Port Melbourne

Population growth drivers in Port Melbourne are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Port Melbourne's population was 16,902 as of November 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents a rise of 710 people, or 4.4%, from the 2021 Census count of 16,192 individuals. This increase is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 16,884 in June 2024 and the addition of 20 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio stands at 6,058 persons per square kilometer, placing Port Melbourne within the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration accounted for approximately 79.5% of overall population gains in recent periods.

AreaSearch employs 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 uses the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted via 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 suggest a significant population increase in Port Melbourne, with an expected expansion of 5,223 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 30.8% over the 17-year period.

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

Port Melbourne has averaged approximately 95 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY21 and FY25476 homes were approved, with one more approved in FY26 so far. The population has been declining recently, suggesting that new supply is meeting demand, providing good options for buyers.

The average construction value of new homes is $731,000, indicating a focus on premium developments. This financial year, $15.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, showing balanced commercial activity compared to Greater Melbourne. Port Melbourne has about half the construction activity per person but ranks among the 90th percentile nationally. Recent periods have seen increased development activity.

New developments consist of 4% detached houses and 96% townhouses or apartments, appealing to downsizers, investors, and first-time buyers. With around 545 people per dwelling approval, Port Melbourne shows a developed market. By 2041, the population is expected to grow by 5,205 residents. If current construction levels continue, housing supply may lag behind population growth, intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Port Melbourne has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 33 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Barak Beacon Port Melbourne, Fishermans Bend Innovation Precinct, Johnston Street Apartments, and Wirraway Central. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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

Port Melbourne has a highly educated workforce. The technology sector is notably represented, with an unemployment rate of 4.3% as of the past year.

Employment growth in this period was estimated at 4.2%. As of September 2025, 10,189 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is 0.4% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation stands at 66.5%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance.

Port Melbourne has a particular specialisation in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level. Conversely, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 10.5% compared to the regional average of 14.2%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population counts. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 4.2%, while labour force grew by 4.4%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with an unemployment rate increase of 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov shows Victoria's 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 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, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

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 2022 shows that Port Melbourne SA2 has exceptionally high incomes nationally. The median income is $76,068 and the average income stands at $113,516. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's figures of a median income of $54,892 and an average income of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $85,318 (median) and $127,320 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Port Melbourne rank highly nationally, between the 85th and 96th percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 29.0% of locals (4,901 people) fall into the $4000+ category, unlike trends in the region where 32.8% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. A significant 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 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

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 higher at $522 compared to 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, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 1.9.

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

Port Melbourne's educational attainment exceeds national averages. Among residents aged 15+, 49.7% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. University graduates make up 31.5%, followed by postgraduates (13.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%). Vocational qualifications account for 23.5%, including advanced diplomas at 11.7% and certificates at 11.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 25.1% currently enrolled in formal education: primary (7.8%), secondary (6.1%), and tertiary (5.5%).

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 offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These are served by eight different routes that together facilitate 5,947 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 138 meters to the nearest stop.

Daily service frequency averages 849 trips across all routes, resulting in 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 indicate strong performance across both young and elderly cohorts, with low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover stands at approximately 78% of the total population (13,099 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 73.1%, and the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 7.5% and 7.1% respectively, with 73.3% reporting no medical ailments, similar to Greater Melbourne's figure.

Port Melbourne has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 18.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 14.3%. Health outcomes among seniors in Port Melbourne are particularly strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Port Melbourne's cultural diversity surpassed 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, accounting for 46.0%. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented at 1.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 3.7%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (25.1%), Australian (18.2%), and Other (10.1%). Some ethnicities showed notable differences: Greek at 5.2% (vs regional 3.2%), French at 0.9% (vs 1.1%), and Russian at 0.7% (vs 0.9%).

Port Melbourne's median age exceeds the national pattern

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 years. The age profile shows that those aged 45-54 are particularly prominent, making up 16.5% of the population, while those aged 15-24 comprise only 8.6%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of people aged 15-24 has increased from 7.4% to 8.6%, while the 75-84 age group has risen from 5.7% to 6.8%. Conversely, the 35-44 age cohort has decreased from 17.6% to 16.7%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate that the 45-54 age cohort is expected to increase significantly by 49%, from 2,788 people to 4,158. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age group is projected to grow modestly by 0% (2 people).