North Melbourne
Statistical Area - sa2

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

North Melbourne's population was around 19,243 as of August 2025. This reflected an increase of 3,606 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,637. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 19,221 in June 2024 and an additional 160 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 7,951 persons per square kilometer, placing North Melbourne among the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's population growth of 23.1% since the 2021 census exceeded both national (8.6%) and state averages, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 95.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area as 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 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. Based on the latest population numbers, North Melbourne is forecasted to experience significant population increase in the top quartile of statistical areas across the nation. The area is expected to expand by 7,774 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 40.3% over the 17-year period.

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

North Melbourne has seen approximately 309 new homes approved annually. Between FY21 and FY25, around 1,545 homes were approved, with a further 3 approved in FY26 so far. On average, about 0.8 new residents per year have been arriving for each new home over the past five financial years.

This suggests that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction cost value of these new homes has been around $326,000, which is below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options for purchasers. In FY26, North Melbourne has registered approximately $299.8 million in commercial approvals, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, North Melbourne shows moderately higher construction activity, at 30.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period from FY21 to FY25. This level is significantly above the national average, indicating strong developer interest in the area.

Notably, all new construction in North Melbourne has been comprised of attached dwellings, reflecting a trend towards denser development. This provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. With around 223 people per dwelling approval, North Melbourne shows a developing market with growth potential. Looking ahead, North Melbourne is expected to grow by approximately 7,752 residents through to 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 61 projects potentially affecting the area. Notable ones include Abbotsford Street Social Housing, Metro Tunnel - Arden Station, Errol Street Private Hospital, and West End Mixed-Use Precinct, with the following list focusing on those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Employment performance in North Melbourne has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

North Melbourne has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 9.1% as of the previous year, with an estimated employment growth of 5.1%.

As of June 2025, 12,092 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 4.5%, which is 0.1% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation in North Melbourne stands at 68.3%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. The leading employment industries among residents are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Notably, the area has a significant specialisation in professional & technical services, with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction has limited presence, with only 3.5% employment compared to the regional average of 9.7%. The ratio of workers per resident in North Melbourne is 0.7, indicating a higher level of local employment opportunities than usual. In the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 5.1%, and labour force increased by 7.1% in North Melbourne, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 1.7 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5%, labour force growth of 4.0%, with unemployment rising by 0.5 percentage points. Providing broader context, state-level data from Sep-25 shows that Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. This is slightly higher than the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, but Victoria's employment growth outpaces the national average of 0.26%. Looking ahead, Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. However, growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to North Melbourne's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.3% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, though these figures are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

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

North Melbourne's median income among taxpayers was $52,026 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $72,226 during the same period. These figures compare to Greater Melbourne's median and average incomes of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, current estimates for North Melbourne's median income are approximately $57,286 as of March 2025, with the average estimated at $79,528 by that date. According to Census 2021 income data, personal income ranks at the 74th percentile ($953 weekly), while household income sits at the 48th percentile. The dominant income bracket in North Melbourne is $1,500 - 2,999 with 31.2% of residents (6,003 people). Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 79.8% of income remaining, ranking at the 44th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

In North Melbourne, as per the latest Census evaluation, dwelling structures comprised 3.9% houses and 96.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 2.2% houses and 97.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in North Melbourne stood at 13.5%, aligning with the Melbourne metro level, while mortgaged dwellings constituted 20.5% and rented dwellings made up 66.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,035, surpassing the Melbourne metro average of $1,962. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $381, compared to Melbourne metro's $396. Nationally, North Melbourne's median monthly mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 47.2% of all households, including 13.9% couples with children, 23.6% couples without children, and 7.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 52.8%, with lone person households at 40.5% and group households at 12.1%. The median household size is 2.0 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 1.8.

North Melbourne performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

Educational attainment in North Melbourne exceeds national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 60.9% hold university qualifications compared to the Australian average of 30.4%. In Victoria, this figure is 33.4%. The most common qualification is a bachelor degree, held by 34.8% of residents.

Postgraduate qualifications follow at 21.8%, and graduate diplomas are held by 4.3%. Vocational pathways account for 16.0% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 8.2% and certificates 7.8%. Educational participation in North Melbourne is high, with 39.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 20.8% in tertiary education, 5.7% in primary education, and 5.3% pursuing secondary education. North Melbourne operates a robust network of 10 schools educating approximately 2,832 students. The area has balanced educational opportunities with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1018). Educational provision is split between three primary and seven secondary institutions. North Melbourne functions as an education hub with 14.7 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 6.9. This attracts students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

North Melbourne has 56 active public transport stops. These include train, light rail, and bus services. There are 11 routes operating in total, serving 11,181 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have excellent accessibility to these stops, with an average distance of 128 meters to the nearest one. The service frequency is 1,597 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 199 weekly trips per stop.

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

North Melbourne shows excellent health outcomes, with very low prevalence of common conditions across all ages.

Approximately 55% (~10,641 people) have private health cover. Mental health issues and asthma are most prevalent at 11.0 and 8.0%, respectively. 74.1% report no medical ailments compared to Greater Melbourne's 79.8%. The area has 7.5% (1,439 people) aged 65 and over, with seniors' health outcomes aligning with the general population.

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

North Melbourne has high cultural diversity, with 41.3% speaking a language other than English at home and 46.5% born overseas. Christianity is the primary religion in North Melbourne, comprising 24.0%. Islam is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 7.7% versus 4.3%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (17.5%), Other (17.2%), and Australian (14.2%). Notably, Vietnamese (3.0% vs 2.0%) and Chinese (13.8% vs 19.1%) are underrepresented while Korean is slightly overrepresented at 0.8%.

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

North Melbourne's median age is 29, which is younger than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and significantly under the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, North Melbourne has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (31.9%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (5.7%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably higher than the national figure of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, North Melbourne's median age has decreased by 1.7 years from 31 to 29, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Key changes include the growth of the 15-24 age group from 18.5% to 23.4% of the population and the increase of the 25-34 cohort from 29.4% to 31.9%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has declined from 7.7% to 5.7%, and the 55-64 age group dropped from 7.3% to 5.6%. Population forecasts for North Melbourne in 2041 suggest substantial demographic changes, with the strongest projected growth in the 25-34 cohort at 37%, adding 2,250 residents to reach a total of 8,397.