Brunswick - North

Population growth drivers in Brunswick - North are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Brunswick - North's population is around 14,643 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,753 people (13.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,890 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,595 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 787 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 6,075 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, making land in the area a highly sought resource. Brunswick - North's 13.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 83.8% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including natural growth and interstate migration, were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilizing the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering the projected demographic shifts, exceptional growth, placing it in the top 10 percent of national areas, is predicted over the period, with the area expected to expand by 8,118 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 55.1% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Brunswick - North when compared nationally

Brunswick - North has averaged around 148 new dwelling approvals per year, totalling 742 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 10 approvals have been recorded. Given an average of only 0.8 new residents per year per dwelling constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $317,000. There have also been $2.3 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating minimal commercial development activity.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, Brunswick - North maintains similar construction rates (per person), supporting market stability in line with regional patterns. New building activity shows 5.0% detached dwellings and 95.0% townhouses or apartments. This skew toward compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a considerable change from the current housing mix (currently 41.0% houses), reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. The location has approximately 1490 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market.

Looking ahead, Brunswick - North is expected to grow by 8,070 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Brunswick - North has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 25thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 19 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Saxon Street by Milieu, Assemble Brunswick, Brunswick and Parkville Level Crossing Removals, and Albert Street Stockland Development, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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

Brunswick - North has a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of 6.8%, and 4.0% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 9,758 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 2.1% above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation is well beyond standard (79.2% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%). Based on Census responses, a high 49.4% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area shows particularly strong specialization in professional & technical, with an employment share of 1.5 times the regional level. Meanwhile, construction has a limited presence with 4.5% employment compared to 9.7% regionally. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, the 12-month period saw employment increasing by 4.0% alongside the labour force increasing by 4.6%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.6 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Brunswick - North. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Brunswick - North's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.3% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Brunswick - North SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $65,180 with the average level standing at $81,088. This is extremely high nationally and compares to levels of $57,688 and $75,164 across Greater Melbourne respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $70,557 (median) and $87,778 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Brunswick - North, between the 69th and 81st percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 33.5% of the community (4,905 individuals), reflecting patterns seen in the surrounding region where 32.8% similarly occupy this range. Economic strength emerges through 31.0% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 16.4% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 68th percentile 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

Dwelling structure within Brunswick - North, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 41.3% houses and 58.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Brunswick - North lagged that of Melbourne metro, at 26.0%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (26.9%) or rented (47.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Melbourne metro average at $2,167, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $431, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Brunswick - North's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are 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 dominate at 53.2% of all households, comprising 17.9% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 6.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 46.8%, with lone person households at 33.0% and group households comprising 13.8% of the total. The median household size of 2.2 people is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Brunswick - North significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 56.9% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in VIC. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 34.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.2%) and graduate diplomas (5.5%). Vocational pathways account for 17.1% of qualifications among those aged 15+ - advanced diplomas (7.9%) and certificates (9.2%).

Educational participation is notably high, 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.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 60 active transport stops operating within Brunswick - North, comprising a mix of light rail and buses. These stops are serviced by 8 individual routes, collectively providing 7,692 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 140 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 50%, with 12% by train and 12% cycling. Vehicle ownership averages 0.7 per dwelling, below the regional average. A high 49.4% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 1,098 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 128 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, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is quite low across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (8,771 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 13.5% and 8.9% of residents, respectively, while 67.6% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 11.8% of residents aged 65 and over (1,723 people), which is lower than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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 was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 31.5% of its population born overseas and 26.4% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Brunswick - North is Christianity, which makes up 29.0% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Judaism, which comprises 0.5% of the population, compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Brunswick - North are English, comprising 20.9% of the population, Australian, comprising 17.5% of the population, and Other, comprising 11.2% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Greek is notably overrepresented at 5.8% of the population (vs 2.7% regionally), French at 0.9% (vs 0.5%) and Italian at 7.8% (vs 5.2%).

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

With a median age of 33, Brunswick - North is materially younger than the Greater Melbourne figure of 37 and is substantially under Australia's 38 years. Relative to Greater Melbourne, Brunswick - North has a higher concentration of 25 - 34 residents (30.0%) but fewer 5 - 14 year-olds (5.2%). This 25 - 34 concentration is well above the national 14.4%. Since the 2021 Census, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 27.7% to 30.0% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 6.9% to 5.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Brunswick - North. The 25 to 34 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 46%, adding 2,013 residents to reach 6,405.