Footscray

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

Footscray's population was around 20,920 as of May 2026. This reflected an increase of 3,789 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,131. The change was inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 20,891 in June 2025 and an additional 1,936 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 4,209 persons per square kilometer, placing Footscray in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's population growth of 22.1% since the 2021 census exceeded both the state average (9.3%) and the national average. Overseas migration contributed approximately 93.6% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving Footscray's growth.

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 utilized the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusting them 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. Future projections anticipate exceptional growth, with Footscray expected to expand by 14,536 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 69.3% in total over the 16 years.

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

Footscray has recorded approximately 501 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, a total of 2,507 homes were approved, with an additional 26 approved so far in FY26. On average, around 1.1 new residents have arrived per year for each new home over these five years, indicating balanced supply and demand dynamics.

The average expected construction cost value for new dwellings during this period was $275,000, below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. In FY26, Footscray has registered $1.631 billion in commercial approvals, demonstrating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Footscray records 130.0% more new home approvals per capita, providing buyers with ample choice. However, development activity has moderated in recent periods. Recent construction in Footscray comprises 1.0% detached dwellings and 99.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 32.0% houses. This trend towards denser development offers accessible entry options, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. With around 285 people per dwelling approval, Footscray shows a developing market.

Looking ahead, Footscray is projected to grow by 14,498 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

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

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified 51 impactful projects in total. Key projects include Footscray Station Precinct Upgrade, Joseph Road Precinct, Kinnear's Precinct (Live City), and Victoria Square by Growland. The following list details those likely 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.

Footscray has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Footscray has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 5.9% as of December 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.6%.

There were 14,254 residents employed by December 2025, with an unemployment rate of 7.0%, which is 1.2% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation in Footscray was 80.8%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 41.2% of residents worked from home. Employment concentrations are in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

The area has a notable concentration in accommodation & food services with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average. Construction employment is limited at 5.0%, compared to the regional average of 9.7%. The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.9 as per Census data, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. Over the year to December 2025, employment increased by 3.6% while labour force grew by 4.5%, leading to an unemployment rate increase of 0.8 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, and an unemployment rate rise of 0.3 percentage points. 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 Footscray's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Footscray SA2 has a median taxpayer income of $56,703 and an average income of $68,765 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is slightly above national averages, which contrast with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $62,158 (median) and $75,380 (average) as of March 2026. Census data shows personal income ranks at the 69th percentile ($916 weekly), while household income sits at the 51st percentile. Income brackets indicate that the largest segment comprises 34.3% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (7,175 residents), mirroring the surrounding region where 32.8% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 48th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Footscray's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 31.6% houses and 68.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Footscray stood at 14.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.7% and rented dwellings at 57.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,940, lower than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Footscray was $355, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Footscray's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 52.1% of all households, including 15.9% couples with children, 25.9% couples without children, and 8.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 47.9%, with lone person households at 37.6% and group households comprising 10.3%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Footscray shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Footscray's educational attainment is notably higher than national and regional averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 50.6% have university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.0% in the SA4 region. University graduates make up 30.8%, postgraduate qualifications account for 15.2%, and graduate diplomas are held by 4.6%. Vocational pathways comprise 21.7% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 11.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.0% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.0% in tertiary education, 5.3% in primary education, and 3.2% pursuing secondary education.

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

Footscray has 119 active public transport stops offering a mix of train, light rail, and bus services. These stops are served by 29 individual routes, collectively facilitating 15,950 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 132 meters to the nearest stop. Primarily residential, most residents commute outward. Cars remain the dominant mode at 54%, followed by train at 24% and bus at 7%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.5 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 41.2% of residents work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 2,278 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 134 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Health performance in Footscray is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Footscray faces significant health challenges according to AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups exhibit high prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover stands at approximately 53% of Footscray's total population (~11,150 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 56.7%. Mental health issues affect 12.2% of residents, while asthma impacts 8.1%. Notably, 70.0% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among working-age population are generally typical. The area has 9.9% of residents aged 65 and over (2,068 people), lower than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges, with national rankings higher than the general population.

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

Footscray has a high level of cultural diversity, with 42.2% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 45.0% born overseas. The predominant religion in Footscray is Christianity, making up 27.2% of the population. However, Buddhism shows significant overrepresentation, comprising 9.2%, compared to 4.2% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (18.0%), Other (16.0%), and Australian (14.8%). Notably, Vietnamese is overrepresented at 8.0% in Footscray (compared to 1.9% regionally), while Macedonian and Spanish show similar representation to the regional average at 0.7% each.

Footscray hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Footscray's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Footscray has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (29.6%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (5.8%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.6%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population of Footscray has seen an increase in the 35 to 44 age group from 18.4% to 20.4%, and the 15 to 24 age group from 11.0% to 12.4%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 age group has decreased from 8.4% to 7.4%. Population forecasts for Footscray indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to grow significantly, with an increase of 55%, adding 3,401 residents and reaching a total of 9,596 residents in that age group by that year.