Melville (WA)

Population growth drivers in Melville are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Following an examination of ABS demographic data updates for the surrounding region alongside newly validated addresses recorded by AreaSearch since the Census, the suburb of Melville (WA) has an estimated population of approximately 6,582 as of May 2026. This represents a growth of 378 individuals (6.1%) from the 2021 Census, which documented a population of 6,204 individuals. The adjustment is calculated from a resident population count of 6,567, estimated by AreaSearch using the ABS demographic data release from June 2025 and 31 validated new addresses registered after the Census date. This population level yields a density of 2,742 persons per square kilometer, placing the suburb in the highest quartile of national territories evaluated by AreaSearch. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in the area, accounting for roughly 94.0% of the total population gains in recent times.

AreaSearch implements the demographic projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia for every SA2 region, which were published in 2024 utilizing 2022 as the base year. For SA2 regions lacking this dataset, and to project development beyond 2032, AreaSearch uses cohort-specific growth rates from the latest Greater Capital Region projections published by the ABS in 2023 using 2022 data. Future demographic forecasts indicate that the suburb of Melville (WA) will experience population growth above the median of territories analyzed by AreaSearch, with projections indicating an expansion of 819 individuals by 2041 based on compiled SA2 data, representing an overall increase of 12.2% across the 16 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Melville according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

An evaluation by AreaSearch of ABS building permit statistics compiled from regional data indicates that Melville averages approximately 33 new residential approvals annually, amounting to an estimated 166 homes over the last 5 financial years. In the current FY-26 period, 13 approvals have been documented. With an average of 1.2 new residents relocating per approved home over the 5 financial years spanning FY-21 to FY-25, residential supply and demand appear closely aligned, yielding stable market conditions, though recent data shows this has risen to 6.3 individuals per dwelling over the last 2 financial years, pointing to higher demand and scarcer supply. Building initiatives carry an average construction value of $724,000, showing that developers are prioritizing high-end, premium properties. Furthermore, $4.9 million in commercial permits have been logged during this financial year, which suggests a restricted focus on commercial building.

Compared to Greater Perth, Melville has 18.0% less construction activity per capita, ranking in the 30th percentile of analyzed areas nationwide, which results in fewer options for buyers and increases demand for existing housing stock. Recent building activity is made up of 83.0% detached houses and 17.0% semi-detached or apartment buildings, maintaining the suburban character of the area through a focus on standalone homes that appeal to buyers seeking space. The region has approximately 569 residents for each home approval, which indicates a mature market.

Demographic projections indicate that Melville will add 804 residents by 2041, based on the latest quarterly calculations from AreaSearch. Under current construction volumes, the supply of housing is expected to satisfy demand, creating positive conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating growth that surpasses the current projections.

Melville has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 43rdth percentile nationally

Local infrastructure projects, major developments, and urban planning decisions have a significant impact on regional performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of 8 projects that are expected to influence the local area. Key developments include the Attadale Reserve Masterplan & Sports Facilities Upgrade, the Fremantle to Murdoch and Cockburn Central Transport Capacity project, The Point Attadale, and the Attadale Rehabilitation Hospital - Ward Extension & Redevelopment, with the details of the most significant projects listed below.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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Employment conditions in Melville rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Melville possesses a highly educated labor force with strong representation in key service sectors, alongside an unemployment rate of only 1.2%, according to compiled regional statistics from AreaSearch. In March 2026, 3,801 local residents were employed, representing an unemployment rate 2.9% lower than the Greater Perth average of 4.2%, while labor force participation matches the Greater Perth level of 70.2%. Census records indicate that a low proportion of 11.0% of the workforce operated from home, though this may have been influenced by COVID-19 restrictions.

Resident employment is heavily concentrated in the fields of health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. The locality shows a particularly pronounced focus in education & training, where the share of employment is 1.5 times the broader regional average. In contrast, transport, postal & warehousing is underrepresented, employing only 3.7% of the Melville workforce compared to 4.7% across Greater Perth. The heavily residential nature of the locality suggests that local employment options are limited, as shown by comparing the count of Census workers against the resident population.

According to AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS statistics compiled from broader regional boundaries, the workforce contracted by 2.0% over the 12-month period, while overall employment dropped by 2.1%, leading to a 0.1 percentage point increase in unemployment. Conversely, Greater Perth experienced employment growth of 2.0% and a workforce expansion of 2.5%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. National employment projections from May-25 compiled by Jobs and Skills Australia provide additional context on prospective labor demand in Melville. These five and ten-year forecasts have been applied to the local workforce structure to model future growth. Nationwide employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though expansion rates vary widely by industry. Projecting these industry trends onto the Melville workforce suggests local employment will grow by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, noting that this is a basic weighted extrapolation for demonstration purposes and does not account for local population changes.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The suburb of Melville has a median taxpayer income of $62,066 and an average income of $94,941, based on the latest postcode data from the ATO compiled by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. These figures are very high on a national scale, compared to the median income of $60,748 and average income of $80,248 in Greater Perth. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 10.93% since financial year 2023, current estimates for March 2026 stand at approximately $68,850 for the median and $105,318 for the average. In the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Melville all ranked highly, placing between the 77th and 77th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that the largest group contains 26.4% of residents (1,737 people) earning between $1,500 - 2,999, which is similar to the broader region where 32.0% fall into this range. A substantial 37.2% of residents earn more than $3,000 per week, indicating pockets of high wealth that support local business activity. Housing costs consume 14.1% of income, while high earnings place residents in the 79th percentile for disposable income, and the SEIFA index ranks the area in the 8th decile for income.

Melville is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The mix of housing in Melville at the time of the latest Census consisted of 77.7% separate houses and 22.3% alternative dwellings like townhouses, apartments, or other housing types, compared to 77.8% separate houses and 22.1% alternative dwellings across the Perth metropolitan area. At the same time, home ownership in Melville was much higher than the Perth metropolitan average at 39.2%, with the remaining properties being purchased under a mortgage (45.0%) or rented (15.8%). The median monthly mortgage payment in the area was $2,325, which is well above the Perth metropolitan average of $1,907, while the median weekly rent was $420, compared to $350 in the wider Perth metro. Nationally, Melville mortgage payments are much higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents are also well above the national median of $375.

Melville has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Families make up the majority of households at 73.2%, consisting of 37.8% couples with children, 24.2% couples without children, and 10.1% single parents. Non-family households account for the remaining 26.8%, which includes lone person households at 24.6% and group households at 2.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 residents, matching the average for Greater Perth.

Melville shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The level of education in Melville is significantly higher than regional averages, with 38.6% of residents aged 15+ holding a university degree, compared to 27.9% in WA and 28.6% in the SA4 region. This high concentration of tertiary education positions the population well for professional opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common qualification at 26.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 7.7% and graduate diplomas at 4.7%. Technical and vocational training is also common, with 30.5% of residents aged 15+ holding a vocational qualification, consisting of advanced diplomas at 11.3% and certificates at 19.2%.

Enrollment in education is remarkably high, with 30.7% of the population actively participating in academic programs. This cohort is divided into 10.1% attending primary school, 9.3% in secondary school, and 6.8% enrolled in higher education.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Public transit analysis shows 25 active stops operating in Melville, which are serviced by bus networks. These stops accommodate 7 separate routes that run a combined total of 1,768 passenger trips every week. Accessibility is rated as good, with residents living an average of 239 meters from their closest transit stop. Because the suburb is primarily residential, most workers commute out of the area, with private cars remaining the primary choice of travel at 83%, followed by 7% using buses and 7% using trains. Household vehicle ownership stands at an average of 1.5 cars per home. A relatively small proportion of residents, 11.0%, work from home, based on the 2021 Census, which may reflect the pandemic conditions at the time.

Transit services average 252 runs per day across all active routes, which equates to about 70 weekly trips for each individual stop in the network.

Melville's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

An analysis of health data reveals strong outcomes in Melville, based on calculations of mortality and chronic disease rates by AreaSearch, with both younger and older cohorts showing a low incidence of common medical conditions, while private health insurance coverage is exceptionally high, covering roughly 65% of the population (4,271 people). This compares to 59.0% across Greater Perth and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent health issues recorded in the region were mental health conditions and arthritis, affecting 7.9% and 6.8% of population members respectively, while 72.4% of residents reported having no medical ailments at all, compared to 71.9% in Greater Perth. The working-age population is very healthy, showing low rates of chronic illness. Residents aged 65 and older make up 18.5% of the local population (1,217 people), which is higher than the Greater Perth average of 16.1%. The health status of these senior residents is above average, with national health rankings matching those of the broader community.

In terms of cultural diversity, Melville records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Melville shows a high level of cultural diversity, with 10.4% of the population speaking a language other than English at home and 23.4% of residents born outside Australia. The most common religion in Melville is Christianity, followed by 50.2% of the local population, compared to 45.0% across Greater Perth.

Looking at family ancestry, the three most common backgrounds in Melville are English at 29.6% of the population, Australian at 25.0%, and Irish at 8.5%. There are also notable differences in the concentration of other backgrounds: Welsh heritage is high at 1.1% of Melville (compared to 0.7% in the wider region), Croatian is at 1.4% (compared to 0.8%), and Italian is at 7.1% (compared to 4.2%).

Melville's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age of 42 years in Melville is higher than the Greater Perth average of 37 and older than the national median of 38 years. The 45 - 54 age group is highly represented at 14.7% compared to Greater Perth, while the 25 - 34 cohort is less common at 9.7%. Data collected since the 2021 Census indicates that the 15 to 24 age bracket has increased from 12.5% to 14.8% of the population, while the 5 to 14 cohort decreased from 14.0% to 12.7%. Demographic projections for 2041 show significant shifts ahead for Melville. The 85+ cohort is set to lead this change, growing by 88% (238 people) to reach 508 from 269. The combined cohorts aged 65+ will make up 62% of the total population increase, highlighting the aging profile of the area, whereas the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age groups are projected to contract.