Suburbs West Melbourne

Victoria · Suburb Profile

West Melbourne VIC — Suburb Profile

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

The population of West Melbourne VIC is 8,025 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in West Melbourne is $1,058 per week ($55,016 per year). Median rent in West Melbourne is $388 per week ($1,681 per month). West Melbourne has a median age of 31 years, younger than the national median of 38. West Melbourne has a population density of 1219.2 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in West Melbourne is China. The most common religion is No Religion (57% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in West Melbourne is $2,106.

There were 1,698 recorded offences in West Melbourne in 2025-25, a rate of 212 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (703 offences).

West Melbourne Map

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📍 West Melbourne, Victoria — 37.8107°S, 144.9310°E

Crime: Low Med High 🏫 Schools (39)

West Melbourne Population

0
residents (Census 2021)

West Melbourne Median Income & Rent

💰
Median Income
$1,058/wk
$55,016 per year
#883 of 14,663
🏠
Median Rent
$388/wk
$1,681 per month
#2364 of 14,663
👤
Median Age
31years
7 years younger than national median
🏡
Mortgage
$2,106/mo
Avg household size: —

West Melbourne Demographics

Gender Split

Male 51.0% (4,093) Female 49.0% (3,926)

Population Density

1219.2
people per km²
8,025 people · 6.6 km²

Households

—
Avg household size
—
Persons per bedroom
$2,406
Family income/wk

West 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)

West Melbourne Housing Tenure

🏠
Owned outright
36.3% 453 dwellings
🏦
Owned with mortgage
63.7% 795 dwellings

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

West Melbourne Country of Birth

Australia
65.4%
China
12.5%
India
11.0%
England
4.6%
Hong Kong
2.0%
Indonesia
1.3%
Brazil
1.0%
France
0.9%
Iran
0.7%
Germany
0.6%

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

West Melbourne Religion

No Religion
56.8%
Catholic
14.2%
Not stated
9.4%
Hinduism
6.3%
Buddhism
5.5%
Islam
3.2%
Anglican
2.6%
Christian (other)
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G14 — Religion by SAL

West Melbourne Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
89.1%
Year 11 or equivalent
5.2%
Year 10 or equivalent
4.9%
Year 9 or equivalent
0.8%

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

West Melbourne Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
39.1%
Spanish
13.2%
Cantonese
10.4%
Other
8.9%
Hindi
8.5%
Korean
7.1%
SAL Tot
6.6%
Vietnamese
6.0%

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

West Melbourne Employment

💼
Employed full-time
48.7% 3,266 people
⏰
Employed part-time
24.8% 1,668 people
🔍
Unemployed
5.3% 356 people
🏠
Not in labour force
21.2% 1,423 people

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

West Melbourne Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
48.2%
Postgraduate Degree
26.7%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
11.6%
Certificate III/IV
8.2%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.6%
Certificate I/II
0.7%

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

West Melbourne Occupation

Professionals
45.3%
Managers
14.3%
Clerical & Administrative
10.8%
Community & Personal Service
8.9%
Technicians & Trade Workers
8.2%
Labourers
5.5%
Sales Workers
4.7%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.3%

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

West Melbourne Field of Study

Management & Commerce
26.3%
Society & Culture
14.9%
Engineering
12.2%
Creative Arts
9.9%
Information Technology
9.3%
Health
8.0%
Natural & Physical Sciences
5.6%
Architecture & Building
4.7%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
4.5%
Education
3.8%
Agriculture & Environment
0.7%

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

West Melbourne Dwelling Types

Semi-detached (2+ storey)
62.0%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
32.0%
Separate house
6.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G36 — Dwelling Structure by SAL

West Melbourne Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
4.4%
$1-$149/wk
0.8%
$150-$299/wk
1.7%
$300-$399/wk
1.7%
$400-$499/wk
2.6%
$500-$649/wk
3.3%
$650-$799/wk
3.5%
$800-$999/wk
6.1%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.0%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.8%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
14.4%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
6.3%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
3.7%
$4,000+/wk
13.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G33 — Household Income by SAL

West Melbourne Marital Status

💍
Married
26.6% 1,977
↔️
Separated
2.5% 184
📋
Divorced
5.4% 404
🕊️
Widowed
0.9% 65
👤
Never married
64.6% 4,803

Source: ABS Census 2021 G05 — Marital Status by SAL

West Melbourne Ancestry

Chinese
19.2%
Other
18.5%
English
16.9%
Australian
13.0%
Irish
7.4%
Indian
6.0%
Scottish
5.3%
Italian
4.3%
German
2.6%
Vietnamese
2.4%
Korean
2.4%
Filipino
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G08 — Ancestry by SAL

West Melbourne School & University Attendance

Vocational Education
46.2%
Primary — Government
19.3%
Secondary — Government
15.9%
Pre-school
7.7%
Secondary — Other Non-Govt
3.5%
Primary — Other Non-Govt
3.3%
Secondary — Catholic
2.7%
Primary — Catholic
1.5%

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

West Melbourne Need for Assistance

♿
Needs assistance
1.7% 249
✅
No need for assistance
98.3% 14,608

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

West Melbourne Volunteering

🤝
Volunteer
13.7% 937
—
Not a volunteer
86.3% 5,909

Source: ABS Census 2021 G23 — Voluntary Work by SAL

West Melbourne Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
4.4%
$300-$449/mo
0.9%
$600-$799/mo
2.0%
$800-$999/mo
2.4%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
14.9%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
17.3%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
24.4%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
14.9%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
18.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G38 — Mortgage Repayment by SAL

West Melbourne How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
28.6%
Walked only
20.3%
Did not go to work
20.1%
Tram/Light Rail
10.4%
Train
9.0%
Bicycle
4.1%
Car (passenger)
3.2%
Motorbike/Scooter
1.6%
Bus
1.3%
Other
0.8%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.6%
Truck
0.2%

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

West Melbourne Car Ownership

0 vehicles
36.4%
1 vehicle
51.1%
2 vehicles
10.5%
3 vehicles
1.4%
4+ vehicles
0.5%

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

West Melbourne Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
32.7%
2 bedrooms
49.8%
3 bedrooms
14.0%
4 bedrooms
2.7%
5 bedrooms
0.5%
6+ bedrooms
0.3%

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

West Melbourne Population Mobility

44.3%
moved in the last year
79.8%
moved in the last 5 years
6.3%
unemployment rate (Census)
75.5%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021 G43 — Summary by SAL

West Melbourne Indigenous Population

0.8%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander
124
Indigenous residents
15,167
Non-Indigenous residents

Source: ABS Census 2021 G07 — Indigenous Status by SAL

West Melbourne Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
677
Asthma
269
Diabetes
82
Arthritis
78
Heart disease
69
Cancer
55
Kidney disease
36
Lung condition
30
Stroke
23
Dementia
4

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

West Melbourne Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
10.5%
$1-$149/wk
2.2%
$150-$299/wk
4.2%
$300-$399/wk
2.2%
$400-$499/wk
2.2%
$500-$649/wk
3.4%
$650-$799/wk
7.8%
$800-$999/wk
9.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
11.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
9.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.4%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
13.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.8%
$3,500+/wk
5.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G17 — Personal Income by SAL

West Melbourne Family Structure

Couple — no children
56.3%
Couple — children under 15
29.5%
Couple — no children under 15
6.0%
One parent — no children under 15
5.0%
One parent — children under 15
3.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G29 — Family Composition by SAL

West Melbourne Military Service

🎖️
Current ADF — Regular
0.0% 3
🛡️
Current ADF — Reserves
0.1% 7
🏅
Previously served
0.9% 60
👤
Never served
99.0% 6,782

Source: ABS Census 2021 G22 — ADF Service by SAL

West Melbourne Unpaid Carers

🤲
Provided unpaid assistance
7.1% 481
—
Did not provide
92.9% 6,335

Source: ABS Census 2021 G25 — Unpaid Assistance by SAL

West Melbourne Children Ever Born

No children
75.6%
1 child
10.5%
2 children
10.1%
3 children
2.9%
4 children
0.8%
5+ children
0.1%

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

West Melbourne When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
7
1951–1960
27
1961–1970
57
1971–1980
76
1981–1990
181
1991–2000
292
2001–2010
696
2011–2015
878
2016
358
2017
362
2018
426
2019
558
2020
253
2021
46

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

West Melbourne Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
26.1%
5–14 hours
31.8%
15–29 hours
8.5%
30+ hours
4.1%
Did not do domestic work
29.5%

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

West Melbourne Household Size

1 person
39.1%
2 persons
41.3%
3 persons
12.4%
4 persons
5.8%
5 persons
1.0%
6+ persons
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G35 — Household Size by SAL

West Melbourne Where Residents Moved From

Same address
4,123
Moved from VIC
2,364
Moved — same area (SA2)
427
Moved from overseas
179
Moved from NSW
99
Moved from QLD
76
Moved from WA
40
Moved from ACT
26
Moved from TAS
22
Moved from SA
18
Moved from NT
3

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

West Melbourne Family Blending

Intact family — no other children
92.1%
Step family — no other children
5.8%
Blended family — no other children
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G31 — Family Blending by SAL

West Melbourne Crime Statistics

Reported offences in 2025-25 — 1,698 total

Theft
703
Assault
247
Break & Enter
178
Property Damage
150
Justice Procedures
141
Drug Offences
103
Fraud
69
Public Order
51
Weapons
33
Robbery
16
Traffic
4
Other
3

Offence trend by year:

2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

West Melbourne Schools

39
schools nearby
21
government
1067
avg ICSEA score
10,720
total students
Galilee Regional Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 369 students
1154
ICSEA
Kensington Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 427 students
1153
ICSEA
Holy Rosary School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 242 students
1149
ICSEA
South Melbourne Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 502 students
1144
ICSEA
Flemington Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 328 students
1140
ICSEA
North Melbourne Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 910 students
1136
ICSEA
Port Melbourne Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 697 students
1134
ICSEA
Docklands Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 616 students
1133
ICSEA
St Aloysius College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 673 students
1127
ICSEA
University High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,983 students
1117
ICSEA
Port Melbourne Secondary College Government
Secondary · 7-10 · 416 students
1101
ICSEA
St Michael's Primary School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 236 students
1098
ICSEA
Port Phillip Specialist School Government
Combined · U · 99 students
1082
ICSEA
Mount Alexander 7-12 College Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 827 students
1069
ICSEA
Simonds Catholic College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 359 students
1053
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 39 schools

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

View all schools in West Melbourne with map →

West Melbourne Rent Prices & Affordability

22%
of income
Affordable
Household Income $1,788/wk
Median Rent $388/wk
Rent-to-Income 21.7%

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

If you earn X in West Melbourne

≈ $7,748/month
Median rent $388/wk
Left after rent $1,400/wk
Rent share 21.7%

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Marong
Income: $900/wk Rent: $350/wk Save: $38/wk
Rockbank
Income: $896/wk Rent: $360/wk Save: $28/wk
Manor Lakes
Income: $948/wk Rent: $360/wk Save: $28/wk
Shepparton North
Income: $957/wk Rent: $360/wk Save: $28/wk
North Melbourne
Income: $943/wk Rent: $381/wk Save: $7/wk
Caulfield East
Income: $868/wk Rent: $320/wk Save: $68/wk
Huntly
Income: $880/wk Rent: $360/wk Save: $28/wk
Lucas
Income: $923/wk Rent: $380/wk Save: $8/wk

West Melbourne vs State & National Average

Nearby Suburbs in VIC

Highett
Pop: 12,016 Income: $1,026/wk Rent: $430/wk
Vermont South
Pop: 11,954 Income: $715/wk Rent: $496/wk
Alfredton
Pop: 11,822 Income: $841/wk Rent: $365/wk
Chirnside Park
Pop: 11,779 Income: $852/wk Rent: $443/wk
Somerville (Vic.)
Pop: 11,767 Income: $809/wk Rent: $380/wk
West Footscray
Pop: 11,729 Income: $1,003/wk Rent: $351/wk

Compare West Melbourne

West Melbourne vs Highett →West Melbourne vs Vermont South →West Melbourne vs Alfredton →West Melbourne vs Chirnside Park →

Frequently Asked Questions About West Melbourne

What is the population of West Melbourne VIC?

The population of West Melbourne VIC is 8,025 according to the ABS Census 2021.The suburb has a population density of 1219.2 people per km².West Melbourne is ranked #882 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in West Melbourne?

The median personal income in West Melbourne VIC is $1,058 per week, or $55,016 per year.The median household income is $1,788 per week.Family income is $2,406 per week.West Melbourne is ranked #883 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in West Melbourne?

Median rent in West Melbourne VIC is $388 per week ($1,681 per month).Rent represents 21.7% of household income, which is considered affordable.West Melbourne ranks #2,364 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in West Melbourne?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in West Melbourne VIC is $2,106. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in West Melbourne?

The median age in West Melbourne VIC is 31 years.This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is West Melbourne a good suburb to live in?

West Melbourne is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 8,025.The median income is $1,058/wk, which is above the VIC average of $779/wk.Rent affordability is rated as affordable (21.7% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 22757. All dollar figures in AUD.