Melville
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Melville are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Melville's population is 19,108 as of Aug 2025. This shows an increase of 1,656 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 17,452. The change is inferred from ABS data: estimated resident population was 18,986 in June 2024 and there were additional 150 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 2,424 persons per square kilometer, placing Melville in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. Melville's growth rate of 9.5% since the 2021 Census exceeds the national average of 8.6%, making it a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 93.9% 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 by this data and post-2032 growth estimation, AreaSearch utilises ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Projected demographic shifts indicate above median population growth nationally, with Melville expected to grow by 2,650 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 13.2% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Melville among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Melville recorded approximately 90 residential properties approved annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, showing 453 homes over the past five years from FY21 to FY25, with 14 already approved in FY26. On average, 3.2 new residents were associated with each home built during these five years, indicating significant demand outstripping supply, which can lead to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction cost value for new dwellings was $724,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment.

Commercial development approvals totalled $15.0 million in FY26, suggesting balanced commercial activity compared to Greater Perth. Melville has about three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks in the 60th percentile nationally among assessed areas. Recent construction comprised 84.0% standalone homes and 16.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space.

The area has approximately 254 people per dwelling approval, indicating potential for growth. By 2041, Melville is projected to grow by 2,528 residents. Current development appears well-aligned with future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Melville has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. Six projects identified by AreaSearch are likely to affect this region. Key projects include the Kwinana Freeway Upgrade Program, Westfield Booragoon Shopping Centre Expansion, Myaree Business Area Master Plan, and Fremantle to Murdoch and Cockburn Central Transport Capacity improvements. The following list details these projects in order of relevance:.

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

Employment conditions in Melville rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Melville has a highly educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 1.3%, lower than Greater Perth's 3.9%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.4%. As of June 2025, there are 11,231 residents in work and the unemployment rate is 2.5% below Greater Perth's rate. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services.

The area shows notable concentration in education & training at 1.4 times the regional average. Conversely, administrative & support services show lower representation at 2.3% versus the regional average of 3.3%. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 5.4% while labour force increased by 5.8%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.4 percentage points in Melville. This compares to Greater Perth where employment grew by 3.7%, labour force expanded by 3.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.1 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows WA employment contracted by 0.82% with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest Melville's employment could grow by approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to Melville's employment mix.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2022, Melville had a median income among taxpayers of $62,317 and an average income of $95,325. These figures place Melville in the top percentile nationally, compared to median and average incomes of $58,380 and $78,020 respectively across Greater Perth. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Melville would be approximately $69,552 (median) and $106,392 (average) as of March 2025. The 2021 Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Melville rank highly nationally, between the 78th and 83rd percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 26.9% of Melville's community earns over $4,000 per week (5,140 individuals), contrasting with Greater Perth where the leading income band is $1,500 - 2,999 at 32.0%. The district demonstrates affluence with 39.4% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. After housing costs, residents retain 87.0% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Melville is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Melville, as per the latest Census, consisted of 76.5% houses and 23.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Perth metro's 76.5% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Melville was at 42.5%, similar to Perth metro, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (40.2%) or rented (17.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Melville was $2,420, higher than Perth metro's $2,200. The median weekly rent figure in Melville was recorded at $420, compared to Perth metro's $400. Nationally, Melville's median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,420 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while median weekly rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Melville has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 73.4% of all households, including 37.5% couples with children, 25.6% couples without children, and 9.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 26.6%, with lone person households making up 24.6% and group households comprising 2.0%. The median household size is 2.6 people, aligning with the Greater Perth average.

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

Educational attainment in Melville is notably high, with 40.4% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications. This compares to 27.9% in Western Australia (WA) and 28.6% in the Small Area 4 (SA4) region. Bachelor degrees are most common at 27.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 8.3% and graduate diplomas at 4.4%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 11.3% and certificates at 18.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.9% in secondary education, 9.7% in primary education, and 6.5% pursuing tertiary education. There are seven schools operating within Melville, educating approximately 4,343 students. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) score of 1115. The educational mix includes four primary schools, two secondary schools, and one K-12 school. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Melville has 81 operational public transport stops, all of which offer bus services. These stops are served by 16 different routes that collectively facilitate 2,766 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport options is considered good, with residents typically residing within 220 meters of the nearest stop.

On average, there are 395 daily trips across all routes, which equates to approximately 34 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Melville is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Melville shows good health outcomes, with both younger and older age groups having low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 69% of Melville's total population of 13,241 people have private health cover, which is higher than Greater Perth's 65.2%. Nationally, the average is 55.3%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions in Melville, affecting 7.1% and 6.8% of residents respectively. 72.2% of residents report having no medical ailments, similar to Greater Perth's 72.5%. As of 2021, 20.1% of Melville's population is aged 65 or over (3,844 people), slightly lower than Greater Perth's 22.4%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Melville are strong and largely align with the overall population's health profile.

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

Melville's population showed above-average cultural diversity, with 11.6% speaking a language other than English at home and 26.7% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Melville, comprising 54.1%, compared to 50.2% across Greater Perth. The top three ancestry groups were English (29.6%), Australian (23.8%), and Irish (8.4%).

Welsh residents were notably overrepresented at 0.9% in Melville versus 0.7% regionally, as were Croatian (1.4% vs 1.1%) and Italian (7.1% vs 4.9%) residents.

Melville hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Melville is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. The age group of 55-64 years has a strong representation at 13.0% compared to Greater Perth, while the 25-34 age group is less prevalent at 8.5%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the population aged 15 to 24 years has grown from 12.5% to 14.5%, whereas the population aged 5 to 14 years has declined from 14.0% to 12.8%. By 2041, Melville's demographic is expected to undergo substantial changes. The age group of 75 to 84 years is projected to grow by 59%, increasing from 1,339 people to 2,132. Notably, the combined population aged 65 and above will account for 67% of the total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the populations aged 0 to 4 years and 5 to 14 years are expected to decline.