Clifton Hill

Population growth drivers in Clifton Hill are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Clifton Hill's population is estimated at around 6341 as of Feb 2026, reflecting a decrease of 265 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 6606. This estimate is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population count of 6304 and 8 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 3285 persons per square kilometer, placing Clifton Hill in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 47% during recent periods. AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 adjusted using weighted aggregation method for areas not covered by ABS data.

For years 2032 to 2041, growth rates by age group are applied across all areas. Clifton Hill is forecasted to increase its population by 2552 persons by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 39.7%.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Clifton Hill according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers for Clifton Hill shows approximately 22 dwellings receiving development approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 112 homes. As of FY-26, no approvals have been recorded. This results in an estimated average of 7.8 new residents per year arriving per dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25.

Clifton Hill has significantly less development activity compared to Greater Melbourne (54.0% below regional average per person). New homes are being built at an average construction cost value of $539,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. All new construction in Clifton Hill has been townhouses or apartments, marking a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 24.0% houses). With around 2126 people per dwelling approval, Clifton Hill reflects a highly mature market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Clifton Hill is forecasted to gain approximately 2515 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Population forecasts indicate Clifton Hill will gain 2,515 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 27 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones include Fitzroy Gasworks Precinct, 267-269 Queens Parade Apartments, Heidelberg Road Local Area Plan, and YarraBend - Paperworks Building. The following list details those 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 performance in Clifton Hill exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Clifton Hill has an educated workforce with high representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 3.8% as of December 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.3%.

This is lower than Greater Melbourne's employment growth of 2.4%, but higher than its labour force growth of 2.8%. Clifton Hill's unemployment rate in December 2025 was 1.0% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation was high at 94.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. A significant portion, 55.0%, of residents worked from home according to Census responses.

Leading employment industries were professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area had a notable concentration in professional & technical jobs, with levels at 1.9 times the regional average. Construction employed only 5.7% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 4.3%, while labour force and unemployment remained essentially unchanged. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest Clifton Hill's employment should increase by 7.6% over five years and 15.3% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Clifton Hill's median income is $72,186 and average income is $108,712. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. By September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $78,141 and average $117,681, based on an 8.25% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. In the 2021 Census, Clifton Hill's household incomes ranked between the 94th and 96th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows 34.5% of residents earning over $4,000 annually, differing from broader area trends where incomes between $1,500 - $2,999 prevail at 32.8%. High earners comprise 47.2% of the population, indicating strong economic capacity. Housing expenses account for 14.9% of income, with residents ranking in the 94th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Clifton Hill's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 23.8% houses and 76.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Clifton Hill was at 29.6%, similar to Melbourne metro, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.8% and rented ones at 39.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,700, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Clifton Hill was $550, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Clifton Hill's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,700 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 63.2 percent of all households, including 26.2 percent couples with children, 29.6 percent couples without children, and 6.4 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 36.8 percent, with lone person households at 27.6 percent and group households comprising 9.2 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Clifton Hill places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Clifton Hill's educational attainment is notably high, with 66.4% of residents aged 15+ having university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 36.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (22.8%) and graduate diplomas (7.1%). Technical qualifications make up 14.0%, including advanced diplomas (6.9%) and certificates (7.1%). Educational participation is high, with 26.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 8.5% in tertiary education, 8.1% in primary education, and 5.0% pursuing secondary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.5% in tertiary education, 8.1% in primary education, and 5.0% pursuing secondary education.

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

Clifton Hill has 24 operational public transport stops offering a mix of lightrail and bus services. These are served by 8 different routes, collectively facilitating 6,093 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is deemed good with residents typically situated 285 meters from the nearest stop. Primarily residential, most Clifton Hill residents commute outward using cars predominantly (59%), followed by cycling (13%) and train (11%). The area has an average of 0.8 vehicles per dwelling, lower than the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, a high 55% of residents work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions.

On average, there are 870 trips daily across all routes, equating to around 253 weekly trips per individual stop.

Clifton Hill's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance throughout Clifton Hill. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts, as assessed by AreaSearch. Approximately 70% of Clifton Hill's total population (4,412 people) had private health cover, compared to Greater Melbourne's 56.7%.

Nationally, this figure stands at 55.7%. Mental health issues impacted 11.3% and asthma affected 8.7% of residents in the area. Notably, 69.7% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. The under-65 population demonstrated better than average health outcomes. Clifton Hill has 15.5% of residents aged 65 and over (982 people), with seniors' health outcomes above average and broadly in line with national rankings for the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Clifton Hill records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Clifton Hill, as per the census data from June 2016, exhibited above-average cultural diversity with 22.0% of its population born overseas and 13.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Clifton Hill, accounting for 25.8% of the population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented in Clifton Hill compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 1.1% versus 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (26.7%), Australian (20.1%), and Irish (12.9%), all substantially higher than their respective regional averages of 20.1%, 45.8%, and 6.5%. Additionally, Scottish (9.8% vs 5.6%), French (0.7% vs 0.5%), and Greek (2.7%) were notably overrepresented in Clifton Hill compared to the region.

Clifton Hill's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Clifton Hill has a median age of 37, matching Greater Melbourne and closely resembling Australia's 38 years. The 25-34 age group is well-represented at 20.1%, higher than Greater Melbourne's figure but lower than the national average of 14.4%. The 15-24 cohort stands at 9.1%, lower than both Greater Melbourne and the national average. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 7.8% to 9.1%, while the 75-84 cohort has risen from 3.9% to 4.9%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 21.5% to 20.1%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Clifton Hill's age structure, with the 45-54 group expected to grow by 84%, reaching 1,409 people from its current figure of 767.