Footscray

Footscray lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of November 2025, Footscray's population is estimated at around 22,076 people. This reflects a growth of 4,945 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,131 people. The increase is inferred from an estimated resident population of 20,756 by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 1,932 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4,270 persons per square kilometer, placing Footscray in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 28.9% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the national average (8.9%) and state averages, marking it as a significant growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 79.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth being positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting 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, adjusted 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. According to these projections, Footscray is expected to increase by 16,936 persons to the year 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 70.7% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Footscray among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Footscray has seen approximately 501 new homes approved annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 2,507 homes were approved, with an additional 14 approved so far in FY-26. On average, each dwelling constructed over the past five financial years accommodates about 1.1 new residents per year.

This has resulted in a balanced supply and demand dynamic, maintaining stable market conditions. The average construction value of new dwellings is $436,000, aligning with regional trends. In FY-26, commercial approvals totaled $1630.8 million, indicating high local commercial activity. New development primarily consists of medium and high-density housing (99.0%), a shift from the current 32.0% houses, suggesting limited developable land availability and adapting to changing lifestyle preferences and affordability needs.

Footscray reflects an evolving area with around 55 people per approval. By 2041, AreaSearch forecasts indicate Footscray will gain approximately 15,616 residents. Construction is keeping pace with projected growth, but increasing population may intensify competition among buyers.

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

The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 50 such projects that could potentially impact this particular area. Among these key projects are New Footscray Hospital, Joseph Road Precinct, Footscray Station Precinct Upgrade, and Kinnear's Precinct (Live City). The following list details those projects considered 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 Footscray remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Footscray has a highly educated workforce. Professional services are strongly represented, with an unemployment rate of 5.7%.

Employment growth over the past year is estimated at 5.1%, based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. As of June 2025, 14,065 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.1% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation is fairly standard, at 68.7% compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

The area has a particularly notable concentration in accommodation & food services, with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average. Meanwhile, construction has limited presence, with 5.0% employment compared to 9.7% regionally. The ratio of 0.9 workers for each resident, as at the Census, indicates substantial local employment opportunities. Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data for the wider area during the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 5.1% and labour force increased by 5.8%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.7 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne, where employment rose by 3.5%, the labour force grew by 4.0%, and unemployment rose by 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Footscray. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Footscray's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, although this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

Footscray's median income among taxpayers was $54,151 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $66,186 during the same period. These figures are slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's median and average incomes of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. By September 2025, estimated median income is approximately $60,736, and average income is around $74,234, based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 12.16%. According to census data, personal income ranks at the 69th percentile with weekly earnings of $916. Household income sits at the 51st percentile. In Footscray, 34.3% of the population falls within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, comprising 7,572 individuals. This is consistent with broader trends in the surrounding region, where 32.8% fall into the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 48th percentile. Footscray's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Footscray features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Footscray's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 31.6% houses and 68.4% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In contrast, Melbourne metropolitan area had no houses or other dwellings recorded at that time. Home ownership in Footscray stood at 14.7%, with mortgaged properties at 27.7% and rented ones at 57.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,940, aligning with Melbourne's metro average. Weekly rent median was $355, unlike the metropolitan area where no figures were available. Nationally, Footscray's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower than the national figure of $375.

Footscray features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a median household size of 2.1 people

Family households constitute 52.1% of all households, including 15.9% couples with children, 25.9% couples without children, and 8.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 47.9%, with lone person households at 37.6% and group households making up 10.3%. The median household size is 2.1 people.

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

Footscray's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages, with 50.6% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to Australia's 30.4%. This figure also exceeds Victoria's rate of 33.4%. The area's educational advantage is evident in the types of qualifications held: bachelor degrees are most common at 30.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.2%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational pathways account for 21.7% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas making up 10.0% and certificates 11.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.0% in tertiary education, 5.3% in primary education, and 3.2% pursuing secondary education. Footscray operates a robust network of 10 schools educating approximately 3,140 students, with above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1098). The educational mix includes 5 primary, 4 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. Note that where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Footscray has 130 active public transport stops serving a mix of train, light rail, and bus services. These stops are covered by 44 different routes, carrying a total of 22,762 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 131 meters to the nearest stop.

On average, there are 3,251 daily trips across all routes, translating to about 175 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Footscray is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Footscray exhibits above-average health outcomes with lower prevalence of common health conditions among its general population compared to national averages, although higher rates are seen in older, at-risk cohorts.

Approximately 53% (11,702 people) of Footscray's population have private health cover, slightly higher than the average SA2 area. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 12.2% and 8.1% of residents respectively. Notably, 70.0% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 0% across Greater Melbourne. Footscray has 9.9% (2,185 people) of its population aged 65 and over, with health outcomes among seniors requiring more attention than the broader population.

Footscray is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Footscray's cultural diversity is high, with 42.2% speaking a language other than English at home and 45.0% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion, at 27.2%. Buddhism stands out at 9.2%, compared to none across Greater Melbourne.

In ancestry, the top groups are English (18.0%), Other (16.0%), and Australian (14.8%). Notably, Vietnamese are overrepresented at 8.0% (versus none regionally), Spanish at 0.7% (versus none), and Macedonian at 0.7% (versus none).

Footscray hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Footscray's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's national average of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Footscray has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (29.4%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (6.2%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 11.0% to 13.1%, while the proportion of those aged 35-44 has risen from 18.4% to 19.7%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 55-64 has decreased from 8.4% to 7.4%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Footscray, with the strongest projected growth in the 25-34 age group, which is expected to grow by 53%, adding 3,449 residents and reaching a total of 9,940.