St Kilda West

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

As of Nov 2025, the estimated population for the St Kilda West statistical area (Lv2) is around 3,254 people. This represents an increase of 303 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,951. The latest resident population figure was estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the ABS's June 2024 ERP data release and address validation since the Census date. This growth equates to a density ratio of 6,139 persons per square kilometer, placing St Kilda West in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's population growth rate of 10.3% since the 2021 census exceeds the national average of 9.7%. Overseas migration was the primary driver of this population increase.

AreaSearch adopted 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 utilised the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, applying adjustments using weighted aggregation methods to reach SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the St Kilda West (SA2) is forecasted to experience a significant population increase, with an anticipated expansion of 1,412 persons. This reflects a total increase of 47.2% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in St Kilda West is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

St Kilda West has had no residential development approvals in the past five years. This indicates that the area is largely built out with minimal vacant land available for new developments. Established areas like St Kilda West often experience steady demand for existing properties due to the lack of new-build alternatives.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, St Kilda West records significantly lower building activity. The scarcity of new dwellings typically enhances demand and prices for existing properties in such areas. This is also reflected nationally, suggesting that St Kilda West is an established area with potential planning constraints.

St Kilda West has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

AreaSearch has identified eight projects that could influence the local performance. These include Fareham, 52 St Kilda Road, St Kilda Marina Redevelopment, and St Kilda Pier Foreshore Upgrade. The following list details those considered most relevant.

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

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The employment environment in St Kilda West shows above-average strength when compared nationally

St Kilda West has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 4.3% as of September 2025, which is 0.4% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

The area experienced an estimated employment growth of 5.4% over the past year. Workforce participation in St Kilda West is high at 71.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Major industries for employed residents include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area has a strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level.

Conversely, retail trade shows lower representation at 6.0% versus the regional average of 9.8%. While local employment opportunities exist, many residents commute elsewhere for work. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 5.4%, while labour force grew by 5.6%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%. State-level data as of 25-Nov shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, compared to the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to St Kilda West's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.7% over ten years.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on 1 July 2023 for financial year 2023, St Kilda West had a median income among taxpayers of $66,327 and an average income of $95,976. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to the median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164 in Greater Melbourne. By September 2025, based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25%, estimated incomes would be approximately $71,799 (median) and $103,894 (average). The 2021 Census data shows individual earnings at the 94th percentile nationally ($1,314 weekly), but household income ranks lower at the 64th percentile. Income brackets indicate that 32.0% of St Kilda West's population earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, similar to the surrounding region where 32.8% fall within this range. Notably, 31.4% earn above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 16.8% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 63rd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

St Kilda West features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

St Kilda West's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 8.4% houses and 91.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 8.7% houses and 91.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Kilda West stood at 22.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.3% and rented ones at 52.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,300, surpassing Melbourne metro's average of $2,170. Median weekly rent in St Kilda West was $385, compared to Melbourne metro's $420. Nationally, St Kilda West's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,300 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were also higher at $385 compared to the national figure of $375.

St Kilda West features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 46.7% of all households, including 17.8% couples with children, 23.2% couples without children, and 4.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 53.3%, with lone person households at 48.0% and group households comprising 5.5%. The median household size is 1.9 people, matching the Greater Melbourne average.

St Kilda West 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 West's educational attainment is notably higher than national and state averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 58.3% possess university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 34.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (18.3%) and graduate diplomas (5.5%). Vocational pathways account for 20.5% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.6% and certificates at 9.9%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.1% in tertiary education, 6.8% 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 West has ten active public transport stops, offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by three routes that together facilitate 4085 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 117 meters to the nearest stop.

Daily service frequency averages 583 trips across all routes, equating to around 408 weekly trips per individual stop.

St Kilda West's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

St Kilda West shows excellent health outcomes with low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Private health cover is high at approximately 65% of its total population of 2,102, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.9%. Nationally, this figure stands at 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical issues are mental health and asthma, affecting 9.6% and 8.0% respectively. Notably, 72.9% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Melbourne's 73.3%. The area has a senior population of 14.1%, or 458 people, with seniors showing strong health outcomes that exceed those of the general population.

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

St Kilda West had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 17.6% of residents speaking a language other than English at home and 31.3% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in St Kilda West, accounting for 30.7% of people. However, Judaism stood out as overrepresented, comprising 2.0% of the population compared to Melbourne's average of 3.7%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (27.1%), Australian (17.8%), and Irish (11.5%). Notably, French (1.0%) was slightly overrepresented compared to the regional figure of 1.1%, while Hungarian (0.4%) showed no significant difference from the regional average of 0.4%. Scottish ancestry was also overrepresented at 9.4% compared to Melbourne's 7.9%.

St Kilda West's population is slightly older than the national pattern

St Kilda West has a median age of 40, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented in St Kilda West at 19.7%, compared to the Greater Melbourne average. Conversely, the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 8.5%. This concentration of young adults aged 25-34 is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 9.3% to 11.4%, while the 25 to 34 cohort has risen from 18.3% to 19.7%. Meanwhile, the 35 to 44 cohort has declined slightly from 17.2% to 16.2%. Demographic projections indicate that St Kilda West's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to grow substantially, with an increase of 386 people (an 81% rise) from 475 to 862 individuals.