Croydon
Its median age of 42 is 2 years above the national figure, and 48.5% of residents hold university qualifications, 18.4 percentage points above the national level. Croydon is a compact suburb of 1,220 people and 0.59 square kilometres, with household income at the 67.1st percentile nationally. Compared with nearby Bowden and Brompton, its housing profile is more detached and established, which helps explain its family-oriented form and limited apartment share.
Local council: Charles Sturt
Population
1,220
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,854/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
20
Median House
$1.6M
First quarter 2026
Croydon suits buyers seeking established detached housing, but the entry point is high. Separate houses account for 84.7% of stock, compared with 6.0% apartments and 9.4% semi-detached homes. The dominant formats are 3-bedroom properties at 48.7% and 4-bedroom-plus homes at 24.8%, giving families more choice than buyers seeking compact dwellings. A typical mortgage payment of $1,985 per month and mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.7% indicate that established households may be better placed than first-home buyers because prices have moved faster than entry-level affordability.
For Buyers
Croydon suits buyers seeking established detached housing, but the entry point is high. Separate houses account for 84.7% of stock, compared with 6.0% apartments and 9.4% semi-detached homes. The dominant formats are 3-bedroom properties at 48.7% and 4-bedroom-plus homes at 24.8%, giving families more choice than buyers seeking compact dwellings. A typical mortgage payment of $1,985 per month and mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.7% indicate that established households may be better placed than first-home buyers because prices have moved faster than entry-level affordability.
For Investors
Croydon has an established rental base, with 25.9% of households renting compared with 34.6% owning outright and 37.6% carrying a mortgage. Weekly rent is $310 and vacancy is 6.4%, suggesting tenants have more choice than in a tightly constrained market, which may moderate short-term rental competition. There were 21 development applications in 12 months, mostly linked to alterations and additions rather than a clearly defined wave of new dwellings. The investment case therefore rests more on premium detached housing and location than on rapid supply expansion. Forecast growth of 1.25% annually, driven primarily by overseas migration, supports demand, while rent growth of 35.3% indicates stronger rental movement over the longer comparison period.
Development Activity
Total DAs
116
Last 12 Months
20
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-9.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Croydon's median age is 42, which is 2 years above the national figure, and its average household size of 2.5 is in line with the national comparison. The suburb has a strong education profile: 48.5% of residents hold university qualifications, 18.4 percentage points above the national level. Overseas-born residents account for 24.9%, only 3.3 percentage points above the national comparison, while English, Italian and Greek are the leading recorded ancestries at 349, 208 and 150 people. Greek and Italian are also the leading recorded non-English languages, with 50 and 33 speakers. Christianity accounts for 607 residents and no religion for 490, creating a more traditional profile than the university participation figure alone might suggest. Compared with nearby Bowden and Brompton, Croydon has an older and more settled household pattern, reinforced by an 83.7% stay rate.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.7%
Houses
9.4%
Townhouse
6.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Croydon's housing market is dominated by established detached stock, with 84.7% separate houses compared with 6.0% apartments and 9.4% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom homes represent 48.7% of properties, followed by 4-bedroom-plus homes at 24.8% and 2-bedroom homes at 23.5%. Tenure is relatively balanced between outright ownership at 34.6%, mortgages at 37.6% and renting at 25.9%, so the suburb includes both long-term owners and active borrowing households. Compared with its small apartment share, the detached profile helps sustain a higher price point because land and established family homes remain central to the market.
Mortgage / mo
$1,985
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$310
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$811
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.4%
Unoccupied
32
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.5%
Couples with children
33.7%
Couples, no children
19.3%
Single parent
326
Total families
Economy & Employment
Croydon's employment base is concentrated in healthcare at 16.7% or 75 workers, education at 15.2% or 68, professional and technical services at 10.7% or 48, public administration at 9.8% or 44, and construction at 7.6% or 34. Professionals number 213 and managers 99, ahead of clerical and administrative workers at 75, reflecting a skilled occupational structure. Unemployment is 3.6% and labour-force participation is 65.4%, while 57.9% of employed residents work full time. Educational and occupational attainment is higher than the national comparison, yet economic rankings are mixed: IEO is decile 9 and IRSAD decile 8, while IER and IRSD are both decile 6. This gap suggests strong individual skills and employment capacity alongside more varied household resources, which is consistent with a $1,854 weekly household income and a 67.1st national percentile.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
666
Unemployed
24
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.9%
Part-time
36.9%
Participation
65.4%
Employed
642
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
48.5%
Postgraduate
11.8%
Born Overseas
24.9%
Dwellings
470
Transport to Work
Croydon is compact at 0.59 square kilometres and has a density of 2,074.5 people per square kilometre, so daily trips can be relatively concentrated even though transport remains car-oriented. About 67.2% of residents travel as car drivers, compared with 7.4% using public transport and 6.3% walking or cycling; a further 15.5% work from home. Families should check exact addresses for enrolment zones, nearby school options and the relevant government or non-government sector mix, since boundaries can differ across the inner west. Recorded crime is 94 incidents at 77.0 per 1,000 people, which should be considered alongside the street and property context. Socioeconomic advantage is above the middle range, with IRSAD decile 8, while the compact footprint and 16.9% volunteering rate support local participation.
Drive
67.2%
Public Transport
7.4%
Walk / Cycle
6.3%
Work from Home
15.5%
Growth Outlook
Croydon's outlook is established but mixed. The forecast annual growth trend is 1.25%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver, while the wider area records population change of 24.1% over 10 years. Rental growth of 35.3% is higher than the annual population trend, showing that housing costs have been moving quickly even as demographic change remains moderate. The shift trajectory is labelled Mixed, with the senior share up 1.3 percentage points and the working share down 1.0 point. Gentrification signals are also uneven: one measure gives a score of 34 and an Early signs stage, while the current gentrification score is 9 and stage is Not gentrifying. Compared with a rapidly transforming inner-city market, Croydon's growth appears more incremental because its detached housing base and established population limit the pace of wholesale change.
Population trend: Charles Sturt council area
Croydon sits in the Charles Sturt council area. These are the council area's residents, not Croydon's.
Residents 2025
130,841
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.4%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
94
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
77.0
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Croydon compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Croydon?
School options should be checked against the exact Croydon address, because enrolment zones can cross suburb boundaries and affect access. The suburb covers 0.59 square kilometres, making nearby school travel practical to assess, but families should confirm current government and non-government options, sector and year-level availability before committing.
Is Croydon safe?
Croydon recorded 94 crime incidents at a rate of 77.0 per 1,000 people. That figure is best assessed alongside the exact street, property type and time of day rather than treated as a suburb-wide verdict. Buyers and renters should inspect the immediate area and review current incident patterns before deciding.
Is Croydon good for property investment?
Croydon has an established investment profile, with 25.9% of households renting, weekly rent of $310 and a 6.4% vacancy rate. Forecast growth is 1.25% annually and overseas migration is the primary driver. There were 21 development applications in 12 months, although the available examples mainly involve alterations rather than clearly identified new dwellings.
How is Croydon's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 24.1% over 10 years, with annual growth of 1.25% and overseas migration the primary driver. Croydon's trajectory is classified as Mixed, while the senior share has increased by 1.3 percentage points and the working share has declined by 1.0 point.
What development is occurring in Croydon?
There were 21 development applications in the latest 12-month period. Recent examples include a rear carport, a rear verandah and partial demolition with ground-floor additions and alterations. This pattern points to ongoing improvement of established homes rather than a clearly measured pipeline of new dwellings.
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), SA Department for Housing and Urban Development (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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