West Footscray - Tottenham

Population growth drivers in West Footscray - Tottenham are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, West Footscray - Tottenham's population is around 13,073 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,338 people (11.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,735 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,953 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 134 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,186 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. West Footscray - Tottenham's 11.4% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 72.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilizes 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 from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. As we examine future population trends, a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australian statistical areas is forecast, with the area expected to grow by 3,538 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 26.1% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within West Footscray - Tottenham when compared nationally

West Footscray - Tottenham has experienced around 53 dwellings receiving development approval per year, totalling 267 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 14 approvals have been recorded. At an average of 1.9 new residents per year arriving per new home over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply and demand appear well-balanced, creating stable market conditions, though recent data shows this has intensified to 9.4 people per dwelling over the past 2 financial years, indicating growing popularity and potential undersupply. New homes are being built at an average value of $299,000, aligned with broader regional development. Additionally, $53.5 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity.

When measured against Greater Melbourne, West Footscray - Tottenham has significantly less development activity (63.0% below regional average per person). This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. New building activity shows 24.0% standalone homes and 76.0% townhouses or apartments. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing (currently 59.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. At around 324 people per approval, West Footscray - Tottenham reflects a transitioning market.

Looking ahead, West Footscray - Tottenham is expected to grow by 3,418 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

West Footscray - Tottenham has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 31 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the West Footscray Community Facilities Plan, Barkly Village, Perri Melbourne Data Centre (WEFO Woolstores), and 590-596 Barkly Street Development, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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 environment in West Footscray - Tottenham shows above-average strength when compared nationally

West Footscray - Tottenham possesses a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of 4.1%, and 3.5% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 8,249 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.7% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation is well beyond standard (80.3% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%). Based on Census responses, a high 42.7% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. The area has a particular employment specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 7.2% versus the regional average of 9.7%. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of the Census working population relative to the local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, the 12-month period saw employment increase by 3.5% alongside a labour force increase of 4.4%, resulting in unemployment rising by 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within West Footscray - Tottenham. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to West Footscray - Tottenham's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the West Footscray - Tottenham SA2's median income among taxpayers is $62,454, with an average of $74,231. This is higher than average nationally, and compares to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $67,606 (median) and $80,355 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in West Footscray - Tottenham cluster around the 71st percentile nationally. Distribution data shows the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 31.7% of the community (4,144 individuals), mirroring regional levels where 32.8% occupy this bracket. High housing costs consume 16.3% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 64th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

West Footscray - Tottenham displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure within West Footscray - Tottenham, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 59.0% houses and 41.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within West Footscray - Tottenham lagged that of Melbourne metro at 22.2%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (36.1%) or rented (41.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Melbourne metro average at $2,129, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $351, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, West Footscray - Tottenham's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are lower than the national figure of $375.

West Footscray - Tottenham features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 62.9% of all households, comprising 28.0% couples with children, 24.3% couples without children, and 9.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 37.1%, with lone person households at 28.9% and group households comprising 8.1% of the total. The median household size of 2.4 people is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in West Footscray - Tottenham places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in West Footscray - Tottenham significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 46.4% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.0% in the SA4 region. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 28.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational pathways account for 23.2% of qualifications among those aged 15+; advanced diplomas (10.0%) and certificates (13.2%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.4% in primary education, 7.6% in tertiary education, and 5.4% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 61 active transport stops operating within West Footscray - Tottenham, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 11 individual routes, collectively providing 4,191 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 157 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 69%, with 15% by train and 6% by bus. Vehicle ownership averages 0.9 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A high 42.7% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 598 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 68 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in West Footscray - Tottenham is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

West Footscray - Tottenham demonstrates above-average health outcomes, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population, though higher than the national average across older, at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very high, at approximately 56% of the total population (~7,333 people).

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 10.1% and 8.5% of residents, respectively, while 71.6% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 10.7% of residents aged 65 and over (1,398 people), which is lower than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne, though ranking lower nationally than the broader population.

West Footscray - Tottenham 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

West Footscray - Tottenham scores highly on cultural diversity, with 35.4% of its population born overseas and 34.0% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in West Footscray - Tottenham is Christianity, which makes up 33.8% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Buddhism, which comprises 6.4% of the population, compared to 4.2% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in West Footscray - Tottenham are English, comprising 19.6% of the population, Australian, comprising 18.6% of the population, and Other, comprising 12.6% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Vietnamese is notably overrepresented at 6.2% of West Footscray - Tottenham (vs 1.9% regionally), Croatian at 1.2% (vs 0.7%) and Macedonian at 0.9% (vs 0.7%).

West Footscray - Tottenham's population is younger than the national pattern

West Footscray - Tottenham's median age of 35 years is slightly younger than Greater Melbourne's 37 and somewhat younger than the 38-year national average. The 35 - 44 age group shows strong representation at 20.0% compared to Greater Melbourne, whereas the 15 - 24 cohort is less prevalent at 10.2%. This 35 - 44 concentration is well above the national 14.3%. Since 2021, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 8.9% to 10.2% of the population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 22.5% to 19.9%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for West Footscray - Tottenham. The 45 to 54 age cohort is projected to increase solidly, expanding by 673 people (39%) from 1,713 to 2,387. Meanwhile, the 5 to 14 cohort grows by a modest 7% (100 people).