Carlton North vs Fitzroy

In Carlton North, about half of households rent. In Fitzroy, most households rent, most homes are flats or apartments, and about half of households are people living alone. Fitzroy is closer to the city centre: 2.8 km, against 4.3 km. On these figures, Carlton North tends to suit share households, while Fitzroy suits people living alone.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Fitzroy

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (14 vs 5)
  • has more childcare (8 vs 3)
  • But Carlton North carries lower crime risk (74/100 vs 96/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Carlton North

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($660,000 vs $780,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Fitzroy

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($451/wk vs $552/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Fitzroy

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a shorter drive in (9 min vs 17 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Carlton North

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (74/100 vs 96/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Fitzroy

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.4% vs 2.8%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on units (5.1% vs 4.6%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

Carlton North and Fitzroy drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Carlton North Fitzroy
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Carlton North Fitzroy
Walkability 89 / 96
Carlton North — Walkability: 89/100 Fitzroy — Walkability: 96/100
Safety 26 / 4
Carlton North — Safety: 26/100 Fitzroy — Safety: 4/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Carlton North — Low fire risk: 100/100 Fitzroy — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 63 / 63
Carlton North — Low flood risk: 63/100 Fitzroy — Low flood risk: 63/100

Demographics

Fitzroy has more residents (10,431 vs 6,177); Carlton North rents higher ($552/wk vs $451/wk).

Carlton North Fitzroy
Population 6,177 10,431
+69% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -2.0% -0.1%
Median age 33 35
Median household income $124,800/yr
+9% vs other
 $114,088/yr
Median weekly rent $552/wk
+18% vs other
 $451/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Carlton North Fitzroy
0-4 3.9% / 4.3%
Carlton North — 0-4: 3.9% Fitzroy — 0-4: 4.3%
5-14 6.4% / 5.9%
Carlton North — 5-14: 6.4% Fitzroy — 5-14: 5.9%
15-19 2.9% / 2.6%
Carlton North — 15-19: 2.9% Fitzroy — 15-19: 2.6%
20-24 10.7% / 6.8%
Carlton North — 20-24: 10.7% Fitzroy — 20-24: 6.8%
25-34 28.5% / 29.5%
Carlton North — 25-34: 28.5% Fitzroy — 25-34: 29.5%
35-44 13.9% / 17.6%
Carlton North — 35-44: 13.9% Fitzroy — 35-44: 17.6%
45-54 10.4% / 11.5%
Carlton North — 45-54: 10.4% Fitzroy — 45-54: 11.5%
55-64 9.6% / 10.6%
Carlton North — 55-64: 9.6% Fitzroy — 55-64: 10.6%
65-74 8.2% / 6.7%
Carlton North — 65-74: 8.2% Fitzroy — 65-74: 6.7%
75-84 4.3% / 3.1%
Carlton North — 75-84: 4.3% Fitzroy — 75-84: 3.1%
85+ 1.6% / 1.3%
Carlton North — 85+: 1.6% Fitzroy — 85+: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Carlton North 38.6% lone person
Carlton North — Lone Person: 38.6% Carlton North — Couple Families: 25.2% Carlton North — Group Household: 24.8% Carlton North — One Parent Families: 8.8% Carlton North — Other Families: 2.5%
Fitzroy 53.1% lone person
Fitzroy — Lone Person: 53.1% Fitzroy — Couple Families: 16.6% Fitzroy — Group Household: 16.9% Fitzroy — One Parent Families: 11.1% Fitzroy — Other Families: 2.3%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Carlton North 51.4% renting
Carlton North — Owned Outright: 28.9% Carlton North — Mortgage: 19.7% Carlton North — Renting: 51.4%
Fitzroy 60.7% renting
Fitzroy — Owned Outright: 18.6% Fitzroy — Mortgage: 20.8% Fitzroy — Renting: 60.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Carlton North Fitzroy
Bachelor Degree 33.7% / 29.4%
Carlton North — Bachelor Degree: 33.7% Fitzroy — Bachelor Degree: 29.4%
Postgraduate Degree 18.0% / 15.2%
Carlton North — Postgraduate Degree: 18.0% Fitzroy — Postgraduate Degree: 15.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.4% / 6.3%
Carlton North — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.4% Fitzroy — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3%
Certificate III & IV 4.6% / 4.9%
Carlton North — Certificate III & IV: 4.6% Fitzroy — Certificate III & IV: 4.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.7% / 3.9%
Carlton North — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.7% Fitzroy — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (33.7%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Carlton North Fitzroy
England 3.8% / 4.5%
Carlton North — England: 3.8% Fitzroy — England: 4.5%
New Zealand 2.4% / 3.0%
Carlton North — New Zealand: 2.4% Fitzroy — New Zealand: 3.0%
Vietnam — / 3.3%
Carlton North — Vietnam: not among its largest Fitzroy — Vietnam: 3.3%
China — / 2.1%
Carlton North — China: not among its largest Fitzroy — China: 2.1%
Italy 1.8% / —
Carlton North — Italy: 1.8% Fitzroy — Italy: not among its largest
Malaysia 0.7% / 0.9%
Carlton North — Malaysia: 0.7% Fitzroy — Malaysia: 0.9%
India 0.7% / —
Carlton North — India: 0.7% Fitzroy — India: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Carlton North 71.4% townhouses
Carlton North — Townhouses: 71.4% Carlton North — Flats / Apartments: 22.5% Carlton North — Houses: 6.1%
Fitzroy 36.5% townhouses
Fitzroy — Townhouses: 36.5% Fitzroy — Flats / Apartments: 60.3% Fitzroy — Houses: 3.2%
Townhouses Flats / Apartments Houses

Property market

Carlton North Fitzroy
Median house price $1,500,000 $1,525,000
Median unit price $660,000 $780,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 23 days
from 56 sales
 23 days
from 67 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Carlton North Fitzroy
1 bed $476K / $520K
Carlton North — 1 bed: $476K (16 sales) Fitzroy — 1 bed: $520K (59 sales)

16 vs 59 sales

2 bed $748K / $867K
Carlton North — 2 bed: $748K (26 sales) Fitzroy — 2 bed: $867K (87 sales)

26 vs 87 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Carlton North Fitzroy
2 bed $1.31M / $1.29M
Carlton North — 2 bed: $1.31M (68 sales) Fitzroy — 2 bed: $1.29M (51 sales)

68 vs 51 sales

3 bed $1.68M / $1.83M
Carlton North — 3 bed: $1.68M (54 sales) Fitzroy — 3 bed: $1.83M (46 sales)

54 vs 46 sales

4 bed $1.94M / $2.3M
Carlton North — 4 bed: $1.94M (25 sales) Fitzroy — 4 bed: $2.3M (19 sales)

25 vs 19 sales

Zoning mix

Fitzroy has more commercially zoned land (26% vs 2%).

Carlton North Fitzroy
Residential 47% 63%
Infrastructure and transport 28% 10%
Commercial 2% 26%
Parks and recreation 23% 1%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Carlton North Fitzroy
New dwellings approved 4,715
across Melbourne
 1,675
across Yarra
Approvals change year on year +195% +646%

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Carlton North Fitzroy
Houses 2.8%
$900/wk on $1.65M
 4.4%
$1,300/wk on $1.55M
Units 4.6%
$590/wk on $662K
 5.1%
$745/wk on $765K

Ranking within VIC

Carlton North Fitzroy
House price Higher than 90% of VIC Higher than 87% of VIC
Income Higher than 93% of VIC Higher than 86% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 73% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 99% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 21% of VIC Higher than 20% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 95% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 100% of VIC Higher than 89% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 8% of VIC Higher than 87% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 40% of VIC Higher than 65% of VIC

Liveability

Carlton North scores higher overall (86 vs 73).

Carlton North Fitzroy
Grade A+ A
Score 86/100 73/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Fitzroy carries more crime risk (96 vs 74).

Carlton North Fitzroy
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
74/100
 High
96/100
Flood Low
37/100
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 19
within 5 km
 20
within 5 km

Schools

Carlton North Fitzroy
Inside the suburb 1 3
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 2
Universities within 10 km 3
The University of Melbourne, 1.5 km
 3
Australian Catholic University-Melbourne Campus, 0.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 5.8% 3.1%

Schools in Carlton North

  • Carlton North Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Fitzroy

  • Academy of Mary Immaculate Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • Fitzroy Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Sacred Heart School Catholic · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Carlton North Fitzroy
Supermarkets 0 14
Cafes & restaurants 24 139
Parks & reserves 5 14
Childcare 3 8
GPs 4
same for both
Pharmacies 2 5
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 3
Fuel stations 0 2

Mobility

Carlton North Fitzroy
Walkability score 89/100 96/100
Distance to Melbourne 4.3 km
+35% vs other
 2.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 17 min 9 min
Public transport score 96/100
Tram · Bus
 81/100
Tram · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 246.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 379.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.2%
postcode 3054
 2.4%
postcode 3065
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 12
postcode 3054
 7
postcode 3065

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Carlton North Fitzroy
Worked from Home 54.1% / 55.1%
Carlton North — Worked from Home: 54.1% Fitzroy — Worked from Home: 55.1%
Car (driver) 22.6% / 19.3%
Carlton North — Car (driver): 22.6% Fitzroy — Car (driver): 19.3%
Walked Only 6.4% / 12.1%
Carlton North — Walked Only: 6.4% Fitzroy — Walked Only: 12.1%
Bicycle 7.3% / 4.9%
Carlton North — Bicycle: 7.3% Fitzroy — Bicycle: 4.9%
Tram / Light Rail 5.9% / 5.2%
Carlton North — Tram / Light Rail: 5.9% Fitzroy — Tram / Light Rail: 5.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (55.1%).

Setting

Carlton North Fitzroy
Elevation 42 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 36 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.9 km 5.9 km

NBN connectivity

Carlton North Fitzroy
Connectivity score 100/100 78/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Hybrid fibre-coaxial
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 99%
3,415 premises
 19%
7,755 premises

Climate

Carlton North Fitzroy
Annual rainfall 534 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Carlton North Fitzroy
PM2.5 7.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Carlton North Fitzroy
Average residential rate $2,345/yr $1,937/yr
Council Melbourne Yarra

Federal electorate

Carlton North Fitzroy
Division Wills Melbourne
Member Peter Khalil Sarah Witty
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Carlton North Fitzroy
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Carlton North

Cafe Culture Easy Commute Inner Parks Premium Professionals Townhouses Trams Transport Hub Urban

Fitzroy

Apartments Arts Cafe Culture Inner Nightlife Parks Premium Professionals Townhouses Trams Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Carlton North

Carlton North vs Brunswick Carlton North vs Carlton Carlton North vs Brunswick East Carlton North vs Fitzroy North Carlton North vs Parkville Carlton North vs Princes Hill

Other comparisons with Fitzroy

Fitzroy vs Carlton Fitzroy vs Fitzroy North Fitzroy vs Collingwood Fitzroy vs Clifton Hill Fitzroy vs East Melbourne
Full data on Carlton North Full data on Fitzroy
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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