Fitzroy North
Renter-majority, premium and very dense, Fitzroy North packs 12,781 people into 2.48 sq km, or 5,162.2 residents per sq km. Compared with nearby Carlton North and Clifton Hill, its defining mix is terrace scale, apartment depth and a $1.59 million median house price below the late 2023 peak. Renting covers 50.6% of homes, while university attainment at 67.6% sits 37.5 points above national levels, because the suburb attracts high-income professionals who value inner-north access over larger dwellings.
Population
12,781
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,300/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
57
Median House
$1.6M
Apr-Jun 2024
Buyers are paying for scarcity rather than land size: the median house price is $1,590,000, but that is 14.1% below the $1,850,000 peak in Oct-Dec 2023. Separate houses are only 14.3% of stock, compared with 48.7% semi-detached homes and 36.3% apartments, so competition clusters around terraces and larger units. Mortgage costs take 25.1% of income, below common stress thresholds, because household income is in the 88.1 percentile nationally.
For Buyers
Buyers are paying for scarcity rather than land size: the median house price is $1,590,000, but that is 14.1% below the $1,850,000 peak in Oct-Dec 2023. Separate houses are only 14.3% of stock, compared with 48.7% semi-detached homes and 36.3% apartments, so competition clusters around terraces and larger units. Mortgage costs take 25.1% of income, below common stress thresholds, because household income is in the 88.1 percentile nationally.
For Investors
Fitzroy North has a deep tenant pool, with 50.6% of dwellings rented and a median rent of $481 per week. The caution is the 12.1% vacancy rate, higher than investors would normally want, so leasing strategy matters more than simple suburb demand. Rental upside is supported by 28.9% rent growth and overseas migration averaging +432 people a year, while net internal migration is -110 because some locals trade out for more space or lower prices.
Development Activity
Total DAs
65
Last 12 Months
57
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+1800.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Fitzroy North iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Fitzroy Community School
Prep-6 · 98 students
Deutsche Schule Melbourne
Prep-6 · 165 students
Merri Creek Primary School
Prep-6 · 442 students
Fitzroy North Primary School
Prep-6 · 363 students
Fitzroy High School
7-12 · 431 students
Demographics
The median age is 36, which is 4.0 years below the national figure, and 67.6% of residents have university qualifications, 37.5 percentage points above national levels. Overseas-born residents make up 25.9%, 4.3 points above national, with Italian, Greek, German, Mandarin and French among the main non-English languages. Household size is 2.2, lower than national by 0.3, because 2-bedroom homes are common and many residents are professionals, couples or smaller households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
14.3%
Houses
48.7%
Townhouse
36.3%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing market has reset from its peak but remains expensive by income standards. Prices moved from $976,000 in 2013 to $1,590,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 62.9% rise and 3.5% CAGR over 14 years, while the latest price is 14.1% below the $1,850,000 peak. Tenure is split between 26.5% owned outright, 23.0% with a mortgage and 50.6% renting, so compared with many family suburbs the market is more liquid and investor-exposed. Two-bedroom homes at 40.5% dominate because apartments and terraces carry much of the stock.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,500
Rent / wk
$481
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,241
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.1%
Unoccupied
756
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
37.4%
Couples, no children
7,834
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is strongly knowledge-based: Professional/Tech accounts for 22.2% of jobs, followed by Healthcare at 16.9%, Education at 12.3%, Public Admin at 8.9% and Retail at 5.6%. Professionals number 3,762 and Managers 1,344, helping explain the IEO decile 10 and IRSAD decile 10 rankings. The anomaly is IER decile 3, lower than the education and advantage scores, because high renting at 50.6% and smaller households can reduce measured economic resources despite low 3.8% unemployment.
Unemployment
8.9%
Labour Force
8,493
Unemployed
757
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.1%
Part-time
29.1%
Participation
67.1%
Employed
7,238
Occupations
Top Industries
University
67.6%
Postgraduate
23.1%
Born Overseas
25.9%
Dwellings
5,481
Transport to Work
Fitzroy North is highly walkable for an inner suburb, with 32.3% walking or cycling to work compared with 61.2% driving and only 2.9% using public transport. School choice is a major strength: 5 local schools span ICSEA 1086 to 1221, led by Fitzroy Community School at 1221, plus Deutsche Schule Melbourne and Merri Creek Primary School at 1186. Safety is the trade-off, with 1,184 offences and a 92.6 per 1,000 crime rate, mostly 905 property and deception offences. IRSAD decile 10 reflects above-average amenity and advantage.
Drive
61.2%
Public Transport
2.9%
Walk / Cycle
32.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.97%/yr
(+118 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than explosive, with the trend adding 0.97% a year, or about 118 people annually. The medium scenario moves population from 11,960 in 2026 to 12,550 in 2031. Migration is the main swing factor: overseas migration averages +432 people a year, compared with net internal migration of -110, so churn is driven by new arrivals replacing locals who leave. The gentrification score is 26 and stage is Early signs, while the broader trajectory is Mixed because affordability improved from 44.4 to 35.7 even as rents rose 28.9%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+432
Net Internal / yr
-110
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +19% since 2011, Net internal outflow -110/yr, Strong overseas inflow +432/yr, COVID recovered (-7% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,184
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
92.6
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 Fitzroy North compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fitzroy North a good suburb to live in?
Yes, especially for buyers and renters who prioritise walkability, schools and inner-north access. It has 32.3% walking or cycling to work, 5 local schools and household income in the 88.1 percentile, although the 92.6 per 1,000 crime rate is a factor to weigh.
What is the median house price in Fitzroy North?
The median house price is $1,590,000 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 14.1% below the $1,850,000 peak in Oct-Dec 2023, but still 62.9% above the 2013 level of $976,000.
What schools are in Fitzroy North?
There are 5 schools in the suburb, with ICSEA scores from 1086 to 1221. Leading options include Fitzroy Community School at 1221, Deutsche Schule Melbourne at 1186 and Merri Creek Primary School at 1186.
Is Fitzroy North safe?
Fitzroy North records 1,184 offences, equal to 92.6 per 1,000 residents. Most incidents are property and deception offences, with 905 recorded, while crimes against the person account for 120 offences.
Is Fitzroy North good for property investment?
It has strong rental depth, with 50.6% of homes rented and median rent at $481 per week. Investors should watch the 12.1% vacancy rate, but demand is supported by overseas migration averaging +432 people a year.
How is Fitzroy North's population changing?
Population growth is modest, with the trend adding 0.97% a year, or about 118 people annually. The medium forecast reaches 12,550 by 2031, supported by overseas migration but offset by -110 net internal migration a year.
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), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
Explore Fitzroy North on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map