Williamstown
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Williamstown's population is approximately 17,626 as of August 2025. This figure reflects a growth of 1,714 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,912. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 16,929 in June 2024 and an additional 523 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,398 persons per square kilometer, placing Williamstown in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessment. The area's growth rate of 10.8% since the 2021 census exceeds both the SA3 area average (7.0%) and the national average. Overseas migration contributed approximately 90.5% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving this growth.

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 the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods 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 rate nationally, with Williamstown expected to grow by 2,998 persons to 2041 based on the latest numbers, reflecting a total increase of 13.0% over the 17-year period.

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

Williamstown has seen approximately 142 new homes approved each year. Development approval data is produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, from FY20 to FY25, around 714 homes were approved with one approval recorded so far in FY26. On average, over these five years, only about 0.2 people moved to Williamstown for each dwelling built, indicating that new construction is matching or outpacing demand.

This offers buyers more options and enables population growth beyond current expectations. The average value of new properties constructed is $644,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting a focus on quality developments. In FY26, $21.7 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating steady commercial investment activity in Williamstown. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Williamstown records about 67% of building activity per person but places among the 30th percentile of areas assessed nationally, offering more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. New building activity shows that approximately 17.0% of dwellings approved are detached houses while around 83.0% are medium and high-density housing.

This shift towards denser development provides accessible entry options appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This represents a notable change from the area's existing housing composition, currently at 54.0% houses, reflecting decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles. With around 586 people per dwelling approval, Williamstown reflects a highly mature market. Population forecasts indicate that Williamstown will gain approximately 2,292 residents by the year 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 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 23 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Workshops Pier Repairs Project, Williamstown Mechanics Institute Masterplan and Restoration, Waterline Place, 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.

The exceptional employment performance in Williamstown places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Williamstown has a highly educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate is 2.2% and there was an estimated employment growth of 5.5% in the past year.

As of June 2025, 10,301 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.4%, lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Melbourne's at 64.1%. The leading employment industries among residents are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Professional & technical services show particularly strong specialization with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 11.5% compared to the regional average of 14.2%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 5.5% while labour force increased by 5.9%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.5% with a 0.5 percentage point rise in unemployment. 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 a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Williamstown's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.8%% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

In AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2022, Williamstown had a median taxpayer income of $68,768 and an average income of $106,120. These figures are notably higher than national levels and Greater Melbourne's respective median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for March 2025 would be approximately $75,720 (median) and $116,849 (average). According to Census figures from 2021, Williamstown's household, family, and personal incomes rank between the 85th and 87th percentiles nationally. Income analysis shows that 30.1% of residents fall into the $4000+ bracket, with a total of 5,305 people. This differs from regional patterns where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 32.8%. Economic strength is evident as 41.6% of households have high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 13.6% of income, and residents rank 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

Dwelling structure in Williamstown, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 27 August 2016, comprised 54.5% houses and 45.5% other dwellings including semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compared to Melbourne metropolitan area's 68.7% houses and 31.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Williamstown stood at 39.4%, with the rest of dwellings either mortgaged (34.3%) or rented (26.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,600, above Melbourne metro's average of $2,167, as recorded on 28 August 2019. Median weekly rent in Williamstown was $450, compared to Melbourne metro's $386 and national figures of $375 for rent and $1,863 for mortgage repayments, both recorded on 28 August 2019.

Williamstown has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical 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 aligns with the Greater Melbourne average.

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

Educational attainment in Williamstown is notably high, with 45.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications. This compares to 30.4% nationally and 32.0% in the SA4 region. 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 at 11.0% and certificates at 13.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.9% in primary, 9.3% in secondary, and 6.6% in tertiary education. There are seven schools operating within Williamstown, educating approximately 4,083 students. The area has significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA: 1108), with a mix of four primary, two secondary, and one K-12 school. Williamstown functions as an education hub, offering 23.2 school places per 100 residents, which is significantly higher than the regional average of 15.3. This attracts students from surrounding communities.

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

Transport analysis shows 72 active transport stops in Williamstown, including a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 4 individual routes, which together provide 6,115 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 184 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 873 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 84 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Williamstown is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Williamstown shows above-average health outcomes for both young and elderly populations, with low prevalence of common conditions. Approximately 74% of its total population (12,990 people) has private health cover, compared to Greater Melbourne's 60.9%. Nationally, this figure stands at 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 7.5% and 7.3% of residents respectively. 71.6% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 70.7% in Greater Melbourne. As of March 2021, 21.0% of residents are aged 65 or over (3,704 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 17.8%. Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Williamstown's cultural diversity was above average, with 23.7% of its population born overseas and 15.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Williamstown, comprising 47.2% of the population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 0.2% versus 0.1%.

The top three represented ancestry groups were English (26.1%), Australian (21.4%), and Irish (9.9%). Some ethnic groups showed notable divergences: Croatian was equally represented at 1.4%, Maltese was overrepresented at 1.9% compared to the regional average of 3.4%, and Macedonian was underrepresented at 1.0% versus 1.4%.

Williamstown hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Williamstown is 45 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's median age 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 (7.7%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 75-84 grew from 5.1% to 7.1%, while the 15-24 age group increased from 11.9% to 13.3%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group declined from 13.6% to 12.1%, and the 45-54 age group decreased from 16.6% to 15.3%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Williamstown's age structure. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 65%, reaching 2,054 people from 1,246. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 67% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are projected to decrease in number.