Fairfield, VIC: suburb profile

The population of Fairfield VIC is 6,535 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Fairfield is $1,093 per week ($56,836 per year). Median rent in Fairfield is $369 per week ($1,599 per month). Fairfield has a median age of 37 years, younger than the national median of 38. Fairfield has a population density of 1,847 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Fairfield is England. The most common religion is No religion (55.4% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Greek. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Fairfield is $2,167.

There were 680 recorded offences in Fairfield in 2025-25, a rate of 104 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (379 offences).

Population
6,535
Census 2021
Median income
$1,093/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$369/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
37years
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.

Fairfield vs the typical VIC suburb

The median personal income in Fairfield is $1,093 a week, 43% above the typical VIC suburb ($767). That ranks 64th of 1,274 VIC suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $369 a week, $53 more than the typical VIC suburb. Rent takes 18.8% of the median household income here, against 19.1% in the typical VIC suburb. The median resident is 37, 6 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.
MeasureFairfieldTypical VICDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,093/wk$767/wk +43%$766/wk
Household income$1,967/wk$1,687/wk +17%$1,637/wk
Rent$369/wk$316/wk +17%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,167/mo$1,723/mo +26%$1,733/mo
Median age3743 −6 yrs42
Rent share of household income18.8%19.1% −0.3 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 Fairfield, the typical VIC suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Fairfield Population

6,535 residents at the 2021 Census.

Fairfield Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,093/wk
$56,836 per year
Ranked 732 of 14,663
Median Rent
$369/wk
$1,599 per month
Ranked 2,806 of 14,663
Median Age
37years
1 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg household size: 2.2 · 0.9 per bedroom

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

Fairfield Rent Prices & Affordability

19% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,967/wk
Median rent $369/wk
Rent to income 18.8%

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

Median rent in Fairfield against your income

About $8,524 a month
Median rent $369/wk
Left after rent $1,598/wk
Rent share 18.8%

Fairfield Schools

44
schools nearby
25
government
1114
avg ICSEA score
23,167
total students
Westgarth Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 550 students
1204
ICSEA
Ruyton Girls' School Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 854 students
1198
ICSEA
Clifton Hill Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 691 students
1186
ICSEA
Merri Creek Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 442 students
1186
ICSEA
Trinity Grammar School Kew Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 1,577 students
1180
ICSEA
Alphington Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 365 students
1173
ICSEA
Spensley Street Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 261 students
1170
ICSEA
Fairfield Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 556 students
1170
ICSEA
Sacred Heart School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 191 students
1169
ICSEA
Northcote Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 303 students
1166
ICSEA
Ivanhoe Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 557 students
1157
ICSEA
Xavier College Catholic
Combined · Prep-12 · 1,503 students
1154
ICSEA
Northcote High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,668 students
1153
ICSEA
Kew Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 512 students
1151
ICSEA
Alphington Grammar School Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 679 students
1150
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 44 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 Fairfield, with a map

Fairfield Map

Fairfield, Victoria Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Fairfield, Victoria: 37.7844°S, 145.0143°E

Fairfield Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (44)

People in Fairfield

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.3% (3,161) Female 51.7% (3,380)

Population Density

1,847
people per km²
6,535 people · 3.5 km²

Households

2.2
Avg household size
0.9
Persons per bedroom
$3,054
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
3.2%
Greece
2.6%
Italy
1.8%
New Zealand
1.4%
United States of America
0.9%
India
0.9%
China
0.8%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Greek
5.5%
Italian
2.8%
Mandarin
1.1%
Spanish
1.1%
Vietnamese
1.0%
Cantonese
0.7%
Arabic
0.6%

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

Ancestry

English
33.3%
Australian
28.0%
Irish
16.0%
Scottish
11.7%
Italian
10.2%
Greek
8.1%
German
3.8%
Chinese
3.6%
Dutch
1.7%
Indian
1.4%
Polish
1.4%

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
55.4%
Catholic
18.0%
Eastern Orthodox
7.5%
Not stated
5.5%
Anglican
3.6%
Buddhism
1.7%
Christian (other)
1.7%
Uniting Church
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.7%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
36.3% 2,010
Separated
2.3% 128
Divorced
7.2% 400
Widowed
3.4% 186
Never married
50.8% 2,815

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
43.3%
Couple: no children
29.3%
Couple: no children under 15
17.6%
One parent: children under 15
4.9%
One parent: no children under 15
4.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
38.0%
2 persons
29.2%
3 persons
13.4%
4 persons
13.7%
5 persons
4.7%
6+ persons
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Fairfield

Housing Tenure

Of the 2,738 occupied private dwellings in Fairfield at the 2021 Census, 41.4% were rented, 28.7% owned outright and 27.9% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.2% 33 dwellings
Owned outright
28.7% 785 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
27.9% 765 dwellings
Rented
41.4% 1,134 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
0.6% 17 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
67.2%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
18.2%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
14.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
19.7%
2 bedrooms
33.0%
3 bedrooms
30.4%
4 bedrooms
13.7%
5 bedrooms
2.8%
6+ bedrooms
0.4%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
8.0%
$300-$449/mo
1.0%
$450-$599/mo
2.4%
$600-$799/mo
2.6%
$800-$999/mo
3.6%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
15.3%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
13.7%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
21.3%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
13.3%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
18.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
13.3%
1 vehicle
51.0%
2 vehicles
27.4%
3 vehicles
5.1%
4+ vehicles
3.2%

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

Work, income and education in Fairfield

Employment

Employed full-time
43.9% 2,239 people
Employed part-time
24.7% 1,261 people
Unemployed
3.1% 158 people
Not in labour force
28.2% 1,437 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
50.1%
Managers
17.4%
Clerical & Administrative
9.9%
Technicians & Trade Workers
7.3%
Community & Personal Service
7.3%
Sales Workers
4.4%
Labourers
2.1%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
1.5%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.9%
$1-$149/wk
0.5%
$150-$299/wk
0.9%
$300-$399/wk
2.5%
$400-$499/wk
4.7%
$500-$649/wk
4.3%
$650-$799/wk
5.4%
$800-$999/wk
5.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.1%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.7%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
5.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.6%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.7%
$4,000+/wk
21.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.3%
$1-$149/wk
3.9%
$150-$299/wk
4.2%
$300-$399/wk
3.7%
$400-$499/wk
3.5%
$500-$649/wk
2.7%
$650-$799/wk
6.7%
$800-$999/wk
7.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.8%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
13.8%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.8%
$3,500+/wk
8.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
52.9%
Did not go to work
22.1%
Train
6.9%
Bicycle
6.7%
Walked only
4.6%
Car (passenger)
2.7%
Bus
1.5%
Other
0.7%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.6%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.5%
Truck
0.5%
Tram/Light Rail
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
85.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.0%
Year 10 or equivalent
5.7%
Year 9 or equivalent
1.7%

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
44.4%
Postgraduate Degree
21.5%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
11.7%
Certificate III/IV
11.6%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
9.9%
Certificate I/II
0.9%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
20.9%
Society & Culture
19.1%
Health
13.1%
Creative Arts
11.5%
Engineering
8.2%
Education
8.0%
Natural & Physical Sciences
5.7%
Architecture & Building
5.3%
Information Technology
3.8%
Agriculture & Environment
2.3%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
1.9%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
32.0%
Vocational Education
16.7%
Secondary: Government
14.2%
Pre-school
13.1%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
9.1%
Secondary: Catholic
7.4%
Primary: Catholic
4.9%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
2.7%

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
91.0%
Has need for assistance
5.1%
Need for assistance not stated
3.9%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
827
Asthma
288
Arthritis
153
Diabetes
123
Heart disease
97
Cancer
71
Lung condition
56
Stroke
45
Kidney disease
26
Dementia
14

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
14.2% 752
Did not provide
85.8% 4,539

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
18.4% 971
Not a volunteer
81.6% 4,311

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 4
Previously served
0.8% 45
Never served
99.1% 5,251

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
52.3%
1 child
12.1%
2 children
22.3%
3 children
10.4%
4 children
2.7%
5+ children
0.1%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
26
1951: 1960
139
1961: 1970
233
1971: 1980
144
1981: 1990
155
1991: 2000
166
2001: 2010
246
2011: 2015
163
2016
35
2017
40
2018
55
2019
35
2020
13

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

Population Mobility

18.0%
moved in the last year
44.9%
moved in the last 5 years
4.0%
unemployment rate (Census)
69.9%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
5,102
Moved from VIC
883
Moved: same area (SA2)
155
Moved from overseas
43
Moved from NSW
17
Moved from SA
8
Moved from WA
5
Moved from NT
5
Moved from QLD
3

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
25.2%
5: 14 hours
37.7%
15: 29 hours
13.2%
30+ hours
6.0%
Did not do domestic work
17.9%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
93.5%
Step family: no other children
5.6%
Blended family: no other children
0.4%
Intact family: other children present
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Fairfield Crime Statistics

680 reported offences in 2025-25, by category.

Theft
379
Break & Enter
86
Assault
63
Property Damage
57
Fraud
41
Justice Procedures
30
Drug Offences
8
Public Order
8
Weapons
7
Robbery
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

South Geelong
Income: $937/wk Rent: $350/wk $19/wk less rent
Baranduda
Income: $942/wk Rent: $355/wk $14/wk less rent
Kingsville
Income: $1,202/wk Rent: $355/wk $14/wk less rent
Brown Hill (Vic.)
Income: $875/wk Rent: $290/wk $79/wk less rent
Geelong West
Income: $974/wk Rent: $350/wk $19/wk less rent
Cardigan
Income: $883/wk Rent: $350/wk $19/wk less rent
Essendon North
Income: $1,031/wk Rent: $360/wk $9/wk less rent
Gardenvale
Income: $1,087/wk Rent: $301/wk $68/wk less rent

Suburbs near Fairfield

The closest suburb to Fairfield is Clifton Hill, 1.6 km away.

Clifton Hill
1.6 km away · income $1,388/wk · rent $550/wk
Alphington
1.7 km away · income $1,199/wk · rent $451/wk
Northcote
1.9 km away · income $1,166/wk · rent $475/wk
Abbotsford (Vic.)
2.4 km away · income $1,354/wk · rent $425/wk
Kew (Vic.)
2.4 km away · income $1,120/wk · rent $476/wk
Fitzroy North
2.5 km away · income $1,241/wk · rent $481/wk

Compare Fairfield (Vic.)

Frequently Asked Questions About Fairfield

What is the population of Fairfield VIC?

The population of Fairfield VIC is 6,535 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,847 people per km². Fairfield is ranked #1,175 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Fairfield?

The median personal income in Fairfield VIC is $1,093 per week, or $56,836 per year. The median household income is $1,967 per week. Family income is $3,054 per week. Fairfield is ranked #732 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Fairfield?

Median rent in Fairfield VIC is $369 per week ($1,599 per month). Rent represents 18.8% of household income, which is considered affordable. Fairfield ranks #2,806 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Fairfield?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Fairfield VIC is $2,167. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Fairfield?

The median age in Fairfield VIC is 37 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Fairfield a good suburb to live in?

Fairfield is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 6,535. The median income is $1,093/wk, which is above the typical VIC suburb ($767/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (18.8% 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: 20901. All dollar figures in AUD.