Croydon (Vic.)
VICCroydon (Vic.) is a growing suburb in VIC with 28,608 residents.
- SAL code
- 20682
- SA2
- 211031450
- Population
- 28,608
- LGA
- Maroondah
Croydon (Vic.), VIC had 28,608 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 5.7% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 35-44 years, and the median age sits at 39. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,985 a month. Around 69.8% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned with a mortgage at 37.9%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 83.6% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 71 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
Croydon (Vic.), VIC at a glance
Croydon is an established outer-east Melbourne suburb ~30 km from the CBD in the City of Maroondah, sitting at the gateway to the Dandenong Ranges. The housing stock skews to mid-century brick on standard lots, with a tree-lined Main Street strip and the Lilydale-line station as the social anchors. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council-pipeline context.
For homebuyers
Croydon has a settled, village feel that's increasingly rare this far east. Main Street carries ~187 traders across heritage shopfronts, cafes and the Croydon Plaza/Arndale strip; the Lilydale-line station sits a short walk from the strip and runs ~48 minutes to Flinders Street. Housing is predominantly post-war and 1970s detached brick on ~600-700m² lots, with newer townhouse infill along the Mt Dandenong Road corridor. Eastland and Ringwood Station (~5 km west) cover the bigger shop, and you're 15-20 minutes from the foothills at Mooroolbark and Mount Dandenong. Schools include Melba College (a public 7-12 redeveloped onto a single campus in 2018), Luther College in adjacent Croydon Hills, and Yarra Valley Grammar a short hop south in Ringwood. Maroondah Hospital sits in Ringwood East. In short: an established eastern-suburbs base with a real high street, direct CBD rail and the ranges on your doorstep.
For investors
Croydon is a low-yield, established-market play with tight leasing. Median house $954,000 / unit $730,000 against $650/wk (houses) and $580/wk (units) gives gross yields of 3.46% and 4.35% (Your Investment Property May 2026). 12-month house growth +2.49% (units +4.43%); quarterly +1.49%/+2.82%. Days-on-market 20 (houses) / 23 (units); 325 house and 392 unit sales in the past 12 months — a deep, liquid market. Vacancy ~0.87% (SQM Research, early 2026).
Strengths
- Deep, liquid market — ~717 combined house + unit sales in 12 months supports easy entry/exit (Your Investment Property May 2026).
- Tight rental conditions — vacancy ~0.87% and 20-day DOM keep leasing risk low (SQM Research early 2026; YIP May 2026).
- Stronger unit yields (4.35%) than houses for cashflow-led buyers, with units also growing faster (+4.43% YoY).
- Direct Lilydale-line CBD rail + Maroondah Hwy + the Croydon MAC retail base anchor long-run tenant demand.
Trade-offs
- House gross yield only ~3.46% — this is a capital-stability suburb, not a cashflow one (YIP May 2026).
- House capital growth has slowed to +2.49% over 12 months — well below the post-pandemic eastern-suburbs run (YIP May 2026).
- Council adopted the Croydon Major Activity Centre Structure Plan on 21 July 2025, allowing higher-density residential along Mt Dandenong Rd and Main Street; new apartment supply over 2026-2030 could compress unit yields.
- 30 km from the CBD with one rail line — peak-hour journey ~48 min limits the WFH-flexible commuter pool.
What's coming
Maroondah's 2025/26 Budget runs a $46.03M capital works program. The staged Croydon Community Wellbeing Precinct redevelopment continues — Stage 1 (Hub B in the former Civic Offices) opened mid-2023; Stage 2 (Hub A, integrated with the Croydon Library) is in design with early works underway. The newly-adopted Croydon MAC Structure Plan (21 July 2025) defines 9 precincts and a $24.55M Development Contributions Plan that will shape redevelopment to 2040.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: an established eastern village with a real high street, CBD rail and the ranges close. For investors: a stability + liquidity play with modest yields and a structure-plan-driven supply story to watch.
Population
?28,608
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+5.7%
3yr: +7.1% · 10yr: +12.9%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,615/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
39
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?5/10
SA2 · middle-range
Unemployment
?5.8%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
7
5 primary, 2 secondary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?29
19 long day, 7 OSHC
Parks & green space
?71
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?111
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
?14
Maroondah · Feb 2026
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 — Croydon - East (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Croydon (Vic.) suburb alone is ~28,608 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 12,347 to 17,345 over 24 years, averaging 1.4% per year.
Schools
7 in suburbSector
6 public · 1 private
Type
5 primary · 2 secondary
Total enrolment
2,593
Avg per school
370
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 2.2%Almost entirely detached houses (83.6%), mixed tenure (69.8% own or mortgage), built for families (47% are 3 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
VIC 29%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
Source: VIC DTP Designated Bushfire Prone Area
As of Apr 2026
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.
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
21 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| GRZ1 | General Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 34.5% | 4.86 km² |
| NRZ3 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 3Residential | 18.5% | 2.60 km² |
| NRZ2 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 2Residential | 12.3% | 1.74 km² |
| PPRZ | Public Park and Recreation ZoneRecreation | 11.3% | 1.59 km² |
| TRZ2 | TRZ2Special use | 4.9% | 0.70 km² |
| NRZ6 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 6Residential | 3.6% | 0.50 km² |
| NRZ1 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 3.2% | 0.46 km² |
| PUZ2 | Public Use Zone Schedule 2Special use | 2.1% | 0.30 km² |
| PUZ1 | Public Use Zone Schedule 1Special use | 1.8% | 0.25 km² |
| IN1Z | Industrial 1 ZoneIndustrial | 1.5% | 0.22 km² |
| C1Z | Commercial 1 ZoneBusiness | 1.5% | 0.21 km² |
| GRZ2 | General Residential Zone Schedule 2Residential | 1.1% | 0.16 km² |
| TRZ1 | TRZ1Special use | 1.1% | 0.15 km² |
| PUZ6 | Public Use Zone Schedule 6Special use | 0.7% | 0.10 km² |
| C2Z | Commercial 2 ZoneBusiness | 0.3% | 0.04 km² |
| TRZ3 | TRZ3Special use | 0.3% | 0.04 km² |
| FZ | Farming ZoneRural | 0.3% | 0.04 km² |
| IN3Z | Industrial 3 ZoneIndustrial | 0.3% | 0.04 km² |
| NRZ4 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 4Residential | 0.2% | 0.03 km² |
| UFZ | Urban Floodway ZoneWaterway | 0.2% | 0.02 km² |
| MUZ1 | Mixed Use Zone Schedule 1Residential | 0.2% | 0.02 km² |
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.