Docklands

Docklands lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Docklands' population, as of November 2025, is approximately 20,253. This figure represents a growth of 4,760 people, a 30.7% increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 15,493. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 18,567 in June 2024 and an additional 982 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 8,300 persons per square kilometer, placing Docklands in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth exceeded both national (8.9%) and state averages since the 2021 census, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made employing 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. Future trends predict exceptional growth, placing Docklands in the top 10 percent of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch, with an expected increase of 11,152 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 46.7% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Docklands among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Docklands has received approximately 821 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 4,106 homes. As of FY-26925 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.5 new residents per year have moved into new homes in Docklands between FY-21 and FY-25. The supply of dwellings has met or exceeded demand during this period, offering greater buyer choice and supporting potential population growth above projections.

The average expected construction cost value for new dwellings is $559,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY-26, $1072.6 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, demonstrating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Docklands has 249.0% more building activity per person, providing ample buyer choice and suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. All recent developments in Docklands have comprised townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. The area has approximately 16 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Docklands is projected to add 9,466 residents by 2041.

With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Docklands has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 59 potential impact projects in total. Key initiatives include Victoria Harbour Precinct, Collins Wharf - Final Three Towers, Elysium Fields, and Collins Wharf - Regatta. The following list details those likely to be 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.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Docklands performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Docklands has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.1% as of September 2025, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.7%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.0%. In September 2025, 13,632 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.6%, and workforce participation at 71.0% compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading employment industries among residents are professional & technical, finance & insurance, and accommodation & food. Docklands has a particularly strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 2.3 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance is under-represented, at 7.6% compared to Greater Melbourne's 14.2%. As of the Census, there are 5.5 workers for every resident, indicating Docklands functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 5.0% and labour force increased by 5.2%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.0%, labour force expand by 3.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. State-wide, in Victoria as of 25-Nov, employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. Nationally, employment growth was 0.14%, and the unemployment rate was 4.3%. 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 Docklands' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Docklands SA2 has one of the highest incomes in Australia. The median income is $59,023 and the average income stands at $81,098. In comparison, Greater Melbourne's median income is $54,892 with an average income of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Docklands SA2 would be approximately $66,200 (median) and $90,960 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals that individual earnings at the 90th percentile nationally are $1,182 weekly, though household income ranks lower at the 63rd percentile. Distribution data shows that 35.3% of Docklands SA2's population (7,149 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range. High housing costs consume 18.8% of income, however strong earnings still place disposable income at the 59th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Docklands features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Docklands' dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, comprised 0.5% houses and 99.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Melbourne metro's 2.2% houses and 97.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Docklands stood at 12.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.6% and rented ones at 68.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $1,962. Median weekly rent in Docklands was $411, compared to Melbourne metro's $396. Nationally, Docklands' mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Docklands features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 51.4% of all households, including 12.4% couples with children, 33.4% couples without children, and 3.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 48.6%, with lone person households at 39.4% and group households making up 9.1% of the total. The median household size is 1.8 people, aligning with the Greater Melbourne average.

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

Docklands residents aged 15 and above have a higher educational attainment than broader national and state averages. Specifically, 64.9% of Docklands residents hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in Victoria (VIC). This significant educational advantage positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 39.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 21.9% and graduate diplomas at 3.2%.

Vocational pathways account for 18.0% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 8.0%. Educational participation is notably high in Docklands, with 30.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 15.1% in tertiary education, 3.1% in primary education, and 1.6% pursuing secondary education.

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

Docklands has 57 operational public transport stops offering a mix of train, lightrail, and bus services. These stops are serviced by 124 different routes, collectively facilitating 28,150 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 119 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 4,021 daily trips across all routes, equating to approximately 493 weekly trips per individual stop.

Docklands's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows exceptional results in Docklands, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is notably high at approximately 61% of the total population (12,313 people), compared to 56.0% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 5.1 and 4.6% of residents respectively.

A significant majority, 84.4%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 79.8% across Greater Melbourne. Docklands has 7.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,484 people), with health outcomes among seniors aligning closely with the general population's health profile.

Docklands is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Docklands has one of the most culturally diverse populations in the country, with 58.7 percent speaking a language other than English at home and 67.5 percent born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Docklands, accounting for 27.4 percent of its population. However, Hinduism is notably overrepresented, making up 14.7 percent compared to the Greater Melbourne average of 6.8 percent.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese at 19.8 percent, Other at 18.9 percent, and English at 13.8 percent. Some other ethnic groups are also notably divergent: Indian is overrepresented at 11.7 percent compared to the regional average of 5.5 percent, Korean at 1.9 percent versus 1.5 percent regionally, and Russian at 0.7 percent against a regional average of 0.4 percent.

Docklands hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Docklands has a median age of 33, which is younger than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Docklands has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 at 36.4%, but fewer residents aged 5-14 at 3.3%. This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 35 to 44 has grown from 18.7% to 20.0%, while the 15 to 24 age group increased from 11.7% to 12.7%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 age group has decreased from 39.0% to 36.4%, and the 0 to 4 age group dropped from 4.5% to 3.0%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes in Docklands. The 45 to 54 age cohort is projected to grow by 121%, adding 2,281 residents to reach a total of 4,165. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 age cohort is expected to grow by a modest 7% (an increase of 180 people).