Williamstown

Williamstown has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Williamstown's population was around 18,138 as of February 2026. This represented an increase of 2,226 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 15,912. The growth was inferred from the estimated resident population of 16,920 in June 2024 and an additional 585 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 2,467 persons per square kilometer, placing Williamstown in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 14.0% growth since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (9.9%) and the state average, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 90.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted employing a method of weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends project an above median growth for the area, with an expected increase of 2,998 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 9.8% over the 17 years.

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

Williamstown has approved approximately 102 new homes each year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 513 homes have been approved, with an additional 12 approved so far in FY-26. On average, over these five years, 0.2 new residents per year have arrived for each new home approved.

This indicates that new housing supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings in Williamstown is $416,000. In FY-26, commercial development approvals have reached $21.7 million, indicating moderate levels of commercial development in the area. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Williamstown shows approximately 67% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 29th percentile nationally, suggesting more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing dwellings. New building activity in Williamstown consists of 17.0% detached houses and 83.0% medium to high-density housing.

This shift towards higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and caters to downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This change reflects the reduced availability of development sites and addresses shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. The location has approximately 586 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market with steady population growth. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Williamstown is forecasted to gain 1,780 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Williamstown has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 21 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Workshops Pier Repairs Project, Williamstown Mechanics Institute Masterplan and Restoration, Williamstown Foreshore Precinct Upgrade, and Williamstown Swimming and Life Saving Club Redevelopment. The following list details those most 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.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Williamstown performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Williamstown has a highly educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate is 2.2%, and there was an estimated 5.5% employment growth in the past year as of September 2025. There are 10,294 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.4%, which is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%.

Workforce participation is at 73.5%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 47.2% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. The leading employment industries are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Williamstown has a particular specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance has limited presence at 11.5% compared to the regional rate of 14.2%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 5.5%, while labour force grew by 5.8%, resulting in a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a similar increase in unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Williamstown's employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

In AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Williamstown SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $71,811 and an average of $105,258. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Williamstown would be approximately $77,735 (median) and $113,942 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, incomes in Williamstown rank highly nationally, with household, family, and personal incomes between the 85th and 87th percentiles. Distribution data shows that 30.1% of locals (5,459 people) fall into the $4000+ income category, differing from the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 32.8%. Economic strength is evident with 41.6% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing expenses account for 13.6% of income, and residents' strong earnings place them in the 88th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Williamstown's dwelling structures in the latest Census comprised 54.5% houses and 45.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Williamstown was at 39.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.3% and rented ones at 26.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,600, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded as $450. Nationally, Williamstown's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Williamstown has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 71.7% of all households, including 35.8% couples with children, 25.8% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 28.3%, with lone person households at 26.7% and group households making up 1.6%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Williamstown shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Williamstown's educational attainment exceeds broader standards, with 45.0% of residents aged 15+ possessing university qualifications compared to Australia's 30.4% and the SA4 region's 32.0%. This notable advantage positions Williamstown favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 27.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.9%) and graduate diplomas (5.3%). Vocational pathways account for 24.4% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas comprising 11.0% and certificates making up 13.4%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.9% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 6.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Williamstown has 73 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These are covered by four different routes, offering a total of 4,770 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 185 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility. Most commuters travel outward from this predominantly residential area. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 79%, with trains used by 10% and walking by 5%. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 47.2% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes is 681 trips per day, equating to approximately 65 weekly trips per stop.

Williamstown's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Williamstown's health outcomes show notable positive results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 73% of the total population (13,258 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 7.5 and 7.3% of residents respectively. Notably, 71.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has a higher proportion of seniors (21.9%, or 3,981 people) than Greater Melbourne (15.1%). Health outcomes among seniors are strong and align with national rankings for the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Williamstown was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Williamstown's cultural diversity is above average, with 23.7% born overseas and 15.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Williamstown, comprising 47.2%. Judaism, however, is overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (26.1%), Australian (21.4%), and Irish (9.9%). Notably, Croatian (1.4%) Maltese (1.9%) and Macedonian (1.0%) ethnicities have higher representation than the regional averages of 0.7%, 1.1% and 0.7% respectively.

Williamstown hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Williamstown is 45 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Williamstown has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (15.8%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (7.4%). According to the 2021 Census, the age group of 75 to 84 grew from 5.1% to 7.6% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 11.9% to 13.5%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 13.6% to 11.9%, and the 45 to 54 group decreased from 16.6% to 15.0%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Williamstown's age structure. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 48%, adding 668 people and reaching a total of 2,054 from the previous figure of 1,385. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 70% of the total population growth, reflecting Williamstown's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers.