Brunswick, VIC: suburb profile

The population of Brunswick VIC is 24,896 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Brunswick is $1,085 per week ($56,420 per year). Median rent in Brunswick is $441 per week ($1,911 per month). Brunswick has a median age of 34 years, younger than the national median of 38. Brunswick has a population density of 5,001 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Brunswick is England. The most common religion is No religion (61.2% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Greek. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Brunswick is $2,162.

There were 3,052 recorded offences in Brunswick in 2025-25, a rate of 123 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (1,615 offences).

Population
24,896
Census 2021
Median income
$1,085/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$441/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
34years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (crimestatistics.vic.gov.au), 2025-25.

Brunswick vs the typical VIC suburb

The median personal income in Brunswick is $1,085 a week, 41% above the typical VIC suburb ($767). That ranks 71st of 1,274 VIC suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $441 a week, $125 more than the typical VIC suburb. Rent takes 21.0% of the median household income here, against 19.1% in the typical VIC suburb. The median resident is 34, 9 years younger than in the typical VIC suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureBrunswickTypical VICDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,085/wk$767/wk +41%$766/wk
Household income$2,096/wk$1,687/wk +24%$1,637/wk
Rent$441/wk$316/wk +40%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,162/mo$1,723/mo +25%$1,733/mo
Median age3443 −9 yrs42
Rent share of household income21.0%19.1% +1.9 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Brunswick, the typical VIC suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Brunswick Population

24,896 residents at the 2021 Census.

Brunswick Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,085/wk
$56,420 per year
Ranked 763 of 14,663
Median Rent
$441/wk
$1,911 per month
Ranked 1,246 of 14,663
Median Age
34years
4 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$2,162/mo
Avg household size: 2.1 · 0.9 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Brunswick Rent Prices & Affordability

21% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $2,096/wk
Median rent $441/wk
Rent to income 21.0%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Brunswick against your income

About $9,083 a month
Median rent $441/wk
Left after rent $1,655/wk
Rent share 21.0%

Brunswick Schools

57
schools nearby
37
government
1112
avg ICSEA score
15,496
total students
Fitzroy Community School Independent
Primary · Prep-6 · 98 students
1221
ICSEA
Clifton Hill Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 691 students
1186
ICSEA
Deutsche Schule Melbourne Independent
Primary · Prep-6 · 165 students
1186
ICSEA
Merri Creek Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 442 students
1186
ICSEA
Brunswick South Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 317 students
1171
ICSEA
Brunswick South West Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 430 students
1168
ICSEA
Bell Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 440 students
1165
ICSEA
Brunswick East Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 279 students
1162
ICSEA
Northcote High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,668 students
1153
ICSEA
Princes Hill Secondary College Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 862 students
1152
ICSEA
Brunswick North Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 441 students
1151
ICSEA
Fitzroy North Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 363 students
1150
ICSEA
Carlton North Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 297 students
1148
ICSEA
Princes Hill Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 327 students
1147
ICSEA
Coburg West Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 370 students
1147
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 57 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Brunswick, with a map

Brunswick Map

Brunswick, Victoria Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Brunswick, Victoria: 37.7668°S, 144.9628°E

Brunswick Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (57)

People in Brunswick

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.4% (12,057) Female 51.6% (12,837)

Population Density

5,001
people per km²
24,896 people · 5.0 km²

Households

2.1
Avg household size
0.9
Persons per bedroom
$2,807
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
3.6%
New Zealand
3.0%
Italy
2.6%
Greece
2.5%
United States of America
1.3%
China
1.2%
Nepal
1.0%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Greek
4.5%
Italian
3.9%
Mandarin
1.8%
Arabic
1.8%
Spanish
1.4%
Nepali
1.0%
Vietnamese
0.9%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
31.1%
Australian
25.2%
Irish
15.5%
Scottish
10.8%
Italian
10.4%
Greek
6.4%
Chinese
4.8%
German
4.4%
Indian
1.8%
Dutch
1.7%
Lebanese
1.6%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
61.2%
Catholic
13.8%
Eastern Orthodox
5.6%
Not stated
4.7%
Islam
2.9%
Anglican
2.3%
Buddhism
1.9%
Hinduism
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.8%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
25.5% 5,707
Separated
2.0% 442
Divorced
6.2% 1,380
Widowed
3.3% 745
Never married
63.0% 14,076

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
42.8%
Couple: children under 15
34.9%
Couple: no children under 15
11.8%
One parent: no children under 15
6.4%
One parent: children under 15
4.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
34.2%
2 persons
36.5%
3 persons
15.6%
4 persons
10.7%
5 persons
2.4%
6+ persons
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Brunswick

Housing Tenure

Of the 11,040 occupied private dwellings in Brunswick at the 2021 Census, 48.1% were rented, 23.7% owned outright and 26.2% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.2% 127 dwellings
Owned outright
23.7% 2,614 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
26.2% 2,892 dwellings
Rented
48.1% 5,305 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.0% 109 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
54.7%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
24.7%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
20.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
15.3%
2 bedrooms
43.9%
3 bedrooms
30.1%
4 bedrooms
9.0%
5 bedrooms
1.5%
6+ bedrooms
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
5.9%
$300-$449/mo
1.5%
$450-$599/mo
1.3%
$600-$799/mo
2.0%
$800-$999/mo
3.8%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
11.9%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
16.5%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
24.0%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
13.9%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
19.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
21.3%
1 vehicle
52.2%
2 vehicles
20.1%
3 vehicles
4.7%
4+ vehicles
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Brunswick

Employment

Employed full-time
47.3% 9,744 people
Employed part-time
25.0% 5,158 people
Unemployed
3.8% 783 people
Not in labour force
23.9% 4,930 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
50.6%
Managers
15.3%
Clerical & Administrative
10.3%
Community & Personal Service
8.4%
Technicians & Trade Workers
7.6%
Sales Workers
4.0%
Labourers
2.6%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.6%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$150-$299/wk
1.4%
$300-$399/wk
2.6%
$400-$499/wk
4.5%
$500-$649/wk
2.9%
$650-$799/wk
4.4%
$800-$999/wk
4.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
5.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.3%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.1%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
13.6%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
7.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
8.3%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
5.3%
$4,000+/wk
18.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
6.3%
$1-$149/wk
2.5%
$150-$299/wk
4.1%
$300-$399/wk
3.6%
$400-$499/wk
3.4%
$500-$649/wk
3.5%
$650-$799/wk
7.6%
$800-$999/wk
8.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.6%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
9.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
7.3%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
14.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.1%
$3,500+/wk
5.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
40.3%
Did not go to work
22.9%
Bicycle
11.5%
Tram/Light Rail
8.9%
Walked only
7.1%
Train
4.0%
Car (passenger)
2.2%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.7%
Other
0.7%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.7%
Bus
0.7%
Truck
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
89.5%
Year 11 or equivalent
4.7%
Year 10 or equivalent
4.4%
Year 9 or equivalent
1.4%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
46.6%
Postgraduate Degree
24.8%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
10.7%
Certificate III/IV
9.7%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
7.4%
Certificate I/II
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Society & Culture
21.8%
Creative Arts
16.4%
Management & Commerce
16.3%
Health
11.4%
Engineering
7.3%
Education
6.6%
Natural & Physical Sciences
6.3%
Architecture & Building
5.0%
Information Technology
4.3%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
2.9%
Agriculture & Environment
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
29.5%
Vocational Education
23.5%
Secondary: Government
20.0%
Pre-school
12.3%
Primary: Catholic
5.6%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
3.7%
Secondary: Catholic
3.0%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
2.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
91.5%
Has need for assistance
5.1%
Need for assistance not stated
3.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
3,761
Asthma
1,176
Arthritis
467
Diabetes
419
Heart disease
330
Cancer
249
Lung condition
207
Kidney disease
179
Stroke
155
Dementia
58

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
11.7% 2,515
Did not provide
88.3% 18,965

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
17.5% 3,768
Not a volunteer
82.5% 17,735

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.0% 10
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 20
Previously served
0.8% 170
Never served
99.1% 21,381

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
67.2%
1 child
10.4%
2 children
14.7%
3 children
5.5%
4 children
1.7%
5+ children
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
23
1951: 1960
441
1961: 1970
905
1971: 1980
639
1981: 1990
673
1991: 2000
770
2001: 2010
1,247
2011: 2015
1,057
2016
320
2017
335
2018
392
2019
466
2020
184
2021
48

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

26.2%
moved in the last year
56.6%
moved in the last 5 years
4.7%
unemployment rate (Census)
74.5%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
17,595
Moved from VIC
4,562
Moved: same area (SA2)
737
Moved from overseas
314
Moved from NSW
231
Moved from QLD
127
Moved from WA
63
Moved from ACT
52
Moved from SA
52
Moved from TAS
38
Moved from NT
22

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
28.0%
5: 14 hours
38.1%
15: 29 hours
10.8%
30+ hours
4.6%
Did not do domestic work
18.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
93.6%
Step family: no other children
4.5%
Blended family: no other children
1.3%
Intact family: other children present
0.3%
Other couple: children only
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Brunswick Crime Statistics

3,052 reported offences in 2025-25, by category.

Theft
1,615
Assault
358
Break & Enter
276
Property Damage
252
Justice Procedures
204
Fraud
134
Drug Offences
101
Public Order
54
Weapons
40
Robbery
15
Other
3

Total offences by year

2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (crimestatistics.vic.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Flemington
Income: $890/wk Rent: $300/wk $141/wk less rent
Footscray
Income: $916/wk Rent: $355/wk $86/wk less rent
Brunswick West
Income: $1,004/wk Rent: $366/wk $75/wk less rent
Ripponlea
Income: $1,190/wk Rent: $391/wk $50/wk less rent
Brooklyn (Vic.)
Income: $1,064/wk Rent: $391/wk $50/wk less rent
St Kilda East
Income: $1,183/wk Rent: $396/wk $45/wk less rent
Hawthorn (Vic.)
Income: $1,207/wk Rent: $400/wk $41/wk less rent
Windsor (Vic.)
Income: $1,278/wk Rent: $411/wk $30/wk less rent

Suburbs near Brunswick

The closest suburb to Brunswick is Brunswick East, 1.4 km away.

Brunswick East
1.4 km away · income $1,252/wk · rent $421/wk
Princes Hill
1.7 km away · income $1,156/wk · rent $462/wk
Brunswick West
2.0 km away · income $1,004/wk · rent $366/wk
Carlton North
2.2 km away · income $1,208/wk · rent $552/wk
Coburg
2.4 km away · income $894/wk · rent $430/wk
Parkville (Vic.)
2.5 km away · income $586/wk · rent $396/wk

Compare Brunswick (Vic.)

Frequently Asked Questions About Brunswick

What is the population of Brunswick VIC?

The population of Brunswick VIC is 24,896 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 5,001 people per km². Brunswick is ranked #82 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Brunswick?

The median personal income in Brunswick VIC is $1,085 per week, or $56,420 per year. The median household income is $2,096 per week. Family income is $2,807 per week. Brunswick is ranked #763 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Brunswick?

Median rent in Brunswick VIC is $441 per week ($1,911 per month). Rent represents 21.0% of household income, which is considered affordable. Brunswick ranks #1,246 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Brunswick?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Brunswick VIC is $2,162. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Brunswick?

The median age in Brunswick VIC is 34 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Brunswick a good suburb to live in?

Brunswick is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 24,896. The median income is $1,085/wk, which is above the typical VIC suburb ($767/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (21.0% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Melbourne Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 20361. All dollar figures in AUD.