Fairfield (Vic.)

Population growth drivers in Fairfield are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

As of May 2026, Fairfield's population is estimated at around 7166 people. This reflects an increase of 631 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6535 people in the suburb of Fairfield (Vic.). The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 7151 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2025 and an additional 118 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2145 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Fairfield's population growth of 9.7% since the 2021 census exceeded both the state (9.3%) and national averages, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 76.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, making adjustments employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Population projections indicate exceptional growth for Fairfield over the period until 2041, placing it in the top 10 percent of national areas. The suburb is expected to expand by 2914 persons by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 40.5% in total over the 16 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Fairfield recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Fairfield has averaged approximately 33 new dwelling approvals annually. Between financial years FY21 and FY25, around 167 homes were approved, with an additional 24 approved so far in FY26. On average, each new home accommodates about 0.8 new residents per year over the past five financial years.

This indicates that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more housing options and facilitating population growth. The average expected construction cost of new dwellings is approximately $962,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with high-end properties. In FY26, Fairfield has seen around $6.9 million in commercial approvals, reflecting its primarily residential nature.

Recent construction consists of 45% detached houses and 55% townhouses or apartments, indicating a focus on higher-density living to create more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. With approximately 221 people per dwelling approval, Fairfield exhibits a developing market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Fairfield is projected to add around 2,899 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Fairfield 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 34 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Alphington Village, Thomas Embling Hospital Expansion (scheduled for completion in April 2021), Paper House Alphington (expected to finish in late 2022), and Samma Place, Ivanhoe (commenced on 15th March 2020). The following list details projects 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.

The labour market in Fairfield demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Fairfield has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. The unemployment rate was 4.4% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 5.0%. As of December 2025, 4,444 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.4% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and a workforce participation rate of 75.1%.

Home workership was high at 49.7%. Leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. Professional & technical had a strong representation with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. Construction was under-represented at 5.5% compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%.

Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census data. Over December 2024 to December 2025, employment increased by 5.0%, while labour force grew by 4.6%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 2.4% and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Fairfield's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.8% over ten years.

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

The suburb of Fairfield has a median taxpayer income of $66,311 and an average income of $98,909 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This is notably high compared to Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $72,690 (median) and $108,424 (average). According to Census 2021 data, individual earnings in Fairfield stand out at the 85th percentile nationally with weekly earnings of $1,093. Income distribution shows that 27.2% of locals (1,949 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week, reflecting a pattern seen in the broader area where 32.8% fall within this range. The suburb demonstrates significant affluence with 33.3% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 15.2% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 64th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Fairfield's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 43.9% houses and 56.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Fairfield was at 29.2%, similar to Melbourne metro, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.5% and rented ones at 42.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, exceeding the Melbourne metro average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure stood at $369, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Fairfield's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower than the national figure of $375.

Fairfield features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 57.1% of all households, including 25.8% couples with children, 23.0% couples without children, and 6.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 42.9%, with lone person households at 37.9% and group households making up 5.2%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Fairfield demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Fairfield's educational attainment is notably higher than national and state averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 54.4% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. This high level of educational attainment positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 31.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.5%) and graduate diplomas (7.0%).

Vocational pathways account for 18.6% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 8.5% and certificates at 10.1%. Educational participation is high, with 30.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.2% in tertiary education, 7.9% in primary education, and 6.2% pursuing secondary education.

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

Fairfield has 42 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 10 different routes that together facilitate 2,761 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 133 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential zone, most Fairfield residents commute outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 66% of residents, followed by trains at 14% and cycling at 8%. On average, there are 0.8 vehicles per dwelling in Fairfield, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, specifically 49.7%, work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 394 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 65 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Fairfield is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Fairfield exhibits superior health outcomes as evaluated by AreaSearch through mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups exhibit low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 66% of the total population (4,712 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 56.7% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 11.6% of residents and asthma impacting 8.5%. A significant portion, 69.2%, declares being completely free from medical ailments, compared to Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. Under-65 population health outcomes are better than average. The area has 14.8% of residents aged 65 and over (1,060 people). Senior health outcomes are above average, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Fairfield's population showed high cultural diversity, with 23.4% born overseas and 19.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Fairfield, accounting for 36.2%. Judaism, however, was overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 0.4% versus 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (23.5%), Australian (19.7%), and Irish (11.3%). Notably, Greeks made up 5.7%, Italians 7.2%, and Poles 1.0%, all higher than regional averages of 2.7%, 5.2%, and 0.8% respectively.

Fairfield's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Fairfield has a median age of 37, matching Greater Melbourne's figure and remaining close to Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group is strongly represented at 18.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's figure, while the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 9.1%. Between 2021 and the present day, the population aged 15 to 24 has grown from 10.1% to 11.4%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has declined from 13.9% to 12.6%, and the 5-14 cohort has dropped from 10.2% to 9.1%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Fairfield's age structure. Notably, the 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 57%, adding 512 people to reach a total of 1,415 from its current figure of 902.