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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, Footscray's population was estimated at 21,129 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 3,998 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,131. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 20,756 residents following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 1,930 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 4,086 persons per square kilometer, placing Footscray in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Footscray's growth of 23.3% since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (9.9%) and state average, marking it as a growth leader. 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 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made 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. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, Footscray is expected to increase by 16,932 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 78.4% in total over the 17 years.

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

Footscray saw approximately 501 new homes approved annually based on AreaSearch analysis. Between financial years FY-21 and FY-25, around 2,507 homes were approved, with an additional 15 approved in FY-26 to date. Each dwelling constructed over these five years accommodated an average of 1.1 new residents yearly.

This resulted in a balanced supply and demand scenario, indicating stable market conditions. The average construction value for new dwellings was $436,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting focus on quality developments. Commercial approvals totalled $1.658 billion in FY-26, reflecting high local commercial activity. New development primarily comprised medium and high-density housing (99.0%), a significant shift from existing patterns of 32.0% houses, likely due to decreasing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences.

Footscray currently reflects an area with around 55 people per approval. Population forecasts estimate that Footscray will gain approximately 16,559 residents by 2041. Construction pace is maintaining reasonable growth, but increasing population may lead to heightened competition for buyers in the future.

Footscray 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 49 projects that may impact the area. Key projects include New Footscray Hospital, Joseph Road Precinct, Footscray Station Precinct Upgrade, and Existing Footscray Hospital Site Redevelopment. 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 conditions in Footscray remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Footscray's workforce is highly educated with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate was 5.9% as of December 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.6%.

There were 14,254 residents in work while the unemployment rate was 1.2% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation was high at 81.6%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. According to Census responses, 41.2% of residents worked from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

The area has a notable concentration in accommodation & food services with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average. Construction employment was limited at 5.0%, compared to 9.7% regionally. There were 0.9 workers for each resident as of the Census, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. During the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 3.6% and labour force grew by 4.5%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.8 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 2.4%, labour force grow by 2.8%, and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Footscray's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not consider localised population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

The suburb of Footscray had a median income among taxpayers of $54,151 and an average income of $66,186 in the financial year 2023, according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. These figures compare to Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164 for the same period. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $58,618 (median) and $71,646 (average), based on an 8.25% growth rate since financial year 2023. Census data shows personal income ranks at the 69th percentile ($916 weekly) and household income at the 51st percentile in Footscray. In terms of income distribution, 34.3% of the population falls within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, with 7,247 individuals in this category. This is consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region, where 32.8% fall into the same income bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 48th percentile. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Footscray features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Footscray's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 31.6% houses and 68.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Footscray stood at 14.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.7% and rented ones at 57.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,940, lower than Melbourne metro's $2,000. The median weekly rent in Footscray was $355, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Footscray's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,940 against the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $355 versus the national figure of $375.

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

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 account for the remaining 47.9%, with lone person households at 37.6% and group households comprising 10.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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 and state averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 50.6% possess university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. The area's most common qualifications are bachelor degrees (30.8%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.2%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational pathways account for 21.7%, with advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 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.

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

Footscray has 126 active public transport stops offering a mix of train, light rail, and bus services. These are served by 30 routes, providing 16,207 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 132 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 54%, followed by train at 24% and bus at 7%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.5 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 41.2% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 2,315 trips per day, equating to approximately 128 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Health outcomes in Footscray are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Footscray's health indicators show below-average outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The level of common health conditions among the general population is somewhat typical but higher than the national average among older cohorts.

Private health cover stands at approximately 53% of the total population, around 11,200 people, compared to Greater Melbourne's 56.7%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 12.2% and 8.1% of residents respectively. Around 70.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 10.3% of residents aged 65 and over, around 2,176 people, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's 15.1%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally 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 notable, with 42.2% speaking a language other than English at home and 45.0% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Footscray, comprising 27.2%. However, Buddhism is significantly overrepresented at 9.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (18.0%), Other (16.0%), and Australian (14.8%). Vietnamese, Spanish, and Macedonian ethnicities show notable divergences in representation: Vietnamese is 8.0% in Footscray vs 1.9% regionally, Spanish is 0.7% vs 0.4%, and Macedonian remains at 0.7%.

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 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Footscray has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (28.8%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (6.2%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 15 to 24 has grown from 11.0% to 12.9%, while the 35 to 44 age group increased from 18.4% to 20.0%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 age group has decreased from 30.3% to 28.8%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Footscray. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to grow by 63%, adding 3,852 residents to reach a total of 9,938.