Port Melbourne
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Port Melbourne are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Port Melbourne's population was around 16,902 as of Nov 2025. This showed an increase of 710 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 16,192. The change was inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 16,884 in Jun 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 6,058 persons per square kilometer, placing Port Melbourne in the top 10% nationally according to AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 79.5% of population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 adjusted using weighted aggregation method for areas not covered by ABS data. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas until 2041. Future trends indicate significant population growth, with Port Melbourne expected to expand by 5,223 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 30.8% over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Port Melbourne when compared nationally

Port Melbourne averaged approximately 95 new dwelling approvals annually between FY-21 and FY-25, totalling 476 homes. No new dwelling approvals have been recorded so far in FY-26. The population has declined recently, with new supply likely meeting demand, providing good buyer choice.

New homes are constructed at an average value of $731,000, indicating a focus on the premium market. In FY-26, $15.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting balanced commercial activity compared to Greater Melbourne. Port Melbourne shows half the construction activity per person but ranks among the 90th percentile nationally for development activity. Recent periods have seen increased development activity.

New developments consist of 4.0% detached houses and 96.0% townhouses or apartments, favouring denser development types that cater to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. With around 545 people per dwelling approval, Port Melbourne exhibits a developed market. By 2041, the population is expected to grow by 5,205 residents. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 33 projects potentially impacting the region. Notable initiatives include Barak Beacon Port Melbourne, Fishermans Bend Innovation Precinct, Johnston Street Apartments, and Wirraway Central. The following details projects likely 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 significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 4.3%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.6%.

In the past year, estimated employment growth was 6.4%. As of June 2025, 10,697 residents are employed. Workforce participation is 66.5%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Dominant employment sectors include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance.

The area specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 10.5% compared to the regional average of 14.2%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data on working population vs resident population. In the past year, employment increased by 6.4%, while labour force grew by 7.1%, resulting in a rise in unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that Port Melbourne's employment could grow by approximately 7.0% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2022 shows median income in Port Melbourne at $76,068 and average income at $113,516. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's median income of $54,892 and average income of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% from July 2022 to September 2025, estimated current incomes are approximately $85,318 (median) and $127,320 (average). According to the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes in Port Melbourne rank between the 86th and 96th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 29.0% of locals (4,901 people) earn over $4,000 weekly, unlike regional trends where 32.8% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Notably, 41.0% earn above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 16.8% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 83rd percentile. 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

The dwelling structure in Port Melbourne, as per the latest Census, consisted of 6.4% houses and 93.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 8.7% houses and 91.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Port Melbourne stood at 27.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.0% and rented dwellings at 43.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,515, higher than the Melbourne metro average of $2,170. The median weekly rent in Port Melbourne was $522, compared to Melbourne metro's $420. Nationally, Port Melbourne's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,515 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Port Melbourne features high concentrations of lone person households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 58.6% of all households, including 21.1% couples with children, 28.2% couples without children, and 8.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 41.4%, with lone person households at 38.1% and group households comprising 3.2%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 1.9.

Educational achievement in Port Melbourne places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Port Melbourne has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above. 49.7% hold university qualifications, surpassing the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian average of 33.4%. The area's educational advantage is evident in the types of qualifications held: bachelor degrees lead at 31.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%). Vocational pathways account for 23.5% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 11.7% and certificates 11.8%.

Educational participation in Port Melbourne is high, with 25.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 7.8% in primary education, 6.1% in secondary education, and 5.5% pursuing tertiary education. The area has three schools with a combined enrollment reaching 827 students as of the latest data. Port Melbourne demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1108. The educational mix includes one primary school, one secondary school, and one K-12 school. School places per 100 residents (4.9) fall below the regional average (9.6), suggesting some students may attend schools in adjacent areas. Note: For schools with 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to their parent campus.

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

Port Melbourne has 57 active public transport stops. These include a mix of lightrail and bus services. There are 8 individual routes operating in total, serving 5,947 weekly passenger trips collectively.

The accessibility of these transport services is rated excellent, with residents typically located just 138 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 849 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 104 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 ages. Young and elderly residents have low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is high at approximately 78% (13,099 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 73.1%.

Nationally, the average is 55.3%. Mental health issues affect 7.5% of Port Melbourne residents, while asthma impacts 7.1%. Seventy-three point three percent declare no medical ailments, matching Greater Melbourne's figure. Eighteen point nine percent are aged 65 and over (3,192 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 14.3%. Health outcomes among seniors exceed those of the general population in Port Melbourne.

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 had a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 20.8% speaking a language other than English at home and 30.6% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Port Melbourne, making up 46.0%. However, Judaism showed significant overrepresentation at 1.0%, compared to 3.7% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (25.1%), Australian (18.2%), and Other (10.1%). Notably, Greek (5.2%) was overrepresented in Port Melbourne versus regionally (3.2%), while Russian (0.7%) and French (0.9%) showed slight underrepresentation compared to their regional percentages of 0.9% and 1.1%, respectively.

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

The median age in Port Melbourne is 43 years, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and exceeds the national average of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 45-54 are prominent at 16.5%, while those aged 15-24 are smaller at 8.6%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group grew from 7.4% to 8.6%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 5.7% to 6.8%. Conversely, the 35-44 cohort declined from 17.6% to 16.7%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate that the 45-54 age cohort is expected to increase by 49%, from 2,788 to 4,158 people. The 0-4 cohort is projected to grow by a modest 0% (2 people).