Population and housing forecast data
On this page:
On this page you will find our population and housing forecast data.
We use population and housing forecasts to inform the planning of our services, programs, policies, and strategies. They provide important information on how our community and municipality may change in the future. Other organisations and individuals also use these forecasts for planning, funding applications, and projects.
About the forecasts
Moreland City Council commissioned a study in 2021 called 'Understanding the Local Impacts of COVID-19 on Population and Housing in Merri-bek'. The study developed housing and population forecasts for Merri-bek City Council and its suburbs that take into account the prospective impacts of COVID-19 at a local level.
The forecasts include three potential post-COVID-19 scenarios to take into account the uncertainty around how population and housing may recover from the pandemic.
Further information about these scenarios can be found in the Download the forecasts section on this page.
Forecast summary
The key findings of the population and housing forecasts are that:
- the Merri-bek population in 2036 is forecast to be lower than was expected before the COVID-19 pandemic
- there will likely be minimal population growth across Merri-bek up to 2024
- the short-term impacts of COVID-19 include lower rates of overseas migration, lower birth rates, and a decline in housing demand
- some suburbs in Merri-bek will be impacted more than others, with some suburbs having minimal change than was previously forecast
- Brunswick, Brunswick East, Brunswick West, Coburg and Pascoe Vale South are expected to be most impacted by COVID-19, in terms of having fewer people than previously forecast
Download the forecasts
You can download the Merri-bek City Council population and housing forecasts 2021-2036 datasets by selecting from the files described below.
Understanding the Local Impacts of COVID-19 on Population and Housing in Merri-bek
Full citation: Understanding the Local Impacts of COVID-19 on Population and Housing in Merri-bek, Charter Keck Cramer, 2021. Report prepared for Merri-bek City Council.
You can download the Full report of Understanding the local impacts of COVID-19 on population and housing in Merri-bek (PDF 11MB) or the Executive summary of Understanding the local impacts of COVID-19 on population and housing in Merri-bek (PDF 451KB).
Please note: the information on this page may be of assistance to you, but Merri-bek City Council and its employees do not guarantee that the page is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes, and therefore disclaims any liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information contained on this page.
Summary information
A summary of findings presented by key topic areas is available in Summary of key insights – Post-COVID-19 population and housing forecasts (PDF 2.3MB)
Forecast scenarios of population by 5-year age cohort and for each suburb 2021-2036 are available in Forecast population summary tables 2021 (XLXS 96KB)
Forecast scenarios of housing including dwellings by year, suburb and type, and households by type and suburb 2021-2036 are available in Forecast housing summary tables 2021 (XLXS 65KB)
Population
Forecast scenarios of population by suburb and 5-year age cohort 2021–2036 are available in Forecast population 2021 (XLXS 443KB).
Households
Forecast scenarios of the number of households by suburb and household type 2021–2036 are available in Forecast households 2021 (XLXS 64KB).
Dwellings
Forecast scenarios of the number of new dwellings by suburb and dwelling type (high density and infill) 2021–2036 are available in Forecast new dwellings 2021 (XLSX 58KB).
Forecast scenarios of total dwellings by suburb 2021-2036 are available in Forecast total dwellings 2021 (XLSX 42KB)
Births and deaths
Forecast scenarios of the number of births by suburb 2021–2036 are available in Forecast births 2021 (XLXS 47KB).
Forecast scenarios of the number of deaths by suburb 2021-2036 are available in Forecast deaths 2021 (XLS 90KB)
Migration
Forecast overseas arrivals and departures by suburb and 5-year age cohort for the ‘Covid Shift’ scenario 2021-2036 are available in Forecast internal migration 2021 (XLXS 341KB).
Forecast internal arrivals and departures by suburb and 5-year age cohort for the ‘Covid Shift’ scenario 2021-2036 are available are available in Forecast overseas migration 2021 (XLXS 337KB).
Further information about forecasts
For further information and enquiries on Merri-bek’s population and housing forecasts, you can contact our Research team by emailing research@moreland.vic.gov.au or calling 9240 1111.