Carlton North

Carlton North is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Carlton North's population is estimated at around 6,661 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 484 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,177. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation following examination of ABS data releases up to June 2025 and validation of new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,562 persons per square kilometer, placing Carlton North in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Carlton North's growth rate of 7.8% since census positions it within 1.5 percentage points of the state (9.3%). Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 87.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch projections, based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, indicate an above median population growth is projected for Carlton North. The suburb is expected to expand by 1,232 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 18.5% in total over the 16 years.

The level of residential development activity in Carlton North is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Carlton North has seen approximately two dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis. Between financial years 2021 and 2025, about eleven homes were approved, with none yet in the current financial year of 2026. Despite population decline, housing supply has been adequate relative to demand, creating a balanced market with varied buyer choices.

The average construction cost value for new homes is $1,384,000, indicating focus on premium developments. Commercial approvals totaled $39.8 million in 2026, showing high local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne and nationally, Carlton North has less development activity, typically reinforcing demand and pricing for existing properties. Recent intensification of construction activity is notable. Detached dwellings comprise 67% of new developments, with townhouses or apartments making up the remaining 33%, offering a mix of medium-density options across price brackets.

This contrasts with current patterns showing only 6% detached housing at Census. Carlton North reflects a highly mature market with around 1303 people per dwelling approval. By 2041, an estimated 1,232 residents are expected to be added. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Carlton North has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Piedimonte Supermarket Redevelopment, Edison North Fitzroy, Palladian, and Liverpool St Fitzroy North. The following list details those expected to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment conditions in Carlton North remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Carlton North has a highly educated workforce. Its technology sector is notably represented, with an unemployment rate of 5.6% as of December 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.0%.

AreaSearch aggregated statistical area data for this information. As of December 2025, Carlton North has 4,619 residents in work, with an unemployment rate of 5.8%, which is 0.8% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation stands at 80.3%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 52.7% of Carlton North residents work from home.

However, Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Key industries of employment among Carlton North residents are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area shows strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 2.0 times the regional level. Conversely, construction is under-represented, with only 4.2% of Carlton North's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. During the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 4.0%, and labour force increased by 4.6%. This resulted in an unemployment rise of 0.5 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insight into potential future demand within Carlton North. These projections suggest national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Carlton North's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 indicates that income in Carlton North is among the top percentile nationally. The median assessed income is $63,855, while the average income stands at $104,897. In comparison, Greater Melbourne has a median income of $57,688 and an average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year ending June 2023, current estimates would be approximately $69,998 (median) and $114,988 (average) as of March 2026. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Carlton North, between the 87th and 91st percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 31.0% of individuals earn within the $1,500 - $2,999 weekly earnings band, reflecting patterns seen in the broader area where 32.8% similarly occupy this range. Notably, 39.8% earn above $3,000 weekly, indicating pockets of prosperity driving local economic activity. High housing costs consume 16.6% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 85th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Carlton North displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Carlton North's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 6.1% houses and 93.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Melbourne metro's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Carlton North was recorded at 28.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 19.9% and rented ones at 51.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,500, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Carlton North was $552, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Carlton North's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,500 against the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Carlton North features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 55.4% of all households, including 17.6% couples with children, 29.7% couples without children, and 6.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 44.6%, consisting of 27.2% lone person households and 17.5% group households. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Carlton North shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Carlton North's educational attainment significantly exceeds broader benchmarks, with 66.8% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian average of 33.4%. This high level of educational attainment positions Carlton North favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common, held by 39.9% of residents aged 15+, followed by postgraduate qualifications (21.3%) and graduate diplomas (5.6%). Technical qualifications make up 14.0% of educational achievements in this age group, with advanced diplomas accounting for 7.6% and certificates for 6.4%.

Educational participation is notably high in Carlton North, with 27.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.0% in tertiary education, 4.6% in primary education, and 3.8% pursuing secondary education.

Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Carlton North has 35 active public transport stops, serving a mix of light rail and bus routes. These stops are serviced by 11 individual routes, collectively providing 9,411 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 104 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 48%, while 14% cycle and 13% walk. Vehicle ownership averages 0.7 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 52.7% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,344 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 268 weekly trips per individual stop.

Carlton North's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Carlton North's health outcomes data shows exceptional results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Approximately 68% of Carlton North's total population (4535 people) has private health cover, compared to Greater Melbourne's 56.7% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are mental health issues (11.4%) and asthma (9.5%). 69.6% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. Under-65s in Carlton North have better than average health outcomes. The area has 14.8% of residents aged 65 and over (985 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Carlton North was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Carlton North's population shows above-average cultural diversity, with 23.6% born overseas and 14.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Carlton North, comprising 27.2%. Judaism, however, is slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 1.1% of Carlton North's population versus 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (25.0%), Australian (17.9%), and Irish (12.6%), the latter being substantially higher than the regional average of 6.5%. Some ethnic groups show notable differences: French is overrepresented at 1.0% versus 0.5%, Welsh at 0.8% versus 0.4%, and Italian at 7.6% versus 5.2%.

Carlton North's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Carlton North's median age stands at 32 years, which is notably younger than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and significantly lower than Australia's national average of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Carlton North has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (32.9%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (5.0%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.6%. Post-2021 Census data indicates that younger residents have shifted the median age down by 1.5 years to 32. Key changes include an increase in the 25 to 34 age group from 28.4% to 32.9%, and a rise in the 75 to 84 cohort from 4.2% to 5.6%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 10.3% to 8.1%, and the 5 to 14 group has dropped from 6.4% to 5.0%. Demographic modeling suggests that Carlton North's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 45 to 54 cohort is projected to grow strongly at 44%, adding 239 residents to reach a total of 779. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 cohort is projected to decline by 14 people.