Chart Color Schemes
This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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ABS ERP | -- people | --
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Sales Activity
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
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Sales Detail
Population
West Melbourne - Residential lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends
West Melbourne - Residential's population was around 9,699 as of May 2026. This showed an increase of 2,253 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,446. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,699 in June 2025 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 11,828 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. West Melbourne - Residential's growth of 30.3% since the 2021 census exceeded both state (9.3%) and national averages, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.5% of overall population gains during recent periods, with other factors such as natural growth and interstate migration also positive.
AreaSearch adopted 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 used VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Population projections indicate exceptional growth over the period, with West Melbourne - Residential expected to grow by 5,135 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 52.9% over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within West Melbourne - Residential when compared nationally
West Melbourne - Residential has seen approximately 194 dwelling approvals annually. From FY-21 to FY-25, around 970 homes were approved, with another 198 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, each dwelling adds about 2.3 new residents per year over the past five financial years.
The average construction cost value of these dwellings is $202,000, lower than regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $47.0 million, reflecting strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, West Melbourne - Residential has 90% more development activity per person. However, building activity has slowed in recent years, with all current activity focused on medium and high-density housing, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. As of FY-25, there are around 1089 people per dwelling approval in West Melbourne - Residential. By 2041, the area is projected to grow by approximately 5,135 residents.
Current development appears well-suited to meet future needs, suggesting stable market conditions without excessive price pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around West Melbourne - Residential
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
West Melbourne - Residential has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally
Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 20 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include WOBO North Melbourne, Elysium Fields, Queen Victoria Market Precinct Renewal, and Gurrowa Place - QVM Southern Precinct. The following list details those most relevant.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Elysium Fields
A $1.7 billion biosphere-inspired wellness precinct in Docklands featuring approximately 1,100 to 1,700 dwellings across multiple towers. The project includes a 200-plus room luxury hotel, Australia's largest Saint Haven private wellness club, and the Elysian Reverse Ageing Medical Clinic. Designed to integrate advanced health technologies like cryotherapy, MRI diagnostics, and circadian lighting, the site also features 3,700 square meters of public gardens under a futuristic glass dome. Early construction works on the first phase, involving three towers, commenced in late 2024 with Hamilton Marino appointed as the lead builder.
Errol Street Private Hospital
A 10-story private hospital and healthcare facility located in the Parkville Biomedical Precinct. The development features 223 overnight beds, 10 ICU rooms, 7 operating theatres, and 3 basement levels. The project was fast-tracked via the Victorian Government Development Facilitation Program to enhance specialized medical services including imaging and pathology near existing major public hospitals.
Gurrowa Place - QVM Southern Precinct
Gurrowa Place is a 1.7 billion dollar mixed-use urban renewal project delivered by Lendlease in partnership with the City of Melbourne and Scape. Located in the Queen Victoria Market Southern Precinct, the development features three distinct towers: a 28-level next-generation office building, a build-to-rent tower with approximately 560 units (including affordable housing), and a dedicated student accommodation tower with 1,100 beds. The project integrates the 1.8-hectare Market Square public park, the restoration of the heritage Franklin Street Stores into a retail and dining hub, and a new underground car park for market visitors.
Queen Victoria Market Precinct Renewal
A transformative multi-stage program to modernize Australia's largest 19th-century market. The flagship southern precinct, Gurrowa Place, is a $1.7 billion mixed-use development delivered by Lendlease and Scape. It features three towers providing build-to-rent apartments, student accommodation, and affordable housing. Key elements include the 1.8-hectare Market Square public park replacing the current open-air car park, restoration of the heritage Franklin Street Stores into retail and hospitality, and a new 220-space basement car park. Heritage shed restorations and core trader facilities were largely completed by 2024, with site works for the southern towers commencing in 2026.
Victoria Harbour Precinct
A major urban renewal precinct in Docklands delivering a mix of residential, commercial, and retail spaces. Current active phases include the Collins Wharf waterfront neighbourhood (featuring Ancora, Regatta, and Aluna residences) and a major Build-to-Rent tower at 899 Collins Street. The precinct aims to deliver over 2,300 new homes in its current construction wave.
Abbotsford Street Social Housing
Redevelopment of 112 outdated homes into 340+ new homes including 127 social homes, 85 affordable homes, and 128+ private dwellings. Features universal design, community facilities, and sustainable building practices.
225 King Street Student Accommodation
A 25-storey purpose-built student accommodation tower featuring 420 beds (409 studio units and 11 two-bedroom apartments) with comprehensive communal facilities including ground-floor study areas, concierge, lounges, meeting rooms, retail tenancies, gymnasium, rooftop walking track, and landscaped gardens. The development by SLB Developments will demolish the existing 12-storey former Victoria University building to create modern student housing with distinctive lattice facade and metal mesh elements.
West End Mixed-Use Precinct
A mixed-use development comprising residential apartments, commercial offices, retail spaces, and public amenities. The project includes sustainable design features and contributes to the urban renewal of West Melbourne.
Employment
The employment environment in West Melbourne - Residential shows above-average strength when compared nationally
West Melbourne - Residential has a highly educated workforce with the technology sector prominently represented. The unemployment rate is 3.9%. Over the past year, employment growth was estimated at 5.5%.
As of December 2025, 6,859 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation is high at 79.1% compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 43.6% of residents work from home. Dominant employment sectors include professional & technical, accommodation & food, and health care & social assistance.
Professional & technical services have particularly notable concentration, with employment levels at 1.9 times the regional average. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 4.4%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.7, indicating a level of local employment opportunities above the norm. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 5.5% while unemployment fell by 0.6 percentage points to 3.1%. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, with unemployment rising slightly to 5.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's 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 West Melbourne - Residential's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis
The West Melbourne - Residential SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $55,461 and an average of $69,393 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is slightly above average nationally, compared to Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $60,796 (median) and $76,069 (average) as of March 2026. According to Census 2021 income data, individual earnings stood out at the 82nd percentile nationally ($1,047 weekly), but household income ranked lower at the 52nd percentile. Distribution data showed that 35.1% of the population (3,404 individuals) fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 32.8% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 79.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 47th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 9th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
West Melbourne - Residential features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region
West Melbourne - Residential had 1.3% houses and 98.7% other dwellings in the latest Census, compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership was at 12.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 21.0% and rented ones at 66.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,135, and the median weekly rent was $390, compared to Melbourne metro's averages of $2,000 and $390 respectively. Nationally, West Melbourne - Residential's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,135 against Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were also higher at $390 compared to the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
West Melbourne - Residential features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size
Family households constitute 48.1% of all households, including 11.6% couples with children, 30.5% couples without children, and 4.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 51.9%, with lone person households at 38.3% and group households comprising 13.6%. The median household size is 1.9 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
The educational profile of West Melbourne - Residential exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics
Educational attainment in West Melbourne significantly surpasses broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 62.8% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% statewide in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 38.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (21.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational pathways account for 16.9% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 9.0% and certificates 7.9%.
Educational participation is notably high, with 35.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 18.1% in tertiary education, 3.4% in primary education, and 3.1% pursuing secondary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
West Melbourne - Residential has 23 active public transport stops offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These are covered by 12 routes, collectively serving 11,655 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop is 114 meters, indicating excellent accessibility. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Cars remain the dominant mode at 35%, followed by walking at 23% and train use at 18%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 0.3, below the regional average.
According to the 2021 Census, 43.6% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,665 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 506 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
West Melbourne - Residential's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions
West Melbourne - Residential shows excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Younger cohorts in particular have a very low prevalence of common health conditions.
Private health cover is high at approximately 54% of the total population (~5,227 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 56.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (8.3%) and asthma (6.4%). A significant majority, 80.9%, report being free from medical ailments, higher than Greater Melbourne's 72.6%. The area has a lower proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 4.6% (448 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Despite strong health outcomes among seniors, they rank lower nationally than the broader population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
West Melbourne - Residential is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics
West Melbourne's residential area has high cultural diversity: 49.5% speak a language other than English at home, and 56.9% were born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, with 24.5%. Buddhism is overrepresented at 5.7%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 4.2%.
Top ancestry groups are Chinese (18.3%), Other (16.8%), and English (15.1%). Notable differences exist for Korean (2.3% vs regional 0.3%), Spanish (0.8% vs 0.4%), and Russian (0.6% vs 0.4%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
West Melbourne - Residential hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide
West Melbourne - Residential has a median age of 31 years, which is lower than the Greater Melbourne average of 37 and significantly below the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, West Melbourne - Residential has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (38.0%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (4.4%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably higher than the national average of 14.6%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of residents aged 35-44 has grown from 17.5% to 20.0%, while the proportion of those aged 25-34 has decreased from 40.0% to 38.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in West Melbourne - Residential's age profile, with the 25-34 age cohort expected to grow steadily by 1,346 people (36%), reaching a total of 5,037 residents.