Coburg
VICCoburg is a growing suburb in VIC with 26,574 residents.
- SAL code
- 20596
- SA2
- 206011497
- Population
- 26,574
- LGA
- Moreland
Coburg, VIC had 26,574 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 9.0% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 25-34 years, and the median age sits at 37. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $2,167 a month. Around 64.3% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being rented at 33.2%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 65.2% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 56 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Coburg, VIC at a glance
Coburg sits ~8 km north of Melbourne CBD in Merri-bek (formerly Moreland) — an established inner-north suburb anchored by Sydney Road, the Upfield rail line and the redeveloped Pentridge precinct. Stock skews older Edwardian/post-war houses on standard lots interleaved with apartments along the rail spine. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council pipeline.
For homebuyers
Coburg trades on inner-city access without inner-city prices — Sydney Road's longest-strip-in-Melbourne shopping spine, ~250 shops, the Coburg Market and the Pentridge Village precinct (Palace cinema, eateries, boutiques inside the old prison walls) all sit within walking distance for much of the suburb. Coburg railway station on the Upfield line and the 19 tram down Sydney Road give you a ~20-25 minute commute to the CBD. Coburg Lake Reserve, Bridges Reserve and the Merri Creek Trail anchor recreation; Harmony Skate Park covers the teens. Coburg High School (ICSEA 1053) is the local government secondary, with Coburg Primary and Newlands Primary feeding it. In short: an established inner-north suburb with strong transport, mature retail and a redevelopment story still being written — character stock with apartment infill along the rail line.
For investors
Coburg is a capital-growth story rather than a yield play. Median house $1,222,500 against $750/week rent gives just a 3.16% gross yield; units sit at $619,000 / $590/wk for 4.60% (Your Investment Property May 2026). 12-month house growth +5.84%, quarterly +0.95%; units -6.71% over 12 months as the apartment overhang digests. 307 house + 244 unit sales in 12 months — a deep, liquid market. Days-on-market 32 (houses) / 34 (units); vacancy ~1.11% (SQM April 2026).
Strengths
- Deep transaction market — 551 combined sales in 12 months (YIP May 2026) — easy entry and exit.
- Inner-ring location 8 km from CBD with rail (Upfield line) + tram (route 19) + Sydney Road retail = durable tenant demand.
- Vacancy tight at ~1.11% (SQM April 2026); houses still rent in ~32 days.
- Major Council pipeline (1,000 new dwellings + $60M library/piazza in central Coburg) underpins precinct uplift over the next decade.
Trade-offs
- Gross house yield ~3.16% (YIP May 2026) is among the lower in metro Melbourne — high holding costs for negatively geared buyers.
- Unit market is correcting — quarterly and 12-month growth both -6.71% (YIP May 2026) as apartment supply digests.
- Median house $1.22M (YIP May 2026) is a high entry price — low LVR + buffer required to weather flat patches.
- Central Coburg framework adds ~1,000 dwellings near the station; near-term unit rents and resales could remain pressured into 2027.
What's coming
Merri-bek's 2025/26 Capital Works program is its largest ever at $93.9M, anchored by the $60M Coburg Library and Piazza (detailed design 2026/27, construction mid-2028). The 'Coburg is Here' framework signals 7-12 storey infill plus an 18-storey tower near Coburg Station and ~1,000 new homes across the precinct. Smaller wins: $100K Coburg Velodrome underpass revitalisation.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: an inner-north character suburb with rail, tram and Sydney Road on the doorstep — at an inner-Melbourne price. For investors: a long-horizon capital-growth play with thin yield and a digesting unit market.
Population
?26,574
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+9.0%
3yr: +12.1% · 10yr: +11.0%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$2,065/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
37
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?6/10
SA2 · middle-range
Unemployment
?8.1%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
10
6 primary, 4 secondary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?22
11 long day, 7 OSHC, 2 family
Parks & green space
?56
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?130
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
No data for this suburb
Median Weekly Rent
Based on rental bond lodgements recorded by the state government.
Median House Sale Price
Source: Valuer-General Victoria (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from VIC police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Coburg - East (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Coburg suburb alone is ~26,574 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 9,812 to 14,457 over 24 years, averaging 1.6% per year.
Schools
11 in suburbSector
6 public · 5 private
Type
7 primary · 2 secondary · 1 K-12 · 1 special
Total enrolment
6,368
Avg per school
579
Government school catchment
Catchment data is not yet available for VIC.
Source when available: Victorian Department of Education / Vicmap School Zones.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 2.1%Predominantly detached houses (65.2%), mixed tenure (64.3% own or mortgage), built for families (44% are 3 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
VIC 29%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
This suburb falls outside every bushfire polygon mapped by the relevant authority. Always confirm at the property address — local conditions and unmapped overlays can still apply.
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions. Source when available: Vicmap Planning — Bushfire Prone Area + Vicmap flood overlays.
Flood risk
Source: VIC DTP Vicmap Planning Overlay (flood codes)
As of Apr 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Planning zones
15 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| NRZ1 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 27.9% | 1.93 km² |
| HCTZ2 | HCTZ2Other | 21.5% | 1.48 km² |
| GRZ1 | General Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 15.7% | 1.08 km² |
| HCTZ1 | HCTZ1Other | 11.3% | 0.78 km² |
| ACZ1 | Activity Centre Zone Schedule 1Business | 8.1% | 0.56 km² |
| PPRZ | Public Park and Recreation ZoneRecreation | 6.0% | 0.41 km² |
| TRZ2 | TRZ2Special use | 3.6% | 0.25 km² |
| PUZ2 | Public Use Zone Schedule 2Special use | 2.7% | 0.19 km² |
| TRZ1 | TRZ1Special use | 1.2% | 0.08 km² |
| C1Z | Commercial 1 ZoneBusiness | 0.9% | 0.06 km² |
| RGZ2 | Residential Growth Zone Schedule 2Residential | 0.3% | 0.02 km² |
| IN3Z | Industrial 3 ZoneIndustrial | 0.2% | 0.02 km² |
| PUZ6 | Public Use Zone Schedule 6Special use | 0.2% | 0.01 km² |
| IN1Z | Industrial 1 ZoneIndustrial | 0.2% | 0.01 km² |
| MUZ | Mixed Use ZoneResidential | 0.1% | 8,938 m² |
Source: VIC DTP Vicmap Planning Zones (ZONE_VIC/2026-04-29/08783d2926383881) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.