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 approximately 15,227 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 2,244 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,983. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 15,190 in June 2024 and an additional 526 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 5,577 persons per square kilometer, placing Brunswick - South among the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's population growth rate of 17.3% since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (9.7%) and the state average. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.1% of overall population gains during recent periods, although natural growth and interstate migration also played positive roles.

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 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. Based on these projections, Brunswick - South is expected to experience exceptional growth, increasing by 9,226 persons to reach a total population of approximately 24,453 by 2041, reflecting a gain of 60.4% over the 17-year period.

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 1,518 homes were approved. In FY26, up until now, 211 homes have been approved.

On average, over these five years, around 0.6 new residents per year have arrived for each new home, indicating that supply has met or exceeded demand, providing more buyer choices while supporting potential population growth above projections. The average construction cost of new properties is $441,000, slightly higher than the regional average, suggesting a focus on quality developments. In FY26, $8.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating limited commercial development focus compared to residential. Relative to Greater Melbourne, Brunswick - South records 102.0% more development activity per person, providing buyers with ample choice. However, development activity has moderated in recent periods. This level is substantially higher than the national average, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. New developments consist of 2.0% detached dwellings and 98.0% attached dwellings, focusing on higher-density living to create more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

This represents a significant change from the current housing mix, which is currently 28.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. With around 64 people per approval, Brunswick - South reflects a developing area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Brunswick - South is expected to grow by 9,189 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 influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects likely to impact the area. 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 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 an educated workforce with a notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 5.6% as of September 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.1%.

As of that date, 10,714 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 5.6%, which is 0.9% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation in Brunswick - South was 81.5%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 51.9% of residents worked from home. The key industries of employment were professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

Brunswick - South has a particular specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level. In contrast, construction employed only 4.3% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. The ratio of 0.6 workers per resident indicates above-average employment opportunities locally. 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 by 0.4 percentage points. In Greater Melbourne, employment rose by 3.0%, the labour force grew by 3.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Brunswick - South's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

The Brunswick - South SA2 postcode had a median taxpayer income of $65,232 and an average income of $81,087 in the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. These figures are significantly higher than those in Greater Melbourne, which had median and average incomes of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively during the same period. Based on an 8.25% growth rate from the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $70,614 (median) and $87,777 (average). Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Brunswick - South all rank highly nationally, between the 74th and 88th percentiles. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 33.2% of the community, with 5,055 individuals falling into this category. This is consistent with broader trends across the broader area, where 32.8% of people earn within the same range. Economic strength is evident in Brunswick - South, with 32.5% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, which supports elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 16.8% of income, but strong earnings 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 compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Brunswick - South was at 21.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.0% and rented ones at 51.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,018, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in the area was $450, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Brunswick - South's mortgage repayments 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, which is 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 has a higher proportion of residents with university qualifications than both Australia and Victoria. Among residents aged 15 and above, 61.5% have such qualifications, compared to the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian average of 33.4%. This educational attainment is largely composed of bachelor degrees (35.9%), postgraduate qualifications (20.0%), and graduate diplomas (5.6%). Vocational pathways are also pursued, with advanced diplomas accounting for 8.4% and certificates for another 8.4%.

Educational participation in the area is high, 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 lightrail and buses. These stops are served by 10 routes, providing 9,647 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 141 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 47%, followed by cycling at 14% and train at 10%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 0.6, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 51.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,378 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 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 (9,120 people), compared 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. 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 10.7% of residents aged 65 and over (1,629 people), which is lower than the 14.9% 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 was found to have a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 31.4% of its population born overseas and 22.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Brunswick-South, accounting for 24.1% of its population. Judaism, however, is notably overrepresented at 0.4%, compared to the regional average of 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.9%), Australian (18.0%), and Irish (11.3%). Some other ethnic groups show significant differences: Italian is overrepresented at 6.9% versus the regional average of 5.2%, French at 0.8% versus 0.5%, and Greek at 3.1% versus 2.7%.

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

At age 34 years, Brunswick-South's median age is somewhat lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years, and considerably younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Brunswick-South has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (31.2%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (4.6%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 15 to 24 has grown from 11.8% to 12.5%, while the 5 to 14 age group has declined from 5.5% to 4.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Brunswick-South, with the strongest projected growth in the 25 to 34 age cohort, expected to grow by 45%, adding 2,160 residents to reach a total of 6,908.