Suburbs East Melbourne

Victoria · Suburb Profile

East Melbourne VIC — Suburb Profile

Population, median income, rent prices, housing costs and demographics for East Melbourne, Victoria. ABS Census 2021.

The population of East Melbourne VIC is 4,896 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in East Melbourne is $1,532 per week ($79,664 per year). Median rent in East Melbourne is $480 per week ($2,080 per month). East Melbourne has a median age of 42 years, older than the national median of 38. East Melbourne has a population density of 2638.4 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in East Melbourne is England. The most common religion is No Religion (55% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in East Melbourne is $2,383.

There were 1,188 recorded offences in East Melbourne in 2025-25, a rate of 243 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (584 offences).

East Melbourne Map

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📍 East Melbourne, Victoria — 37.8154°S, 144.9814°E

Crime: Low Med High 🏫 Schools (71)

East Melbourne Population

0
residents (Census 2021)

East Melbourne Median Income & Rent

💰
Median Income
$1,532/wk
$79,664 per year
#112 of 14,663
🏠
Median Rent
$480/wk
$2,080 per month
#769 of 14,663
👤
Median Age
42years
4 years older than national median
🏡
Mortgage
$2,383/mo
Avg household size: 1.8 · 0.9 per bedroom

East Melbourne Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.0% (2,353) Female 52.0% (2,545)

Population Density

2638.4
people per km²
4,896 people · 1.9 km²

Households

1.8
Avg household size
0.9
Persons per bedroom
$3,733
Family income/wk

East Melbourne Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
♂ Male ♀ Female

Source: ABS Census 2021 — Suburb & Locality (SAL)

East Melbourne Housing Tenure

🏠
Owned outright
60.1% 645 dwellings
🏦
Owned with mortgage
39.9% 428 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021 — Suburb & Locality (SAL)

East Melbourne Country of Birth

Australia
86.7%
England
6.5%
China
2.2%
Hong Kong
1.1%
India
1.0%
Fiji
0.5%
Greece
0.5%
Canada
0.5%
France
0.5%
Germany
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G09 — Country of Birth by SAL

East Melbourne Religion

No Religion
54.7%
Catholic
19.9%
Anglican
9.2%
Not stated
8.2%
Eastern Orthodox
2.3%
Uniting Church
2.3%
Christinty Prsbytrin Refrmd
1.8%
Buddhism
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G14 — Religion by SAL

East Melbourne Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
88.5%
Year 11 or equivalent
6.0%
Year 10 or equivalent
4.7%
Year 9 or equivalent
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G16 — Highest Year of School by SAL

East Melbourne Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
22.0%
Italian
15.1%
Cantonese
13.8%
Spanish
12.8%
Other
11.9%
Greek
10.6%
German
8.3%
Persian ED
5.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G13 — Language Spoken at Home by SAL

East Melbourne Employment

💼
Employed full-time
50.0% 2,095 people
⏰
Employed part-time
20.0% 837 people
🔍
Unemployed
2.4% 102 people
🏠
Not in labour force
27.6% 1,156 people

Source: ABS Census 2021 G46 — Labour Force Status by SAL

East Melbourne Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
48.5%
Postgraduate Degree
26.5%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
11.5%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
7.1%
Certificate III/IV
5.8%
Certificate I/II
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G49 — Non-School Qualification by SAL

East Melbourne Occupation

Professionals
55.3%
Managers
20.5%
Clerical & Administrative
9.4%
Community & Personal Service
5.0%
Technicians & Trade Workers
3.8%
Sales Workers
3.7%
Labourers
1.6%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G51 — Industry of Employment by Occupation

East Melbourne Field of Study

Management & Commerce
26.3%
Society & Culture
20.7%
Health
14.0%
Creative Arts
11.0%
Education
5.8%
Engineering
5.7%
Architecture & Building
5.2%
Natural & Physical Sciences
4.8%
Information Technology
3.2%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
2.3%
Agriculture & Environment
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G51 — Field of Study by SAL

East Melbourne Dwelling Types

Semi-detached (2+ storey)
65.9%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
21.7%
Separate house
12.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G36 — Dwelling Structure by SAL

East Melbourne Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.9%
$1-$149/wk
0.7%
$150-$299/wk
0.5%
$300-$399/wk
1.4%
$400-$499/wk
2.3%
$500-$649/wk
2.6%
$650-$799/wk
2.9%
$800-$999/wk
3.5%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
5.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.3%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.4%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
13.3%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
4.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.2%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.4%
$4,000+/wk
30.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G33 — Household Income by SAL

East Melbourne Marital Status

💍
Married
35.9% 1,658
↔️
Separated
2.6% 118
📋
Divorced
8.9% 410
🕊️
Widowed
3.7% 173
👤
Never married
48.9% 2,259

Source: ABS Census 2021 G05 — Marital Status by SAL

East Melbourne Ancestry

English
29.3%
Australian
17.9%
Irish
13.8%
Scottish
10.6%
Other
9.1%
Chinese
5.2%
Italian
4.9%
German
3.6%
Greek
2.0%
Indian
1.3%
Dutch
1.3%
Polish
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G08 — Ancestry by SAL

East Melbourne School & University Attendance

Vocational Education
22.4%
Secondary — Other Non-Govt
19.9%
Primary — Government
16.7%
Primary — Other Non-Govt
13.9%
Pre-school
12.9%
Secondary — Government
6.6%
Primary — Catholic
4.1%
Secondary — Catholic
3.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G15 — Type of Educational Institution by SAL

East Melbourne Need for Assistance

♿
Needs assistance
4.1% 382
✅
No need for assistance
95.9% 8,845

Source: ABS Census 2021 G18 — Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

East Melbourne Volunteering

🤝
Volunteer
23.1% 1,002
—
Not a volunteer
76.9% 3,338

Source: ABS Census 2021 G23 — Voluntary Work by SAL

East Melbourne Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
14.1%
$300-$449/mo
1.1%
$450-$599/mo
2.3%
$600-$799/mo
3.8%
$800-$999/mo
3.4%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
12.9%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
17.1%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
19.8%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
12.5%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
12.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G38 — Mortgage Repayment by SAL

East Melbourne How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
36.6%
Walked only
23.6%
Did not go to work
19.4%
Tram/Light Rail
7.9%
Bicycle
4.4%
Train
2.9%
Car (passenger)
2.3%
Bus
1.0%
Other
0.9%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.5%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.3%
Truck
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G62 — Method of Travel to Work by SAL

East Melbourne Car Ownership

0 vehicles
19.1%
1 vehicle
53.3%
2 vehicles
22.8%
3 vehicles
3.0%
4+ vehicles
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G34 — Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

East Melbourne Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
26.2%
2 bedrooms
43.1%
3 bedrooms
23.2%
4 bedrooms
6.1%
5 bedrooms
0.7%
6+ bedrooms
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G41 — Number of Bedrooms by SAL

East Melbourne Population Mobility

24.7%
moved in the last year
60.4%
moved in the last 5 years
3.2%
unemployment rate (Census)
69.0%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021 G43 — Summary by SAL

East Melbourne Indigenous Population

0.2%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander
15
Indigenous residents
9,260
Non-Indigenous residents

Source: ABS Census 2021 G07 — Indigenous Status by SAL

East Melbourne Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
457
Asthma
183
Arthritis
135
Heart disease
128
Cancer
94
Diabetes
72
Lung condition
43
Kidney disease
42
Stroke
41
Dementia
23

Source: ABS Census 2021 G19 — Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

East Melbourne Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
5.8%
$1-$149/wk
2.0%
$150-$299/wk
2.1%
$300-$399/wk
1.6%
$400-$499/wk
1.4%
$500-$649/wk
2.0%
$650-$799/wk
5.9%
$800-$999/wk
6.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
9.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
7.2%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
16.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
5.4%
$3,500+/wk
16.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G17 — Personal Income by SAL

East Melbourne Family Structure

Couple — no children
63.2%
Couple — children under 15
20.0%
Couple — no children under 15
10.1%
One parent — children under 15
3.6%
One parent — no children under 15
3.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G29 — Family Composition by SAL

East Melbourne Military Service

🎖️
Current ADF — Regular
0.1% 6
🛡️
Current ADF — Reserves
0.2% 7
🏅
Previously served
2.1% 90
👤
Never served
97.6% 4,238

Source: ABS Census 2021 G22 — ADF Service by SAL

East Melbourne Unpaid Carers

🤲
Provided unpaid assistance
13.0% 562
—
Did not provide
87.0% 3,761

Source: ABS Census 2021 G25 — Unpaid Assistance by SAL

East Melbourne Children Ever Born

No children
62.1%
1 child
9.7%
2 children
15.9%
3 children
9.0%
4 children
2.7%
5+ children
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G28 — Children Ever Born by SAL

East Melbourne When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
26
1951–1960
77
1961–1970
106
1971–1980
101
1981–1990
166
1991–2000
149
2001–2010
211
2011–2015
183
2016
49
2017
48
2018
63
2019
91
2020
31
2021
11

Source: ABS Census 2021 G10 — Year of Arrival by SAL

East Melbourne Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
30.0%
5–14 hours
36.7%
15–29 hours
11.0%
30+ hours
4.8%
Did not do domestic work
17.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G24 — Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

East Melbourne Household Size

1 person
43.3%
2 persons
42.6%
3 persons
7.9%
4 persons
4.2%
5 persons
1.6%
6+ persons
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G35 — Household Size by SAL

East Melbourne Where Residents Moved From

Same address
3,462
Moved from VIC
803
Moved — same area (SA2)
113
Moved from overseas
80
Moved from NSW
51
Moved from QLD
25
Moved from ACT
17
Moved from SA
15
Moved from WA
14
Moved from TAS
7
Moved from NT
4

Source: ABS Census 2021 G44 — Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

East Melbourne Family Blending

Intact family — no other children
92.2%
Step family — no other children
7.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G31 — Family Blending by SAL

East Melbourne Crime Statistics

Reported offences in 2025-25 — 1,188 total

Theft
584
Property Damage
156
Assault
110
Break & Enter
87
Drug Offences
62
Public Order
53
Fraud
45
Justice Procedures
45
Weapons
35
Robbery
8
Other
2
Traffic
1

Offence trend by year:

2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria — crimestatistics.vic.gov.au

East Melbourne Schools

71
schools nearby
32
government
1078
avg ICSEA score
20,084
total students
Fitzroy Community School Independent
Primary · Prep-6 · 98 students
1221
ICSEA
Christ Church Grammar School Independent
Primary · Prep-6 · 287 students
1213
ICSEA
Melbourne High School Government
Secondary · 9-12 · 1,402 students
1195
ICSEA
MacRobertson Girls High School Government
Secondary · 9-12 · 1,195 students
1186
ICSEA
Clifton Hill Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 691 students
1186
ICSEA
Melbourne Girls Grammar Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 1,046 students
1181
ICSEA
Melbourne Grammar School Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 1,905 students
1177
ICSEA
Spensley Street Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 261 students
1170
ICSEA
Albert Park Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 430 students
1156
ICSEA
Galilee Regional Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 369 students
1154
ICSEA
South Yarra Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 435 students
1152
ICSEA
Richmond Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 316 students
1150
ICSEA
Carlton North Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 297 students
1148
ICSEA
South Melbourne Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 502 students
1144
ICSEA
Abbotsford Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 168 students
1143
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 71 schools

Source: ACARA — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2025. ICSEA = Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

View all schools in East Melbourne with map →

East Melbourne Rent Prices & Affordability

20%
of income
Affordable
Household Income $2,345/wk
Median Rent $480/wk
Rent-to-Income 20.5%

Rent is under 25% of household income — generally considered affordable.

If you earn X in East Melbourne

≈ $10,162/month
Median rent $480/wk
Left after rent $1,865/wk
Rent share 20.5%

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

St Kilda West
Income: $1,314/wk Rent: $385/wk Save: $95/wk
Armadale (Vic.)
Income: $1,354/wk Rent: $421/wk Save: $59/wk
South Kingsville
Income: $1,259/wk Rent: $381/wk Save: $99/wk
Spotswood
Income: $1,229/wk Rent: $456/wk Save: $24/wk
Seddon (Vic.)
Income: $1,274/wk Rent: $460/wk Save: $20/wk
Windsor (Vic.)
Income: $1,278/wk Rent: $411/wk Save: $69/wk
Collingwood (Vic.)
Income: $1,338/wk Rent: $425/wk Save: $55/wk
Abbotsford (Vic.)
Income: $1,354/wk Rent: $425/wk Save: $55/wk

East Melbourne vs State & National Average

Nearby Suburbs in VIC

Winchelsea
Pop: 2,456 Income: $749/wk Rent: $295/wk
Launching Place
Pop: 2,495 Income: $795/wk Rent: $350/wk
New Gisborne
Pop: 2,509 Income: $874/wk Rent: $451/wk
Lang Lang
Pop: 2,556 Income: $811/wk Rent: $310/wk
Seville
Pop: 2,559 Income: $900/wk Rent: $369/wk
Gembrook
Pop: 2,559 Income: $815/wk Rent: $360/wk

Compare East Melbourne

East Melbourne vs Winchelsea →East Melbourne vs Launching Place →East Melbourne vs New Gisborne →East Melbourne vs Lang Lang →

Frequently Asked Questions About East Melbourne

What is the population of East Melbourne VIC?

The population of East Melbourne VIC is 4,896 according to the ABS Census 2021.The suburb has a population density of 2638.4 people per km².East Melbourne is ranked #1,605 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in East Melbourne?

The median personal income in East Melbourne VIC is $1,532 per week, or $79,664 per year.The median household income is $2,345 per week.Family income is $3,733 per week.East Melbourne is ranked #112 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in East Melbourne?

Median rent in East Melbourne VIC is $480 per week ($2,080 per month).Rent represents 20.5% of household income, which is considered affordable.East Melbourne ranks #769 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in East Melbourne?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in East Melbourne VIC is $2,383. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in East Melbourne?

The median age in East Melbourne VIC is 42 years.This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is East Melbourne a good suburb to live in?

East Melbourne is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 4,896.The median income is $1,532/wk, which is above the VIC average of $779/wk.Rent affordability is rated as affordable (20.5% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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📊 Australian Average Salary 🏘️ Australian House Prices 🌆 Melbourne Cost of Living

Looking for schools, childcare centres, and playgrounds in this area? See kid.com.au for family facilities data.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 20830. All dollar figures in AUD.