Melbourne vs St Kilda

Melbourne is the younger of the two, with a median age of 29 against 36 in St Kilda. In both, most households rent, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. Units cost more in St Kilda: a median of $500,000, against $452,000 in Melbourne. Melbourne is closer to the city centre: 3.4 km, against 7.2 km. On these figures, Melbourne tends to suit renters, young adults, and share households.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Melbourne

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (40 vs 14)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Melbourne

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($516,000 vs $1,360,000)
  • has cheaper units ($452,000 vs $500,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Melbourne

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (73% vs 62%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Melbourne

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (24% vs 11%)
  • sits closer to the CBD (3.4 km vs 7.2 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (8 min vs 15 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Melbourne

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more GPs (30 vs 9)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Melbourne

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (16.2% vs -3.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Melbourne and St Kilda drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Melbourne St Kilda
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Melbourne St Kilda
Walkability 100 / 96
Melbourne — Walkability: 100/100 St Kilda — Walkability: 96/100
Safety 3 / 6
Melbourne — Safety: 3/100 St Kilda — Safety: 6/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Melbourne — Low fire risk: 100/100 St Kilda — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 36 / 57
Melbourne — Low flood risk: 36/100 St Kilda — Low flood risk: 57/100

Demographics

Melbourne has more residents (54,941 vs 19,490); St Kilda skews older (36 vs 29).

Melbourne St Kilda
Population 54,941
+65% vs other
 19,490
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +16.2% -3.7%
Median age 29 36
Median household income $75,296/yr $92,508/yr
+23% vs other
Median weekly rent $381/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Melbourne St Kilda
0-4 2.0% / 2.8%
Melbourne — 0-4: 2.0% St Kilda — 0-4: 2.8%
5-14 2.2% / 3.9%
Melbourne — 5-14: 2.2% St Kilda — 5-14: 3.9%
15-19 3.5% / 2.1%
Melbourne — 15-19: 3.5% St Kilda — 15-19: 2.1%
20-24 21.0% / 6.1%
Melbourne — 20-24: 21.0% St Kilda — 20-24: 6.1%
25-34 38.3% / 30.4%
Melbourne — 25-34: 38.3% St Kilda — 25-34: 30.4%
35-44 14.8% / 19.3%
Melbourne — 35-44: 14.8% St Kilda — 35-44: 19.3%
45-54 6.8% / 13.4%
Melbourne — 45-54: 6.8% St Kilda — 45-54: 13.4%
55-64 5.1% / 11.4%
Melbourne — 55-64: 5.1% St Kilda — 55-64: 11.4%
65-74 3.7% / 6.9%
Melbourne — 65-74: 3.7% St Kilda — 65-74: 6.9%
75-84 1.9% / 2.9%
Melbourne — 75-84: 1.9% St Kilda — 75-84: 2.9%
85+ 0.7% / 0.8%
Melbourne — 85+: 0.7% St Kilda — 85+: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (38.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Melbourne 63.4% lone person
Melbourne — Lone Person: 63.4% Melbourne — Group Household: 20.6% Melbourne — Couple Families: 7.7% Melbourne — One Parent Families: 4.2% Melbourne — Other Families: 4.2%
St Kilda 70.4% lone person
St Kilda — Lone Person: 70.4% St Kilda — Group Household: 10.9% St Kilda — Couple Families: 11.6% St Kilda — One Parent Families: 5.7% St Kilda — Other Families: 1.4%
Lone Person Group Household Couple Families One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Melbourne 73.3% renting
Melbourne — Owned Outright: 13.1% Melbourne — Mortgage: 13.6% Melbourne — Renting: 73.3%
St Kilda 62.0% renting
St Kilda — Owned Outright: 14.6% St Kilda — Mortgage: 23.4% St Kilda — Renting: 62.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Melbourne St Kilda
Bachelor Degree 30.6% / 27.5%
Melbourne — Bachelor Degree: 30.6% St Kilda — Bachelor Degree: 27.5%
Postgraduate Degree 16.7% / 12.4%
Melbourne — Postgraduate Degree: 16.7% St Kilda — Postgraduate Degree: 12.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.9% / 9.8%
Melbourne — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9% St Kilda — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8%
Certificate III & IV 4.6% / 9.0%
Melbourne — Certificate III & IV: 4.6% St Kilda — Certificate III & IV: 9.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 3.7%
Melbourne — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% St Kilda — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (30.6%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Melbourne St Kilda
China 15.1% / 1.1%
Melbourne — China: 15.1% St Kilda — China: 1.1%
India 7.0% / 2.4%
Melbourne — India: 7.0% St Kilda — India: 2.4%
Malaysia 6.2% / —
Melbourne — Malaysia: 6.2% St Kilda — Malaysia: not among its largest
England — / 5.5%
Melbourne — England: not among its largest St Kilda — England: 5.5%
New Zealand 1.9% / 3.2%
Melbourne — New Zealand: 1.9% St Kilda — New Zealand: 3.2%
Indonesia 3.7% / —
Melbourne — Indonesia: 3.7% St Kilda — Indonesia: not among its largest
Thailand 2.6% / —
Melbourne — Thailand: 2.6% St Kilda — Thailand: not among its largest
Ireland — / 2.5%
Melbourne — Ireland: not among its largest St Kilda — Ireland: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Melbourne 99.7% flats / apartments
Melbourne — Flats / Apartments: 99.7% Melbourne — Townhouses: 0.2% Melbourne — Houses: 0.1%
St Kilda 83.6% flats / apartments
St Kilda — Flats / Apartments: 83.6% St Kilda — Townhouses: 10.9% St Kilda — Houses: 5.5%
Flats / Apartments Townhouses Houses

Property market

Melbourne St Kilda
Median house price $516,000 $1,360,000
Median unit price $452,000 $500,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 39 days
from 10 sales
 24 days
from 19 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Melbourne St Kilda
1 bed $349K / $400K
Melbourne — 1 bed: $349K (787 sales) St Kilda — 1 bed: $400K (227 sales)

787 vs 227 sales

2 bed $540K / $590K
Melbourne — 2 bed: $540K (999 sales) St Kilda — 2 bed: $590K (254 sales)

999 vs 254 sales

3 bed $890K / $790K
Melbourne — 3 bed: $890K (131 sales) St Kilda — 3 bed: $790K (18 sales)

131 vs 18 sales

Zoning mix

Melbourne has more commercially zoned land (41% vs 8%).

Melbourne St Kilda
Residential 3% 56%
Commercial 41% 8%
Parks and recreation 37% 19%
Infrastructure and transport 16% 12%
Other and special use 3% 5%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Melbourne St Kilda
New dwellings approved 4,715
across Melbourne
 891
across Port Phillip
Approvals change year on year +195% +4175%

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Melbourne St Kilda
Houses — 3.2%
$830/wk on $1.36M
Units — 5.5%
$600/wk on $570K

Ranking within VIC

Melbourne St Kilda
House price — Higher than 85% of VIC
Income Higher than 42% of VIC Higher than 61% of VIC
Schools Higher than 46% of VIC Higher than 20% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 100% of VIC Higher than 99% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 11% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 100% of VIC Higher than 91% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of VIC Higher than 85% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 20% of VIC
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 82% of VIC

Liveability

Melbourne St Kilda
Grade B
same for both
Score 64/100 60/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Melbourne carries more flood risk (64 vs 43).

Melbourne St Kilda
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
97/100
 High
94/100
Flood Moderate
64/100
 Moderate
43/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Moderate
54/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 24
within 5 km
 8
within 5 km

Schools

Melbourne St Kilda
Inside the suburb 12 4
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 1 3
Universities within 10 km 3
Melbourne C.Q.U Campus, 0.0 km
 3
Melbourne C.Q.U Campus, 4.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 12.2% 2.0%

Schools in Melbourne

  • MacRobertson Girls High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Melbourne Grammar School Independent · Combined above peers
  • Wesley College Independent · Combined below peers
  • Eltham College - Lonsdale Street Campus Independent · Combined
  • Holmes Grammar School Independent · Secondary
  • Melbourne Grammar School - Wadhurst Campus Independent · Combined

Schools in St Kilda

  • St Kilda Park Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Cheder Levi Yitzchok Inc Independent · Combined below peers
  • St Kilda Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • St Michael's Grammar School Independent · Combined below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Melbourne St Kilda
Supermarkets 25 4
Cafes & restaurants 944 78
Parks & reserves 40 14
Childcare 11
same for both
GPs 30 9
Pharmacies 28 6
Hospitals 3 0
Police stations 2 1
Banks & Bank@Post 43 3
Fuel stations 1 2
EV chargers 1
same for both
Waterways 5 0

Mobility

St Kilda sits further from the CBD (7.2 km vs 3.4 km).

Melbourne St Kilda
Walkability score 100/100 96/100
Distance to Melbourne 3.4 km 7.2 km
+112% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 8 min 15 min
Public transport score 97/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
 81/100
Tram · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 3733.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 700.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 5.3%
postcode 3000
 1.6%
postcode 3182
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 0
postcode 3000
 4
postcode 3182

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Melbourne St Kilda
Worked from Home 41.2% / 47.1%
Melbourne — Worked from Home: 41.2% St Kilda — Worked from Home: 47.1%
Car (driver) 12.4% / 30.7%
Melbourne — Car (driver): 12.4% St Kilda — Car (driver): 30.7%
Walked Only 17.3% / 5.9%
Melbourne — Walked Only: 17.3% St Kilda — Walked Only: 5.9%
Tram / Light Rail 14.0% / 7.4%
Melbourne — Tram / Light Rail: 14.0% St Kilda — Tram / Light Rail: 7.4%
Train 10.2% / 3.3%
Melbourne — Train: 10.2% St Kilda — Train: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (47.1%).

Setting

Melbourne St Kilda
Elevation 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 17 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.3 km
3.3 km to a named beach
 845 m
852 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Melbourne St Kilda
Connectivity score 76/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the building Hybrid fibre-coaxial
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 31%
68,501 premises
 10%
16,356 premises

Climate

Melbourne St Kilda
Annual rainfall 534 mm 644 mm
Summer max (Jan) 26.7°C 26.0°C
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C 6.9°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Melbourne St Kilda
PM2.5 7.9 µg/m³ 7.6 µg/m³
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Melbourne St Kilda
Average residential rate $2,345/yr $1,765/yr
Council Melbourne Port Phillip

Federal electorate

Melbourne St Kilda
Division Melbourne Macnamara
Member Sarah Witty Josh Burns
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Melbourne St Kilda
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Melbourne

Affordable Apartments Easy Commute Inner Multicultural Parks Professionals River Students Trams Transport Hub Urban

St Kilda

Apartments Beach Cafe Culture Coastal Inner Nightlife Parks Professionals Trams Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Melbourne

Melbourne vs Richmond Melbourne vs South Yarra Melbourne vs Southbank Melbourne vs Carlton Melbourne vs Docklands Melbourne vs North Melbourne

Other comparisons with St Kilda

St Kilda vs Elwood St Kilda vs St Kilda East St Kilda vs Windsor St Kilda vs Albert Park St Kilda vs Balaclava St Kilda vs Middle Park
Full data on Melbourne Full data on St Kilda
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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