Brunswick East
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Brunswick East's population was approximately 14,456 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,718 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,738. The growth is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data of 14,438 in June 2024 and validated new addresses of 549 since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 6,661 persons per square kilometer, placing Brunswick East in the top 10% nationally according to AreaSearch's assessment. The area's growth rate of 13.5% since the 2021 census exceeded both national (8.6%) and state averages. Overseas migration contributed approximately 82.1% of overall population gains during recent periods in Brunswick East.

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, AreaSearch employs the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future projections indicate exceptional growth for Brunswick East, with an expected increase of 9,620 persons by 2041, representing a total increase of 66.4% over the 17-year period based on latest population numbers.

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 Financial Year 2021 (FY-21) and FY-2025756 homes were approved, with no approvals recorded so far in FY-2026. Over the past five financial years, an average of 2.4 new residents per year was associated with each dwelling.

This suggests solid demand that supports property values. The average expected construction cost value for new homes over this period was $1,002,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY-2026, there have been $3.8 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Brunswick East shows comparable development activity per person, preserving market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas, although construction activity has recently eased. This level is well above average nationally, indicating strong developer confidence in the area. Recent construction comprises 6.0% standalone homes and 94.0% townhouses or apartments.

This trend towards denser development provides accessible entry options, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This represents a significant change from the current housing mix of 24.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. The location has approximately 685 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market. Looking ahead, Brunswick East is projected to grow by 9,602 residents through to 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Brunswick East has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones are 25 Gale Street Apartments, ACES Redevelopment, East Brunswick Village (EBV), and Saxon Street by Milieu. The following list details those most relevant:.

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

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

Brunswick East has a highly educated workforce. Its technology sector is notably represented with an unemployment rate of 5.1% and estimated employment growth of 6.8% over the past year.

As of June 2025, 10,434 residents are employed while the unemployment rate 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 among residents include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Brunswick East shows strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level.

Meanwhile, construction has limited presence with 4.5% employment compared to the regional average of 9.7%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 6.8% alongside labour force growth of 7.0%, resulting in a 0.2 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with unemployment rising by 0.5 percentage points during the same period. State-level data to Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia indicate growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Brunswick East's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations 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 2022 shows Brunswick East had a median income of $67,436 and an average income of $81,377. These figures are among the highest in Australia. Greater Melbourne's median income was $54,892 and its average income was $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Brunswick East would be approximately $74,254 (median) and $89,604 (average) as of March 2025. The 2021 Census figures indicate individual earnings in Brunswick East are at the 93rd percentile nationally, with a weekly income of $1,244. Income analysis reveals that 37.2% of residents fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly income bracket, which is 5,377 people. This pattern is similar to regional levels where 32.8% 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 with strong earnings disposable income is at the 70th 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 in its latest Census evaluation showed 23.7% houses and 76.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 46.2% houses and 53.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Brunswick East was at 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, slightly higher than Melbourne metro's figure of $418. Nationally, Brunswick East's mortgage repayments were above the Australian 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 comprise 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 account for the remaining 51.2%, with lone person households at 38.6% and group households comprising 12.6%. 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 higher than broader benchmarks. 62.3% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 36.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (19.5%) and graduate diplomas (5.9%). Vocational pathways account for 17.2% of qualifications, 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. Brunswick East's three schools have a combined enrollment of 923 students as of the latest data. The area has significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA: 1148). All three schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. School places per 100 residents stand at 6.4, below the regional average of 10.4, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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, a mix of light rail and bus services. These are covered by 14 routes, offering 8928 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents on average 126 meters from the nearest stop.

Daily service frequency averages 1275 trips 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 of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Brunswick East. Both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 61% of the total population (8,789 people), compared to 58.3% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues impacting 14.0% of residents and asthma impacting 9.2%. Meanwhile, 69.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 68.5% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 8.8% of residents aged 65 and over (1,269 people), which is lower than the 12.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Brunswick East was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Brunswick East had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 31.4% of its residents 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 its population. However, Judaism was notably overrepresented, comprising 0.5% compared to 0.3% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (22.0%), Australian (16.6%), and Other (11.1%). There were also significant differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Italian was overrepresented at 8.3% compared to 10.2% regionally, Spanish at 0.8% versus 0.6%, and French at 0.8% versus 0.7%.

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

Brunswick East has a median age of 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 grown from 19.7% to 20.3%, while the proportion of those aged 15 to 24 has decreased from 10.9% to 10.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Brunswick East. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow strongly at a rate of 49%, adding 2,326 residents to reach a total of 7,100.