Collingwood

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

Collingwood's population was around 11,162 as of Feb 2026. This showed an increase of 1,983 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,179. The change was inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 11,145 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 8,789 persons per square kilometer, placing Collingwood in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth of 21.6% since the 2021 census exceeded both national (9.9%) and state averages, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 75.3% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all migration drivers being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch used VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on these projections, Collingwood is expected to grow exceptionally over the period, increasing by 6,881 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 61.5% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Collingwood recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Collingwood averaged approximately 41 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 208 homes. As of FY-26, one approval has been recorded. On average, 6.3 people moved to the area per year for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating demand significantly outpaces supply. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $360,000.

In FY-26, Collingwood has seen $182.3 million in commercial development approvals, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Collingwood shows about 59% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 8th percentile nationally, suggesting constrained buyer choice and increased interest in existing homes. New development consists of 5.0% detached dwellings and 95.0% attached dwellings, favouring higher-density living to create affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. With around 3242 people per approval, Collingwood is considered a mature, established area.

By 2041, Collingwood is projected to grow by 6864 residents. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Collingwood has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 44 projects likely impacting the region. Notable developments include Cambridge Street Collingwood Development, Derby Street Apartment Development, 21 Northumberland Street Mixed-Use Development, and 240 Wellington Street Public Housing Renewal. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Collingwood remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Collingwood has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 9.0% as of an unspecified past year. In September 2025, the unemployment rate was 4.4%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

Workforce participation was 81.4%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 53.0% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training sectors. Collingwood specializes in professional & technical jobs with an employment share 2.1 times the regional level, while construction is under-represented at 4.0% compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%.

There are 1.5 workers for every resident, indicating the area functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. In the 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 4.6%, labour force grew by 5.4%, and unemployment rose by 0.7 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.0%, labour force growth of 3.3%, and an unemployment rise of 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 14.9% over ten years. Applying these projections to Collingwood's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

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

The Collingwood SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $74,601 and an average of $91,595 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year ending 30 June 2023. This is significantly higher than the national median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164 in Greater Melbourne. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since the end of financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $80,756 (median) and $99,152 (average). According to the 2021 Census data, individual earnings at the 95th percentile nationally were $1,338 weekly. In Collingwood, the largest segment of income distribution comprised 32.2% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, with a total of 3,594 residents in this category. This is consistent with broader trends across the region, where 32.8% of residents fall into the same income bracket. Economic strength is evident through 33.1% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, which supports elevated consumer spending. Despite high housing costs consuming 18.6% of income, strong earnings place disposable income at the 69th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Collingwood's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 5.8% houses and 94.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Melbourne metropolitan area had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Collingwood was 11.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.2% and rented ones at 65.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, higher than Melbourne's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $425, compared to Melbourne's $390. Nationally, Collingwood's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 46.6% of all households, including 8.9% couples with children, 29.3% couples without children, and 7.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 53.4%, with lone person households at 42.6% and group households making up 10.8%. The median household size is 1.9 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Collingwood shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

Collingwood's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 60.2% have university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are the most common (38.0%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.8%) and graduate diplomas (4.4%). Vocational pathways account for 18.5%, with advanced diplomas at 8.7% and certificates at 9.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 26.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.1% in tertiary education, 4.7% in primary education, and 3.1% pursuing secondary education.

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

Collingwood has 20 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These comprise a mix of light rail and bus services. There are 30 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 9,893 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 177 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its primarily residential nature. The dominant mode of transport is car at 45%, followed by walking at 20% and cycling at 9%.

Vehicle ownership averages 0.4 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a high 53.0% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,413 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 494 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Collingwood shows above-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 67% of the total population (7,456 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 12.6% of residents and asthma impacting 9.4%, while 71.4% report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among the working-age population are typical. The area has 8.2% of residents aged 65 and over (914 people), lower than Greater Melbourne's 15.1%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, with national rankings in line with the general population.

Collingwood 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

Collingwood has a high level of cultural diversity, with 26.6% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 37.4% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Collingwood, making up 21.8% of people. Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 0.8% versus 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.4%), Australian (15.7%), and Other (14.7%). Vietnamese (3.2%) and French (0.8%) are notably more represented in Collingwood than regionally, at 1.9% and 0.5%, respectively. Polish is also slightly overrepresented at 1.0%.

Collingwood's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Collingwood's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Collingwood has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (34.1%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (5.2%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 19.1% to 20.5% of Collingwood's population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 age group has decreased from 36.4% to 34.1%, and the 45 to 54 age group has dropped from 11.2% to 10.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest substantial demographic changes in Collingwood, with the 25 to 34 age cohort projected to grow by 41%, adding 1,543 residents and reaching a total of 5,346.