Brunswick - North
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Brunswick - North are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of August 2025, Brunswick - North's population is approximately 15,252. This represents an increase of 2,362 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,890. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,595 in June 2024 and an additional 784 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 6,328 persons per square kilometer, placing Brunswick - North in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Between 2021 and 2025, Brunswick - North's growth rate was 18.3%, exceeding both the national average of 8.6% and the state average. This growth was primarily driven by overseas migration (approximately 83.8% of overall population gains).

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, they utilize the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using a weighted aggregation method. Projected demographic shifts suggest exceptional growth for Brunswick - North between 2025 and 2041, with an expected increase of 8,118 persons. This translates to a total increase of 48.9% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Brunswick - North when compared nationally

Brunswick - North averages approximately 148 new dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Between FY-21 and FY-25742 dwellings were approved, with 2 approvals recorded so far in FY-26. Over the past five financial years, an average of 0.8 new residents per year per dwelling constructed has been observed.

This suggests that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction value of new properties is $594,000, which is higher than regional norms, indicating quality-focused development. In FY-26, $2.3 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Brunswick - North has similar development levels per person, maintaining market balance with the broader area. New building activity shows 5.0% detached dwellings and 95.0% attached dwellings, suggesting a skew towards compact living that offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers.

This represents a significant change from the current housing mix of 41.0% houses, reflecting reduced development site availability and shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. With around 1490 people per dwelling approval, Brunswick - North indicates a highly mature market. Population forecasts project an increase of 7,461 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Brunswick - North has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 37thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 19 projects that could affect the area. Notable ones include Saxon Street by Milieu, Assemble Brunswick, LIV Albert Fields by Mirvac and Milieu, and 4 Ballarat Street. The following list details those likely most relevant.

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

The employment landscape in Brunswick - North shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Brunswick - North has an educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 6.6% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.9%. There were 9,815 residents employed in June 2025, with an unemployment rate of 6.6%, compared to Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation was 74.0%, higher than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading industries for residents include professional & technical services, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

The area has a high specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. Construction, however, has limited presence at 4.5%, compared to 9.7% regionally. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 5.9% while labour force grew by 7.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.0 percentage points. In Greater Melbourne, employment rose by 3.5%, labour force grew by 4.0%, and unemployment rose by 0.5 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Brunswick - North's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.0% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though 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

Brunswick - North has an extremely high national income level according to AreaSearch aggregated ATO data for the financial year ended June 2022. Its median taxpayer income was $62,579 and average income stood at $78,620, compared to Greater Melbourne's figures of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. As of March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $68,906 (median) and $86,568 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since June 2022. Census data shows Brunswick - North's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 70th and 81st percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 33.5% of locals (5,109 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, similar to regional levels where 32.8% fall into this range. A substantial 31.0% exceed $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power. High housing costs consume 16.4% of income, but disposable income ranks at the 69th percentile nationally, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Brunswick - North displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Brunswick North's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 41.3% houses and 58.8% other dwellings. This compares to Melbourne metropolitan area's 46.2% houses and 53.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Brunswick North was at 26.0%, similar to Melbourne metro's level, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.9% and rented ones at 47.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,149. Median weekly rent figure stood at $431 compared to Melbourne metro's $418. Nationally, Brunswick North's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 53.2% of all households, including 17.9% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 6.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 46.8%, with lone person households at 33.0% and group households comprising 13.8%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.3.

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

Brunswick North has a higher proportion of residents with university qualifications than both Australia and Victoria. Specifically, 56.9% of residents aged 15 and above hold such qualifications, compared to the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 34.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 17.2% and graduate diplomas at 5.5%. Vocational pathways account for 17.1% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 7.9% and certificates accounting for 9.2%.

Educational participation is high in the area, with 26.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.0% in tertiary education, 5.4% in primary education, and 3.5% pursuing secondary education. St Margaret Mary's School serves the local educational needs within Brunswick North, enrolling 71 students as of a certain date. The suburb has above-average socio-educational conditions, with an ICSEA score of 1095. There is one school in Brunswick North that focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. Local school capacity is limited, with only 0.5 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 10.4, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Analysis shows 60 active transport stops operating within Brunswick - North. These include train, lightrail, and bus stops. Nine routes service these stops, providing a total of 5,619 weekly passenger trips.

Residents' accessibility to transport is rated excellent, with an average distance of 140 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 802 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 93 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Brunswick - North is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Brunswick North demonstrates above-average health outcomes, with low prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age cohorts.

Approximately 59% of its total population of 9,059 have private health cover. Mental health issues are the most common medical condition, affecting 13.5% of residents, followed by asthma at 8.9%. Sixty-seven point six percent of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 68.5% across Greater Melbourne. Eleven point four percent of residents are aged 65 and over (1,741 people). Health outcomes among seniors are above average, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Brunswick - North 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-North has a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 31.5% of its population born overseas and 26.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Brunswick-North, accounting for 29.0% of its population. Notably, Judaism comprises 0.5%, higher than the Greater Melbourne average of 0.3%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (20.9%), Australian (17.5%), and Other (11.2%). Some ethnic groups have notable differences in representation: Greek is overrepresented at 5.8% compared to the regional average of 5.1%, Italian is lower at 7.8% versus 10.2%, and French is slightly higher at 0.9% compared to 0.7%.

Brunswick - North hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Brunswick-North 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-North has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (30.5%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (5.6%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 has increased from 27.7% to 30.5%, while the proportion of residents aged 5 to 14 has decreased from 6.9% to 5.6%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Brunswick-North, with the strongest growth projected for the 25 to 34 age group, which is expected to grow by 38%, adding 1,757 residents and reaching a total of 6,405.