St Kilda - West
Statistical Area - sa2

St Kilda - West has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

St Kilda - West's population is 16,060 as of Aug 2025. This reflects a 15.9% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 13,858 people. The change was inferred from ABS estimated resident population figures and validated new addresses since the Census date. Population density is 6,805 persons per square kilometer, placing St Kilda - West in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (8.6%) and state levels, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 are used with adjustments made employing 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. By 2041, St Kilda - West is forecasted to have a significant population increase in the top quartile of national statistical areas, with an expected growth of 6,378 persons, reflecting a total increase of 39.7% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in St Kilda - West according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

St Kilda - West has seen approximately ten new homes approved annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, totalling 53 approvals across the past five financial years from FY21 to FY25, with no approvals recorded so far in FY26. On average, around 5.5 new residents have arrived per dwelling constructed annually over these five years. This supply lagging demand typically results in heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures, with new homes being built at an average expected construction cost value of $851,000, indicating a focus on the premium market.

In FY26, commercial development approvals amounting to $16.1 million have been recorded, suggesting balanced commercial development activity in the area. Compared to Greater Melbourne, St Kilda - West shows significantly reduced construction levels, at 94.0% below the regional average per person, which usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. This is also under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 10.0% standalone homes and 90.0% townhouses or apartments, fostering higher-density living and offering more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. With around 8366 people per dwelling approval, St Kilda - West reflects a highly mature market. Future projections estimate that the area will add approximately 6,377 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

St Kilda - West has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 38 projects likely impacting the region. Notable initiatives include Fareham, 333 StK, Elwood Main Drain Duplication Project, and 52 St Kilda Road. Relevant projects are detailed below.

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

Employment conditions in St Kilda - West remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

St Kilda - West has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 5.8% as of an unspecified past year.

In June 2025, 11,516 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 6.7%. Workforce participation stood at 69.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key industries of employment among residents are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Professional & technical services had employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average, while manufacturing had limited presence with 3.7% employment compared to 7.2% regionally.

The ratio of workers to residents was 0.7 as at Census time. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 6.1%, labour force grew by 7.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 3.5%. State-level data from Sep-25 shows VIC employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of approximately 7.2%% over five years and 14.4% over ten years for St Kilda - West based on industry-specific projections.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

St Kilda-West has an extremely high national income level according to AreaSearch aggregated ATO data for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers in St Kilda-West is $62,390 and the average income stands at $90,279. These figures compare to Greater Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of March 2025 are approximately $68,698 (median) and $99,406 (average). Census 2021 income data shows individual earnings rank at the 93rd percentile nationally ($1,236 weekly), while household income ranks at the 56th percentile. Income analysis reveals that 34.4% of locals (5,524 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, which is consistent with broader regional trends showing 32.8% in the same category. High housing costs consume 18.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 54th percentile. St Kilda-West's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

St Kilda-West's dwelling structures in the latest Census comprised 4.8% houses and 95.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Melbourne metro had 8.7% houses and 91.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Kilda-West was 17.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.9% and rented ones at 59.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, below Melbourne metro's average of $2,170. Median weekly rent in St Kilda-West was $392, compared to Melbourne metro's $420. Nationally, St Kilda-West's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863 by $137 and rents were above the national figure of $375 by $17.

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

Family households account for 41.4 percent of all households, including 10.8 percent that are couples with children, 25.4 percent consisting of couples without children, and 4.2 percent being single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 58.6 percent, with lone person households at 51.3 percent and group households comprising 7.3 percent of the total. The median household size is 1.7 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 1.9.

St Kilda - West 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 - West significantly surpasses broader benchmarks. As of 2016, 57.1% of residents aged 15 and above held university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% statewide in Victoria. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees were the most prevalent at 34.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%).

Vocational pathways accounted for 23.4% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above - advanced diplomas (11.4%) and certificates (12.0%). Educational participation was notably high, with 27.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of 2016. This included 10.5% in tertiary education, 4.5% in primary education, and 4.1% pursuing secondary education. As of 2021, educational provision includes St Kilda Park Primary School and Wesley College - St Kilda Road Junior Campus, collectively serving 323 students. St Kilda - West demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1144. The educational mix includes one primary school and one K-12 school. Limited local school capacity (2.0 places per 100 residents vs 9.6 regionally) means many families travel to nearby areas for schooling.

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

The analysis of public transport in St Kilda-West found that there were 53 active transport stops operating within the area. These comprised a mix of light rail and bus services. A total of 14 individual routes serviced these stops, collectively providing 9,018 weekly passenger trips.

The report rated transport accessibility as excellent, with residents typically located just 133 meters from their nearest transport stop. Service frequency averaged 1,288 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 170 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout St Kilda - West with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 67% of the total population (10,712 people), compared to 73.1% across Greater Melbourne and 55.3% nationally. Mental health issues are the most common medical condition in the area, impacting 10.9% of residents, followed by asthma at 7.8%.

A significant majority, 72.5%, declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 73.3% across Greater Melbourne. As of 6th July 2021, the area has 14.0% of residents aged 65 and over (2,241 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

St Kilda - West 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-West has a high cultural diversity, with 23.9% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 40.8% born overseas. Christianity is the dominant religion in St Kilda-West, comprising 30.4% of people. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 2.7% of St Kilda-West's population versus 3.7%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (24.6%), Australian (15.0%), and Other (12.5%). Some ethnic groups have notable divergences: French is slightly overrepresented at 1.2%, Russian is equally represented at 0.9%, and Polish is slightly underrepresented at 1.3%.

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

The median age in St Kilda-West is close to Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and equivalent to Australia's median of 38 years as of the 2021 Census. Compared to Greater Melbourne, St Kilda-West has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (27.9%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (4.1%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 increased from 8.2% to 10.4%, while those aged 25-34 rose from 26.8% to 27.9%. Conversely, the proportions of residents aged 45-54 and 35-44 decreased from 14.0% to 12.6% and 18.1% to 17.0%, respectively. By 2041, St Kilda-West's age composition is expected to shift notably, with the 45-54 age group projected to grow by 76% (1,529 people), reaching a total of 3,550 from 2,020.