Cranbourne West
A 146.2% population lift over 10 years defines Cranbourne West more than any single amenity. The suburb has a young median age of 32, 8 years below the national benchmark, and a large family footprint with 3.1 people per household. Housing is strongly detached, with 81.7% separate houses and only 3.0% apartments, while 64.0% of homes are mortgaged. Compared with older Cranbourne and nearby Lyndhurst, Cranbourne West reads as a newer mortgage-belt suburb because growth has been driven by estates, families and migration. Overseas-born residents sit at 43.7%, which is 22.1 percentage points above the national level.
Population
19,969
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,856/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
14
Median House
$665K
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers are mainly paying for family-scale land rather than apartment convenience. The median house price is $665,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, sitting 2.6% below the Jul-Sep 2023 peak of $683,000, so buyers have slightly more leverage than at the recent high. Separate houses make up 81.7% of stock, apartments only 3.0%, and bedrooms are split almost evenly between 3-bedroom homes at 46.4% and 4-plus-bedroom homes at 46.5%. Mortgage costs take 22.4% of income, while the 64.0% mortgaged share is far higher than the 12.9% owned outright share, because the suburb is still in its family formation phase.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are mainly paying for family-scale land rather than apartment convenience. The median house price is $665,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, sitting 2.6% below the Jul-Sep 2023 peak of $683,000, so buyers have slightly more leverage than at the recent high. Separate houses make up 81.7% of stock, apartments only 3.0%, and bedrooms are split almost evenly between 3-bedroom homes at 46.4% and 4-plus-bedroom homes at 46.5%. Mortgage costs take 22.4% of income, while the 64.0% mortgaged share is far higher than the 12.9% owned outright share, because the suburb is still in its family formation phase.
For Investors
Investors get a growth-led outer-suburban market rather than a deep renter enclave. Renting sits at 23.1%, lower than the 64.0% mortgaged share, so tenant demand is meaningful but not the main tenure. Median rent is $375 a week and vacancy is 3.1%, which is above the tightest rental settings and suggests pricing must stay competitive. Only 11 development applications were recorded in 12 months, limiting immediate new supply pressure. Population growth of 4.05% a year, or 1,033 people, supports demand because migration is balanced between 268 internal and 282 overseas net arrivals annually.
Development Activity
Total DAs
37
Last 12 Months
14
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Cranbourne West iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Barton Primary School
Prep-6 · 1092 students
Quarters Primary School
Prep-6 · 466 students
Cranbourne West Secondary College
7-11 · 1624 students
Demographics
Cranbourne West is younger, larger-household and more migration-shaped than the national average. The median age of 32 is 8 years below national, household size of 3.1 is 0.6 above national, and 43.7% of residents were born overseas, 22.1 percentage points above national. University attainment is 31.0%, only 0.9 points above national, so the suburb is not solely professional in profile. Ancestry includes English at 4,434 and Indian at 2,414, while Punjabi is the largest listed non-English language with 995 speakers. Christianity accounts for 6,793 residents and Islam for 1,781.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
81.7%
Houses
15.3%
Townhouse
3.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing prices have doubled from the earliest recorded $330,000 in 2013 to $665,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 101.5% rise and 5.1% CAGR over 14 years. The latest median is still below the $683,000 peak reached in Jul-Sep 2023, leaving a 2.6% peak-to-latest decline after 15 tracked quarters. Compared with more established Cranbourne, the structure is more new-family oriented: 64.0% of dwellings are mortgaged, 12.9% owned outright and 23.1% rented. Large formats dominate because 46.5% have 4 or more bedrooms and another 46.4% have 3 bedrooms.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,800
Rent / wk
$375
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$822
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.1%
Unoccupied
193
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
16.0%
Couples, no children
17,442
Total families
Economy & Employment
The employment base is practical and service-heavy, with healthcare at 22.7% or 1,395 workers, manufacturing at 11.8%, construction at 10.1%, retail at 8.2% and education at 7.2%. Occupations are spread across Professionals with 1,378 people, Labourers with 1,266, Community and Personal Service with 1,240, Machinery and Drivers with 1,174 and Clerical/Admin with 1,160. Full-time work is relatively important at 66.3%, while unemployment is 5.9% and participation is 64.5%. SEIFA is mixed: education and occupation decile 5, economic resources decile 8, disadvantage decile 4 and advantage-disadvantage decile 5, because incomes are stronger than some social indicators.
Unemployment
8.9%
Labour Force
12,473
Unemployed
1,109
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.3%
Part-time
27.8%
Participation
64.5%
Employed
8,891
Occupations
Top Industries
University
31.0%
Postgraduate
7.9%
Born Overseas
43.7%
Dwellings
6,097
Transport to Work
Cranbourne West is car-oriented, with 90.6% driving to work compared with only 2.3% using public transport and 0.8% walking or cycling. Schools are a clear family anchor: 3 local government schools cover an ICSEA range of 985 to 1020, led by Barton Primary School at 1020 and 1,092 enrolments, then Quarters Primary School at 1003 and Cranbourne West Secondary College at 985. Safety is moderate rather than standout, with 1,100 recorded offences and a crime rate of 55.1 per 1k; property and deception offences lead with 621. IRSAD decile 5 puts socio-economic advantage near the middle compared with the state and national spread.
Drive
90.6%
Public Transport
2.3%
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+4.05%/yr
(+1,033 people/yr)
High GrowthGrowth remains the suburb's central story. The trend forecast is 4.05% a year, adding about 1,033 people annually, with the medium scenario rising from 26,643 in 2026 to 31,805 in 2031. Migration is balanced, with 268 net internal arrivals and 282 net overseas arrivals each year, so demand is not relying on only one source. The shift profile is Mixed: rent growth is 30.1%, real income growth is 17.2%, affordability moved from 49.8 in 2011 to 45.0 in 2021, and the gentrification score is 0 with stage New development. That means growth is higher because new housing and family migration keep adding residents, not because of classic inner-suburb reinvention.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+282
Net Internal / yr
+268
Gentrification Signal
New development
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,100
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
55.1
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 Cranbourne West compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cranbourne West a good suburb to live in?
Yes, especially for households wanting newer family housing. The suburb has a median age of 32, 81.7% separate houses and 3 local schools, but daily life is car-dependent with 90.6% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Cranbourne West?
The median house price is $665,000 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 2.6% below the recent $683,000 peak in Jul-Sep 2023, but still 101.5% above the earliest recorded $330,000 in 2013.
What schools are in Cranbourne West?
Cranbourne West has 3 listed local schools: Barton Primary School with ICSEA 1020, Quarters Primary School with ICSEA 1003, and Cranbourne West Secondary College with ICSEA 985.
Is Cranbourne West safe?
Cranbourne West recorded 1,100 offences, or 55.1 per 1k residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 621, followed by crimes against the person at 221.
Is Cranbourne West good for property investment?
It suits investors focused on population growth more than high renter concentration. Renting is 23.1%, median rent is $375 a week, vacancy is 3.1%, and population growth is forecast at 4.05% a year.
How is Cranbourne West's population changing?
The suburb is growing quickly, with a 146.2% population increase over 10 years. Forecast growth is 1,033 people a year, taking the medium scenario from 26,643 in 2026 to 31,805 in 2031.
What languages are spoken in Cranbourne West?
Punjabi is the largest listed non-English language with 995 speakers, followed by Sinhal at 244, Hindi at 227, Malayalam at 173 and Samoan at 130. Overseas-born residents make up 43.7%.
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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