Williamstown (Vic.)

Williamstown 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 validations, the suburb of Williamstown (Vic.) had an estimated population of 16,494 as of Feb 2026. This reflects a growth of 2,087 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,407. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of resident population at 15,414 in Jun 2024 and an additional 234 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,955 persons per square kilometer, placing Williamstown (Vic.) in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. The suburb's 14.5% growth rate since the 2021 census exceeded both national (9.9%) and state averages, indicating it as a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 90.0% of overall population gains in 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, it employs VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made via weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to grow by 2,809 persons to reach a total population of 19,267 by 2041, reflecting an increase of 10.5% over the 17-year period.

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

Williamstown has received around 64 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, approximately 323 homes were approved, with another 8 approved so far in FY26. The average population increase per dwelling built over these years is 0.4 people.

New supply appears to be keeping pace with or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction value of new properties is $599,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment. In FY26, there have been $21.5 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Williamstown has significantly less development activity, at 53.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. The current new development composition is 15.0% detached houses and 85.0% attached dwellings, a significant departure from the existing housing pattern of 56.0% houses.

This shift suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. Williamstown's population density is around 619 people per approval, indicating a mature, established area. Looking ahead, Williamstown is expected to grow by 1,729 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Williamstown 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 19 projects that could affect the area. Notable projects include Workshops Pier Repairs Project, Williamstown Mechanics Institute Masterplan and Restoration, Williamstown Foreshore Precinct Upgrade, and Williamstown Swimming and Life Saving Club Redevelopment. 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 labour market strength in Williamstown positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Williamstown has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation, a low unemployment rate of 2.2%, and estimated employment growth of 4.2% in the past year (AreaSearch). As of December 2025, 9,271 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.6%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.8%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Melbourne at 71.3%.

A high 47.8% work from home (Census). Dominant sectors include professional & technical, education & training, and health care & social assistance. The area specializes in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. Retail trade is under-represented at 7.0%.

Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Over a year (May-25 to May-26), employment increased by 4.2% while labour force grew by 4.5%, raising unemployment by 0.2 percentage points (AreaSearch). In contrast, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a 0.3 percentage point unemployment rise. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Williamstown's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on 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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Williamstown suburb has one of the highest incomes nationally. The median income is $69,801 and the average income stands at $107,492. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's figures where the median income is $57,688 and the average income is $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Williamstown would be approximately $75,560 (median) and $116,360 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Williamstown rank highly nationally, between the 85th and 88th percentiles. The predominant income cohort spans 31.0% of locals (5,113 people) with earnings of $4000 or more, differing from metropolitan patterns where the $1,500 - $2,999 category dominates at 32.8%. Economic strength is evident in Williamstown with 42.4% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 13.4% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 89th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Williamstown displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Williamstown, as per the latest Census evaluation, 56.4% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 43.6% being semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This contrasts with Melbourne metro's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Williamstown stood at 40.9%, compared to mortgaged dwellings at 33.9% and rented ones at 25.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,700, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure for Williamstown was recorded at $450, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Williamstown's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Williamstown has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 72.8 percent of all households, including 36.5 percent couples with children, 26.1 percent couples without children, and 9.1 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 27.2 percent, with lone person households at 25.9 percent and group households comprising 1.4 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Williamstown shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Williamstown's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 46.1% possess university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and the SA4 region's 32.0%. This high level of educational attainment positions Williamstown favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 28.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.2%) and graduate diplomas (5.5%).

Vocational pathways account for 23.7% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 12.9%. Educational participation is high in Williamstown, with 30.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.4% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 6.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Williamstown has 67 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by four different routes that together facilitate 4,770 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these stops is rated as excellent, with residents on average located 182 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to Williamstown's primarily residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 79%, while trains account for 10% and walking for 6%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.2.

According to the 2021 Census, a high percentage of residents, specifically 47.8%, work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 681 trips per day, translating to approximately 71 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Williamstown's health outcomes show excellent results according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 69% of the total population (11,397 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 56.7% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 7.4 and 7.2% of residents respectively. 72.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Williamstown has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 22.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 15.1%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Williamstown's cultural diversity was above average, with 23.3% of its population born overseas and 15.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Williamstown, accounting for 47.5% of people. Notably, Judaism had an overrepresentation in Williamstown compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 0.2% versus 1.0%.

The top three ancestral groups were English (26.2%), Australian (21.2%), and Irish (10.0%). Some ethnic groups showed notable divergences: Croatian was overrepresented at 1.5%, Maltese at 1.9%, and Macedonian at 1.0% compared to regional averages.

Williamstown hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Williamstown is 45 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Williamstown has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (16.2%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (6.9%). This concentration of the 55-64 age group is well above the national average of 11.2%. According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of Williamstown's population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 5.0% to 7.5%, while the percentage of residents aged 15 to 24 increased from 11.8% to 13.4%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 5 to 14 declined from 14.1% to 12.4%, and the proportion of those aged 45 to 54 decreased from 16.7% to 15.1%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Williamstown's age structure. Notably, the 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 50%, reaching 1,852 people from 1,237. By 2041, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 68% of the total population growth in Williamstown, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers by 2041.