Brooklyn
Brooklyn's most distinctive feature is the combination of a 12.4% vacancy rate and 40.2% renting, despite a $1,958 median weekly household income at the 73.4th percentile. Its 1,979 residents have a median age of 34, which is 6 years below the national figure, while 38.2% were born overseas. Compared with nearby Yarraville and Altona North, Brooklyn presents a smaller, more compact western market where high vacancy can soften competition but also signals a need to check tenant demand street by street. The profile is financially capable yet changing slowly, with 32.2% working from home and 2.2 people per household, below the national average by 0.3.
Local council: Brimbank (61% of the suburb; the rest sits in a neighbouring council)
Population
1,979
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,958/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
15
Median House
$1.0M
October to December 2025
Only a handful of houses sold here in this period, so this median can jump sharply from one quarter to the next for reasons that have nothing to do with the market. Treat it as a rough guide, not a settled price.
The market is not limited to detached family homes: 53.3% are separate houses and 41.8% are semi-detached, while 4.8% are apartments. Buyers seeking mainstream stock will find 3-bedroom homes most common at 53.7%, followed by 2-bedroom homes at 34.5%.
For Buyers
The market is not limited to detached family homes: 53.3% are separate houses and 41.8% are semi-detached, while 4.8% are apartments. Buyers seeking mainstream stock will find 3-bedroom homes most common at 53.7%, followed by 2-bedroom homes at 34.5%.
For Investors
Brooklyn's investor case rests on tenant demand and a wide rental buffer, but the signals are mixed. Renting accounts for 40.2% of occupied dwellings and the median rent is $391 a week, while vacancy is 12.4%, higher than a tightly held market and likely to lengthen leasing times. Rent absorbs 20.0% of household income, below the 24.4% mortgage share, which supports relative affordability for tenants but can limit rent escalation. There were 16 development applications in 12 months, not enough to imply a large pipeline, yet subdivision and vehicle-related uses point to ongoing land-use change. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, and rents have risen 40.0%, so investors should compare gross yield, vacancy and property condition rather than rely on headline growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
22
Last 12 Months
15
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+275.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
$770K
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Brooklyn
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Annunciation School
Demographics
Brooklyn has a younger profile than the national average, with a median age of 34, or 6 years below the national figure, but its aging trajectory is becoming clearer. The overseas-born share is 38.2%, 16.6 percentage points above the national comparison, and university attainment is 40.9%, 10.8 points higher than national. English ancestry counts 460 people, followed by Other at 357 and Italian at 188; Christianity and no religion are close at 755 and 746. With 2.2 people per household, Brooklyn is 0.3 below the national average, and 45.1% of families are couples without children. Compared with nearby Yarraville and Altona North, this combination suggests a compact, internationally connected suburb with smaller households and a relatively mobile population: 28.5% changed address over the measured period.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
53.3%
Houses
41.8%
Townhouse
4.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is mixed: 21.4% own outright, 37.6% hold a mortgage and 40.2% rent. The housing stock leans toward 3-bedroom dwellings at 53.7%, with 2-bedroom homes at 34.5%, and 41.8% semi-detached properties. Compared with a predominantly detached suburb, Brooklyn's 53.3% separate-house share gives buyers more attached-home choice, which can broaden the price range but makes building quality and strata or shared-property arrangements important to check.
Mortgage / mo
$2,068
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$391
Census 2021
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,064
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.4%
Unoccupied
121
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.2%
Couples with children
45.1%
Couples, no children
16.4%
Single parent
537
Total families
Economy & Employment
Brooklyn's employment base combines service work with construction and professional activity. Healthcare is the largest listed industry at 13.5% and 108 workers, followed by Professional/Tech at 11.4% and 91, Construction at 11.3% and 90, Retail at 9.5% and 76, and Education at 9.5% and 76. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 257, ahead of Trades at 157, Clerical/Admin at 152 and Managers at 148. Labour-force participation is 69.1%, with 1,178 people in the labour force and unemployment at 5.5%. Household income sits at the 73.4th percentile, above the national midpoint, because a broad professional, management and trade mix supports earnings. Compared with a single-industry location, this spread offers more employment resilience, although commuting remains relevant as 61.4% drive.
Unemployment
5.5%
Labour Force
1,178
Unemployed
65
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.7%
Part-time
25.2%
Participation
69.1%
Employed
1,113
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
40.9%
Postgraduate
9.1%
Born Overseas
38.2%
Dwellings
851
Transport to Work
Daily life in Brooklyn is more car-oriented than transit-oriented: 61.4% travel as car drivers, compared with 2.6% using public transport and 1.5% walking or cycling. Working from home is common at 32.2%, which can reduce commuting pressure but increases the value of home-office space. The suburb covers 5.48 square kilometres at 361.4 people per square kilometre. Families have access to 1 nearby primary school in the Catholic sector, and enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Safety requires attention: 336 recorded offences equate to 169.8 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences accounting for 260. Compared with lower-crime areas, residents should prioritise lighting, secure parking and insurance when assessing a home.
Drive
61.4%
Public Transport
2.6%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
32.2%
Growth Outlook
Brooklyn's growth outlook is subdued rather than expansionary. The annual trend is -0.02%, while population change across the wider area is 3.4% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share is up 5.8 points and the young share is down 2.8 points. Affordability is worsening, moving from 55.6 in 2011 to 57.9 in 2021, while rent growth has reached 40.0%. Gentrification is scored 0 and classified Not gentrifying, although the shift measure records Early signs at 21. Compared with faster-growth markets, this points to selective change rather than a broad upswing, with housing costs and overseas migration doing more work than local population momentum.
Population trend: Brimbank council area
About 61% of Brooklyn sits in Brimbank; the rest is in a neighbouring council. These are the council area's residents, not Brooklyn's.
Residents 2025
198,181
Growth, 5 yr average
-0.6%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.3%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
336
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
169.8
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Brooklyn compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brooklyn a good suburb to live in?
Brooklyn can suit buyers who value western Melbourne access, detached and semi-detached housing, and a younger working-age profile. The median age is 34, 32.2% work from home and 61.4% drive, but the crime rate is 169.8 per 1,000, so inspect the immediate street and security setup.
What schools are in Brooklyn?
Brooklyn has 1 nearby school listed: Annunciation School, a Catholic primary school. Families should confirm the current enrolment zone and entry requirements for the exact address, because school access can differ across boundary lines and surrounding suburbs.
Is Brooklyn safe?
Brooklyn's recorded crime rate is 169.8 offences per 1,000 residents, with 336 offences in total. Property and deception offences account for 260, well above the 26 crimes against the person, so buyers should check lighting, parking security and recent street-level conditions before committing.
Is Brooklyn good for property investment?
Brooklyn may suit an investor seeking a $391 weekly median rent and exposure to overseas-migration-led demand, but the 12.4% vacancy rate is high compared with a tightly held rental market. Renting is 40.2%, rent-to-income is 20.0% and 16 development applications were recorded in 12 months, so yield and leasing risk need equal attention.
How is Brooklyn's population changing?
Brooklyn's population outlook is slow rather than strongly expanding. The annual trend is -0.02%, and population change across the wider area is 3.4% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.8 points and the young share down 2.8 points.
What languages are spoken in Brooklyn?
English ancestry is the largest named ancestry at 460 people, while the main listed non-English languages are Arabic and Canton at 32 speakers each, followed by Italian at 24. Overseas-born residents make up 38.2% of Brooklyn, which is 16.6 percentage points above the national comparison.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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