in decile 6. Household income sits below the 50th percentile at 34.6%, despite the professional and public-service presence, because the suburb also has a large retired and not-in-labour-force population of 2,628.
Unemployment
4.4%
Labour Force
3,638
Unemployed
160
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.5%
Part-time
39.1%
Participation
56.3%
Employed
3,478
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.1%
Postgraduate
5.1%
Born Overseas
16.5%
Dwellings
3,183
Transport to Work
Daily mobility is strongly car dependent, with 74.6% driving to work compared with just 0.8% using public transport and 1.6% walking or cycling. The 18.4% work-from-home share can reduce commuting pressure, but essential trips are still more likely to require a vehicle because car use is much higher than active or public transport use. Clifton Springs Primary School provides a local government primary option, and families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb lines. The recorded crime rate is 25.0 offences per 1,000 residents, comprising 191 offences, including 96 property and deception offences, 40 justice procedures offences and 29 crimes against the person. Socioeconomic conditions are middle-ranking, with IRSAD in decile 5 and IRSD in decile 6. Compared with highly transit-oriented suburbs, Clifton Springs is better suited to households comfortable with driving and a quieter suburban routine.
Drive
74.6%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
18.4%
Population Forecast
+2.26%/yr
(+405 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is forecast at 2.26% annually and is primarily driven by internal migration, while population change across the wider area is 43.6% over 10 years. The trajectory is labelled Aging, supported by a 4.3 percentage-point increase in the senior share, a 0.7-point decline in the young share and a 1.2-point decline in the working share. Gentrification signals are mixed but material: the active score is 57, while the separate shift indicator is 28 and classed as Early signs. Rent growth of 46.2% adds pressure to the housing market, while affordability is described as Stable, moving from 53.1 in 2011 to 53.7 in 2021. Compared with a flat established suburb, the 2.26% annual pace indicates stronger momentum, but the aging trajectory means future demand is likely to favour downsizers, established families and service-oriented households.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+44
Net Internal / yr
+213
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +51% since 2011, Net internal migration +213/yr, Accelerating: 15% → 32%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
191
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
25.0
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 Clifton Springs compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Clifton Springs a good suburb to live in?
Clifton Springs can suit households seeking detached housing, local stability and a quieter routine. The median age is 48, 98.0% of homes are separate houses and 81.5% of residents stayed at the same address. Car dependence is high at 74.6%, while public transport use is only 0.8%, so access to a vehicle is important.
What schools are in Clifton Springs?
Clifton Springs Primary School is the suburb's listed government primary school. It provides 1 local primary option, but families should confirm enrolment zones and available places for the exact address. Secondary schooling may require travel beyond the suburb, so school transport and catchment details should be checked before buying.
Is Clifton Springs safe?
Clifton Springs recorded 191 offences, equal to 25.0 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 96 incidents, followed by 40 justice procedures offences and 29 crimes against the person. Buyers should review recent street-level patterns and local conditions, particularly around property security.
Is Clifton Springs good for property investment?
The investment case has both positives and risks. Median rent is $350 per week, the vacancy rate is 8.9% and 18.2% of households rent. Rent growth is recorded at 46.2%, while the annual growth trend is 2.26% and internal migration is the main driver. Investors should allow for the relatively high vacancy rate and 5 development applications.
How is Clifton Springs's population changing?
Clifton Springs has a current population of 7,646. Across the wider area, population change is forecast at 43.6% over 10 years, with annual growth of 2.26% driven by internal migration. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose 4.3 percentage points, while the young share fell 0.7 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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