St Kilda (Vic.)

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

As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of St Kilda (Vic.) is around 23,207. This reflects a growth of 3,717 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 19,490. The latest resident population estimate by AreaSearch following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2025 is 23,189, with an additional 920 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this increase. This results in a population density ratio of 7,297 persons per square kilometer, placing St Kilda (Vic.) in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 19.1% growth since the 2021 Census exceeds both the state average of 9.3% and the national average, making it a notable growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 94.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch projections for St Kilda (Vic.) are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 for areas not covered by the former data. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to these projections, a significant population increase is forecast for St Kilda (Vic.), with an expected increase of 8,326 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 35.8% over the 16-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers for St Kilda shows approximately 111 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 556 homes. As of FY26, 26 approvals have been recorded. The average number of new residents per year per new home is 0.5, indicating supply meeting or exceeding demand. Average dwelling development value is $703,000, suggesting focus on premium segment properties.

Commercial approvals in FY26 totalled $19.9 million. Compared to Greater Melbourne, St Kilda has 52.0% lower building activity per person. New building activity comprises 1.0% standalone homes and 99.0% medium and high-density housing. St Kilda's population density is around 211 people per approval. Future projections estimate St Kilda to add 8,308 residents by 2041.

If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population 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 has identified a total of 51 projects likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives include the 14 Alma Road Mixed-Use Development, St Kilda Pier Foreshore Upgrade, 97 Alma Road by Neometro, and 52 St Kilda Road. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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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 notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 6.5%, with an estimated employment growth of 4.5% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, there are 16,484 residents employed, while the unemployment rate is 1.8% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation in St Kilda is 80.5%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. Census responses indicate that 45.4% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The leading employment industries are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. St Kilda has a particular specialization in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level.

Conversely, manufacturing is under-represented at 3.8% compared to Greater Melbourne's 7.2%. The ratio of workers to residents, as at the Census, indicates local employment opportunities are above average. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 4.5%, while labour force increased by 4.9%, leading to a rise in unemployment of 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with an unemployment rise of 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's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, although these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized 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 latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. These figures are significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth from financial year 2023 to March 2026, estimated incomes would be approximately $67,258 (median) and $96,546 (average). According to Census 2021 income data, individual earnings in St Kilda stand at the 91st percentile nationally ($1,214 weekly), while household income ranks at the 51st percentile. Income analysis shows that 35.0% of locals (8,122 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, which is consistent with broader trends in the surrounding region showing 32.8% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 80.7% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 48th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places 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

In St Kilda, as per the latest Census, 5.5% of dwellings were houses while 94.5% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Melbourne metropolitan area's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Kilda stood at 14.7%, with mortgaged properties 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 exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

St Kilda's residents aged 15 and above have a notably higher educational attainment than broader national and state averages. Specifically, 53.9% of St Kilda residents hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in Victoria. This educational advantage is reflected in the types of qualifications held: Bachelor degrees are most common at 34.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 25.7% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.1%) and certificates (13.6%).

Educational participation is high in the area, with 25.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.8% pursuing tertiary education, 3.7% in primary education, and 2.9% in 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 offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These are served by 15 different routes, collectively facilitating 15,731 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is excellent with residents typically residing 128 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 56%, followed by walking at 10% and train at 9%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 0.4, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 45.4% of residents work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 2,247 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 167 weekly trips per 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 superior health outcomes based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups exhibit low incidence of common health conditions. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 62% of the total population (14,281 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 12.1% of residents and asthma impacting 7.8%. A total of 71.2% of residents claim to be completely free from medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among working-age individuals are generally typical. The area has 12.5% of residents aged 65 and over (2,900 people), lower than the 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, with national rankings largely aligned with the general population.

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 higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 21.8% speaking a language other than English at home and 40.1% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in St Kilda, making up 28.8% of its population. However, Judaism was notably overrepresented at 2.5%, compared to 1.0% in Greater Melbourne.

The top three ancestry groups were English (24.6%), Australian (15.2%), and Other (12.2%). Some ethnic groups had notable differences: French at 1.4% (vs regional 0.5%), Polish at 1.5% (vs 0.8%), and Russian at 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 (31.0%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (3.5%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.6%. According to the 2021 Census, St Kilda's population aged 15-24 grew from 8.2% to 9.3%, while the 45-54 age group declined from 13.4% to 11.6%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that St Kilda's age profile will change significantly, with the 45-54 cohort projected to grow by 74%, adding 2,001 residents and reaching a total of 4,694.