Port Melbourne

Port Melbourne lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of November 2025, Port Melbourne's population is estimated at around 19,505. This reflects an increase of 1,872 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,633. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population as 18,329 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 346 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,017 persons per square kilometer. Port Melbourne's growth rate of 10.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (8.9%) and was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 79.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered, they utilise VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future trends predict exceptional growth, placing Port Melbourne in the top 10 percent of statistical areas nationally, with an expected expansion of 9,920 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 47.5% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Port Melbourne among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Port Melbourne has experienced approximately 215 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 1078 homes. As of FY-26 so far, 86 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.5 new residents have arrived per new home annually between FY-21 and FY-25. New construction has matched or outpaced demand, offering buyers more options while enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations.

The average construction value of new properties is $662,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting a focus on quality developments. In FY-26 so far, $18.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating steady commercial investment activity. New building activity comprises 2% detached houses and 98% attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers.

With around 56 people per dwelling approval, Port Melbourne exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Port Melbourne is forecasted to gain 9264 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Port Melbourne has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 73 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Defence Science Technology Group Redevelopment, Barak Beacon Port Melbourne, University of Melbourne Fishermans Bend Campus, and Port Lane. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

The labour market in Port Melbourne demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Port Melbourne has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 4.4% as of an unspecified period, with estimated employment growth of 6.1% over the past year based on AreaSearch data aggregation.

As of June 2025, 12,134 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is 0.3% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation was 67.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment concentrations include professional & technical services, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance sectors. The area specializes in professional & technical jobs with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level, while health care & social assistance has limited presence at 10.3% compared to the regional average of 14.2%.

There are 1.7 workers for every resident, indicating Port Melbourne functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 6.1%, while labour force grew by 6.8%, resulting in a 0.7 percentage point rise in unemployment. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.5%, labour force increase by 4.0%, and unemployment rise by 0.5 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in Sep-22, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Port Melbourne's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

In financial year 2022, Port Melbourne had a median taxpayer income of $75,296 and an average income of $112,494. Nationally, these figures place Port Melbourne in the top percentile. In Greater Melbourne, median and average incomes were $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. By September 2025, estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $84,452 and $126,173, based on a 12.16% growth in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2022. According to 2021 Census figures, Port Melbourne's household, family, and personal incomes rank between the 86th and 96th percentiles nationally. The $4000+ earnings band captures 29.1% of Port Melbourne's community (5,675 individuals), contrasting with Greater Melbourne where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 32.8%. High earners (above $3,000/week) make up 41.5% of Port Melbourne's population, indicating strong economic capacity. Housing costs consume 17.2% of income, but disposable income ranks at the 83rd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Port Melbourne features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Port Melbourne's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 6.0% houses and 94.1% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In contrast, Melbourne metropolitan area had no reported houses or other dwellings in its evaluation. Home ownership in Port Melbourne stood at 26.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.1% and rented ones at 44.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,500, aligning with the Melbourne metro average. The median weekly rent figure was $540, unlike Melbourne metro's reported figures of $0 for both mortgage repayments and rents. Nationally, Port Melbourne's median monthly mortgage repayment is higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while its median weekly rent of $540 is substantially above the national figure of $375.

Port Melbourne features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a median household size of 2.1 people

Family households account for 58.6% of all households, including 20.9% couples with children, 28.3% couples without children, and 8.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 41.4%, with lone person households at 37.4% and group households comprising 4.0% of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people.

Port Melbourne demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Port Melbourne's educational attainment exceeds national averages significantly. 50.2% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 31.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.6%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational pathways account for 23.8% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 11.8% and certificates at 12.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 26.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 7.9% in primary, 6.1% in secondary, and 6.0% pursuing tertiary education. Port Melbourne's five schools have a combined enrollment of 1,153 students. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1109. The educational mix includes two primary, two secondary, and one K-12 school.

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

Port Melbourne has 98 active public transport stops. These include a mix of light rail and bus services. There are 10 different routes operating in total.

Collectively, these routes provide 9,631 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 138 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 1,375 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 98 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Analysis shows Port Melbourne's health metrics are strong across all age groups. Both young and older residents have low prevalence of common conditions.

Private health cover is high at 71% compared to the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma are most common, affecting 7.5% and 7.1% respectively. 74.0% report no medical ailments, higher than Greater Melbourne's 0%. Residents aged 65 and over make up 16.9%, or 3,296 people. Seniors' health outcomes are particularly strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

Port Melbourne was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Port Melbourne's cultural diversity is higher than most local areas, with 21.9% speaking a language other than English at home and 32.0% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Port Melbourne, comprising 45.4%. Judaism is significantly overrepresented at 0.9%, compared to none across Greater Melbourne.

The top three ancestral groups are English (24.7%), Australian (18.0%), and Other (10.6%). Notably, Greeks are overrepresented at 5.0% while French and Russian populations stand at 0.9% and 0.7%, respectively, compared to none regionally.

Port Melbourne hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Port Melbourne is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 45-54 age group constitutes 16.0% of Port Melbourne's population, compared to a lower percentage for the 15-24 cohort at 9.1%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has increased from 7.8% to 9.1%, while the 0-4 age group has decreased from 4.7% to 4.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest substantial demographic changes in Port Melbourne, with the 45-54 age group projected to grow by 72%, reaching 5,365 people from its current figure of 3,120.