Carlton, Victoria

Carlton Melbourne, Victoria
Aerial view looking south over Carlton. The Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens (left), Rathdowne Street (centre), Drummond Street (right) and Lygon Street (far right)
Carlton
Coordinates	37°48′00″S 144°58′02″E / 37.8001°S 144.9671°E / -37.8001; 144.9671Coordinates: 37°48′00″S 144°58′02″E / 37.8001°S 144.9671°E / -37.8001; 144.9671
Population	16,315 (2013)
• Density	9,060/km2 (23,500/sq mi)
Established	1851
Postcode(s)	3053
Area	1.8 km2 (0.7 sq mi)
Location	2 km (1 mi) from Melbourne
LGA(s)	City of Melbourne
State electorate(s)	Melbourne
Federal Division(s)	Melbourne
Suburbs around Carlton: Parkville Carlton North Fitzroy North North Melbourne Carlton Fitzroy West Melbourne Melbourne East Melbourne

Carlton is an inner-northern suburb of Melbourne, Australia, 2 km from and immediately adjoining Melbourne's Central Business District. Its local government area is the City of Melbourne. At the 2011 Census, Carlton had a population of 13,509.

Its boundaries are The University of Melbourne to the west, Princes Street to the north, Victoria Parade to the south, and Nicholson Street to the east.

The suburb is well known for its "Little Italy" precinct on Lygon Street, for its 19th century Victorian architecture and its garden squares including the Carlton Gardens, the latter being the location of the Royal Exhibition Building, one of Australia's few man-made sites with World Heritage status. Due to its proximity to The University of Melbourne and the city campus of RMIT University, Carlton is home to one of the highest concentrations of university students in Australia.

Carlton is thought to have been named after Carlton House, London.

Carlton was founded in 1851 at the beginning of the Victorian Gold Rush, with the Carlton Post Office opening on 19 October 1865.

Carlton is characterised by medium- to high-density housing, with a mix of apartments and student accommodation, attached and semidetached terraces mostly from the Victorian era and mix use buildings. In contrast to the outer suburbs, detached homes are quite rare in Carlton, making up just 3% of residences.