Clifton Hill - Alphington
Statistical Area - sa2

Clifton Hill - Alphington lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Clifton Hill - Alphington's population is 11,809 as of Nov 2025. This shows an increase of 1,954 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,855. The change is inferred from ABS data: estimated resident population was 11,292 in June 2024 and there were 693 new addresses validated since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,266 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Growth of 19.8% since the 2021 census exceeds both national (8.9%) and state averages, making Clifton Hill - Alphington a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 46.8% to overall population gains recently, with all drivers being positive factors.

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 utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future demographic trends predict exceptional growth in the area, with an expected increase of 6,868 persons to 2041 based on latest population numbers, resulting in a total gain of 53.8% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Clifton Hill - Alphington among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Clifton Hill - Alphington has averaged 248 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 1,241 homes. As of FY-26, two approvals have been recorded. Between FY-21 and FY-25, an average of 1.1 people moved to the area per dwelling built annually. The average construction value for new properties is $322,000.

In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $38.1 million. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Clifton Hill - Alphington has 237.0% more development activity per person. Recent construction comprises 2.0% standalone homes and 98.0% medium and high-density housing. The area's existing housing is 27.0% houses. Clifton Hill - Alphington reflects a developing area with around 47 people per approval. By 2041, the area is expected to grow by 6,351 residents. At current development rates, new housing supply should meet demand comfortably, supporting good conditions for buyers and potentially growth beyond current population projections.

Looking ahead, Clifton Hill - Alphington is expected to grow by 6,351 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Clifton Hill - Alphington has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Area infrastructure significantly impacts local performance. AreaSearch identified 101 projects potentially affecting the area. Notable ones include Fitzroy Gasworks Precinct, Heidelberg Road Local Area Plan, 267-269 Queens Parade Apartments, and YarraBend. The following list details those likely most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch assessment positions Clifton Hill - Alphington ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Clifton Hill-Alphington has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 4.0% as of June 2021, compared to Greater Melbourne's 5.3%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 6.6%. As of June 2025, 7,317 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 3.9%, below Greater Melbourne's 4.6% and workforce participation at 71.9% compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (38.4%), health care & social assistance (15.2%), and education & training (10.7%). The area shows strong specialization in professional & technical, with an employment share of 1.8 times the regional level, but lower representation in construction at 5.6% versus the regional average of 9.7%.

Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 6.6%, while labour force increased by 7.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with local projections suggesting growth of approximately 7.5% over five years and 15.1% over ten years based on the area's employment mix.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

Clifton Hill - Alphington had exceptionally high income levels nationally according to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest ATO data for financial year 2022. Its median taxpayer income was $69,690 and average income stood at $104,953, compared to Greater Melbourne's figures of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. By September 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% would be approximately $78,164 (median) and $117,715 (average). Census data showed Clifton Hill - Alphington's household, family, and personal incomes ranked highly nationally, between the 91st and 95th percentiles. Income brackets indicated that the largest segment comprised 31.8% earning over $4000 weekly (3,755 residents), differing from regional patterns where $1,500 - $2,999 dominated with 32.8%. The district demonstrated considerable affluence with 44.5% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consumed 15.2% of income, but strong earnings still placed disposable income at the 91st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 10th decile.

Clifton Hill - Alphington displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Clifton Hill - Alphington's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 27.4% houses and 72.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 12.8% houses and 87.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Clifton Hill - Alphington was at 29.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.8% and rented ones at 39.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,600, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,326. Median weekly rent was recorded at $500, compared to Melbourne metro's $451. Nationally, Clifton Hill - Alphington's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Clifton Hill - Alphington features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 62.0% of all households, including 26.0% couples with children, 28.4% couples without children, and 6.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 38.0%, with lone person households at 30.2% and group households comprising 7.9%. The median household size is 2.3 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.0.

Educational achievement in Clifton Hill - Alphington places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Clifton Hill-Alphington is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. 64.3% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 36.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (21.1%) and graduate diplomas (6.8%). Vocational pathways account for 15.2% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 7.6% and certificates also at 7.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.8% in tertiary education, 8.0% in primary education, and 5.4% pursuing secondary education. Clifton Hill-Alphington's five schools have a combined enrollment of 1,962 students. The area demonstrates exceptional educational performance with an ICSEA score of 1172, placing local schools among the most advantaged nationally. The educational mix includes four primary schools and one K-12 school. The area functions as an education hub with 16.6 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 10.3, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Clifton Hill - Alphington has 35 active public transport stops serving a mix of train, light rail, and bus services. These stops are covered by 14 different routes that together facilitate 7,250 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents on average situated 268 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 1,035 trips per day, translating to approximately 207 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Clifton Hill - Alphington is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Clifton Hill - Alphington shows superior health outcomes for both younger and older age groups, with low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 74% of its total population (8,703 people) has private health cover, exceeding Greater Melbourne's rate of 69.8%. Nationally, the average is 55.3%.

Mental health issues affect 11.8% and asthma impacts 8.8% of residents in the area. A total of 68.8% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to Greater Melbourne's 70.6%. The area has 14.3% (1,686 people) aged 65 and over, higher than Greater Melbourne's 12.1%. Health outcomes among seniors in Clifton Hill - Alphington are above average, mirroring the general population's health profile.

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

Clifton Hill-Alphington showed cultural diversity above average, with 22.3% of its population born overseas and 14.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 28.2%. Judaism's representation was notably higher at 1.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (25.9%), Australian (20.1%), and Irish (12.2%). Notable divergences included Scottish at 9.5% (vs regional 8.6%), Greek at 2.7% (vs 2.8%), and Macedonian at 0.5% (vs 0.3%).

Clifton Hill - Alphington's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Clifton Hill-Alphington has a median age of 37, matching Greater Melbourne's figure and remaining close to Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group is strongly represented at 20.1%, higher than Greater Melbourne's percentage but lower for the 15-24 cohort at 10.3%. This 25-34 concentration is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 8.5% to 10.3% of the population. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 11.3% to 10.4%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Clifton Hill-Alphington's age structure, with the 45-54 group expected to double (adding 1,474 people) and reach 2,942 from its current figure of 1,467.