Brunswick - South

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

Brunswick - South's population was around 15,234 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 2,251 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,983 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 15,190 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 552 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 5,580 persons per square kilometer, placing Brunswick - South in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Its 17.3% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and the state's growth rate. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 87.1% 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 utilises the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusting with 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. Considering these projections, exceptional growth is predicted over the period, with the area expected to increase by 9,226 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 60.3% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Brunswick - South among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Brunswick - South has seen approximately 303 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, a total of 1518 homes were approved, with an additional 211 approved so far in FY26. On average, around 0.6 new residents have arrived per new home each year during this period, indicating that supply has been meeting or exceeding demand.

The average construction cost value of new properties has been $441,000, slightly above the regional average. This financial year, $8.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting limited focus on commercial development. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Brunswick - South has recorded 102.0% more development activity per person, providing ample buyer choice, although recent periods have seen some moderation in development activity. The area consists of 2.0% detached dwellings and 98.0% attached dwellings, reflecting a focus on higher-density living that caters to affordability requirements and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This marks a significant shift from the current housing mix, which is currently 28.0% houses. With around 64 people per approval, Brunswick - South reflects an area experiencing development growth. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, the area is expected to grow by 9182 residents through to 2041.

Current construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

Brunswick - South has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 30thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects that are expected to influence the region. Notable projects include Brunswick and Parkville Level Crossing Removals, Albert Street Stockland Development, Brunswick Established - 23 Hodgson Street, and Australian Liquorice Factory Redevelopment. The following list details those projects 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.

Brunswick - South has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Brunswick - South has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 5.6%, having grown by an estimated 5.1% over the past year as of September 2025. In this month, 10,714 residents are employed while the unemployment rate stands at 0.9% above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

Workforce participation is high at 81.5%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. Census responses indicate that 51.9% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries for employment among residents are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Brunswick - South specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction employs only 4.3% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. The ratio of 0.6 workers per resident indicates a higher-than-average level of local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 5.1%, while the labour force grew by 5.5%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.0% and the labour force by 3.3%, with an unemployment increase of 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Brunswick - South's employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections.

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 Brunswick - South SA2 is $65,232, with an average of $81,087 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Nationally, this is extremely high compared to Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Brunswick - South SA2 would be approximately $70,614 (median) and $87,777 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Brunswick - South SA2 all rank highly nationally, between the 74th and 88th percentiles. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 33.2% of the community (5,057 individuals), which is consistent with broader trends across the broader area showing 32.8% in the same category. Economic strength is evident through 32.5% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 16.8% of income, but strong earnings still place disposable income at the 73rd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Brunswick South's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 27.8% houses and 72.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Brunswick South stood at 21.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.0% and rented ones at 51.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,018, exceeding Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Brunswick South was $450, higher than Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, mortgage repayments in Brunswick South were above the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 50.0% of all households, including 15.2% couples with children, 28.1% couples without children, and 5.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 50.0%, with lone person households at 35.8% and group households comprising 14.2%. The median household size is 2.1 people, smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

The educational profile of Brunswick - South exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Brunswick South's educational attainment significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 61.5% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. This high level of educational attainment positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 35.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (20.0%) and graduate diplomas (5.6%).

Vocational pathways account for 16.8% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas (8.4%) and certificates (8.4%) being the most common. Educational participation is notably high in Brunswick South, with 26.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.6% in tertiary education, 4.3% in primary education, and 3.4% pursuing secondary education.

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

Brunswick - South has 68 active public transport stops offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 10 routes, facilitating 9,647 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located just 141 meters from their nearest stop. As a predominantly residential zone, most commuters travel outward. Car remains the primary mode of transport at 47%, followed by cycling at 14% and train at 10%. On average, there are 0.6 vehicles per dwelling, lower than the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, a significant 51.9% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 1,378 trips daily, equating to around 141 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Brunswick - South is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Brunswick South faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population, which consists of 9125 people. This compares to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 14.4 and 9.2% of residents respectively. Meanwhile, 67.4% of residents declared themselves 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 11.0% of residents aged 65 and over, which consists of 1678 people, lower than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Brunswick-South, surveyed between October 2016 and June 2021, had a population with 31.4% born overseas and 22.5% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, accounting for 24.1%. Judaism's representation stood at 0.4%, higher than Greater Melbourne's 1.0%.

The top three ancestral groups were English (22.9%), Australian (18.0%), and Irish (11.3%). Notably, Italian ancestry was overrepresented at 6.9% compared to the regional average of 5.2%. French ancestry stood at 0.8%, higher than the regional 0.5%, and Greek ancestry was at 3.1%, slightly above Greater Melbourne's 2.7%.

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

At 34 years, Brunswick-South's median age is somewhat lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and considerably younger than Australia's 38 years. Relative to Greater Melbourne, Brunswick-South has a higher concentration of 25-34 residents at 30.6%, but fewer 5-14 year-olds at 4.6%. This 25-34 concentration is well above the national average of 14.4%. Since the Census on 28 August 2021, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 18.3% to 18.9% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 5.5% to 4.6%. Population forecasts for Brunswick-South indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The 25 to 34 age group shows the strongest projected growth at 48%, adding 2,252 residents to reach a total of 6,908.