Brunswick West

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

Brunswick West's population was around 15,784 as of November 2025. This showed an increase of 1,466 people, a 10.2% rise from the 2021 Census figure of 14,318. The change was inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 15,644 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 4,963 persons per square kilometer, placing Brunswick West in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth exceeded the national average (8.9%) and state averages, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 89.7% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted 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 used VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting with weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Projected demographic shifts indicate exceptional growth, with the area expected to increase by 8,163 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 50.8% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Brunswick West has seen approximately 81 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 409 homes were approved, with an additional 12 approved so far in FY26. On average, about 1.9 new residents have arrived per year for each new home over these five years. However, this has increased recently to 13.3 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting heightened demand and tightening supply.

The average construction cost of new homes is around $351,000. In FY26, approximately $8.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating Brunswick West's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Brunswick West shows significantly reduced construction activity, with 50.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. The current building activity consists of approximately 11.0% detached houses and 89.0% medium and high-density housing. This shift towards higher-density living creates more affordable entry points, appealing to downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

This trend represents a notable departure from the area's existing housing composition, currently at 38.0% houses. Brunswick West indicates a mature market with around 451 people per approval. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Brunswick West is projected to grow by approximately 8,023 residents by 2041. If current development rates persist, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Brunswick West has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 34thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 28 projects that could affect the area. Notable ones include Tram Power Substation at 320 Reynard Street, the development at 463-465 Victoria Street (Townhouse Development), Pentridge Precinct, and Australian Liquorice Factory Redevelopment. Below is a list of those most likely to be 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 West has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Brunswick West has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 7.3% as of September 2025, which is 2.7% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

The area experienced an estimated employment growth of 4.0% over the past year. As of September 2025, 9,805 residents were in work and workforce participation was at 72.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. The area shows strong specialization in education & training with an employment share of 1.5 times the regional level, while construction shows lower representation at 5.8% compared to the regional average of 9.7%.

Employment opportunities locally appear limited, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period, employment increased by 4.0%, labour force grew by 4.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.7 percentage points in Brunswick West. In comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 3.0%, labour force grow by 3.3%, and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Brunswick West's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, assuming constant population growth for illustrative purposes.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Brunswick West SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $59,451 and an average income of $77,470 in financial year 2022. These figures were among the highest in Australia, compared to Greater Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. As of September 2025, estimated incomes are approximately $66,680 (median) and $86,890 (average), based on a 12.16% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. In the 2021 Census, personal income ranked at the 78th percentile ($1,002 weekly), while household income was at the 52nd percentile. The $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket dominated with 32.3% of residents (5,098 people), similar to the surrounding region's 32.8%. Housing costs consumed 17.0% of income, but strong earnings placed disposable income at the 51st percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking was in the 8th decile.

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

In Brunswick West, as per the latest Census evaluation, houses constituted 38.1% of dwellings while other types such as semi-detached, apartments, and 'other' dwellings made up 61.9%. This is compared to Melbourne metropolitan area's figures of 46.2% houses and 53.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Brunswick West stood at 23.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.2% and rented ones at 48.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, lower than Melbourne metro's average of $2,149. The median weekly rent in Brunswick West was recorded at $365, compared to Melbourne metro's $418. Nationally, Brunswick West's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 52.3% of all households, including 20.7% couples with children, 23.3% couples without children, and 6.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 47.7%, with lone person households at 38.2% and group households comprising 9.5%. The median household size is 2.1 people, smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.3.

Educational achievement in Brunswick West places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Brunswick West has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above. As of the latest data, 52.0% of these residents hold university qualifications, which is significantly higher than the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian state average of 33.4%. This indicates a substantial educational advantage for Brunswick West compared to broader benchmarks. The most common type of university qualification held by residents in Brunswick West is bachelor degrees, with 30.9% of residents aged 15 and above having completed one.

Postgraduate qualifications follow at 15.7%, and graduate diplomas account for 5.4%. Vocational pathways are also well-represented among the educational qualifications held by residents aged 15 and above in Brunswick West, with a total of 20.9%. Advanced diplomas make up 9.1% of these vocational qualifications, while certificates account for 11.8%. Notably high educational participation is evident in Brunswick West, with 28.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the latest data. This includes 10.7% pursuing tertiary education, 6.4% engaged in primary education, and 4.5% working towards secondary education completion.

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

Brunswick West has 78 active public transport stops, offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 12 individual routes, collectively facilitating 5,779 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents located an average of 119 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 825 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 74 weekly trips per individual stop.

Brunswick West's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Brunswick West residents showed relatively positive health outcomes, with low prevalence of common conditions among the general population, though higher than national averages in older cohorts at risk.

Approximately 59% of the total population (9280 people) had private health cover. Mental health issues and asthma were the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 12.8% and 8.9% of residents respectively. 67.9% reported no medical ailments, compared to 68.5% in Greater Melbourne. The area has 12.1% seniors aged 65 and over (1901 people). Senior health outcomes require more attention than the broader population.

Brunswick West 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 West has a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 31.1% of its population born overseas and 28.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Brunswick West, accounting for 35.9% of the population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 0.3% versus 0.3%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (20.1%), Australian (17.5%), and Other (12.4%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences in representation: Italian at 9.2% (versus regional 10.2%), Greek at 4.7% (versus regional 5.1%), and Lebanese at 1.1% (versus regional 1.9%).

Brunswick West's population is younger than the national pattern

Brunswick West's median age was 35 years in the data provided, slightly younger than Greater Melbourne's 37 and the national average of 38. The 25-34 age group made up 25.0% of Brunswick West's population compared to Greater Melbourne, while the 5-14 age group was less prevalent at 7.7%. This concentration of 25-34 year-olds was above the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and the current period, the 15-24 age group grew from 12.0% to 12.9% of the population. Conversely, the 45-54 age group declined from 11.8% to 10.9%. Population forecasts for Brunswick West in 2041 indicate significant demographic changes. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to increase notably, expanding by 1,530 people (39%) from 3,950 to 5,481.