West Footscray - Tottenham
Statistical Area - sa2

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

West Footscray-Tottenham's population is 13,044 as of November 2025. This is an increase of 1,309 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 11,735. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates: 12,953 in June 2024 and additional validated addresses since the Census date. The population density is 2,181 persons per square kilometer. This area's 11.2% growth since 2021 exceeds the national average of 8.9%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 72.2% of recent 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 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. Future trends forecast a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australian statistical areas. West Footscray-Tottenham is expected to grow by 3,538 persons to 2041, an increase of 26.4% over 17 years.

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

West Footscray-Tottenham has seen approximately 53 dwellings granted development approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling 267 homes from FY-21 to FY-25. As of FY-26, three approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.9 new residents per year have accompanied each new home over these five years, suggesting a balanced supply and demand creating stable market conditions. However, recent data indicates an increase to 9.4 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, implying growing popularity and potential undersupply. New homes are being constructed at an average cost of $299,000, aligning with broader regional development trends.

In FY-26, commercial development approvals have totalled $53.5 million, reflecting high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, West Footscray-Tottenham has significantly less development activity, at 63.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. The current building activity consists of 24.0% standalone homes and 76.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a shift towards higher-density living to provide more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This marks a notable change from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 59.0% houses. West Footscray-Tottenham reflects a transitioning market with approximately 324 people per approval.

Looking ahead, the area is projected to grow by 3,447 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

West Footscray - Tottenham has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 31 projects that could affect the region. Notable initiatives include West Footscray Community Facilities Plan, Barkly Village, 713 Barkly Street Townhouses, and 590-596 Barkly Street Development. The following list details those 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 labour market in West Footscray - Tottenham shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

West Footscray - Tottenham has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 3.6% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 5.6%.

As of June 2025, 8,318 residents were employed, below Greater Melbourne's unemployment rate of 4.6%, and participation rate at 69.8%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, professional & technical services. Public administration & safety has higher representation than average, while construction is lower at 7.2% versus the regional average of 9.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work.

In the year ending June 2025, employment increased by 5.6%, labour force by 5.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with local projections suggesting West Footscray - Tottenham's growth at approximately 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows West Footscray - Tottenham had a median taxpayer income of $59,588 and an average of $71,176. This is higher than the national averages. Greater Melbourne had a median income of $54,892 and an average of $73,761 during this period. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, current estimates for West Footscray - Tottenham would be approximately $66,834 (median) and $79,831 (average) as of September 2025. Census data indicates that incomes in West Footscray - Tottenham cluster around the 72nd percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that 31.7% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999, mirroring regional levels where 32.8% fall into this bracket. High housing costs consume 16.3% of income in the area. Despite this, disposable income is at the 65th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

West Footscray - Tottenham displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in West Footscray-Tottenham, as assessed at the Census 2016, consisted of 59.0% houses and 41.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metropolitan area's 49.7% houses and 50.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in West Footscray-Tottenham stood at 22.2%, similar to Melbourne metro's level, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.1% and rented dwellings at 41.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,129, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,100. Median weekly rent was $351, lower than Melbourne metro's figure of $376. Nationally, West Footscray-Tottenham's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

West Footscray - Tottenham features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 62.9 percent of all households, including 28.0 percent couples with children, 24.3 percent couples without children, and 9.2 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 37.1 percent, with lone person households at 28.9 percent and group households comprising 8.1 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Greater Melbourne average.

West Footscray - Tottenham 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 West Footscray-Tottenham exceeds broader benchmarks. 46.4% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.0% regionally. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 28.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational pathways account for 23.2% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 13.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.4% in primary, 7.6% in tertiary, and 5.4% in secondary education. The area's three schools have a combined enrollment of 880 students. West Footscray-Tottenham has significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA: 1111). Education provision is balanced with two primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School places per 100 residents (6.8) are below the regional average (12.5), suggesting some students may attend schools in adjacent areas. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to parent campus.

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

Public transport analysis shows 60 active transport stops operating within West Footscray - Tottenham. These include a mix of train and bus services. Eight individual routes service these stops, collectively providing 5,391 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 158 meters from the nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 770 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 89 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 shows better health outcomes with fewer common health conditions among its general population compared to national averages.

However, rates are higher among older and at-risk cohorts. Approximately 55% (~7,174 people) of the total population has private health cover. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (affecting 10.1% of residents) and asthma (8.5%). Conversely, 71.6% claim to be free from medical ailments compared to Greater Melbourne's 72.7%. The area has a lower proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 10.3% (1,342 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 11.4%.

West Footscray - Tottenham is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

West Footscray-Tottenham has high cultural diversity, with 35.4% born overseas and 34.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion, at 33.8%. Buddhism is overrepresented at 6.4%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 2.7%.

The top ancestry groups are English (19.6%), Australian (18.6%), and Other (12.6%). Notably, Vietnamese (6.2%) and Croatian (1.2%) are overrepresented, while Macedonian is at 0.9%, close to Melbourne's average of 1%.

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

West Footscray's median age in Tottenham is 35 years, which is younger than Greater Melbourne's 37 and Australia's national average of 38. The age group of 35-44 has strong representation at 19.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's figure, while the 15-24 cohort is less prevalent at 10.1%. This concentration in the 35-44 age group is higher than the national average of 14.2%. From 2021 to present, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 8.9% to 10.1%, while the 25-34 cohort has declined from 22.5% to 20.4%. By 2041, West Footscray-Tottenham's demographic is projected to change significantly. The 45-54 age group is expected to increase by 679 people (40%), growing from 1,707 to 2,387. Meanwhile, the 5-14 cohort is projected to grow modestly by 6% (79 people).