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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
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Carlton North has an estimated 6,670 residents, up from 6,177 at the 2021 Census — a change of 493 people, or 8.0%. Overseas migration accounts for 87.0% of that increase. That puts 3,567 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to AreaSearch's evaluation of broader ABS population revisions alongside post-Census address validations, the suburb of Carlton North had an estimated 6,670 residents as of Aug 2026. Relative to the 6,177 residents tallied in the 2021 Census, this indicates an expansion of 493 people (8.0%). This figure stems from the 6,670 resident baseline derived from the ABS June 2025 ERP release combined with 2 verified new residential addresses post-Census. Population density stands at 3,566 persons per square kilometer, placing the suburb of Carlton North in the top quartile of nationally reviewed locations.
Furthermore, the local 8.0% post-Census increase trailed the state outcome (9.5%) by only 1.5 percentage points, highlighting solid underlying momentum. Overseas migration served as the core growth engine, generating around 87.0% of recent population additions. Projections compiled by AreaSearch integrate the 2024 ABS/Geoscience Australia dataset using 2022 as its baseline. For locations outside this scope, AreaSearch incorporates 2023 VIC State Government Regional/LGA projections via a weighted aggregation framework bridging LGA and SA2 levels, with corresponding age cohort rates projected from 2032 to 2041. Over the longer horizon, the suburb of Carlton North is slated for above-median growth nationwide, expanding by 1,261 persons through 2041 under aggregated SA2 models, which represents an overall gain of 18.9% across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Detail
ABS building approval statistics evaluated by AreaSearch indicate that Carlton North has averaged roughly 2 residential approvals per year. Across the preceding 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), 14 dwellings were permitted, with no dwellings approved to date in FY-25. Amid prior population declines, residential stock has aligned well with demand to foster a balanced marketplace offering ample choice to buyers. Meanwhile, local commercial approvals reached $39.8 million during the current financial year, signaling healthy business capital expenditure. Residential development in Carlton North remains subdued compared to Greater Melbourne, tracking 94.0% below the per-capita metropolitan norm.
Such limited construction commonly bolsters pricing and competition for existing dwellings. This below-average volume nationwide underlines the market's established nature and potential zoning hurdles. Approvals consist of 67.0% standalone houses alongside 33.0% townhouses and apartments, broadening medium-density stock across varied price points from traditional family residences to compact options. Notably, the current developer emphasis on detached houses surpasses the 6.0% recorded at Census, underscoring enduring appetite for detached living despite urban densification. A ratio of around 2652 people per dwelling approval further demonstrates the mature profile of the precinct. Projections indicate Carlton North will accommodate 1,261 additional inhabitants by 2041 based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly baseline. If the current tempo of construction persists, new housing additions could lag population gains, reinforcing competition among purchasers and providing upward support to values.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Carlton North
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 5 current infrastructure and development projects inside Carlton North, worth an estimated $243 million. A further 177 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $98.1 billion. 55 are already under construction and 67 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, communities, precincts & urban renewal and communities. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Community outcomes are significantly shaped by infrastructure upgrades, development initiatives, and planning schemes. AreaSearch has pinpointed 17 major projects positioned to influence the district, highlighted by the Piedimonte Supermarket Redevelopment, Edison North Fitzroy, Palladian, and Liverpool St Fitzroy North.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Piedimonte Supermarket Redevelopment
The Piedimonte Supermarket Redevelopment is a mixed-use project in Fitzroy North that received VCAT approval in May 2021. The plan involves the demolition of the existing 1960s supermarket to make way for a new two-level 5,473sqm supermarket, 66 apartments, townhouses, and a cafe. The project includes the restoration of heritage facades on Scotchmer and Best Streets. As of April 2026, the project is under review by the developer following Yarra City Council's September 2025 decision to reject the sale of a critical laneway required for the full scope of the approved design.
Edison North Fitzroy
Sustainable residential development featuring 17 fossil fuel free residences designed by Austin Maynard Architects. The project achieves an 8-star NatHERS rating and features all-electric family homes with natural ventilation and ground floor retail activation in the heart of Fitzroy North Village.
Drummond House
13-storey fully electric residential building with 49 house-sized apartments targeting 8.7-star energy rating. Designed by Fender Katsalidis Architects with smart home technology, wellness amenities, and sustainable design features. Built by Balmain & Co with interiors by Sora Interior Architects.
Queens Parade Service Lane Upgrade
Upgrade of the Queens Parade service lane between Smith Street and George Street, delivered by Development Victoria on behalf of the Department of Transport and Planning as part of the broader Fitzroy Gasworks precinct redevelopment. Works include a new separated bike lane, two additional accessible car park spaces, and a new bus stop platform level with the footpath. Greater Western Water is coordinating water main upgrades along Queens Parade concurrently. Early site preparation commenced June 2025, with visible works from March 2026.Completion expected late 2026.
33 Queens Parade Clifton Hill
33 Queens Parade is a boutique residential development in Clifton Hill featuring 32 residences, including 24 apartments, 6 townhouses, and 2 penthouses. Designed by Cera Stribley with landscaping by Etched, the project incorporates biophilic design principles and a 7.5-star NatHERS energy rating. Amenities include a sunlit internal atrium, ground-floor retail spaces, a pocket park, and EV-ready parking.
Liverpool St Fitzroy North
A boutique collection of 33 one, two and three-bedroom apartments designed by Kennedy Nolan for developer Outline Projects, located at the junction of Fitzroy North and Carlton North. The carbon neutral, all-electric building features EV charging infrastructure, a central garden atrium with open-air circulation, secure basement parking, communal rooftop terrace with city views, and smart parcel lockers. Landscape design by SBLA with a raked north-facing garden atrium.
Fitzroy Fitzroy
Mixed-use residential and retail development on Smith Street, Fitzroy, retaining the heritage brick facade of the former MacRobertson Steam Confectionery Works. The project comprises 53 high-end apartments and 5 luxury terrace homes, with ground-floor retail and commercial space, the Smith Club residents lounge and a landscaped rooftop garden. The scheme is a joint venture between CDL Australia, Chapter Group and Crema Group, designed by DKO and being built by Cobild. Official updates show the project topped out in November 2025 and is moving toward completion in 2026.
Bakehouse Terraces
Heritage-infused development by Banco Group and Bernardi Property Group at the site of a historic 1902 bakery. The project features 14 architecturally designed terrace homes by JAM Architects, incorporating the preserved brick bakehouse facade. Each residence includes a 7-star energy rating, solar panels, EV-ready infrastructure, secure lock-up garages, and private rooftop terraces, with select homes offering internal elevators.
4,646 residents of Carlton North are employed, from a labour force of 4,899. Unemployment sits at 5.2%, with participation at 80.6%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 7.3% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 5,206, about 78% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Carlton North features a highly qualified labor force marked by pronounced representation across the technology sector, a 5.2% unemployment rate, and a 3.9% annual rise in workforce numbers per AreaSearch aggregations. As of March 2026, employed residents numbered 4,646, while the jobless rate was 0.4% higher than Greater Melbourne's 4.8%. The local labor participation rate of 80.6% substantially exceeded the metropolitan benchmark of 70.1%. At the Census, 52.7% of working residents reported working from home, a metric influenced by Covid-19 restrictions at the time. Leading fields of resident employment encompass professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training.
Professional & technical services show particular strength, engaging residents at 2.0 times the regional rate. Conversely, construction accounts for merely 4.2% of local workers versus 9.7% across Greater Melbourne. Comparison between Census worker numbers and the local resident base confirms that this largely residential enclave provides relatively few jobs internally. AreaSearch evaluations of ABS and SALM metrics over the trailing 12-month period show employment increasing by 3.9% alongside a 3.7% labor force expansion, driving a 0.2 percentage point reduction in the unemployment rate. Across Greater Melbourne over the same timeframe, employment rose by 2.1%, the workforce grew by 2.3%, and unemployment climbed 0.2 percentage points. Longer-term outlooks are informed by Jobs and Skills Australia national forecasts from Mar-26 across five- and ten-year terms. Nationwide projections anticipate job gains of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with performance varying by industry. Applied to the local industry distribution, Carlton North's employment is projected to expand by 7.3% over five years and 14.6% over ten years via simple weighted extrapolation.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Carlton North is $2,400 a week (about $125,000 a year), with median personal income at $1,208 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $63,855 a year against an average of $104,897. The average runs 64% above the median, a wider spread than most areas and a sign of a concentrated group of high earners. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO postcode records for financial year 2023 place personal earnings in the suburb of Carlton North in the top percentile nationally, reflecting a median of $63,855 and an average of $104,897, compared to Greater Melbourne benchmarks of $57,688 (median) and $75,164 (average). Factoring in a 9.62% Wage Price Index increase since financial year 2023, updated estimates as of March 2026 stand at roughly $69,998 (median) and $114,988 (average). In the 2021 Census, household, family, and individual income tiers all ranked between the 87th and 91st percentiles across the country. In terms of distribution, 31.0% of residents (2,067 individuals) earn between $1,500 - 2,999, mirroring the metropolitan proportion of 32.8%.
High earners making over $3,000 weekly comprise 39.8% of the local cohort, demonstrating substantial spending capacity. While housing costs absorb 16.6% of income, disposable earnings sit at the 85th percentile, supporting a SEIFA income placement in the 10th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Carlton North had 2,613 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 6% detached houses and 21% apartments. 20% are owned with a mortgage, 51% rented and 29% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $552 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,500 a month, a total housing cost higher than 91% of areas nationally. Rent absorbs 23.0% of household income here and mortgage repayments 24.0%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Dwelling stock in Carlton North at the latest Census was composed of 6.1% standalone houses and 93.9% attached, apartment, or other dwelling types, contrasting with Melbourne metro where 67.9% were houses and 32.1% were other dwellings. Outright home ownership reached 28.7%, trailing the metropolitan level, while 19.9% were mortgaged and 51.4% were rented. The median monthly mortgage payment was $2,500 and weekly rent averaged $552, both notably above the metropolitan averages of $2,000 and $390. Relative to Australia as a whole, Carlton North comfortably exceeds the national monthly mortgage benchmark of $1,863 and weekly rental median of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Carlton North counted 2,613 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 2,822 today, averaging 2.3 people each. 18% are couples with children, fewer than in 92% of areas nationally, against 30% couples without children. 27% of households are people living alone, and families average 0.7 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Family units constitute 55.4% of households, comprising 29.7% couples without children, 17.6% couples with children, and 6.2% single parent households. Non-family living arrangements account for the remaining 44.6%, divided between single-person homes (27.2%) and group households (17.5%). Average household size is 2.3 people, compared to 2.6 across Greater Melbourne.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
66.8% of adults in Carlton North hold a university qualification, including 39.9% with a bachelor degree and 21.3% with postgraduate qualifications, higher than 87% of areas nationally. A further 6.4% hold a vocational qualification. 2 schools serve the area, with 285 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 1,152 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Tertiary attainment in Carlton North tracks well above broader indicators, with 66.8% of individuals aged 15+ possessing higher education credentials compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% across VIC. Bachelor degrees represent 39.9% of residents, postgraduate awards account for 21.3%, and graduate diplomas make up 5.6%. Vocational and technical qualifications constitute 14.0% of achievements among those aged 15+, encompassing advanced diplomas (7.6%) and certificates (6.4%). A substantial 27.3% of local inhabitants are actively engaged in study. This group includes 14.0% attending tertiary institutions, 4.6% in primary schooling, and 3.8% in secondary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Carlton North reaches 35 stops on 11 routes, timetabled for about 6,700 services a week. The typical home sits about 100 m from its nearest stop. Trams carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 0.7 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Carlton North contains 35 active public transport boarding points spanning bus and light rail networks across 11 separate routes, generating 6,743 passenger services each week. Access is excellent, with residents located an average of 104 meters from their closest stop. Commuters travel predominantly outwards, led by private vehicles (48%), cycling (14%), and walking (13%). Vehicle density averages 0.7 per household, trailing regional norms. In the 2021 Census, 52.7% worked from home under prevailing COVID-19 settings. Transit services deliver an average of 963 trips daily across the entire network, representing roughly 192 departures per stop on a weekly basis.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
69.6% of residents in Carlton North report no long-term health condition, a healthier profile than 82% of areas nationally. 2.6% need daily assistance with core activities, and 68.1% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 4.0 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health indicators in Carlton North are exceptionally positive based on AreaSearch evaluations of mortality and chronic illnesses, demonstrating very low incidence rates across demographics. Private health insurance coverage is notably widespread, held by around 68% of residents (4,541 people), outpacing Greater Melbourne (56.7%) and the national benchmark (55.7%). Mental health conditions and asthma represent the most frequently reported ailments, noted by 11.4 and 9.5% of the community respectively, while 69.6% indicated having no diagnosed health conditions compared to 72.6% regionally. Inhabitants aged under 65 exhibit favorable health profiles. Seniors aged 65 and over comprise 14.5% of the populace (967 people) and record robust health outcomes broadly consistent with broader national trends.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Carlton North is largely Australian-born, at 76.4% of residents, with 14.5% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (25.0%) and Australian (17.9%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity in Carlton North sits above typical benchmarks, with 23.6% of residents born abroad and 14.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity forms the largest religious affiliation at 27.2%. Notably, Judaism shows higher local representation at 1.1% compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne. The most common reported ancestries are English (25.0%), Australian (17.9%), and Irish (12.6%), with Irish representation significantly exceeding the regional baseline of 6.5%. Notable differences also emerge across other heritages, including Italian at 7.6% (versus 5.2% across the region), French at 1.0% (versus 0.5%), and Welsh at 0.8% (versus 0.4%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Carlton North is 31, younger than 86% of areas nationally. That is 2 years younger than at the 2021 Census. 46.1% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
Demographics in Carlton North lean heavily toward pre-family cohorts. Based on August 2026 figures, young to middle aged adults (25 - 44) make up 47.1% of the population compared to 32.1% in Greater Melbourne, while children and youth (0 - 24) represent 21.3% against a regional share of 30.5%. The estimated median age is 31, down from 33 at the 2021 Census and below the metropolitan and national Census medians of 37 and 38. Young to middle aged adults expanded from 42.2% at Census to 47.1% currently. By 2041, seniors aged 65+ are projected to experience the strongest gain, growing by 464 (48%) to 1,431.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Carlton North
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Apr 2026 6 months ago all 5 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Apr 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 2 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (6,177 at the 2021 Census → 6,670 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL20496). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.