Fitzroy
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Fitzroy are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Fitzroy's population was around 12,476 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 2,045 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,431 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,026 in June 2024 and an additional 281 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population resulted in a density ratio of 9,040 persons per square kilometer, placing Fitzroy in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Fitzroy's growth rate of 19.6% since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (8.9%) and state averages, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 86.8% 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 utilised the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusting with 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, exceptional growth is predicted over the period, with Fitzroy expected to increase by 5,220 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 37.9% in total over the 17 years.

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

Fitzroy has seen around 77 new homes approved each year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, a total of 387 homes were approved, with an additional 23 approved so far in FY26. On average, over these five years, about 1.6 new residents arrived per new home. However, this figure has increased recently to 5.8 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing demand and tightening supply.

The average expected construction cost value of new homes is $630,000, indicating that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This year, $35.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, showing strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Fitzroy maintains similar construction rates per person, keeping market balance consistent with the broader area. However, there has been an increase in development activity recently.

Most new buildings are townhouses or apartments (98.0%), with only 2.0% being detached houses. This skew towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. Fitzroy currently has approximately 118 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market. By 2041, it is projected that Fitzroy will add 4,728 residents. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially leading to increased buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Fitzroy has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 42 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Brenan Place, Fitzroy Gasworks, Palladian (26-56 Queens Parade), and Fitzroy Fitzroy. The following list details those 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 reveals Fitzroy recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Fitzroy has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 9.2% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.2%. As of that date, 7,698 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 4.6%, equal to Greater Melbourne's rate. Workforce participation in Fitzroy was higher at 69.2% compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical services (with a share 2.1 times the regional level), health care & social assistance, and education & training.

Construction employment is under-represented, with only 3.6% of Fitzroy's workforce compared to 9.7% in Greater Melbourne. The area functions as an employment hub with 1.5 workers per resident, attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 5.2%, labour force grew by 7.1%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 1.7 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.5%, labour force expand by 4.0%, with an unemployment increase of 0.5 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project national growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but industry-specific projections suggest local growth in Fitzroy could be approximately 7.5% over five years and 15.0% over ten years.

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

Fitzroy had a median taxpayer income of $66,739 and an average income of $96,670 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. This is notably higher than Greater Melbourne's median income of $54,892 and average income of $73,761 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $74,854 (median) and $108,425 (average). According to the 2021 Census, individual earnings in Fitzroy stood out at the 94th percentile nationally ($1,265 weekly). Distribution data showed that the largest segment comprised 27.5% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (3,430 residents), which was consistent with broader trends across the region showing 32.8% in the same category. Economic strength was evident through 37.0% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consumed 17.9% of income, though strong earnings still placed disposable income at the 75th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Fitzroy, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 3.2% houses and 96.8% other dwellings. In comparison, Melbourne metro had 12.8% houses and 87.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Fitzroy was 18.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.6% and rented dwellings at 60.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,500, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,326. Median weekly rent in Fitzroy was $451, equal to Melbourne metro's figure but significantly higher than the national average of $375. Nationally, Fitzroy's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,500 compared to the Australian average of $1,863.

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

Family households constitute 49.5% of all households, including 12.0% couples with children, 28.1% couples without children, and 7.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 50.5%, with lone person households at 38.3% and group households comprising 12.2%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which aligns with the Greater Melbourne average.

Educational attainment in Fitzroy aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Fitzroy is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. 61.8% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 37.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (19.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.9%). Vocational pathways account for 16.0% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 8.0% and certificates at 8.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.5% in tertiary education, 5.3% in primary education, and 3.6% pursuing secondary education. Fitzroy's 3 schools have a combined enrollment of 1,008 students as of 2021. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1012) with balanced educational opportunities. Education provision is balanced with 2 primary and 1 secondary school serving distinct age groups. School places per 100 residents stood at 8.1 in 2021, below the regional average of 10.3, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Fitzroy has 35 active public transport stops, a mix of lightrail and buses. These are served by 33 routes, offering 11,679 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 130 meters to the nearest stop.

Daily service frequency averages 1,668 trips across all routes, equating to around 333 weekly trips per individual stop.

Fitzroy's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Fitzroy. Both young and old age cohorts exhibit low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 70% of the total population (8,708 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 12.0 and 8.2% of residents respectively. Seventy-point-five percent declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.6% across Greater Melbourne. As of 14th June 2021, 11.3% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,413 people). Health outcomes among seniors are above average, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Fitzroy 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

Fitzroy's cultural diversity was higher than most local areas, with 25.1% speaking a language other than English at home and 34.2% born overseas. Christianity dominated religiously, at 23.0%. Judaism showed notable overrepresentation, at 0.8%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 0.8%.

Ancestry-wise, the top three groups were English (23.5%), Australian (15.6%), and Other (12.9%). Some ethnicities diverged notably: Irish (11.7% vs regional 11.3%), French (0.9% vs 0.8%), and Vietnamese (2.8% vs 2.4%).

Fitzroy's population is younger than the national pattern

Fitzroy'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, Fitzroy has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (31.1%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (5.5%). 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 percentage of Fitzroy's population aged 25 to 34 has increased from 29.5% to 31.1%, while the percentage of residents aged 45 to 54 has decreased from 11.5% to 9.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in Fitzroy's population. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 84%, adding 1,040 residents to reach a total of 2,274. In contrast, the 15-24 age group is projected to have minimal growth of just 9% (an increase of 103 people).