St Kilda (Vic.)

St Kilda has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the estimated population of the suburb of St Kilda (Vic.) as of Feb 2026 is around 23,467. This reflects an increase of 3,977 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 19,490. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 22,785 in Jun 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 7,379 persons per square kilometer, placing St Kilda (Vic.) in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's population growth rate of 20.4% since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (9.9%) and state average, marking it as a notable growth area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 94.0% 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 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 aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is forecasted to increase its population by 8,838 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 34.8% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within St Kilda when compared nationally

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data, St Kilda has seen around 111 new homes approved each year over the past five financial years ending June 2025. This totals an estimated 556 homes. As of February 2026, 25 approvals have been recorded this financial year. On average, 0.4 new residents arrive per new home built in St Kilda annually between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand.

The average construction value of new dwellings is $703,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. This financial year has seen $19.9 million in commercial approvals registered, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, St Kilda records significantly lower building activity, which is 54.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties. New building activity consists of 1.0% standalone homes and 99.0% medium and high-density housing, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers.

St Kilda reflects a developing area with around 209 people per approval. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, St Kilda is projected to add 8,156 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified a total of 52 projects likely to affect the area. Notable projects include Neometro's 97 Alma Road development in Fareham, the St Kilda Pier Foreshore Upgrade, and the 52 St Kilda Road project. 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.

The employment landscape in St Kilda shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

St Kilda has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 6.6%, with an estimated employment growth of 4.2% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, there are 16,278 residents employed, and the unemployment rate is 1.8% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation in St Kilda stands at 81.4%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. Census responses indicate that 45.4% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. The leading employment industries are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. St Kilda has a particular specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level.

Conversely, manufacturing is under-represented, with only 3.8% of St Kilda's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 7.2%. The ratio of 0.6 workers per resident at the Census suggests a higher than average level of local employment opportunities. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 4.2%, while labour force increased by 4.7%, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.4 percentage points in St Kilda. In comparison, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a 0.3 percentage point increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insights into potential future demand within St Kilda. These projections estimate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to St Kilda's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

The suburb of St Kilda had a median taxpayer income of $61,356 and an average income of $88,073 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is notably higher than Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164 during the same period. By September 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 8.25%, estimated incomes would be approximately $66,418 (median) and $95,339 (average). In Census 2021, individual earnings ranked at the 91st percentile nationally ($1,214 weekly), while household income was at the 51st percentile. Income analysis showed that 35.0% of locals (8,213 people) fell into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 80.7% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 48th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.

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

St Kilda's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 5.5% houses and 94.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Melbourne metro had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Kilda stood at 14.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.4% and rented ones at 61.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, aligning with Melbourne metro's average, while the median weekly rent was $381, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390 respectively. Nationally, St Kilda's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents exceeded the national figure of $375 at $381.

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

Family households constitute 39.1% of all households, including 8.7% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 4.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 60.9%, with lone person households at 52.7% and group households comprising 8.2%. The median household size is 1.7 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

St Kilda 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 is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. As of [year], 53.9% of residents aged 15+ hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. This high educational attainment positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most common at 34.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%).

Trade and technical skills also feature prominently, with 25.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (12.1%) and certificates (13.6%). Educational participation is notably high, with 25.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of [year]. This includes 9.8% in tertiary education, 3.7% in primary education, and 2.9% pursuing secondary education.

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

St Kilda has 94 active public transport stops operating within it, consisting of a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 15 individual routes, collectively providing 15,731 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents' homes to the nearest transport stop is 128 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward using various modes of transportation. Cars remain the dominant mode at 56%, with 10% walking and 9% travelling by train. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling in St Kilda is 0.4, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high percentage of residents work from home, with 45.4% doing so, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 2,247 trips per day, equating to approximately 167 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

St Kilda shows better-than-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups have low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 62% of the total population (14,441 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (12.1%) and asthma (7.8%). 71.2% of residents report being completely free of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among working-age individuals are generally typical. St Kilda has 13.0% of residents aged 65 and over (3,050 people), lower than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Senior health outcomes rank particularly high nationally.

St Kilda was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

St Kilda's population showed significant cultural diversity, with 21.8% speaking a language other than English at home and 40.1% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 28.8%. Judaism, however, was notably higher at 2.5%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%.

Ancestry-wise, English (24.6%), Australian (15.2%), and Other (12.2%) were the top groups. Some ethnicities had notable differences: French (1.4% vs regional 0.5%), Polish (1.5% vs 0.8%), and Russian (1.0% vs 0.4%).

St Kilda's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

St Kilda's median age is 36 years, nearly matching Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and slightly below Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, St Kilda has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (29.2%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (3.5%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. According to the 2021 Census, St Kilda's population has seen changes in various age groups since then: the 15-24 group grew from 8.2% to 9.8%, while the 65-74 cohort increased from 6.9% to 8.2%. Conversely, the 45-54 group declined from 13.4% to 12.1%, and the 25-34 group decreased from 30.4% to 29.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in St Kilda's age profile. The 45-54 cohort is expected to grow by 72%, adding 2,037 residents to reach a total of 4,877.