North Melbourne

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

By Feb 2026, North Melbourne's estimated population is around 18,494. This shows an increase of 3,541 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,953. The growth is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 18,310 residents following examination of ABS's June 2024 ERP data release and an additional 129 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 7,836 persons per square kilometer, placing North Melbourne in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's population growth of 23.7% since the 2021 census exceeds both the national average (9.9%) and state average. Overseas migration contributed approximately 95.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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 VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusting with weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, North Melbourne is projected to increase by 7,522 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 39.7% over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates North Melbourne has received approximately 280 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 1,400 homes. As of FY-26, two approvals have been recorded. Over these five years (FY-21 to FY-25), an average of 0.9 people moved to the area per dwelling built. This suggests new construction is keeping pace with demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth.

The average expected construction cost value for new properties is $326,000. In FY-26, commercial approvals reached $295.0 million, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, North Melbourne has moderately higher new home approvals (23.0% above regional average per person over the five-year period). This trend is significantly higher than national averages, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. All recent development comprises attached dwellings, catering to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers seeking affordable options.

With around 48 people per dwelling approval, North Melbourne exhibits characteristics of a growth area. AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects North Melbourne will add approximately 7,338 residents by 2041. Current development appears well-suited to meet future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

North Melbourne 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 62 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones include Errol Street Private Hospital, Abbotsford Street Social Housing, Younghusband Kensington, and Assemble 402-444 Macaulay Road Build-to-Rent. 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 North Melbourne has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

North Melbourne's workforce is highly educated with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 8.3% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 5.2%. As of December 2025, 11,790 residents were employed, an unemployment rate of 3.6% above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation was 76.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. A high 44.4% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Dominant employment sectors were professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area showed strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share of 1.8 times the regional level, while construction had limited presence at 3.4% compared to 9.7% regionally.

The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.7, indicating above-normal local employment opportunities. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 5.2%, labour force by 4.9%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with an increase in unemployment of 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to North Melbourne's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

North Melbourne suburb's income level is higher than average nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year ended June 2023. Median income among taxpayers in North Melbourne was $51,480 and average income stood at $71,468. These figures compare to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year ended June 2023, current estimates would be approximately $55,727 (median) and $77,364 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals personal income ranks at the 72nd percentile ($943 weekly), while household income sits at the 48th percentile. Income brackets indicate that 30.7% of community earns between $1,500 and $2,999 (5,677 individuals). Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 79.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 44th percentile. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

North Melbourne's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 4.2% houses and 95.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in North Melbourne stood at 13.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.5% and rented ones at 65.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,035, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000. Median weekly rent in North Melbourne was $381, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, North Melbourne's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 47.7% of all households, including 14.4% couples with children, 23.2% couples without children, and 8.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 52.3%, with lone person households at 40.1% and group households comprising 12.3%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

North Melbourne performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

North Melbourne has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 years and above, with 60.9% holding university qualifications. This figure surpasses both the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian state average of 33.4%. The majority of these qualifications are bachelor degrees (34.6%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (21.9%) and graduate diplomas (4.4%). Vocational pathways account for 15.7% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 8.1% and certificates 7.6%.

Educational participation is high in the area, with 39.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 20.9% in tertiary education, 5.9% in primary education, and 5.5% pursuing secondary education.

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

North Melbourne has 56 active public transport stops offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These are served by six routes that facilitate 8,003 weekly passenger trips in total. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 128 meters, indicating excellent accessibility. In this predominantly residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Car remains the primary mode of transport at 39%, with walking and train usage at 24% and 11% respectively. Vehicle ownership averages 0.4 per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 44.4% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes is an average of 1,143 trips per day, equating to approximately 142 weekly trips per stop.

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

North Melbourne shows above-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 55% of the total population (~10,184 people). The most common medical conditions are mental health issues (11.0%) and asthma (8.0%). A majority, 74.1%, report being completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The under-65 population has better than average health outcomes. Only 8.0% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,479 people), lower than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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

North Melbourne's cultural diversity is notable, with 41.3% speaking a language other than English at home and 46.3% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, at 23.9%. Islam is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 7.9% versus 5.6%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (17.5%), Other (17.2%), and Australian (14.3%). Vietnamese, Chinese, and Spanish populations are notably higher than regional averages: Vietnamese at 3.0% versus 1.9%, Chinese at 14.0% versus 6.5%, and Spanish at 0.7% versus 0.4%.

North Melbourne hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

North Melbourne's median age is 29, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, North Melbourne has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (31.2%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (5.8%). This 25-34 concentration is significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. Between 2021 and the present, North Melbourne's median age has decreased by 1.6 years from 31 to 29, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. During this period, the 15-24 age group increased from 18.5% to 23.3%, while the 25-34 cohort rose from 28.6% to 31.2%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group declined from 7.9% to 5.8%, and the 55-64 age group decreased from 7.4% to 5.8%. Population forecasts for North Melbourne in 2041 suggest significant demographic changes. The 25-34 cohort is projected to grow by 36%, adding 2,073 residents to reach a total of 7,844.