Melbourne vs West Melbourne

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 West Melbourne: a median of $530,000, against $452,000 in Melbourne. Melbourne is closer to the city centre: 3.4 km, against 4.6 km.

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 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (11 vs 2)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (12 vs 3)
  • has more parks and reserves (40 vs 12)
  • But West Melbourne is already more of a family suburb (22% vs 12%)

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 $1,272,500)
  • has cheaper units ($452,000 vs $530,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Melbourne

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (100/100 vs 38/100)
  • gets more of its commuters onto trains and trams (24% vs 16%)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Melbourne

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (30 vs 1)
  • is more walkable (100/100 vs 38/100)

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

Investors

West Melbourne

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (45.5% vs 16.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Melbourne and West Melbourne 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 West Melbourne
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 West Melbourne
Walkability 100 / 38
Melbourne — Walkability: 100/100 West Melbourne — Walkability: 38/100
Safety 3 / 8
Melbourne — Safety: 3/100 West Melbourne — Safety: 8/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Melbourne — Low fire risk: 100/100 West Melbourne — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 36 / 36
Melbourne — Low flood risk: 36/100 West Melbourne — Low flood risk: 36/100

Demographics

Melbourne has more residents (54,941 vs 8,025); West Melbourne has higher household incomes ($92,976 vs $75,296).

Melbourne West Melbourne
Population 54,941
+85% vs other
 8,025
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +16.2% +45.5%
Median age 29 31
Median household income $75,296/yr $92,976/yr
+23% vs other
Median weekly rent $381/wk $388/wk
+2% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Melbourne West Melbourne
0-4 2.0% / 3.1%
Melbourne — 0-4: 2.0% West Melbourne — 0-4: 3.1%
5-14 2.2% / 4.2%
Melbourne — 5-14: 2.2% West Melbourne — 5-14: 4.2%
15-19 3.5% / 2.8%
Melbourne — 15-19: 3.5% West Melbourne — 15-19: 2.8%
20-24 21.0% / 13.7%
Melbourne — 20-24: 21.0% West Melbourne — 20-24: 13.7%
25-34 38.3% / 40.5%
Melbourne — 25-34: 38.3% West Melbourne — 25-34: 40.5%
35-44 14.8% / 17.2%
Melbourne — 35-44: 14.8% West Melbourne — 35-44: 17.2%
45-54 6.8% / 8.7%
Melbourne — 45-54: 6.8% West Melbourne — 45-54: 8.7%
55-64 5.1% / 5.4%
Melbourne — 55-64: 5.1% West Melbourne — 55-64: 5.4%
65-74 3.7% / 3.1%
Melbourne — 65-74: 3.7% West Melbourne — 65-74: 3.1%
75-84 1.9% / 1.1%
Melbourne — 75-84: 1.9% West Melbourne — 75-84: 1.1%
85+ 0.7% / 0.2%
Melbourne — 85+: 0.7% West Melbourne — 85+: 0.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (40.5%).

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%
West Melbourne 56.2% lone person
West Melbourne — Lone Person: 56.2% West Melbourne — Group Household: 19.1% West Melbourne — Couple Families: 16.2% West Melbourne — One Parent Families: 5.8% West Melbourne — Other Families: 2.7%
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%
West Melbourne 66.8% renting
West Melbourne — Owned Outright: 12.1% West Melbourne — Mortgage: 21.1% West Melbourne — Renting: 66.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Melbourne West Melbourne
Bachelor Degree 30.6% / 31.6%
Melbourne — Bachelor Degree: 30.6% West Melbourne — Bachelor Degree: 31.6%
Postgraduate Degree 16.7% / 17.5%
Melbourne — Postgraduate Degree: 16.7% West Melbourne — Postgraduate Degree: 17.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.9% / 7.6%
Melbourne — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9% West Melbourne — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.6%
Certificate III & IV 4.6% / 5.4%
Melbourne — Certificate III & IV: 4.6% West Melbourne — Certificate III & IV: 5.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 3.0%
Melbourne — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% West Melbourne — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (31.6%).

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 West Melbourne
China 15.1% / 10.6%
Melbourne — China: 15.1% West Melbourne — China: 10.6%
India 7.0% / 6.9%
Melbourne — India: 7.0% West Melbourne — India: 6.9%
Malaysia 6.2% / 3.2%
Melbourne — Malaysia: 6.2% West Melbourne — Malaysia: 3.2%
New Zealand 1.9% / 2.0%
Melbourne — New Zealand: 1.9% West Melbourne — New Zealand: 2.0%
Indonesia 3.7% / —
Melbourne — Indonesia: 3.7% West Melbourne — Indonesia: not among its largest
Thailand 2.6% / —
Melbourne — Thailand: 2.6% West Melbourne — Thailand: not among its largest
England — / 2.4%
Melbourne — England: not among its largest West Melbourne — England: 2.4%

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%
West Melbourne 80.2% flats / apartments
West Melbourne — Flats / Apartments: 80.2% West Melbourne — Townhouses: 18.6% West Melbourne — Houses: 1.2%
Flats / Apartments Townhouses Houses

Property market

Melbourne West Melbourne
Median house price $516,000 $1,272,500
Median unit price $452,000 $530,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 39 days
from 10 sales
 28 days
from 18 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 West Melbourne
1 bed $349K / $392K
Melbourne — 1 bed: $349K (787 sales) West Melbourne — 1 bed: $392K (112 sales)

787 vs 112 sales

2 bed $540K / $605K
Melbourne — 2 bed: $540K (999 sales) West Melbourne — 2 bed: $605K (164 sales)

999 vs 164 sales

3 bed $890K / $978K
Melbourne — 3 bed: $890K (131 sales) West Melbourne — 3 bed: $978K (28 sales)

131 vs 28 sales

Zoning mix

West Melbourne has more industrially zoned land (15% vs 0%).

Melbourne West Melbourne
Commercial 41% 44%
Parks and recreation 37% 3%
Infrastructure and transport 16% 28%
Industrial 0% 15%
Other and special use 3% 5%
Residential 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 West Melbourne
New dwellings approved 4,715
across Melbourne
same for both
Approvals change year on year +195%
same for both

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 West Melbourne
Houses — 3.7%
$810/wk on $1.15M
Units — 6.5%
$670/wk on $536K

Ranking within VIC

Melbourne West Melbourne
House price — Higher than 73% of VIC
Income Higher than 42% of VIC Higher than 62% of VIC
Schools Higher than 46% of VIC Higher than 7% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 100% of VIC Higher than 84% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 25% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 100% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of VIC Higher than 94% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 44% of VIC
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 96% of VIC

Liveability

Melbourne is more walkable (100 vs 38); Melbourne scores higher overall (64 vs 52).

Melbourne West Melbourne
Grade B
same for both
Score 64/100 52/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Melbourne West Melbourne
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
97/100
 High
92/100
Flood Moderate
64/100
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 24
within 5 km
 42
within 5 km

Schools

Melbourne West Melbourne
Inside the suburb 12 3
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 3
Melbourne C.Q.U Campus, 0.0 km
 3
Victoria University Footscray Park, 2.8 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 12.2% 6.8%

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 West Melbourne

  • Simonds Catholic College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Haileybury College - City Boys Independent · Combined
  • Haileybury College - City Girls Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Melbourne West Melbourne
Supermarkets 25 3
Cafes & restaurants 944 31
Parks & reserves 40 12
Childcare 11 2
GPs 30 1
Pharmacies 28 0
Hospitals 3 0
Police stations 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 43 1
Fuel stations 1
same for both
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 5 12

Mobility

Melbourne West Melbourne
Walkability score 100/100 38/100
Distance to Melbourne 3.4 km 4.6 km
+35% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 8 min 11 min
Public transport score 97/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
 96/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 3733.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 309.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 5.3%
postcode 3000
 2.5%
postcode 3003
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 0
postcode 3000
 3
postcode 3003

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 West Melbourne
Worked from Home 41.2% / 45.4%
Melbourne — Worked from Home: 41.2% West Melbourne — Worked from Home: 45.4%
Car (driver) 12.4% / 19.3%
Melbourne — Car (driver): 12.4% West Melbourne — Car (driver): 19.3%
Walked Only 17.3% / 13.6%
Melbourne — Walked Only: 17.3% West Melbourne — Walked Only: 13.6%
Tram / Light Rail 14.0% / 7.0%
Melbourne — Tram / Light Rail: 14.0% West Melbourne — Tram / Light Rail: 7.0%
Train 10.2% / 8.8%
Melbourne — Train: 10.2% West Melbourne — Train: 8.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (45.4%).

Setting

Melbourne West Melbourne
Elevation 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.3 km
3.3 km to a named beach
 3.4 km
3.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Melbourne West Melbourne
Connectivity score 76/100 87/100
Most common technology Fibre to the building Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 31%
68,501 premises
 56%
6,126 premises

Climate

Melbourne West Melbourne
Annual rainfall 534 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Melbourne West Melbourne
PM2.5 7.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Melbourne West Melbourne
Average residential rate $2,345/yr
same for both
Council Melbourne
same for both

Federal electorate

Melbourne West Melbourne
Division Melbourne
same for both
Member Sarah Witty
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Melbourne West Melbourne
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

West Melbourne

Apartments Easy Commute Inner Multicultural Professionals Trains Trams Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Melbourne

Melbourne vs Richmond Melbourne vs South Yarra Melbourne vs Southbank Melbourne vs St Kilda Melbourne vs Carlton Melbourne vs Docklands

Other comparisons with West Melbourne

West Melbourne vs Port Melbourne West Melbourne vs Footscray West Melbourne vs Yarraville West Melbourne vs Docklands West Melbourne vs North Melbourne West Melbourne vs Kensington
Full data on Melbourne Full data on West Melbourne
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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