Clifton Hill
High incomes and compact housing define Clifton Hill, where 6,606 residents occupy 1.74 square kilometres at 3,799.4 people per square kilometre. Median household income is $2,755 a week, at the 95.8th percentile, and 70.0% hold a university qualification. The median age is 37, or 3 years below national, although the suburb is on an aging trajectory. Compared with nearby Fitzroy North, Clifton Hill has a more compact, high-density format, supporting local routines and professional demand. Two local primary schools add convenience, while the 74.8 crimes per 1,000 residents rate makes street-level checking important.
Population
6,606
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,755/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
75
Median House
$1.6M
October to December 2025
The mix is unusual: 50.8% semi-detached, 25.0% apartments and 23.8% separate houses, so purchasers should compare strata costs, renovation limits and heritage controls as carefully as floor area. The median mortgage is $2,700 a month, or 22.6% of household income, while weekly rent is $550, or 20.0% of income, with neither measure flagged for stress. Prices are 15.7% below the 2023 peak but 84.8% above 2013. Two-bedroom and three-bedroom homes account for 39.2% and 38.6%, higher than the 9.2% studio and one-bedroom share, giving smaller households more choice.
For Buyers
The mix is unusual: 50.8% semi-detached, 25.0% apartments and 23.8% separate houses, so purchasers should compare strata costs, renovation limits and heritage controls as carefully as floor area. The median mortgage is $2,700 a month, or 22.6% of household income, while weekly rent is $550, or 20.0% of income, with neither measure flagged for stress. Prices are 15.7% below the 2023 peak but 84.8% above 2013. Two-bedroom and three-bedroom homes account for 39.2% and 38.6%, higher than the 9.2% studio and one-bedroom share, giving smaller households more choice.
For Investors
Investment demand is supported by 39.5% renting, a $550 weekly median rent and a 9.4% vacancy rate. That vacancy is higher than a tightly supplied market would imply, so landlords should allow for leasing competition rather than underwrite automatic rent rises, even though rents have grown 35.1%. Development activity is notable at 71 applications in 12 months, increasing the need to check planning controls, heritage referrals and local competition. Compared with lower-priced outer suburbs, entry costs are higher and cash flow may be thinner.
Development Activity
Total DAs
77
Last 12 Months
75
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+7400.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Clifton Hill
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Clifton Hill Primary School
Spensley Street Primary School
Demographics
Clifton Hill has a highly educated, affluent profile: 70.0% hold a university qualification, 39.9 percentage points above the national comparison, and household income sits at the 95.8th percentile. The median age of 37 is 3 years below national, but the trajectory is aging, with the senior share up 5.0 points and the working share down 2.6. Household size averages 2.3 people, 0.2 below national, consistent with 46.7% of couples having no children and 41.0% having children. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 2,633, 1,270 and 963. No religion is recorded for 4,329 people, while overseas-born residents account for 22.0%. Compared with nearby Fitzroy North, Clifton Hill's compact household pattern and Anglo-leaning ancestry point to a more established inner-north profile, while ageing should lift demand for accessible homes.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
23.8%
Houses
50.8%
Townhouse
25.0%
Apartment
Tenure
The 19-year compound growth rate is 3.3%, showing long-run appreciation despite recent volatility. Tenure is split between 29.4% owning outright, 30.5% with a mortgage and 39.5% renting, a higher renter share than outright owners. Semi-detached dwellings are 50.8%, above separate houses at 23.8% and apartments at 25.0%. Compared with nearby Fitzroy North, buyers should focus on dwelling type as well as the suburb median because detached supply is limited.
Mortgage / mo
$2,700
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $550.
$725
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $998 · units $690
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$1,388
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.4%
Unoccupied
275
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.0%
Couples with children
46.7%
Couples, no children
10.2%
Single parent
1,692
Total families
Economy & Employment
Clifton Hill's economy is weighted to knowledge and public-facing services. Professional/Tech leads with 677 workers, or 20.3%, followed by Healthcare at 625 and 18.8%, Education at 427 and 12.8%, Public Administration at 260 and 7.8%, and Finance at 197 and 5.9%. The occupation profile reinforces this mix: 1,915 professionals and 767 managers sit well above trades at 232. Labour force participation is 73.6%, unemployment is 3.5% and 64.7% of workers are full-time, supporting household purchasing power. SEIFA places education and occupation in decile 10, while relative disadvantage is decile 10 and economic resources decile 7. Clifton Hill therefore ranks above most Australian areas on broad advantage, although resources are less elevated than education and occupation. Household income at the 95.8th percentile helps explain premium housing demand.
Unemployment
3.5%
Labour Force
4,090
Unemployed
144
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.7%
Part-time
30.3%
Participation
73.6%
Employed
3,946
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
70.0%
Postgraduate
26.9%
Born Overseas
22.0%
Dwellings
2,655
Transport to Work
Daily life suits residents who value compact travel and inner-city access. Transport patterns include 10.0% walking or cycling, 5.3% public transport and 56.8% working from home. Two government primary schools operate locally, giving families a basic local option, but enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb lines. The area records 494 offences, or 74.8 per 1,000 residents, including 401 property and deception offences, so security and street-level checking matter. SEIFA IRSAD is decile 10 with a score of 1,143, indicating advantage above most areas, while 4.4% need assistance. Compared with car-oriented outer suburbs, Clifton Hill's 56.8% work-from-home and 10.0% active-travel shares support a more local routine, although its crime rate is a practical trade-off.
Drive
26.6%
Public Transport
5.3%
Walk / Cycle
10.0%
Work from Home
56.8%
Population Forecast
+1.52%/yr
(+174 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is positive but increasingly mature. The annual trend is 1.52%, and the wider area's 10-year population change is 21.1%, with overseas migration the primary driver. The forecast trajectory is Aging, supported by a 5.0 percentage-point rise in the senior share and a 2.6-point fall in the working share, so demand should increasingly favour adaptable homes and established services. Gentrification is rated Active with a score of 48, while another shift assessment records Early signs at 39, indicating change at different speeds across the area. Affordability improved from 40.8 in 2011 to 37.3 in 2021, even as rents grew 35.1% and real incomes 20.1%. Clifton Hill is growing above a static established-suburb baseline, but its aging trajectory means the mix of demand matters as much as the 1.52% rate.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+202
Net Internal / yr
+95
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +32% since 2011, Net internal migration +95/yr, Strong overseas inflow +202/yr, Accelerating: 11% → 19%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
494
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
74.8
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 Clifton Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Clifton Hill a good suburb to live in?
Yes, it suits buyers and renters who value a compact inner-north setting, high incomes and local services. The median age is 37, university attainment is 70.0% and work from home is 56.8%, supporting a professional, established lifestyle. Its 74.8 offences per 1,000 residents is higher than some households may prefer, so inspect the exact street.
What schools are in Clifton Hill?
Clifton Hill has 2 local government primary schools: Clifton Hill Primary School and Spensley Street Primary School. Both are primary-sector options rather than secondary campuses, so families should check the enrolment zone for the exact address. School access is more limited than a full primary-to-secondary catchment within the suburb.
Is Clifton Hill safe?
Safety is mixed. The recorded crime rate is 74.8 offences per 1,000 residents, including 401 property and deception offences out of 494 total offences. That makes address-level checks worthwhile, particularly for renters or buyers comparing streets, buildings and security arrangements rather than relying only on a suburb-wide average.
How is Clifton Hill's population changing?
Population change is positive but the profile is aging. The suburb has 6,606 residents, the annual growth trend is 1.52% and the wider area's 10-year change is 21.1%. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the senior share has risen 5.0 percentage points and the working share has fallen 2.6 points. That points to sustained demand, with more importance on adaptable housing than rapid household expansion.
What development is occurring in Clifton Hill?
Development activity is material, with 71 applications recorded over 12 months. Recent examples include a heritage referral at the Shot Tower, a swimming pool and safety barrier, and garage or storage works. The count is higher than a very low-activity setting, but applications do not guarantee new dwellings, so inspect planning controls and heritage obligations before purchasing.
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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