Williamstown (Vic.)

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

As of February 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Williamstown (Vic.) is around 16,494. This reflects an increase of 2,087 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,407. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 15,414 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 234 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,955 persons per square kilometer, placing Williamstown (Vic.) in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 14.5% growth since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (9.9%) and state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 90.0% of overall 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 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises 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. By 2041, the suburb is projected to increase by 2,753 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an overall increase of 9.6% over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Williamstown has averaged around 64 residential properties approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, approximately 324 homes were approved, with another seven approved in FY26 so far. The average population increase per dwelling built over these years was 0.4 people.

This suggests supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering more buyer choices and potential for population growth above projections. New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $599,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Commercial approvals this financial year totaled $21.5 million, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Comparatively, Williamstown has significantly less development activity than Greater Melbourne, with 53.0% fewer approvals per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes. Recent construction comprises 15.0% detached dwellings and 85.0% medium to high-density housing, marking a shift from the area's existing housing composition of 56.0% houses.

This trend reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles, with more diverse and affordable housing options sought. Williamstown has a highly mature market, with around 607 people per dwelling approval. Population forecasts indicate Williamstown will gain approximately 1,583 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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 likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include Workshops Pier Repairs Project, Williamstown Mechanics Institute Masterplan and Restoration, Williamstown Foreshore Precinct Upgrade, and Williamstown Swimming and Life Saving Club Redevelopment. Below is a list of most relevant projects.

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

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Williamstown performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Williamstown has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.2% as of September 2025. The area experienced an estimated employment growth of 5.5% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, 9,278 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 2.5%, lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation was at 73.1%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. A significant 47.8% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (1.4 times the regional average), education & training, and health care & social assistance sectors.

Retail trade is under-represented with only 7.0% of Williamstown's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.8%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 5.5% while labour force grew by 5.8%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.0%, labour force by 3.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase 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, although this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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 Williamstown is $69,801, with an average of $107,492, according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Nationally, this is exceptionally high compared to Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. By September 2025, estimates suggest the median income will be approximately $75,560 and the average will be around $116,360, based on an 8.25% growth in wages since financial year 2023. The 2021 Census places Williamstown's household, family, and personal incomes between the 85th and 88th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 31.0% of residents earn $4000+ weekly (5,113 residents), contrasting with the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 32.8%. Economic strength is evident in Williamstown, with 42.4% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000. This supports elevated consumer spending, with housing accounting for 13.4% of income. Residents rank within the 89th percentile for disposable income, and 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

The latest Census evaluated Williamstown's dwelling structures as 56.4% houses and 43.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Williamstown was 40.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.9% and rented dwellings at 25.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,700, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Williamstown was $450, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Williamstown's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,700 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and 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% of all households, consisting of 36.5% couples with children, 26.1% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 27.2%, with lone person households at 25.9% and group households comprising 1.4%. 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 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by four distinct routes that facilitate a total of 4,770 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as excellent, with residents being located an average of 182 meters from the nearest stop. In this predominantly residential area, outward commuting is common, with cars being the primary mode of transportation for 79% of residents. Train usage stands at 10%, while walking accounts for 6%. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling in Williamstown.

According to the 2021 Census, a significant proportion of residents, 47.8%, work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 681 trips per day across all routes, 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 exceptional results 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 69% of the total population (11,397 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a 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 report being completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Williamstown has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 21.9%, compared to 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are strong and broadly align with national rankings.

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

In terms of ancestry, the top groups are English (26.2%), Australian (21.2%), and Irish (10.0%). Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Croatian is overrepresented at 1.5%, Maltese at 1.9%, and Macedonian at 1.0%.

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 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 (6.8%). The concentration of residents aged 55-64 in Williamstown is well above the national average of 11.2%. According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 75 to 84 has grown from 5.0% to 7.5%, while the proportion 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 12.5%, and the proportion of residents aged 45 to 54 dropped from 16.7% to 15.1%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Williamstown's age structure. The number of residents aged 75 to 84 is projected to grow by 48%, reaching 1,834 from 1,237. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 69% of total population growth, reflecting Williamstown's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both age groups of 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 are projected to have reduced numbers.