Carlton, VIC: suburb profile

The population of Carlton VIC is 16,055 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Carlton is $659 per week ($34,268 per year). Median rent in Carlton is $365 per week ($1,582 per month). Carlton has a median age of 27 years, younger than the national median of 38. Carlton has a population density of 9,056 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Carlton is China. The most common religion is No religion (51.6% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Carlton is $1,898.

There were 3,204 recorded offences in Carlton in 2025-25, a rate of 200 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (1,691 offences).

Population
16,055
Census 2021
Median income
$659/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$365/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
27years
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.

Carlton vs the typical VIC suburb

The median personal income in Carlton is $659 a week, 14% below the typical VIC suburb ($767). That ranks 970th of 1,274 VIC suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $365 a week, $49 more than the typical VIC suburb. Rent takes 28.3% of the median household income here, against 19.1% in the typical VIC suburb. The median resident is 27, 16 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.
MeasureCarltonTypical VICDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$659/wk$767/wk −14%$766/wk
Household income$1,292/wk$1,687/wk −23%$1,637/wk
Rent$365/wk$316/wk +16%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,898/mo$1,723/mo +10%$1,733/mo
Median age2743 −16 yrs42
Rent share of household income28.3%19.1% +9.2 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 Carlton, the typical VIC suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Carlton Population

16,055 residents at the 2021 Census.

Carlton Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$659/wk
$34,268 per year
Ranked 6,165 of 14,663
Median Rent
$365/wk
$1,582 per month
Ranked 2,840 of 14,663
Median Age
27years
11 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$1,898/mo
Avg household size: 1.8 · 1 per bedroom

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

Carlton Rent Prices & Affordability

28% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,292/wk
Median rent $365/wk
Rent to income 28.3%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Carlton against your income

About $5,599 a month
Median rent $365/wk
Left after rent $927/wk
Rent share 28.3%

Carlton Schools

68
schools nearby
37
government
1077
avg ICSEA score
19,028
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
Northcote Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 303 students
1166
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
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
South Melbourne Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 502 students
1144
ICSEA
Victorian College Of The Arts Secondary School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 344 students
1141
ICSEA
North Melbourne Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 910 students
1136
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 68 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 Carlton, with a map

Carlton Map

Carlton, Victoria Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Carlton, Victoria: 37.8001°S, 144.9671°E

Carlton Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (68)

People in Carlton

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.0% (7,857) Female 51.0% (8,193)

Population Density

9,056
people per km²
16,055 people · 1.8 km²

Households

1.8
Avg household size
1
Persons per bedroom
$2,066
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

China
14.0%
India
5.0%
Malaysia
3.9%
England
2.1%
Vietnam
2.0%
Indonesia
2.0%
New Zealand
1.9%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
16.6%
Cantonese
3.3%
Vietnamese
2.3%
Spanish
1.9%
Arabic
1.8%
Italian
1.6%
Hindi
1.6%

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

Ancestry

Chinese
24.7%
English
19.4%
Australian
13.3%
Irish
8.2%
Scottish
6.5%
Italian
5.3%
Indian
5.0%
German
2.6%
Vietnamese
2.5%
Filipino
1.5%
Dutch
1.2%

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
51.6%
Catholic
11.4%
Not stated
8.3%
Islam
7.1%
Buddhism
6.0%
Hinduism
4.5%
Anglican
2.4%
Christian (other)
2.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.5%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
16.7% 2,536
Separated
1.7% 256
Divorced
5.3% 801
Widowed
2.4% 360
Never married
74.0% 11,238

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
52.6%
Couple: children under 15
24.9%
One parent: no children under 15
8.1%
One parent: children under 15
7.6%
Couple: no children under 15
6.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
45.3%
2 persons
37.1%
3 persons
10.2%
4 persons
5.0%
5 persons
1.3%
6+ persons
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Carlton

Housing Tenure

Of the 6,924 occupied private dwellings in Carlton at the 2021 Census, 72.3% were rented, 13.3% owned outright and 10.0% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
2.9% 201 dwellings
Owned outright
13.3% 922 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
10.0% 695 dwellings
Rented
72.3% 5,004 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.5% 103 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Semi-detached (2+ storey)
58.0%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
34.7%
Separate house
7.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
30.0%
2 bedrooms
49.6%
3 bedrooms
15.4%
4 bedrooms
3.7%
5 bedrooms
1.0%
6+ bedrooms
0.4%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
8.2%
$300-$449/mo
2.1%
$450-$599/mo
2.8%
$600-$799/mo
3.5%
$800-$999/mo
5.1%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
15.1%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
17.7%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
25.2%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
9.8%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
10.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
48.6%
1 vehicle
40.0%
2 vehicles
9.1%
3 vehicles
1.5%
4+ vehicles
0.7%

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

Work, income and education in Carlton

Employment

Employed full-time
31.7% 4,304 people
Employed part-time
26.0% 3,525 people
Unemployed
8.1% 1,095 people
Not in labour force
34.2% 4,647 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
49.0%
Community & Personal Service
10.8%
Managers
10.6%
Clerical & Administrative
9.8%
Technicians & Trade Workers
7.2%
Sales Workers
5.6%
Labourers
4.5%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.4%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
9.1%
$1-$149/wk
2.1%
$150-$299/wk
3.3%
$300-$399/wk
4.4%
$400-$499/wk
5.2%
$500-$649/wk
5.6%
$650-$799/wk
5.0%
$800-$999/wk
6.3%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.6%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.1%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
4.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.4%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
2.5%
$4,000+/wk
10.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
17.7%
$1-$149/wk
4.2%
$150-$299/wk
7.3%
$300-$399/wk
4.1%
$400-$499/wk
3.7%
$500-$649/wk
5.0%
$650-$799/wk
7.6%
$800-$999/wk
8.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.6%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.4%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.8%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
7.9%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.8%
$3,500+/wk
3.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
24.5%
Did not go to work
23.2%
Walked only
22.8%
Tram/Light Rail
13.7%
Bicycle
5.6%
Train
3.8%
Car (passenger)
1.9%
Bus
1.7%
Motorbike/Scooter
1.1%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.8%
Other
0.8%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
92.1%
Year 11 or equivalent
3.9%
Year 10 or equivalent
3.0%
Year 9 or equivalent
1.1%

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
48.9%
Postgraduate Degree
29.5%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
10.3%
Certificate III/IV
6.7%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.8%
Certificate I/II
0.9%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
20.5%
Society & Culture
17.9%
Creative Arts
11.9%
Health
10.6%
Engineering
9.7%
Natural & Physical Sciences
7.7%
Information Technology
6.9%
Architecture & Building
5.5%
Education
4.4%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
3.8%
Agriculture & Environment
1.2%

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

School & University Attendance

Vocational Education
47.9%
Primary: Government
20.0%
Secondary: Government
15.2%
Pre-school
6.4%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
4.1%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.1%
Primary: Catholic
1.9%
Secondary: Catholic
1.2%

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
89.9%
Has need for assistance
3.7%
Need for assistance not stated
6.4%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
1,656
Asthma
521
Arthritis
195
Heart disease
181
Diabetes
175
Lung condition
105
Cancer
97
Stroke
97
Kidney disease
69
Dementia
46

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
7.1% 1,005
Did not provide
92.9% 13,143

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
18.6% 2,642
Not a volunteer
81.4% 11,536

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 9
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 9
Previously served
0.7% 93
Never served
99.2% 14,070

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
80.2%
1 child
6.8%
2 children
7.6%
3 children
3.4%
4 children
1.6%
5+ children
0.5%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
25
1951: 1960
129
1961: 1970
140
1971: 1980
158
1981: 1990
350
1991: 2000
620
2001: 2010
1,256
2011: 2015
1,293
2016
550
2017
811
2018
918
2019
1,434
2020
765
2021
175

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

Population Mobility

44.2%
moved in the last year
75.4%
moved in the last 5 years
11.4%
unemployment rate (Census)
63.2%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
8,369
Moved from VIC
4,060
Moved: same area (SA2)
1,084
Moved from overseas
497
Moved from NSW
318
Moved from QLD
223
Moved from WA
135
Moved from SA
102
Moved from TAS
67
Moved from ACT
61
Moved from NT
21

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
25.3%
5: 14 hours
28.7%
15: 29 hours
6.7%
30+ hours
3.3%
Did not do domestic work
35.9%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
90.7%
Step family: no other children
5.2%
Blended family: no other children
3.3%
Intact family: other children present
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Carlton Crime Statistics

3,204 reported offences in 2025-25, by category.

Theft
1,691
Assault
344
Break & Enter
318
Property Damage
294
Fraud
170
Justice Procedures
150
Drug Offences
110
Public Order
67
Weapons
39
Robbery
20
Other
1

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

Harkness
Income: $789/wk Rent: $350/wk $15/wk less rent
Wyndham Vale
Income: $787/wk Rent: $343/wk $22/wk less rent
Flora Hill
Income: $705/wk Rent: $290/wk $75/wk less rent
Laverton (Vic.)
Income: $738/wk Rent: $330/wk $35/wk less rent
Brookfield (Vic.)
Income: $706/wk Rent: $350/wk $15/wk less rent
Dandenong
Income: $596/wk Rent: $319/wk $46/wk less rent
Hampton Park
Income: $668/wk Rent: $351/wk $14/wk less rent
Braybrook
Income: $622/wk Rent: $312/wk $53/wk less rent

Suburbs near Carlton

The closest suburb to Carlton is Fitzroy (Vic.), 1.1 km away.

Fitzroy (Vic.)
1.1 km away · income $1,265/wk · rent $451/wk
Carlton North
1.6 km away · income $1,208/wk · rent $552/wk
North Melbourne
1.8 km away · income $943/wk · rent $381/wk
Collingwood (Vic.)
1.9 km away · income $1,338/wk · rent $425/wk
Princes Hill
2.0 km away · income $1,156/wk · rent $462/wk
Parkville (Vic.)
2.0 km away · income $586/wk · rent $396/wk

Compare Carlton (Vic.)

Frequently Asked Questions About Carlton

What is the population of Carlton VIC?

The population of Carlton VIC is 16,055 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 9,056 people per km². Carlton is ranked #241 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Carlton?

The median personal income in Carlton VIC is $659 per week, or $34,268 per year. The median household income is $1,292 per week. Family income is $2,066 per week. Carlton is ranked #6,165 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Carlton?

Median rent in Carlton VIC is $365 per week ($1,582 per month). Rent represents 28.3% of household income, which is considered moderate. Carlton ranks #2,840 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Carlton?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Carlton VIC is $1,898. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Carlton?

The median age in Carlton VIC is 27 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Carlton a good suburb to live in?

Carlton is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 16,055. The median income is $659/wk, which is below the typical VIC suburb ($767/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (28.3% 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: 20495. All dollar figures in AUD.