East Melbourne

East Melbourne is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

East Melbourne's population was around 5,219 as of November 2025. This showed an increase of 323 people, a 6.6% rise from the 4,896 recorded in the 2021 Census. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,222 in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This results in a population density of 1,799 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. East Melbourne's growth rate of 6.6% since the census is within 2.3 percentage points of the national average (8.9%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch employs VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, East Melbourne is expected to have above median population growth, with an increase of 821 persons projected by 2041, reflecting a total gain of 15.8% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in East Melbourne is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

East Melbourne has seen approximately 13 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 68 homes. As of FY26, 0 approvals have been recorded so far. The population has fallen during this period. Development activity has been adequate relative to population change, benefiting buyers while new homes are constructed at an average cost of $1,708,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year, $541.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Melbourne, East Melbourne has significantly less development activity, 80.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Development levels are also lower than nationally, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. Recent development has consisted entirely of townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers.

East Melbourne is expected to grow by 824 residents by 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

East Melbourne has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 84 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Punt Road Oval Redevelopment, Simpson Street Residential Development, The Fox: NGV Contemporary, and Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation - Laak Boorndap Garden. 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 East Melbourne shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

East Melbourne has a highly educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate was 3.4% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.1%.

As of September 2025, 3,599 residents are in work, and the unemployment rate is 1.3% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation is at 69.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment among residents is concentrated in professional & technical (2.1 times the regional level), health care & social assistance, and education & training. Construction is under-represented with only 3.8% of East Melbourne's workforce compared to 9.7% in Greater Melbourne.

There are 4.2 workers for every resident, indicating the area functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 4.1%, labour force grew by 4.7%, and unemployment rose by 0.6 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.0% with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows VIC employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to East Melbourne's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.6% over five years and 15.2% over ten years.

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

East Melbourne SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $78,074 and an average income of $175,491 in the financial year 2022. These figures are exceptionally high compared to national averages, with Greater Melbourne's median income being $54,892 and average income $73,761. By September 2025, current estimates suggest a median income of approximately $87,568 and an average income of $196,831, based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in East Melbourne rank highly nationally, between the 85th and 97th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The largest income segment comprises 30.1% of residents earning between $1,500 - $2,999 weekly. Economic strength is evident with 41.7% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Despite high housing costs consuming 15.4% of income, strong earnings place disposable income at the 85th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

East Melbourne's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 3.2% houses and 96.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 2.2% houses and 97.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in East Melbourne stood at 27.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.3% and rented ones at 54.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,383, exceeding the Melbourne metro average of $1,962. Median weekly rent in the area was $480, higher than Melbourne metro's $396. Nationally, East Melbourne's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

East Melbourne features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 49.9% of all households, including 9.6% that are couples with children, 35.5% that are couples without children, and 3.3% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 50.1%, with lone person households at 43.1% and group households comprising 7.1% of the total. The median household size is 1.8 people, which aligns with the Greater Melbourne average.

East Melbourne performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

East Melbourne's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. As of the latest data (2016), 67.4% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 39.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (21.8%) and graduate diplomas (5.8%). Vocational pathways account for 15.8% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.5% and certificates at 6.3%.

A significant portion, 20.7%, is actively pursuing formal education, including 10.6% in tertiary, 3.1% in primary, and 2.8% in secondary education.

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

East Melbourne has 54 active public transport stops. These include train, light rail, and bus services. There are 52 unique routes operating from these stops, which together facilitate 26,228 weekly passenger trips.

Residents enjoy excellent accessibility to transport, with an average distance of 156 meters to the nearest stop. Daily service frequency across all routes is 3,746 trips, equating to approximately 485 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in East Melbourne is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

East Melbourne shows superior health outcomes for both young and elderly residents, with low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 91% of its total population (4,759 people) has private health cover, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's 56.0%, and the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues affect 8.8% of residents, while arthritis impacts 7.2%.

Conversely, 69.4% report no medical ailments, compared to 79.8% in Greater Melbourne. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 23.6% (1,230 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 6.8%. Notably, health outcomes among seniors are stronger than those of the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in East Melbourne was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

East Melbourne's population showed higher cultural diversity compared to most local areas, with 14.9% speaking a language other than English at home and 29.1% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in East Melbourne, comprising 39.7%. Notably, Judaism had an overrepresentation of 0.7%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 0.4%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (27.3%), Australian (16.7%), and Irish (12.8%), each substantially higher than regional averages. Other ethnic groups with notable divergences included Scottish at 9.9% (vs 5.1%) and Polish at 0.9% (vs 0.7%).

East Melbourne's median age exceeds the national pattern

East Melbourne's median age is 41 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and slightly above Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, East Melbourne has a notably higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (25.1% vs. 20.6%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (3.4% vs. 7.9%). The 25-34 age group is also higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, East Melbourne's population aged 75 to 84 grew from 6.6% to 8.7%, while those aged 25 to 34 increased from 23.4% to 25.1%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 45 to 54 declined from 11.3% to 9.2%, and those aged 55 to 64 decreased from 13.6% to 11.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in East Melbourne's age profile, with the strongest growth expected in the 75-84 cohort (56%), adding 257 residents to reach 713. Residents aged 65 and older are projected to represent 64% of population growth. Meanwhile, declines are anticipated for those aged 0-4 and 15-24 years.