Brunswick
Brunswick combines inner-north density with a highly educated, mobile population: 24,896 residents occupy 4.98 square kilometres, or 5,000.5 people per square kilometre. The median age is 34, six years below the national comparison, while 66.1% hold a university qualification, 36 percentage points higher than the national figure. Renting is common at 48.5%, and the 12.6% vacancy rate gives tenants more choice than a tightly supplied market. Compared with nearby Coburg, Brunswick reads as the more compact, apartment and semi-detached housing option, which supports walking, local services and a smaller 2.1-person household pattern. The trade-off is a crime rate of 112.4 per 1,000, so street selection and daily travel habits matter.
Population
24,896
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,096/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
136
Median House
$1.3M
October to December 2025
The latest figure remains 1.1% below that peak. The monthly mortgage figure is $2,162, equal to 23.8% of household income, while rent is $441 a week and rent-to-income is 21.0%. Housing is varied rather than dominated by detached stock: 35.3% separate houses, 34.2% apartments and 29.3% semi-detached homes. Smaller dwellings matter because 43.5% have 2 bedrooms and 16.0% have 0-1 bedrooms, so Brunswick suits buyers prioritising location and flexibility over yard space. Compared with a lower-density suburb, the trade-off is more compact housing and less family-sized stock.
For Buyers
The latest figure remains 1.1% below that peak. The monthly mortgage figure is $2,162, equal to 23.8% of household income, while rent is $441 a week and rent-to-income is 21.0%. Housing is varied rather than dominated by detached stock: 35.3% separate houses, 34.2% apartments and 29.3% semi-detached homes. Smaller dwellings matter because 43.5% have 2 bedrooms and 16.0% have 0-1 bedrooms, so Brunswick suits buyers prioritising location and flexibility over yard space. Compared with a lower-density suburb, the trade-off is more compact housing and less family-sized stock.
For Investors
Brunswick has a large renter base, with 48.5% renting compared with 23.9% owning outright and 26.4% paying a mortgage. Weekly rent is $441, while the 12.6% vacancy rate is high relative to a tight rental market, creating more leasing choice and potentially more turnover for landlords. The case is strongest for investors comfortable with apartments, terraces and smaller dwellings because only 35.3% of homes are separate houses, versus 34.2% apartments and 29.3% semi-detached stock. Planning activity is substantial at 127 applications in 12 months, which can renew housing but also add competition from upgraded or newly approved homes. The wider growth trend is 2.37% annually and overseas migration is the primary driver, supporting rental demand, although the high vacancy rate warrants conservative cash-flow assumptions.
Development Activity
Total DAs
186
Last 12 Months
136
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+518.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Brunswick
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Brunswick Secondary College
Sydney Road Community School
Demographics
Brunswick's population is younger and more university-educated than national benchmarks: the median age is 34, 6 years below national, and 66.1% have university qualifications, 36 percentage points higher than national. Overseas-born residents account for 31.5%, 9.9 points higher than the national comparison. Greek, Italian, Arabic, Mandarin and Nepali are leading languages, with counts of 509, 413, 227, 190 and 134. English, Irish, Scottish and Italian are major ancestry responses, led by 7,738 English and 3,852 Irish responses. No religion is reported by 15,244 residents, compared with 6,252 Christianity and 724 Islam responses. The average household is 2.1 people, 0.4 below national, because couples without children make up 53.4% of families. Compared with nearby Coburg, Brunswick has a more compact, mobile inner-urban pattern, with 38.5% turnover and 61.5% staying.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
35.3%
Houses
29.3%
Townhouse
34.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Brunswick's housing market has delivered long-run growth but is not at its recent peak. Tenure is renter-heavy: 48.5% rent, compared with 26.4% paying a mortgage and 23.9% owning outright. The dwelling mix explains the small-household feel, with an average household size of 2.1 people, alongside 35.3% separate houses, 29.3% semi-detached homes and 34.2% apartments. Two-bedroom homes lead at 43.5%, ahead of 3-bedroom homes at 29.9%, while 4-plus bedrooms account for 10.6%. Compared with nearby Coburg, Brunswick's more compact form supports a broader apartment and semi-detached choice, but buyers seeking larger family layouts face a smaller share of stock.
Mortgage / mo
$2,162
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $441.
$600
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $850 · units $600
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$1,085
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.6%
Unoccupied
1,594
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.2%
Couples with children
53.4%
Couples, no children
11.3%
Single parent
5,779
Total families
Economy & Employment
Brunswick's economy is led by Professional/Tech at 17.7%, Healthcare at 16.2%, Education at 14.6%, Public Administration at 8.9% and Hospitality at 5.8%. Occupations are led by 7,002 Professionals and 2,313 Managers, followed by 1,744 Clerical/Admin, 1,498 Community/Personal and 1,242 Trades workers. Participation is 74.5%, unemployment is 4.7% and the full-time rate is 61.4%, while household income sits at the 79.3rd percentile against the national comparison. The SEIFA pattern is uneven: IEO and IRSAD are both decile 10, IRSD is decile 8, yet IER is decile 2. This gap is consistent with a renter-heavy market, where 48.5% rent and 23.9% own outright, so strong education and employment coexist with resource pressure.
Unemployment
4.7%
Labour Force
16,646
Unemployed
786
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.4%
Part-time
32.5%
Participation
74.5%
Employed
15,860
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
66.1%
Postgraduate
23.0%
Born Overseas
31.5%
Dwellings
11,035
Transport to Work
Daily life is suited to people who can combine transit, walking and home working. Public transport is used by 8.5%, 11.6% walk or cycle and 53.2% work from home, while 25.2% drive a car, so household routines can be less car-dependent than in a conventional outer suburb. Two nearby secondary schools serve the area, both government sector, giving families local options while enrolment zones still need checking against the exact address. Safety needs active consideration: 2,798 recorded offences equate to 112.4 per 1,000 residents, including 2,020 property and deception offences and 362 crimes against the person. Brunswick's IRSAD sits in decile 10, above the national midpoint, but the crime rate is higher than a low-crime benchmark, so street choice and late-night travel matter. The 5,000.5 people per square kilometre density supports shops and services, but also means less privacy and more activity.
Drive
25.2%
Public Transport
8.5%
Walk / Cycle
11.6%
Work from Home
53.2%
Population Forecast
+2.37%/yr
(+348 people/yr)
EstablishedBrunswick's wider-area growth trend is 2.37% a year, with overseas migration the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 50.3% over 10 years, a faster trajectory than a static established suburb, while the shift label is 'Declining young' and the young share has fallen 2.2%. These signals suggest growth is being carried more by incoming households than by a rising youth share. Affordability improved from 48.7 in 2011 to 33.8 in 2021, even as rent growth reached 16.9%, so access remains contested. Gentrification signals are mixed: one score is 10 and staged 'Not gentrifying', while the shift measure is 44 and marked 'Early signs'. The 6.1% rise in the working share helps explain why Brunswick can add economic activity without becoming uniformly more affluent.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+370
Net Internal / yr
-22
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Strong overseas inflow +370/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
2,798
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
112.4
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 Brunswick compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brunswick a good suburb to live in?
Yes, if you value inner-urban access, smaller homes and a highly educated population. Brunswick has 24,896 residents, a median age of 34 and 53.2% working from home, but its 112.4 offences per 1,000 residents makes street selection and personal routines important.
What schools are in Brunswick?
Brunswick has 2 nearby secondary schools: Brunswick Secondary College and Sydney Road Community School. Both are government schools. Check the exact address against enrolment zones, because school access can vary across boundaries and the suburb's 2.1-person average household size does not indicate family composition by itself.
Is Brunswick safe?
Safety is mixed rather than uniformly low-risk. Brunswick recorded 2,798 offences, or 112.4 per 1,000 residents, including 2,020 property and deception offences and 362 crimes against the person. Review the exact streets and times that matter to your household before committing.
Is Brunswick good for property investment?
It can suit investors seeking a large renter pool, but vacancy risk needs attention. Renting accounts for 48.5% of households, weekly rent is $441 and vacancy is 12.6%. A 127-application development pipeline and 2.37% annual growth may support demand, while new supply can increase competition.
How is Brunswick's population changing?
Brunswick's wider-area population change is 50.3% over 10 years, with growth running at 2.37% annually and overseas migration the primary driver. The shift label is 'Declining young', with the young share down 2.2%, so growth is not simply a youth-led expansion.
Which languages are spoken in Brunswick?
At least 31.5% of residents were born overseas, 9.9 percentage points above the national comparison. Greek, Italian, Arabic, Mandarin and Nepali are among the leading languages, with Greek recorded for 509 people and Italian for 413. English, Irish, Scottish and Italian are major ancestry responses.
What development is occurring in Brunswick?
Planning activity is high, with 127 applications recorded in 12 months. Recent examples include solar panels, a single-storey extension in a Heritage Overlay and a proposed 2-unit dwelling. This can renew housing, but buyers and landlords should check permit status, construction impacts and the effect of added supply on competition.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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