Footscray
Footscray stands out for renter depth and apartment living: 57.5% of households rent and 52.4% of dwellings are apartments, well above the pattern in more house-oriented neighbours such as Yarraville and Seddon. Its 17,131 residents sit in a dense 5.05 sq km area, with 45.0% born overseas and university attainment 24.2 percentage points above the national level. The trade-off is clear: central access and strong education credentials sit beside a high reported vacancy rate of 21.1% and crime rate of 222.0 per 1,000.
Population
17,131
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,763/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
12
Median House
$960K
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers are paying a median house price of $960,000, below the 2022 peak of $990,000 but 60.0% higher than the 2013 level of $600,000. The suburb suits buyers comfortable with compact formats because apartments make up 52.4% of dwellings, compared with 31.6% separate houses, and 45.0% of homes have 2 bedrooms. Holding costs look manageable on local incomes: the median mortgage is $1,940 per month and mortgage payments are 25.4% of income, below typical stress thresholds. Buyers needing 4 or more bedrooms face a thinner market at 7.2%.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are paying a median house price of $960,000, below the 2022 peak of $990,000 but 60.0% higher than the 2013 level of $600,000. The suburb suits buyers comfortable with compact formats because apartments make up 52.4% of dwellings, compared with 31.6% separate houses, and 45.0% of homes have 2 bedrooms. Holding costs look manageable on local incomes: the median mortgage is $1,940 per month and mortgage payments are 25.4% of income, below typical stress thresholds. Buyers needing 4 or more bedrooms face a thinner market at 7.2%.
For Investors
Footscray is structurally rental-heavy, with 57.5% of households renting and a median rent of $355 per week. That tenant pool is supported by a young median age of 34 and 45.0% born overseas, both useful for demand near trains, Victoria University and health jobs. The caution is vacancy: 21.1% is far higher than a tight-market setting, so apartment selection, body corporate costs and street position matter. Development pressure is present but not excessive, with 11 applications in 12 months, while forecast rent growth of 34.0% points to demand recovering because population inflows remain strong.
Development Activity
Total DAs
22
Last 12 Months
12
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+500.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Footscray iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St John's School
Prep-6 · 227 students
Footscray City Primary School
Prep-6 · 455 students
Footscray Primary School
Prep-6 · 336 students
Footscray North Primary School
Prep-6 · 630 students
Footscray High School
7-12 · 1326 students
Demographics
Footscray is younger and more internationally connected than the national profile: the median age is 34, which is 6.0 years below national, and 45.0% of residents were born overseas, 23.4 percentage points above national. Education levels are a major marker, with 54.3% university qualified, 24.2 points above national, and household income in the 62nd percentile. English, Irish, Vietnamese and Chinese ancestry counts sit alongside Mandarin, Cantonese and Nepali speakers, so local retail and food demand is broad because migration, students and professional households overlap.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
31.6%
Houses
15.3%
Townhouse
52.4%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing market has matured from affordable inner-west entry to a mixed apartment and period-house market. The median house price moved from $600,000 in 2013 to $960,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 60.0% lift over 14 years at a 3.4% CAGR, but it remains 3.0% below the 2022 peak of $990,000. Tenure is tilted away from long-term ownership: 14.7% own outright, 27.7% have a mortgage and 57.5% rent. Smaller dwellings dominate because 21.1% have 0 or 1 bedrooms and 45.0% have 2 bedrooms, which keeps entry options higher than in house-led suburbs.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,940
Rent / wk
$355
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$916
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
21.1%
Unoccupied
1,968
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.3%
Couples, no children
9,893
Total families
Economy & Employment
Footscray's workforce is anchored by services rather than heavy industry. Healthcare employs 1,135 people, followed by Professional/Tech with 1,026, Education with 892, Public Admin with 694 and Hospitality with 538. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 3,289, above Clerical/Admin at 1,244 and Managers at 1,220. The SEIFA pattern is mixed: IEO decile 8 and IRSAD decile 7 show strong education and advantage, while IER decile 1 and IRSD decile 4 point to pockets of lower resources. Unemployment is 7.0% with 64.4% participation, reflecting a suburb where students, recent migrants and professionals sit side by side.
Unemployment
5.9%
Labour Force
15,155
Unemployed
901
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.3%
Part-time
28.7%
Participation
64.4%
Employed
9,180
Occupations
Top Industries
University
54.3%
Postgraduate
18.0%
Born Overseas
45.0%
Dwellings
7,358
Transport to Work
Footscray's livability is strongest for households wanting public transport, schools and walkable services in a dense setting. Public transport commuting is 19.1% and walking or cycling is 11.1%, although car driving remains higher at 65.6%. Six schools operate locally, with ICSEA values from 1051 to 1136; St John's School, Footscray City Primary School and Footscray Primary School lead the top end, while Footscray High adds a Government secondary option with 1,326 enrolments. IRSAD decile 7 supports the education story, but safety needs due diligence because recorded crime is 222.0 per 1,000.
Drive
65.6%
Public Transport
19.1%
Walk / Cycle
11.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.05%/yr
(+429 people/yr)
EstablishedFootscray's growth outlook is positive but uneven. The trend forecast is 2.05% a year, equal to about 429 extra residents annually, and the medium scenario lifts population from 20,900 in 2026 to 23,047 by 2031. Migration is the main engine because overseas migration averages +860 people a year while internal migration is lower at -60, so growth depends more on new arrivals than moves from other Victorian suburbs. Gentrification is classified as Early signs with a score of 36, while the shift trajectory is Mixed: rent is up 34.0%, working-age share rose 6.6 points and the COVID dip of -3.5% has recovered.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+860
Net Internal / yr
-60
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +49% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +860/yr, COVID recovered (-4% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
3,803
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
222.0
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 Footscray compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Footscray a good suburb to live in?
Footscray suits people who value inner-west access, public transport and a younger urban setting. It has 19.1% public transport commuting, 6 local schools and a median age of 34, but buyers should weigh the higher recorded crime rate of 222.0 per 1,000.
What is the median house price in Footscray?
The median house price in Footscray is $960,000 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 3.0% below the 2022 peak of $990,000, but still 60.0% higher than the 2013 level of $600,000.
What schools are in Footscray?
Footscray has 6 local schools, including St John's School, Footscray City Primary School, Footscray Primary School and Footscray High School. ICSEA values range from 1051 to 1136, with Government, Catholic, primary and secondary options represented.
Is Footscray safe?
Footscray records a crime rate of 222.0 offences per 1,000 residents, with 3,803 total offences. Property and deception offences are the largest category at 2,493, so street-by-street checking is important for renters and buyers.
Is Footscray good for property investment?
Footscray has clear rental demand because 57.5% of households rent and the median rent is $355 per week. The key risk is the high reported vacancy rate of 21.1%, so investors should compare individual buildings rather than assume all apartments perform alike.
How is Footscray's population changing?
Footscray is forecast to grow by 2.05% a year, or about 429 people annually. The medium scenario reaches 23,047 residents by 2031, driven mainly by overseas migration averaging +860 people a year.
What languages are spoken in Footscray?
Footscray has a high overseas-born share at 45.0%, which is 23.4 percentage points above the national level. Common non-English language groups include Mandarin with 222 speakers, Cantonese with 180 and Nepali with 131.
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.
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