St Kilda - Central
Statistical Area - sa2

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

St Kilda - Central's population was around 14,269 as of Aug 2025. This showed an increase of 2,412 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,857. The change was inferred from ABS estimates of 13,725 in Jun 2024 and 352 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 9,265 persons per square kilometer, placing St Kilda - Central in the top 10% nationally. The area's growth of 20.3% since the 2021 census exceeded both national (8.6%) and state averages, indicating it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 88.9% of overall population gains recently.

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 utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made via 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. Based on these projections, St Kilda - Central is forecast to increase its population significantly, with an expected expansion of 5,210 persons by 2041 and a total increase of 32.7% over the 17 years.

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

St Kilda - Central has averaged approximately 101 new dwelling approvals per year. Development approval data is provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis, with 505 dwellings approved over the past five financial years between FY-21 and FY-25, including zero approvals so far in FY-26. On average, approximately 0.1 new residents per year are associated with each dwelling constructed during these years. This indicates that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and allowing for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction cost value of new properties is $652,000, which is somewhat higher than regional norms, reflecting quality-focused development. In FY-26, approximately $3.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, demonstrating 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 of areas assessed nationally. 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 exhibits a developing market. Population forecasts indicate that St Kilda - Central will gain around 4,666 residents by the year 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match 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 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of 27 projects that may affect the area. Notable projects include 97 Alma Road by Neometro, Ink (71 Inkerman Street), St Kilda Pier Foreshore Upgrade, and 333 StK. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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

St Kilda - Central has an educated workforce with a notable technology sector presence. Its unemployment rate was 6.9% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 6.3%.

As of June 2025, 10,057 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 2.3% higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation is high at 74.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading employment industries among residents include professional & technical services (with a share 1.5 times the regional level), health care & social assistance, and education & training. Manufacturing has limited presence with 3.9% employment versus the regional 7.2%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data analysis. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 6.3%, while labour force grew by 7.1%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 3.5% and unemployment increase by 0.5 percentage points. As of Sep-25, Victoria's employment grew year-on-year by 1.08%, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to St Kilda - Central's industry mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.0%% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows St Kilda - Central had a median income among taxpayers of $61,667 and an average of $88,025. This places it 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 10.11% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest approximately $67,902 (median) and $96,924 (average) as of March 2025. Census data indicates individual earnings are at the 92nd percentile nationally ($1,220 weekly), while household income ranks lower at the 53rd percentile. The earnings profile shows that 36.2% of residents (5,165 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, similar to regional levels where 32.8% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 80.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 49th 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

The latest Census data shows that in St Kilda - Central, 5.6% of dwellings were houses while the remaining 94.4% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. In contrast, Melbourne metropolitan area had 8.7% houses and 91.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Kilda - Central stood at 13.0%, with mortgaged properties at 24.1% and rented ones at 62.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,998, lower than Melbourne's average of $2,170. Weekly rent in St Kilda - Central was $381 compared to Melbourne's $420. Nationally, St Kilda - Central's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,998 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were also higher at $381 compared to 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 account for 39.4% of all households, including 8.4% that are couples with children, 25.5% that are couples without children, and 4.5% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up 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 is notably higher than national averages. As of 2021, 53.7% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. University graduates make up the largest group at 34.3%, followed by postgraduate degree holders (14.8%) and graduate diploma holders (4.6%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 26.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 12.5% and certificates at 13.7%.

A significant 24.7% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 9.7% in tertiary education, 3.7% in primary education, and 2.6% pursuing secondary education. The three schools in St Kilda - Central have a combined enrollment of 1,711 students as of 2020-2021. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages with an ICSEA score of 1113. It includes one primary school and two K-12 schools, with a school capacity that exceeds typical residential needs (12.0 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 9.6), indicating it serves as an educational hub for the broader region.

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

St Kilda - Central has 52 active public transport stops, serving a mix of lightrail and buses. These stops are covered by 13 different routes, facilitating 6,225 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 122 meters to the nearest stop.

On average, there are 889 daily trips across all routes, translating to about 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 of health metrics indicates robust performance throughout St Kilda - Central, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Private health cover rate is exceptionally high at approximately 64% of the total population (9,103 people), compared to 73.1% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 12.3% of residents and asthma impacting 7.7%, while 71.8% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, slightly lower than the 73.3% across Greater Melbourne.

The area has 11.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,583 people), which is lower than the 14.3% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

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

St Kilda-Central has a high level of cultural diversity, with 23.5% of its population speaking a language other than English at home as of the 2016 Census. Additionally, 41.3% of its residents were born overseas during this period. Christianity is the predominant religion in St Kilda-Central, comprising 28.6% of its population according to the 2011 Census data.

However, Judaism is notably overrepresented in St Kilda-Central compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 2.6% versus 3.7% respectively during this period. The top three ancestry groups in St Kilda-Central are English at 23.7%, Australian at 15.3%, and Other at 12.7%. There are also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups, with Polish being overrepresented at 1.6% compared to the regional average of 1.5%, French at 1.5% versus 1.1%, and Russian at 1.1% versus 0.9%.

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

St Kilda - Central's median age was 35 years in the latest data, slightly younger than Greater Melbourne's 37 and the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group made up 32.2% of the population compared to Greater Melbourne, while the 5-14 cohort constituted 3.7%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group was well above the national figure of 14.5%. Between 2021 and the latest period, the 15-24 age group grew from 8.4% to 9.6%, while the 65-74 cohort increased from 6.1% to 7.2%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group decreased from 12.3% to 11.0%. Population forecasts for St Kilda - Central indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to rise significantly, expanding by 1,152 people (73%) from 1,575 to 2,728.