Brunswick East

Brunswick East lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Brunswick East's population is around 14,450 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,712 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 12,738 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,438 in Jun 2024 and an additional 546 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 6,659 persons per square kilometer, placing Brunswick East in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 13.4% since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (8.9%) and the state average. Overseas migration contributed approximately 82.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, Brunswick East is expected to grow by 9,620 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 66.5% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Brunswick East among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Brunswick East averaged approximately 151 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY21 and FY25756 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved so far in FY26. Over the past five financial years, each dwelling has supported an average of 2.4 new residents per year, indicating strong demand that positively impacts property values.

The average construction cost value of these dwellings was $1,002,000, suggesting a focus on premium properties by developers. In FY26, there have been $3.8 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's predominantly residential nature. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Brunswick East has shown comparable development activity per capita, maintaining market balance with surrounding regions. However, construction activity has recently decreased slightly. Nationally, this level of development is above average, indicating strong developer confidence in the area. Recent construction primarily comprises townhouses or apartments (94%), with standalone homes making up 6%.

This shift towards denser development caters to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers, marking a significant change from the current housing mix of 24% houses. The location has approximately 685 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Brunswick East is projected to grow by 9,608 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and driving price increases.

Brunswick East has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 28thth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified 15 projects that could impact the area significantly. Key projects include East Brunswick Village (EBV), Brunswick Level Crossing Removal - Upfield Line (8 Crossings), Saxon Street by Milieu, and 25 Gale Street Apartments. The following list details those likely to be 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.

Employment performance in Brunswick East has been broadly consistent with national averages

Brunswick East has an educated workforce with the technology sector prominent. Its unemployment rate was 5.1% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 6.8%.

As of June 2025, 10,434 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 5.1%, which is 0.5% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation in Brunswick East is 77.3%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading employment industries 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 1.7 times the regional level.

Construction employment is limited at 4.5%, compared to 9.7% regionally. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data comparing working population and resident population. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 6.8% while labour force grew by 7.0%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5%, labour force growth of 4.0%, with unemployment rising 0.5 percentage points. State-level data from Nov-25 shows VIC employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Brunswick East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, assuming no change in population projections.

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 2022 shows Brunswick East SA2 had a median income of $67,436 and an average income of $81,377. These figures are among the highest in Australia. In comparison, Greater Melbourne's median income was $54,892 with an average of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, current estimates for Brunswick East SA2 would be approximately $75,636 (median) and $91,272 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, individual earnings in Brunswick East SA2 stood out at the 93rd percentile nationally with a weekly income of $1,244. Income analysis reveals that 37.2% of residents (5,375 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly earnings bracket, reflecting patterns seen at regional levels where 32.8% similarly occupy this range. A substantial proportion of high earners, 30.3%, have incomes above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity in the area. High housing costs consume 16.9% of income, but despite this, disposable income is at the 69th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Brunswick East features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Brunswick East's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 23.7% houses and 76.3% other dwellings. In comparison, Melbourne metro had 46.2% houses and 53.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Brunswick East was 18.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.9% and rented dwellings at 54.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, below Melbourne metro's average of $2,149. Median weekly rent in Brunswick East was $421, compared to Melbourne metro's $418. Nationally, Brunswick East's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially higher at $421 compared to the national figure of $375.

Brunswick East features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 48.8% of all households, including 14.4% couples with children, 26.9% couples without children, and 5.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 51.2%, with lone person households at 38.6% and group households comprising 12.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.0 people, smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.3.

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

Educational attainment in Brunswick East is notably high, with 62.3% of residents aged 15 years and above holding university qualifications. This compares to national figures of 30.4% for Australia and 33.4% for Victoria (VIC). The area's educational advantage is evident across various qualification levels: Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 36.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 19.5%, and graduate diplomas at 5.9%. Vocational pathways account for 17.2% of qualifications among residents aged 15 years and above, with advanced diplomas at 8.2% and certificates at 9.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.2% in tertiary education, 4.5% in primary education, and 3.9% pursuing secondary education.

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

Brunswick East has 45 active public transport stops offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 14 different routes that together facilitate 8,928 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents on average located 126 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 1,275 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 198 weekly trips per individual stop.

Brunswick East's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis shows Brunswick East performed well across various health metrics. Both younger and older residents had low prevalence of common conditions. Private health cover was high at approximately 61% (8,785 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 58.3%, and the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues affected 14.0% and asthma impacted 9.2% of residents. 69.3% declared no medical ailments, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 68.5%. The area had 8.8% (1,268 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Melbourne's 12.1%. Senior health outcomes were strong, aligning with the general population's profile.

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

Brunswick East had a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 31.4% of its population born overseas and 24.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Brunswick East, making up 26.9% of people. However, Judaism was overrepresented at 0.5%, compared to 0.3% across Greater Melbourne.

The top three ancestry groups were English (22.0%), Australian (16.6%), and Other (11.1%). Notably, Italian (8.3%) and Spanish (0.8%) were overrepresented in Brunswick East compared to regional percentages of 10.2% and 0.6%, respectively. French was also slightly overrepresented at 0.8%.

Brunswick East's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Brunswick East's median age is 33, which is younger than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Brunswick East has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (33.0%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (5.6%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national figure of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of residents aged 35 to 44 has increased from 19.7% to 20.3%, while the proportion of those aged 15 to 24 has decreased from 10.9% to 10.3%. Population forecasts for Brunswick East indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041, with the 25 to 34 age group projected to grow significantly at a rate of 49%, adding approximately 2,328 residents to reach a total of 7,100 in this age bracket.