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 is 16,927 as of May 2026. This shows an increase of 735 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,192. The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 16,927 in June 2025 and additional validated new addresses since then. This results in a density ratio of 6,067 persons per square kilometer, placing Port Melbourne in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 84.9% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, it utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted employing weighted aggregation method to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Port Melbourne is forecasted to increase by 4,973 persons, reflecting a total increase of 29.4% over the 16 years based on latest annual ERP population numbers.

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 fiscal years FY21 and FY25476 homes were approved, with an additional 3 approved so far in FY26. The population has been declining recently, suggesting that new supply has likely met demand, providing ample choices for buyers.

Developers have focused on the premium market, with new homes averaging $731,000 in construction cost value. This year, $15.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating balanced commercial development activity compared to Greater Melbourne. Port Melbourne has about half the construction activity per person but ranks among the 90th percentile nationally for development activity, which has increased recently. New developments consist of 4% detached houses and 96% townhouses or apartments, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

With around 545 people per dwelling approval, Port Melbourne indicates a developed market. By 2041, the population is projected to grow by 4,973 residents. If current construction levels continue, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Port Melbourne has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 32 projects that could affect the area. Notable projects include Barak Beacon at Port Melbourne, Fishermans Bend Innovation Precinct, Johnston Street Apartments, and 550 Williamstown Road Port Melbourne. The following list details those most likely to be 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. The technology sector is notably represented. Its unemployment rate was 4.4% in the past year.

Employment growth was estimated at 4.2%. As of December 2025, 10,271 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 3.5%, slightly below Greater Melbourne's 4.8%. Workforce participation was 72.7%, close to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. Home workership stood at 51.8% based on Census responses.

Dominant employment sectors include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance. Port Melbourne specializes in professional & technical jobs with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level. Conversely, health care & social assistance had lower representation at 10.5% compared to the regional average of 14.2%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data. In the past year, employment increased by 4.2% while labour force grew by 4.4%, raising unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. Greater Melbourne experienced lower growth rates in employment and labour force with a smaller rise in unemployment rate. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Port Melbourne's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 7.0% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though this is an illustrative extrapolation not accounting for localized 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 2023 shows that income in Port Melbourne SA2 is exceptionally high nationally. The median assessed income is $77,736 while the average income stands at $113,052. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's figures of a median income of $57,688 and an average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $85,214 (median) and $123,928 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Port Melbourne, between the 85th and 96th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 29.0% of locals (4,908 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 still place disposable income at the 83rd percentile and 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 a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

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). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Port Melbourne stood at 27.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.0% and rented ones at 43.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,515, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Port Melbourne was $522, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Port Melbourne's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,515 versus the Australian 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 lower-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 smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

Educational attainment in Port Melbourne is notably higher than national averages. Specifically, 49.7% of residents aged 15 years or above hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. The area has a substantial educational advantage, with bachelor degrees being the most prevalent at 31.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 13.4% and graduate diplomas at 4.8%. Vocational pathways account for 23.5% of qualifications among those aged 15 years or above, with advanced diplomas at 11.7% and certificates at 11.8%.

Educational participation is high in Port Melbourne, 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.

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

Port Melbourne has 57 operational public transport stops, serving a mix of lightrail and bus routes. These stops are served by 8 different routes, collectively facilitating 5,838 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 137 meters to the nearest stop. Predominantly residential, most residents commute outward using cars (70%), while 9% walk and 6% cycle. Vehicle ownership averages 0.7 per dwelling, lower than the regional norm. A significant 51.8% of residents work from home, as per the 2021 Census data, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency across all routes averages 834 trips daily, equating to approximately 102 weekly trips per individual stop.

Port Melbourne's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Port Melbourne's health outcomes show exceptional results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 76% of Port Melbourne's total population (12,881 people) has private health cover, compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 7.5 and 7.1% of residents respectively. Notably, 73.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents in Port Melbourne have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 19.2% of residents aged 65 and over (3,249 people), higher than the 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong and align with national rankings for the general population.

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 is notable, with 20.8% speaking a language other than English at home as of 2016 Census data. Overseas-born population stands at 30.6%. Christianity is the predominant religion, practiced by 46.0% of residents.

Judaism, however, shows an overrepresentation at 1.0%, equal to Greater Melbourne's average. Top ancestry groups include English (25.1%), Australian (18.2%), and Other (10.1%). Notable divergences exist for Greek (5.2% vs regional 2.7%), French (0.9% vs 0.5%), and Russian (0.7% vs 0.4%) ethnic groups.

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 at 16.3%, while those aged 15-24 make up only 8.7%. From 2021 to present, the percentage of people aged 75-84 has grown from 5.7% to 7.0%, and the 15-24 cohort has increased from 7.4% to 8.7%. Conversely, the 35-44 age group has declined from 17.6% to 16.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate that the 45-54 age cohort is expected to increase significantly by 50%, growing from 2,754 to 4,125 people. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age group is projected to grow modestly by 5% (31 people).