Fitzroy
High-density inner-city living defines Fitzroy: 10,431 residents occupy 1.41 sq km, or 7,413.1 people per sq km, while 59.7% of households rent and vacancy reaches 18.8%. The suburb has an unusually educated profile, with 63.7% university educated, 33.6 percentage points above the national figure, and a median age of 35, five years below national. Fitzroy sits beside Collingwood and Carlton North, but its 59.5% apartment share and 36.6% semi-detached share create a more compact housing setting than a conventional family suburb. Household income is at the 83.4th percentile, yet only 38.7% own outright or with a mortgage, so rental choice and apartment supply shape daily life more than detached-house stock.
Population
10,431
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,194/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
106
Median House
$1.3M
October to December 2025
Fitzroy suits buyers prioritising central access and compact housing over backyard space. Stock is heavily weighted to apartments at 59.5% and semi-detached dwellings at 36.6%, while separate houses account for only 3.2%. Small formats dominate: 46.5% of homes have 2 bedrooms and 20.9% have 0 or 1. A $2,500 monthly mortgage corresponds with mortgage payments at 26.3% of household income, higher than the 20.6% rent-to-income ratio. Compared with the more traditional streetscapes of Carlton North, buyers should check body corporate costs, heritage controls, natural light and storage.
For Buyers
Fitzroy suits buyers prioritising central access and compact housing over backyard space. Stock is heavily weighted to apartments at 59.5% and semi-detached dwellings at 36.6%, while separate houses account for only 3.2%. Small formats dominate: 46.5% of homes have 2 bedrooms and 20.9% have 0 or 1. A $2,500 monthly mortgage corresponds with mortgage payments at 26.3% of household income, higher than the 20.6% rent-to-income ratio. Compared with the more traditional streetscapes of Carlton North, buyers should check body corporate costs, heritage controls, natural light and storage.
For Investors
Fitzroy has a large renter base, but the rental proposition is not automatically tight. Renters make up 59.7% of households and the median weekly rent is $451, while the 18.8% vacancy rate makes leasing speed and tenant retention important underwriting variables. Development activity is substantial, with 103 applications in 12 months, including apartment proposals and basement car parking that may add supply and competition for older stock. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, and the annual trend is 0.97%, supporting demand for well-located smaller dwellings. Compared with a lower-vacancy market, investors should model longer voids, maintenance and body corporate costs rather than rely on headline rent alone. The 38.7% ownership share leaves a deep renter pool, but apartment concentration increases exposure to building quality and owners corporation decisions.
Development Activity
Total DAs
112
Last 12 Months
106
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+2550.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Fitzroy
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Fitzroy Primary School
Sacred Heart School
Academy of Mary Immaculate
Demographics
Fitzroy's social profile is younger and more tertiary educated than Australia overall: the median age is 35, five years below national, while 63.7% of residents have a university qualification, 33.6 percentage points above the national comparison. Overseas-born residents account for 34.2%, or 12.6 points above national, helping explain the presence of Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, Italian and Greek speakers. Household size averages 2.0 people, 0.5 below national, and couples without children make up 56.8% of families, compared with 24.1% for couples with children. English, Irish and Scottish are the largest named ancestries at 3,266, 1,626 and 1,170 people. Turnover is 38.2%, reinforcing a more mobile profile than a settled family market. Nearby Collingwood shares the inner-city setting, but Fitzroy's smaller households reinforce its apartment-oriented pattern.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
3.2%
Houses
36.6%
Townhouse
59.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Fitzroy's price history is volatile despite long-run growth. Tenure is renter-led, with 59.7% renting, 18.3% owning outright and 20.4% paying a mortgage. Apartments represent 59.5% of homes, compared with only 3.2% separate houses and 36.6% semi-detached dwellings. The typical household has 2.0 people, and 46.5% of homes have 2 bedrooms. Compared with nearby Carlton North, Fitzroy's apartment and semi-detached share points to a denser housing choice, while the latest median still demands a substantial deposit.
Mortgage / mo
$2,500
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $451.
$700
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $1,100 · units $750
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,265
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
18.8%
Unoccupied
1,057
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.1%
Couples with children
56.8%
Couples, no children
16.0%
Single parent
2,273
Total families
Economy & Employment
Fitzroy combines high human capital with a mixed economic-resource profile. Professional/Tech leads employment at 23.8% and 1,200 workers, followed by Healthcare at 16.5% and 831, Education at 10.3% and 521, Public Administration at 8.0% and 405, and Retail at 6.1% and 307. Professionals number 2,949 and managers 1,089, helping place household income at the 83.4th percentile. Participation is 69.1%, unemployment 4.5% and full-time employment 66.2%, indicating a strong labour connection. SEIFA is uneven: education and occupation sit in decile 9, IRSAD in decile 8, but economic resources are decile 1 and overall disadvantage is decile 4. That contrast is consistent with a highly qualified renter population whose income does not translate into widespread ownership, compared with more asset-rich areas.
Unemployment
4.5%
Labour Force
6,473
Unemployed
292
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.2%
Part-time
27.8%
Participation
69.1%
Employed
6,181
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
63.7%
Postgraduate
21.7%
Born Overseas
34.2%
Dwellings
4,557
Transport to Work
Fitzroy is built for short trips and central access, with 17.2% walking or cycling to work, 6.5% using public transport and 55.8% working from home. Three nearby schools cover primary and secondary years, with 2 Catholic and 1 government option; enrolment zones should be confirmed because they can cross suburb boundaries. Safety needs a close look: 2,979 offences were recorded, equal to 285.6 per 1,000 residents, with 2,105 property and deception offences and 397 crimes against the person. Against that risk picture, IRSAD sits in decile 8, above lower socioeconomic deciles, and volunteering is 18.3%. Fitzroy's convenience is strongest for residents comfortable with dense apartment living and street activity, compared with quieter low-density settings.
Drive
19.6%
Public Transport
6.5%
Walk / Cycle
17.2%
Work from Home
55.8%
Population Forecast
+0.97%/yr
(+118 people/yr)
EstablishedFitzroy's established profile points to measured rather than fringe-style expansion. The annual trend is 0.97%, with overseas migration the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 10.6% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Mixed: rent growth reached 28.9%, real income growth 30.5%, and affordability moved from 44.4% in 2011 to 35.7% in 2021. Gentrification signals are not uniform: the shift score is 45 at an Active stage, while the gentrification score is 26 at Early signs. COVID produced a 6.7% dip followed by 12.0% recovery, so demand has proved resilient but uneven. Compared with the 10.6% wider-area change over ten years, the 0.97% annual trend suggests infill, refurbishment and tenure change are more relevant than rapid population expansion.
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
2,979
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
285.6
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 compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fitzroy a good suburb to live in?
Fitzroy suits residents who value central, apartment-oriented living, walking and cultural access. It has 10,431 residents, a median age of 35, five years below national, and 55.8% working from home. The crime rate of 285.6 per 1,000 means buyers and renters should inspect the exact street and building.
What schools are in Fitzroy?
Fitzroy has 3 nearby schools covering primary and secondary years. The mix includes 2 Catholic schools and 1 government school. Families should confirm the exact enrolment zone and transport arrangements for each address, as school access can vary across the suburb.
Is Fitzroy safe?
Safety is mixed rather than uniform. Fitzroy recorded 2,979 offences, equivalent to 285.6 per 1,000 residents, with 2,105 property and deception offences and 397 crimes against the person. Check lighting, entry security and street conditions before choosing a home.
Is Fitzroy good for property investment?
Fitzroy can suit investors seeking an established inner-city rental market, with 59.7% of households renting and median rent of $451 a week. However, the 18.8% vacancy rate and 103 development applications in 12 months make vacancy, competition and body corporate costs important considerations.
How is Fitzroy's population changing?
Growth is measured rather than rapid. The annual trend is 0.97%, population change across the wider area is 10.6% over 10 years, and overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, with gentrification at an Early signs score of 26.
What languages are spoken in Fitzroy?
English remains the main language environment, while reported additional languages include Mandarin at 90 people, Cantonese at 77, Arabic at 75, Italian at 64 and Greek at 51. Overseas-born residents account for 34.2% of the population.
What development is occurring in Fitzroy?
Fitzroy recorded 103 development applications in 12 months. Recent proposals include apartment construction, basement car parking and alterations to existing dwellings. Project timing, dwelling counts and final approvals vary, so buyers should check the planning status of nearby sites.
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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