West Melbourne - Residential
Statistical Area - sa2

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

AreaSearch's analysis indicates West Melbourne - Residential had a population of approximately 9,318 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,872 people, a rise of 25.1%, since the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 7,446. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,301 as of June 2024 and an additional 84 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 11,363 persons per square kilometer, placing West Melbourne - Residential among the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. The 25.1% growth rate since the 2021 Census exceeds both the national average (8.6%) and the state's growth rate, positioning West Melbourne - Residential as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 77.7% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts 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 utilises the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting using weighted aggregation methods to calculate population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, exceptional growth is predicted, with the area expected to grow by 5,670 persons to 2041 based on latest population numbers, reflecting an increase of 60.7% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within West Melbourne - Residential when compared nationally

West Melbourne - Residential has seen approximately 194 dwellings granted development approval annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics generates this data on a financial year basis. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 970 homes received approvals, with none recorded yet in FY-26. On average, about 2.3 people moved to the area per new home constructed over these five years.

This suggests steady demand, supporting property values. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $818,000, indicating a focus on premium properties by developers. In FY-26, $47.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered, showing strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Melbourne, West Melbourne - Residential has 91.0% more development activity per person. This should offer buyers ample choice, though building activity has slowed recently. The area's activity is significantly above the national average, indicating robust developer interest.

Recent building activity comprises entirely medium and high-density housing, providing accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and first-time buyers. With around 1089 people per dwelling approval, West Melbourne - Residential reflects a highly mature market. By 2041, the area is projected to grow by approximately 5,653 residents. Current development appears well-suited to meet future needs, supporting stable market conditions without extreme price pressure.

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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 25 projects potentially impacting the area. Notable ones are Queen Victoria Market Precinct Renewal, WOBO North Melbourne, Metro Tunnel Project, and West Gate Tunnel Project - Docklands Connection. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

The employment environment in West Melbourne - Residential shows above-average strength when compared nationally

West Melbourne - Residential has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in the technology sector. As of June 2025, its unemployment rate is 4.4%.

Over the past year, it has seen estimated employment growth of 6.7%. In June 2025, 6,691 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is 0.2% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation in West Melbourne - Residential stands at 74.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Dominant employment sectors among residents include professional & technical, accommodation & food, and health care & social assistance.

Notably, professional & technical employment is at 1.9 times the regional average. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 4.4% versus the regional average of 9.7%. The ratio of 0.7 workers per resident indicates a level of local employment opportunities above the norm. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 6.7%, labour force increased by 7.2%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 0.4 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5% during this period. As of Sep-25, state-level data shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%, compared to the national rate of 4.5%. Victoria's employment growth outpaced the national average of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with significant variations between industry sectors. Applying these projections to West Melbourne - Residential's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.1% over five years and 14.2% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

West Melbourne - Residential had a median taxpayer income of $52,489 and an average of $70,007 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. This was higher than national averages, with Greater Melbourne's median income being $54,892 and average income being $73,761. By March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $57,796 (median) and $77,085 (average), based on a Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022. According to Census 2021 income data, individual earnings stood at the 82nd percentile nationally ($1,047 weekly), while household income ranked at the 52nd percentile. Income distribution showed that 35.1% of the population (3,270 individuals) fell within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, consistent with broader regional trends. 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.

West Melbourne - Residential features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure in West Melbourne - Residential, as per the latest Census, consisted of 1.3% houses and 98.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 2.2% houses and 97.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in West Melbourne - Residential was 12.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 21.0% and rented dwellings at 66.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,135, exceeding the Melbourne metro average of $1,962. The median weekly rent figure was $390, compared to Melbourne metro's $396. Nationally, West Melbourne - Residential's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

West Melbourne - Residential features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a higher-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, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 1.8.

The educational profile of West Melbourne - Residential exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

In West Melbourne - Residential, the proportion of residents aged 15 or above with university qualifications is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. Specifically, 62.8% have such qualifications compared to Australia's national average of 30.4% and Victoria's state average of 33.4%. This substantial educational advantage suggests strong potential for knowledge-based opportunities in the area. The distribution of these university qualifications is as follows: Bachelor degrees account for 38.0%, postgraduate qualifications make up 21.2%, and graduate diplomas constitute 3.6% of all qualifications among residents aged 15 or above.

Vocational pathways are also represented, with advanced diplomas making up 9.0% and certificates accounting for 7.9%. Educational participation is notably high in West Melbourne - Residential, 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. The area's four schools have a combined enrollment reaching 389 students. West Melbourne - Residential demonstrates typical Australian school conditions with an ICSEA score of 1045, indicating balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes one secondary school and three K-12 schools. However, the number of school places per 100 residents (4.2) falls below the regional average (6.9), suggesting that some students may attend schools in adjacent areas. Note: If any schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to their parent campus for accurate information.

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

The analysis indicates that West Melbourne - Residential has 22 active public transport stops. These comprise a mix of train, light rail, and bus services. There are 12 individual routes operating in total, which collectively facilitate 8,626 weekly passenger trips.

The transport accessibility is rated as excellent with residents typically located 114 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 1,232 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 392 weekly trips per individual stop.

West Melbourne - Residential's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

West Melbourne - Residential shows excellent health outcomes with low prevalence of common conditions among both young and elderly residents.

Approximately 54% (~5,068 people) have private health cover, which is very high compared to Greater Melbourne. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (affecting 8.3% of residents) and asthma (6.4%). Notably, 80.9% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, higher than the 79.8% across Greater Melbourne. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 4.5% (417 people), compared to Greater Melbourne's 6.8%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors require particular attention due to their strong performance relative to the broader population.

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 a high cultural diversity, with 49.5% of residents speaking languages other than English at home and 56.9% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, accounting for 24.5% of the population. Buddhism is notably higher in West Melbourne - Residential compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 5.7%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (18.3%), Other (16.8%), and English (15.1%). Korean (2.3%) Spanish (0.8%) and Russian (0.6%) ethnicities show notable overrepresentation compared to regional averages.

West Melbourne - Residential hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

West Melbourne - Residential has a median age of 32 years, which is younger than the Greater Melbourne average of 37 years and significantly lower than the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, West Melbourne - Residential has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (37.9%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (4.5%). This concentration is well above the national average of 14.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 17.5% to 19.5% of the population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 40.0% to 37.9%. Demographic modeling suggests that by 2041, West Melbourne - Residential's age profile will evolve significantly. The 25 to 34 cohort is projected to grow at a rate of 40%, adding 1,424 residents to reach a total of 4,951.