Fitzroy

Population growth drivers in Fitzroy are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Fitzroy's population was approximately 12,476 as of November 2025. This represented an increase of 2,045 people from the 2021 Census figure of 10,431. The growth was inferred from ABS estimated resident population data of 12,026 in June 2024 and validated new addresses since the census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 9,040 persons per square kilometer, placing Fitzroy among the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 19.6% since the 2021 Census exceeded both national (8.9%) and state averages, indicating strong population growth driven primarily by overseas migration contributing approximately 86.8% of overall gains. AreaSearch projects Fitzroy's population to increase significantly based on ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made through 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. By 2041, Fitzroy is projected to increase its population by 5,220 persons, reflecting a total gain of 37.9% over the seventeen-year period.

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

Fitzroy has seen approximately 77 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 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 built. However, this figure has increased to 5.8 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing demand and potentially tightening supply.

New homes are being constructed at an average cost of $630,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment. In terms of commercial development, $35.8 million in approvals have been registered this financial year alone. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Fitzroy maintains similar construction rates per capita, maintaining market balance with the broader area. However, there has been an increase in development activity recently.

The majority of new buildings are townhouses or apartments, at 98%, with detached houses making up only 2%. This skew towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. Currently, Fitzroy has approximately 118 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Fitzroy is projected to add around 4,728 residents by 2041. Given current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially leading to increased buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 42 projects likely affecting this region. Notable projects include Fitzroy Gasworks, Palladian at 26-56 Queens Parade, another Fitzroy project, and Melbourne Metro 2 (MM2). The following details projects most relevant to the area.

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's workforce is highly educated with notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 8.9% last year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.5%.

As of September 2025, 7,664 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation in Fitzroy is 69.2% compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (2.1 times the regional level), health care & social assistance, and education & training sectors. Construction employment is under-represented at 3.6%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%.

There are 1.5 workers per resident, indicating Fitzroy functions as an employment hub attracting workers from nearby areas. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 4.5% while the labour force grew by 5.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.0%, labour force expand by 3.3%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows Victorian employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year to 41,950 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Fitzroy's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 7.5% over five years and 15.0% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

The median taxpayer income in Fitzroy SA2 was $66,739 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. The average income was $96,670. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to Greater Melbourne's median income of $54,892 and average income of $73,761. 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 SA2 were at the 93rd percentile nationally, with a weekly income of $1,265. Distribution data shows that the largest segment comprises 27.5% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (3,430 residents). This is consistent with broader trends across the region showing 32.8% in the same category. Economic strength is evident through 37.0% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, which supports elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 17.9% of income, but strong earnings still place disposable income at the 74th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places 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

Fitzroy's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 3.2% houses and 96.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Melbourne metro had 12.8% houses and 87.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Fitzroy was at 18.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.6% and rented ones at 60.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,500, while the median weekly rent was $451. Nationally, Fitzroy's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 constitute 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

Fitzroy's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 61.8% have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. This high level of educational attainment positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. 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, with advanced diplomas at 8.0% and certificates also 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.

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, serving a mix of lightrail and bus routes. These stops are served by 33 individual routes, providing 11,679 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 130 meters to the nearest stop.

The service frequency averages 1,668 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 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 saw low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover was 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 were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 12.0% and 8.2% of residents respectively. Seventy point five percent declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, comparable to Greater Melbourne's 70.6%. As of 2021, 11.3% of residents were aged 65 and over (1,413 people). Health outcomes among seniors were 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 population, as per the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census Data 2016, showed higher cultural diversity compared to most local markets. 25.1% spoke a language other than English at home, while 34.2% were born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, with 23.0%.

Judaism's representation stood out at 0.8%, similar to Greater Melbourne's 0.8%. The top three ancestry groups were English (23.5%), Australian (15.6%), and Other (12.9%). Notably, Irish (11.7%) and French (0.9%) showed slight overrepresentation compared to regional averages of 11.3% and 0.8%, respectively. Vietnamese also had a higher representation at 2.8%, compared to the region's 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 proportion of residents aged 25-34, at 31.1%, but fewer residents aged 5-14, at 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 day, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 has increased from 29.5% to 31.1%, while the proportion of those aged 45 to 54 has decreased from 11.5% to 9.9%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Fitzroy. The 45-54 age group is projected 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 grow minimally by just 9% (103 people).