Port Melbourne Industrial
Statistical Area - sa2

Port Melbourne Industrial lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Port Melbourne Industrial's population is around 5,213 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 3,306 people from the 2021 Census figure of 1,907 people. The change was inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 2,895 in June 2024 and an additional 1,756 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 682 persons per square kilometer. Port Melbourne Industrial's growth rate of 173.4% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (8.9%) and the state's average, making it a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 76.5% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including overseas migration and natural growth being positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusting 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. Population projections indicate exceptional growth over the period, with the area expected to grow by 7,764 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, recording a gain of 99.0% in total over the 17 years.

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

Port Melbourne Industrial saw approximately 397 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 1,986 homes were approved, with an additional 389 approved so far in FY-26. The average number of people moving to the area per dwelling built over these years was about 0.7.

This suggests that supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering greater buyer choice and supporting potential population growth above projections. New properties are being constructed at an average expected cost of $429,000, which is moderately higher than regional levels, indicating a focus on quality construction. In the current financial year, $15.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting balanced commercial development activity in the area. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Port Melbourne Industrial has around 1684.0% more construction activity per person, which should provide buyers with ample choice and indicates strong developer confidence in the location. All new construction so far has been comprised of townhouses or apartments, focusing on higher-density living to create more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. The area has approximately 5 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market.

Population forecasts suggest that Port Melbourne Industrial will gain around 5,162 residents by the year 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified 123 potential impact projects. Key initiatives include Defence Science Technology Group Redevelopment, Trielle at Yarra's Edge, University of Melbourne Fishermans Bend Campus, and Emerald Place. Below details the most relevant ones.

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.

Employment performance in Port Melbourne Industrial exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Port Melbourne Industrial has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 4.3% as of June 2025, below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 6.3%. As of June 2025, 2,080 residents were employed with a participation rate of 74.6%, higher than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading employment industries include professional & technical services, construction, and finance & insurance. The area has a notable concentration in professional & technical services, with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average.

Health care & social assistance had limited presence with 7.8% employment compared to 14.2% regionally. There were 15.8 workers for every resident as of the Census, indicating it functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 6.3%, while labour force increased by 7.3%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.9 percentage points. This compares to Greater Melbourne where employment grew by 3.5%, labour force expanded by 4.0%, and unemployment rose by 0.5 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May 2025, project a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Port Melbourne Industrial's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.8% over five years and 13.5% over ten years.

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

Port Melbourne Industrial's income level is among the top percentile nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. Its median income among taxpayers is $71,550 and the average income stands at $107,812, compared to Greater Melbourne's figures of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $80,250 (median) and $120,922 (average) as of September 2025. From the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Port Melbourne Industrial, between the 88th and 96th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 36.2% of the population (1,887 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, consistent with broader trends across the region showing 32.8% in the same category. A significant 40.0% earn above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 21.9% of income, however strong earnings still place disposable income at the 79th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Port Melbourne Industrial features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Port Melbourne Industrial, as assessed at the latest Census, consisted of 0.0% houses and 99.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Melbourne metro's 8.7% houses and 91.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Port Melbourne Industrial stood at 6.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.1% and rented ones at 62.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,279, exceeding Melbourne metro's average of $2,170. The median weekly rent figure was recorded as $585, compared to Melbourne metro's $420. Nationally, Port Melbourne Industrial's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 52.5% of all households, including 14.2% that are couples with children, 30.9% that are couples without children, and 6.3% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 47.5%, with lone person households at 34.3% and group households comprising 12.9%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 1.9.

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

Port Melbourne Industrial has a significantly higher educational attainment than broader benchmarks. 55.2% of its residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. The area's most common qualification is the Bachelor degree at 35.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 25.7% of residents holding them – advanced diplomas (13.1%) and certificates (12.6%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 33.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.8% in tertiary education, 6.1% in primary education, and 3.9% pursuing secondary education. Port Melbourne Industrial's 4 schools have a combined enrollment reaching 839 students as of the latest data. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1087. Educational provision follows conventional lines, split between 2 primary and 2 secondary institutions. As of 2021, the area functions as an education hub with 16.9 school places per 100 residents – significantly above the regional average of 9.6 – attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Port Melbourne Industrial has 55 active public transport stops. These include lightrail and bus services. There are 11 routes operating in total.

They provide 8,412 weekly passenger trips combined. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 138 meters to the nearest stop. All routes together make 1,201 daily trips on average, which equals about 152 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Port Melbourne Industrial, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 75% of the total population (3,894 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.4 and 7.1% of residents respectively, while 82.0% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, higher than Greater Melbourne's 73.3%. As of 2021, 4.5% of residents are aged 65 and over (233 people), lower than the 14.3% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention despite the area's strong overall performance.

Port Melbourne Industrial is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Port Melbourne Industrial has a high level of cultural diversity, with 37.1% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 51.3% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Port Melbourne Industrial, comprising 37.1% of people. However, Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 3.0% versus 1.9%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.7%), Other (16.5%), and Australian (14.1%). Notably, Spanish (1.1%), French (0.9%), and Serbian (0.7%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.7%, 1.1%, and 0.4% respectively.

Port Melbourne Industrial hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Port Melbourne Industrial's median age is 35 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Melbourne's 37 and somewhat younger than the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group has strong representation at 32.8%, compared to Greater Melbourne, while the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 6.3%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, residents have aged on average by 2.6 years, with the median age rising from 32 to 35 years. During this period, the 55-64 age group has grown from 6.1% to 7.5% of the population, while the 5-14 cohort increased from 5.2% to 6.3%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort has declined from 40.4% to 32.8%. Population forecasts for Port Melbourne Industrial indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The 45-54 age group shows the strongest projected growth at 190%, adding 1,182 residents to reach a total of 1,805 residents in this cohort.