St Kilda - Central

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

St Kilda - Central's population was approximately 14,357 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 2,500 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,857. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates; June 2024's ERP was 13,725 with additional validated addresses contributing to the rise. This results in a density ratio of 9,322 persons per square kilometer, placing St Kilda - Central among the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 21.1% since the 2021 Census exceeds both the national average (8.9%) and state figures. Overseas migration drove this growth, contributing approximately 88.9% of overall population gains.

AreaSearch uses 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 employs the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on these projections, St Kilda - Central is forecasted to experience significant population growth, with an expected increase of 5,210 persons by 2041. This reflects a total increase of 31.9% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within St Kilda - Central when compared nationally

St Kilda - Central averaged approximately 101 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 505 homes. As of FY26, there have been 0 approvals recorded so far. Over these five years, an average of 0.1 new residents was recorded per year per dwelling constructed. This indicates that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction cost value of new properties is $912,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY26, $3.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Melbourne, St Kilda - Central has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 81st percentile nationally based on areas assessed. Recent building activity consists entirely of attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers.

With approximately 247 people per dwelling approval, St Kilda - Central indicates a developing market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is forecasted to gain 4,578 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep up with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

St Kilda - Central has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 30 projects that are likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Neometro's development at 97 Alma Road, Ink (71 Inkerman Street), the mixed-use development at 14 Alma Road, and the St Kilda Pier Foreshore Upgrade. The following list details those projects most likely to be 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.

The employment landscape in St Kilda - Central shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

St Kilda - Central has a highly educated workforce with the technology sector being particularly prominent. Its unemployment rate is 6.9% and it has seen an estimated employment growth of 4.7% over the past year.

As of September 2025, there are 9,933 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.2% above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation is higher at 74.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. The leading employment industries among residents are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. St Kilda - Central shows strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share of 1.5 times the regional level.

However, manufacturing has limited presence with only 3.9% employment compared to the regional average of 7.2%. While there are local employment opportunities, many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment in St Kilda - Central increased by 4.7%, while labour force grew by 5.1%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.0%, labour force increase by 3.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data as of 25-Nov shows that Victoria's employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%, and employment growth averaged 0.14%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.2% over ten years in St Kilda - Central, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix. However, these projections are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not consider localized population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data, released for financial year 2022, shows St Kilda - Central SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $61,667 and an average of $88,025. This is among the highest in Australia, compared to Greater Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates as of September 2025 would be approximately $69,166 (median) and $98,729 (average). Census data reveals individual earnings stand out at the 92nd percentile nationally ($1,220 weekly), though household income ranks lower at the 52nd percentile. The earnings profile shows the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 36.2% of residents (5,197 people), reflecting patterns seen regionally where 32.8% similarly occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 80.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 48th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

St Kilda - Central's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 5.6% houses and 94.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Melbourne metro had 8.7% houses and 91.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Kilda - Central was 13.0%, with mortgages at 24.1% and rentals at 62.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,998, below Melbourne metro's $2,170. Median weekly rent was $381, compared to Melbourne metro's $420. Nationally, St Kilda - Central's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,998 against the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were higher at $381 against the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 39.4% of all households, including 8.4% couples with children, 25.5% couples without children, and 4.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 60.6%, with lone person households at 52.3% and group households comprising 8.4%. The median household size is 1.7 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 1.9.

St Kilda - Central demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in St Kilda - Central significantly surpasses broader benchmarks. As of 2016, 53.7% of residents aged 15 years and over held university qualifications, compared to the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian average of 33.4%. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees were the most common qualification at 34.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.8%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%).

Trade and technical skills also featured prominently, with 26.2% of residents aged 15 years and over holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (12.5%) and certificates (13.7%). A substantial 24.7% of the population was actively pursuing formal education in 2016, including 9.7% in tertiary education, 3.7% in primary education, and 2.6% pursuing secondary education.

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

The analysis of public transportation in St Kilda - Central shows that there are currently 52 operational transport stops. These stops offer a combination of light rail and bus services. There are 13 different routes serving these stops, which together facilitate approximately 6,225 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility to transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically living within 122 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are about 889 daily trips across all routes, equating to roughly 119 weekly trips per individual stop.

St Kilda - Central's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis shows strong health metrics in St Kilda - Central. Common health conditions have low prevalence across all ages. Private health cover is high at 64% (9,159 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 73.1%.

Nationally, it's 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma are most common, affecting 12.3% and 7.7% respectively. 71.8% report no medical ailments, close to Greater Melbourne's 73.3%. Seniors (65+) make up 11.1%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 14.3%. Senior health outcomes align with the general population.

St Kilda - Central 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

St Kilda-Central has notable cultural diversity, with 23.5% speaking a language other than English at home and 41.3% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in St Kilda-Central, comprising 28.6%. However, Judaism is overrepresented at 2.6%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 3.7%.

The top three ancestral groups are English (23.7%), Australian (15.3%), and Other (12.7%). Notably, French (1.5% vs regional 1.1%), Polish (1.6% vs 1.5%), and Russian (1.1% vs 0.9%) are overrepresented in St Kilda-Central.

St Kilda - Central's population is younger than the national pattern

St Kilda - Central's median age is 35 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Melbourne's 37 and the national average of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 32.2% of its population, higher than Greater Melbourne's percentage but lower than the national average of 14.5%. The 5-14 age group is less prevalent at 3.7%. From 2021 to present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 8.4% to 9.6%, while the 65-74 cohort increased from 6.1% to 7.2%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has declined from 12.3% to 11.0%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for St Kilda - Central, with the 45-54 age cohort projected to rise substantially by 1,142 people (72%), from 1,585 to 2,728.