Melbourne CBD - North
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Melbourne CBD - North's population was around 23,645 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 6,775 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,870 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 23,579 in June 2024 and an additional 74 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 42,223 persons per square kilometer, placing Melbourne CBD - North in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's population growth of 40.2% since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (8.9%) and the state average. Overseas migration contributed approximately 95.5% of overall population gains during recent periods, with natural growth and interstate migration also being positive factors.

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 with adjustments made using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends predicted exceptional growth, with Melbourne CBD - North expected to grow by 11,857 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting an increase of 49.9% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Melbourne CBD - North according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Melbourne CBD - North has seen approximately six dwellings granted development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, 32 homes were approved, with none yet recorded in FY26. Each dwelling built resulted in an average of 162.9 people moving to the area per year during these five years.

This indicates significant demand exceeding new supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. In the current financial year, $76.9 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting strong commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Melbourne CBD - North has notably less development activity, which often reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings.

This is also below the national average, reflecting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. By 2041, projections show Melbourne CBD - North adding 11,791 residents. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Melbourne CBD - North has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 22 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones are Queen Victoria Market Precinct Renewal, Gurrowa Place - QVM Southern Precinct, Queens Place, and Metro Tunnel Project. 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 Melbourne CBD - North significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Melbourne CBD - North has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 2.8% as of June 2025, showing an estimated employment growth of 7.2% over the past year.

In this area, 16,129 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.8% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation was fairly standard at 66.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include accommodation & food, professional & technical services, and retail trade. Accommodation & food showed particularly strong specialization with an employment share of 3.8 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction had lower representation at 2.9% versus the regional average of 9.7%. The area functioned as an employment hub with 1.6 workers for every resident, hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 7.2%, labour force increased by 7.1%, while unemployment remained essentially unchanged. In comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.5%, labour force expand by 4.0%, and unemployment rise by 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a potential future demand within Melbourne CBD - North. These projections suggest that national employment could expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Melbourne CBD - North's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.8% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that median income in Melbourne CBD - North is $30,966 and average income is $47,396. This is below the national average. In Greater Melbourne, median income is $54,892 and average income is $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, estimated median income as of September 2025 would be approximately $34,731 and average income would be around $53,159. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Melbourne CBD - North fall between the 7th and 17th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 26.5% of residents earn between $800 and $1,499, differing from metropolitan patterns where the dominant bracket is $1,500 to $2,999 with 32.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 70.0% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 4th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Melbourne CBD - North, as per the latest Census, consisted entirely of non-house dwellings (100.0%), compared to Melbourne metro's 2.2% houses and 97.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Melbourne CBD - North stood at 10.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 9.3% and rented ones at 80.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,725, below the Melbourne metro average of $1,962. Median weekly rent in Melbourne CBD - North was $361, lower than Melbourne metro's $396 and Australia's national figure of $375. Nationally, mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863.

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

Family households account for 32.0% of all households, including 3.4% couples with children, 21.9% couples without children, and 2.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 68.0%, with lone person households at 47.7% and group households comprising 20.2% of the total. The median household size is 1.7 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 1.8.

Educational attainment in Melbourne CBD - North aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Melbourne CBD - North shows a significant advantage with 59.4% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 37.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 19.9% and graduate diplomas at 2.0%. Vocational pathways account for 16.3% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.4% and certificates at 5.9%. Educational participation is high, with 53.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 36.2% in tertiary education, 1.2% in secondary education, and 1.1% pursuing primary education.

Eltham College - Lonsdale Street Campus provides local educational services within Melbourne CBD - North, with an enrollment of 0 students as of the latest data. All schools offer integrated K-12 education for academic continuity. No schools are located within Melbourne CBD - North, requiring residents to travel to neighboring areas for educational services. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to parent campus information.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 31 active transport stops operating within Melbourne CBD - North as of June 2021. These include train, light rail, and bus services. There are 65 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 29,873 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 95 meters from the nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 4,267 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 963 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Melbourne CBD - North shows excellent health outcomes with low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Private health cover stands at approximately 46% (~10,876 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 56.0% and the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues affect 5.8%, while asthma impacts 4.3% of residents.

A total of 88.1% report no medical ailments, higher than Greater Melbourne's 79.8%. The area has 2.9% (690 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Melbourne's 6.8%. Senior health outcomes align with the general population's profile.

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

Melbourne CBD - North has a population where 75.1% speak a language other than English at home, and 82.4% were born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Melbourne CBD - North, with 20.7%. Buddhism, however, is significantly higher at 13.8%, compared to Greater Melbourne's average of 7.0%.

In terms of ancestry, Chinese comprise 43.5%, Other 18.4%, and English 8.5% of the population in Melbourne CBD - North. Notably, Korean (2.8%), Vietnamese (3.1%), and Indian (4.9%) groups are overrepresented compared to regional averages.

Melbourne CBD - North hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Melbourne CBD-North's median age in 2021 was 25 years, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and the national average of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Melbourne CBD-North had a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (43.8%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (1.3%). This 25-34 concentration was significantly higher than the national figure of 14.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the 25-34 age group increased from 39.9% to 43.8%, while the 15-24 cohort decreased from 38.1% to 35.2%. Population forecasts for Melbourne CBD-North indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041, with the 25-34 age group projected to grow significantly, increasing by 5,787 people (56%) from 10,356 to 16,144.