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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of St Kilda West's population is estimated at around 3,254 as of February 2026. This reflects an increase of 303 people (10.3%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,951 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 3,254, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 6,139 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, making land in the area a highly-sought resource. St Kilda West's 10.3% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, 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. Anticipating future population dynamics, a significant population increase in the top quartile of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is forecast, with the suburb expected to increase by 1,329 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 40.8% in total over the 17 years.

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 for new developments. Established areas like St Kilda West often see steady demand for existing properties due to limited new-build alternatives.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, St Kilda West shows significantly reduced construction levels. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and higher values for established homes in the area. Nationally, this level is below average, reflecting the area's maturity and suggesting possible planning constraints may be in place.

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

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified eight projects potentially impacting the area. Notable projects are Fareham, 52 St Kilda Road, St Kilda Marina Redevelopment, and St Kilda Pier Foreshore Upgrade. The following details projects likely most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in St Kilda West exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

St Kilda West has a highly educated workforce. The technology sector is particularly well-represented. As of December 2025, the unemployment rate was 4.3%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.8%, based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. In December 2025, 2,311 residents were in work. The unemployment rate was 0.5% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation was 84.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%.

According to Census responses, 51.4% of residents worked from home. Dominant employment sectors include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Professional & technical employment levels were at 1.9 times the regional average. Retail trade was under-represented, with only 6.0% of St Kilda West's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.8%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work. Over a 12-month period ending in December 2025, employment increased by 4.8% and labour force grew by 5.0%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within St Kilda West. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% 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, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

The median taxpayer income in St Kilda West is $66,327, with an average of $95,976 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. As of September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $71,799 (median) and $103,894 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, individual earnings in St Kilda West rank at the 94th percentile nationally ($1,314 weekly), while household income ranks at the 64th percentile. In terms of income distribution, the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates with 32.0% of residents (1,041 people), consistent with broader trends across the broader area showing 32.8% in the same category. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 31.4% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. High housing costs consume 16.8% of income, but strong earnings still 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 a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

St Kilda West's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 8.4% houses and 91.6% 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 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, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in St Kilda West was $385, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, St Kilda West's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,300 against 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 lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 46.7 percent of all households, including 17.8 percent couples with children, 23.2 percent couples without children, and 4.9 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 53.3 percent, with lone person households at 48.0 percent and group households comprising 5.5 percent of the total. The median household size is 1.9 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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 has a notably high level of educational attainment among residents aged 15 and above, with 58.3% holding university qualifications. This figure surpasses the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian average of 33.4%. The area's strong educational advantage is reflected in its significant proportion of residents with bachelor degrees (34.5%), postgraduate qualifications (18.3%), and graduate diplomas (5.5%). Vocational pathways are also well-represented, with advanced diplomas accounting for 10.6% and certificates for 9.9%.

Educational participation is high in the area, with 27.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.1% pursuing tertiary education, 6.8% in primary education, and 6.2% in 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 different routes, collectively facilitating 4085 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated highly, with residents typically residing just 117 meters from the nearest stop. Primarily residential, most commuters travel outward; cars remain the primary mode at 62%, while cycling and walking account for 7% and 6% respectively. Vehicle ownership averages 0.6 per dwelling, below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a high 51.4% of residents work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 583 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 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 based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 65% of the total population (2,102 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 9.6 and 8.0% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 72.9%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, slightly higher than the 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 14.8% of residents aged 65 and over (481 people), with health outcomes among seniors particularly strong and broadly in line with national rankings for 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, surveyed in 2016, had higher linguistic diversity than most local areas, with 17.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Born overseas, 31.3% of residents were recorded. Christianity was the dominant religion (30.7%), but Judaism was notably higher at 2.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%.

In terms of ancestry, English (27.1%) and Australian (17.8%) topped the list, both above regional averages. Irish ancestry stood at 11.5%, also higher than the regional average of 6.5%. Other notable divergences included French (1.0% vs 0.5%), Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.3%), and Scottish (9.4% vs 5.6%).

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

St Kilda West has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's figure of 38. The 55-64 age group is notably over-represented in St Kilda West at 13.3%, while the 5-14 age group is under-represented at 8.7%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 9.3% to 11.4% of the population. Conversely, the 35-44 age group has decreased from 17.2% to 15.9%, and the 45-54 age group has dropped from 15.6% to 14.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that St Kilda West's age profile will significantly change. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to grow by 357 people (77%), increasing from 465 to 823.