Clifton Hill - Alphington

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 November 2025. This shows an increase of 1,954 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 9,855. The change is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 11,292 in June 2024 and 693 new addresses validated since the Census date. This results in a population density of 2,266 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Clifton Hill-Alphington's growth rate of 19.8% since the 2021 census exceeds both national (8.9%) and state averages, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 46.8% of overall population gains during recent periods, though all drivers were 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 employs VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future demographic trends predict exceptional growth, with the area expected to increase by 6,868 persons by 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting 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 averaged approximately 248 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 1,241 homes. As of FY-26, three 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 was $322,000.

In FY-26, there have been $38.1 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Clifton Hill - Alphington records 237.0% more development activity per person. Recent construction comprises 2.0% standalone homes and 98.0% medium and high-density housing. This shift from the area's existing housing (currently 27.0% houses) reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles. Clifton Hill - Alphington is expected to grow by approximately 6,351 residents through to 2041, with current development rates comfortably meeting demand.

Looking ahead, Clifton Hill - Alphington is expected to grow by 6,351 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). 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 very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified 101 potential impact projects. Key projects include Fitzroy Gasworks Precinct, Heidelberg Road Local Area Plan, 267-269 Queens Parade Apartments, and YarraBend. Below 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 3.9% as of September 2025, below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.9%. As of September 2025, 7,168 residents were in work, with a workforce participation rate of 71.9%, higher than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Major employment sectors include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area shows strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction has lower representation at 5.6% compared to the regional average of 9.7%. While local employment opportunities exist, many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 4.9%, while labour force grew by 4.9%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 3.1%. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.0% and a slight rise in unemployment to 5.0%. State-level data as of 25-Nov shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, slightly above the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia projects national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Clifton Hill-Alphington's employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.5% over five years and 15.1% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

The Clifton Hill - Alphington SA2 had an exceptionally high national income level according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. Its median income among taxpayers was $69,690 and the average income stood at $104,953, which compared to figures for Greater Melbourne of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $78,164 (median) and $117,715 (average) as of September 2025. Census data revealed that household, family and personal incomes all ranked highly in Clifton Hill - Alphington, between the 91st and 95th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicated that the largest segment comprised 31.8% earning $4000+ weekly (3,755 residents), differing from patterns across regional levels 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, though strong earnings still placed disposable income at the 90th percentile and 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

In Clifton Hill - Alphington, as per the latest Census, 27.4% of dwellings were houses while 72.6% were other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. This contrasts with Melbourne metropolitan area's figures of 12.8% houses and 87.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Clifton Hill - Alphington stood at 29.4%, with mortgaged properties at 30.8% and rented ones at 39.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,326. Median weekly rent in the area was $500, compared to Melbourne metro's $451. Nationally, Clifton Hill - Alphington's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,600 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially higher at $500 compared to 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 account for 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 constitute 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, which is 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 notably higher than broader benchmarks. Specifically, 64.3% of residents aged 15 years and over hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% statewide (Victoria). This educational advantage is reflected in the types of qualifications held: Bachelor degrees are the most common at 36.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 21.1%, and graduate diplomas at 6.8%. Vocational pathways account for 15.2% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 7.6% and certificates also at 7.6%.

Educational participation is high in the area, 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.

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. These include train, light rail, and bus services. A total of 14 routes operate in the area, serving 7,250 weekly passenger trips combined.

Residents have good accessibility to transport, with an average distance of 268 meters to the nearest stop. Daily service frequency averages 1,035 trips across all routes, which equates 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 of 8,703 people have private health cover, higher than Greater Melbourne's 69.8%. Nationally, the average is 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (11.8%) and asthma (8.8%), with 68.8% of residents reporting no medical ailments, compared to 70.6% in Greater Melbourne. The area has 14.3%, or 1,686 people, aged 65 and over, higher than Greater Melbourne's 12.1%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, aligning with the general population's health profile.

In terms of cultural diversity, Clifton Hill - Alphington records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Clifton Hill-Alphington, surveyed from July 2016 to June 2019, had 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 predominant religion, comprising 28.2%. Judaism was overrepresented 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% (regional: 8.6%), Greek at 2.7% (regional: 2.8%), and Macedonian at 0.5% (regional: 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 closely aligning with Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group is strongly represented at 20.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's percentage. The 15-24 cohort, however, is less prevalent at 10.3%. This concentration in the 25-34 age group is notably higher than Australia's national figure of 14.5%. Between 2021 and the present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 8.5% to 10.3% of Clifton Hill-Alphington's population. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 11.3% to 10.4%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Clifton Hill-Alphington's age structure. Notably, the 45-54 group is projected to grow by 100%, adding 1,474 people and reaching a total of 2,942 from its current figure of 1,467.