Melbourne suburbs with the most apartments
The suburb of Melbourne tops the ranking, where 99.2% of occupied dwellings are flats or apartments (27,250 of them). Southbank and Docklands follow. These 15 suburbs came from a field of 208 eligible Melbourne suburbs.
This page ranks Melbourne suburbs by the share of occupied private dwellings that are flats or apartments at the 2021 Census. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents are ranked.
The median Australian suburb has almost no apartments at all — 1.3% of dwellings, measured across a 1,238-suburb sample in September 2026 — so this ranking separates its subjects rather than sorting noise: the top of the list runs past 90%. It counts dwellings, not buildings and not people, and it describes what is there rather than what may be built. The zoning that governs the latter is on each suburb page.
Melbourne suburbs with the most apartments
Ranked by the share of occupied private dwellings that are flats or apartments at the 2021 Census, among suburbs with at least 2,000 residents.
Melbourne
VIC 3000 · 54,941 residents99.2% of dwellings are apartments · 27,250 flats
Southbank
VIC 3006 · 22,631 residents98.3% of dwellings are apartments · 11,686 flats
Docklands
VIC 3008 · 15,495 residents97.8% of dwellings are apartments · 7,376 flats
Carlton
VIC 3053 · 16,055 residents80.7% of dwellings are apartments · 5,588 flats
West Melbourne
VIC 3003 · 8,025 residents79.6% of dwellings are apartments · 3,066 flats
South Yarra
VIC 3141 · 25,028 residents79.5% of dwellings are apartments · 10,404 flats
St Kilda
VIC 3182 · 19,490 residents79.0% of dwellings are apartments · 8,192 flats
Travancore
VIC 3032 · 2,116 residents75.3% of dwellings are apartments · 792 flats
East Melbourne
VIC 3002 · 4,896 residents73.5% of dwellings are apartments · 1,762 flats
Elwood
VIC 3184 · 15,153 residents72.1% of dwellings are apartments · 5,239 flats
St Kilda West
VIC 3182 · 2,951 residents71.3% of dwellings are apartments · 1,005 flats
North Melbourne
VIC 3051 · 14,953 residents68.3% of dwellings are apartments · 4,430 flats
Collingwood
VIC 3066 · 9,179 residents68.2% of dwellings are apartments · 3,062 flats
St Kilda East
VIC 3183 · 12,571 residents66.2% of dwellings are apartments · 3,647 flats
Abbotsford
VIC 3067 · 9,088 residents62.8% of dwellings are apartments · 2,760 flats
Ranked from 208 qualifying suburbs.
100% share of occupied private dwellings recorded as a flat or apartment in the 2021 Census, divided by all occupied private dwellings and percentile-ranked within Melbourne's candidate pool. It counts dwellings, not buildings and not people, and it describes what stands there rather than what may be built — the planning zones that govern the latter are on each suburb page. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents qualify, and the larger absolute number of apartments breaks ties. Descriptive ABS Census data, not a recommendation. See how we calculate for the full methodology.
Common questions about this ranking
What are the melbourne suburbs with the most apartments?
The suburb of Melbourne tops the ranking, where 99.2% of occupied dwellings are flats or apartments (27,250 of them). Southbank and Docklands follow. These 15 suburbs came from a field of 208 eligible Melbourne suburbs.
How is this ranking put together?
Each Melbourne suburb is ranked by the share of its occupied private dwellings recorded as a flat or apartment in the 2021 Census, divided by all occupied private dwellings. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents are included, and percentile ranks are computed within Melbourne's pool.
Does this mean the suburb allows apartments?
No. This counts what stands there now. What may be built is set by the planning zones, which are a separate thing and are shown on each suburb page as a share of the suburb's area.
Is a townhouse an apartment here?
No. The Census separates flats and apartments from semi-detached, row, terrace and townhouse dwellings, and only the first group is counted. Separate houses are not counted either.
How current is it?
The figures are from the 2021 Census, the most recent available until results from the August 2026 Census are released in 2027. The top 15 is recomputed whenever we refresh the census data.
Same list in other cities
- Sydney suburbs with the most apartments
- Brisbane suburbs with the most apartments
- Perth suburbs with the most apartments
- Adelaide suburbs with the most apartments
- Hobart suburbs with the most apartments
- Darwin suburbs with the most apartments
- Canberra suburbs with the most apartments
- Newcastle suburbs with the most apartments
- Central Coast suburbs with the most apartments
- Sunshine Coast suburbs with the most apartments
- Gold Coast suburbs with the most apartments
- Wollongong suburbs with the most apartments
- Geelong suburbs with the most apartments
- Townsville suburbs with the most apartments
- Toowoomba suburbs with the most apartments
- Busselton suburbs with the most apartments
- Ballarat suburbs with the most apartments
- Cairns suburbs with the most apartments
- Albany suburbs with the most apartments
- Ballina suburbs with the most apartments
- Geraldton suburbs with the most apartments
- Warragul suburbs with the most apartments
- Bundaberg suburbs with the most apartments
- Launceston suburbs with the most apartments
- Bendigo suburbs with the most apartments
- Rockhampton suburbs with the most apartments
- Mackay suburbs with the most apartments
- Albury – Wodonga suburbs with the most apartments
- Camden Haven suburbs with the most apartments
- Burnie suburbs with the most apartments
- Wagga Wagga suburbs with the most apartments
- Coffs Harbour suburbs with the most apartments
- Alice Springs suburbs with the most apartments
- Mount Isa suburbs with the most apartments
Related
Rankings last computed 28 September 2026. Recomputed after each ACARA schools data refresh.
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