St Kilda East

An assessment of population growth drivers in St Kilda East reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

The population of St Kilda East is estimated at around 13,626 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,055 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,571 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 13,473 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 52 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 6,002 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. St Kilda East's 8.4% growth since census positions it within 1.5 percentage points of the national average (9.9%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 83.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the 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 from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering the projected demographic shifts, a significant population increase in the top quartile of national statistical areas is forecast, with the suburb expected to increase by 3,234 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 22.6% in total over the 17 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, St Kilda East averaged around 27 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 136 homes. So far in FY-26, 5 approvals have been recorded. Between FY-21 and FY-25, an average of only 0.1 people moved to the area for each dwelling built, indicating new supply keeping pace with or exceeding demand. New properties are constructed at an average value of $1,205,000, demonstrating a developer focus on the premium segment.

In this financial year, there have been $13.1 million in commercial approvals, showing moderate levels of commercial development. New building activity shows 17.0% standalone homes and 83.0% attached dwellings, indicating a focus on higher-density living. With around 319 people per dwelling approval, St Kilda East displays a developing market.

Population forecasts indicate St Kilda East will gain 3,081 residents through to 2041, potentially leading to increased competition among buyers and stronger price growth if current development rates do not keep pace with population growth.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects likely affecting the region. Notable ones are Coles Carlisle Street Precinct Development, Small Parks Program - Balaclava/St Kilda East, 191-193 Carlisle Street Mixed Development, and Armadale Manor. 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 St Kilda East has been broadly consistent with national averages

St Kilda East has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 4.9% as of December 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 3.3% over the past year, according to AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. As of that date, 8,971 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate was 0.1% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation in St Kilda East was 82.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. Census responses showed that 45.8% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training sectors. The area specializes particularly in professional & technical employment, with a share 1.5 times the regional level, while construction has limited presence at 6.3% compared to the regional average of 9.7%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 3.3%, and labour force increased by 3.4%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to St Kilda East's employment mix indicates potential local employment increases of 7.1% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

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

The suburb of St Kilda East has an exceptionally high income level nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in St Kilda East is $63,730 and the average income stands at $100,005, which compares to figures for Greater Melbourne of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $68,988 (median) and $108,255 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows individual earnings in St Kilda East stand out at the 90th percentile nationally ($1,183 weekly). The data shows 34.0% of the population (4,632 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, consistent with broader trends across the region showing 32.8% in the same category. High housing costs consume 16.8% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 65th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

St Kilda East's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 19.0% houses and 81.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Melbourne metro's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Kilda East was recorded at 21.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.1% and rented ones at 49.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,128, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in St Kilda East was $396, slightly above Melbourne metro's figure of $390. Nationally, St Kilda East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 50.5% of all households, including 19.7% couples with children, 24.2% couples without children, and 5.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 49.5%, with lone person households making up 40.5%, and group households comprising 8.9%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in St Kilda East is notably higher than national and state averages. As of a recent report, 54.1% of residents aged 15 years and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 34.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.6%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational pathways account for 22.0% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and above, with advanced diplomas at 10.7% and certificates at 11.3%.

Educational participation is high in the area, with 31.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.8% in tertiary education, 8.4% 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

St Kilda East has 35 active public transport stops offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These are served by 8 different routes, facilitating 7,499 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 183 meters to the nearest stop. The area is predominantly residential, with most commuters traveling outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 67%, followed by trains at 10% and walking at 7%. On average, there are 0.7 vehicles per dwelling, lower than the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, 45.8% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,071 trips daily across all routes, equating to about 214 weekly trips per individual stop.

St Kilda East's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout St Kilda East. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 66% of the total population (9,019 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions were mental health issues impacting 10.4% of residents and asthma impacting 7.5%. A total of 73.8% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area had 11.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,580 people), lower than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

St Kilda East had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 22.8% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home and 32.3% born overseas. The predominant religion in St Kilda East was Judaism, comprising 28.8% of the population, which is significantly higher than the 1.0% across Greater Melbourne. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (19.9%), Australian (19.4%), and Other (18.7%).

Notably, Polish (3.9%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.8%, as were Russian (2.0% vs 0.4%) and Hungarian (1.6% vs 0.3%) residents.

St Kilda East hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

St Kilda East's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, St Kilda East has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 at 24.7%, but fewer residents aged 5-14 at 9.7%. 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 proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 has increased from 10.8% to 12.6%, while those aged 75 to 84 have grown from 2.9% to 4.0%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 35 to 44 has declined from 17.2% to 16.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for St Kilda East. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to grow by 47%, adding 705 residents to reach a total of 2,218. In contrast, the 15-24 age cohort shows minimal growth of just 3% (48 people).