West Melbourne vs Docklands

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 Docklands: a median of $580,000, against $530,000 in West Melbourne, and rent is higher there too. Docklands is closer to the city centre: 2.8 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

Docklands

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (6 vs 2)
  • has more parks and reserves (15 vs 12)

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

First-home buyers

Docklands

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($586,000 vs $1,272,500)

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

Docklands

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (96/100 vs 38/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Docklands

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (96/100 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

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.7% vs 3.2%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

West Melbourne Docklands
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.

West Melbourne Docklands
Walkability 38 / 96
West Melbourne — Walkability: 38/100 Docklands — Walkability: 96/100
Safety 8 / 5
West Melbourne — Safety: 8/100 Docklands — Safety: 5/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
West Melbourne — Low fire risk: 100/100 Docklands — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 36 / 14
West Melbourne — Low flood risk: 36/100 Docklands — Low flood risk: 14/100

Demographics

Docklands has more residents (15,495 vs 8,025).

West Melbourne Docklands
Population 8,025 15,495
+93% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +45.5% +41.3%
Median age 31 32
Median household income $92,976/yr $101,764/yr
+9% vs other
Median weekly rent $388/wk $411/wk
+6% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

West Melbourne Docklands
0-4 3.1% / 4.5%
West Melbourne — 0-4: 3.1% Docklands — 0-4: 4.5%
5-14 4.2% / 3.3%
West Melbourne — 5-14: 4.2% Docklands — 5-14: 3.3%
15-19 2.8% / 1.6%
West Melbourne — 15-19: 2.8% Docklands — 15-19: 1.6%
20-24 13.7% / 10.1%
West Melbourne — 20-24: 13.7% Docklands — 20-24: 10.1%
25-34 40.5% / 39.0%
West Melbourne — 25-34: 40.5% Docklands — 25-34: 39.0%
35-44 17.2% / 18.7%
West Melbourne — 35-44: 17.2% Docklands — 35-44: 18.7%
45-54 8.7% / 9.0%
West Melbourne — 45-54: 8.7% Docklands — 45-54: 9.0%
55-64 5.4% / 7.8%
West Melbourne — 55-64: 5.4% Docklands — 55-64: 7.8%
65-74 3.1% / 4.5%
West Melbourne — 65-74: 3.1% Docklands — 65-74: 4.5%
75-84 1.1% / 1.3%
West Melbourne — 75-84: 1.1% Docklands — 75-84: 1.3%
85+ 0.2% / 0.3%
West Melbourne — 85+: 0.2% Docklands — 85+: 0.3%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

West Melbourne 56.2% lone person
West Melbourne — Lone Person: 56.2% West Melbourne — Couple Families: 16.2% West Melbourne — Group Household: 19.1% West Melbourne — One Parent Families: 5.8% West Melbourne — Other Families: 2.7%
Docklands 59.2% lone person
Docklands — Lone Person: 59.2% Docklands — Couple Families: 18.7% Docklands — Group Household: 13.7% Docklands — One Parent Families: 5.7% Docklands — Other Families: 2.8%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

West Melbourne 66.8% renting
West Melbourne — Owned Outright: 12.1% West Melbourne — Mortgage: 21.1% West Melbourne — Renting: 66.8%
Docklands 68.8% renting
Docklands — Owned Outright: 12.7% Docklands — Mortgage: 18.5% Docklands — Renting: 68.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

West Melbourne Docklands
China 10.6% / 12.9%
West Melbourne — China: 10.6% Docklands — China: 12.9%
India 6.9% / 14.5%
West Melbourne — India: 6.9% Docklands — India: 14.5%
Malaysia 3.2% / 2.5%
West Melbourne — Malaysia: 3.2% Docklands — Malaysia: 2.5%
England 2.4% / 1.9%
West Melbourne — England: 2.4% Docklands — England: 1.9%
New Zealand 2.0% / 2.1%
West Melbourne — New Zealand: 2.0% Docklands — New Zealand: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.5%).

Qualifications

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

West Melbourne Docklands
Bachelor Degree 31.6% / 31.8%
West Melbourne — Bachelor Degree: 31.6% Docklands — Bachelor Degree: 31.8%
Postgraduate Degree 17.5% / 17.5%
West Melbourne — Postgraduate Degree: 17.5% Docklands — Postgraduate Degree: 17.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.6% / 8.0%
West Melbourne — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.6% Docklands — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0%
Certificate III & IV 5.4% / 5.1%
West Melbourne — Certificate III & IV: 5.4% Docklands — Certificate III & IV: 5.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.0% / 2.6%
West Melbourne — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.0% Docklands — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (31.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

West Melbourne 80.2% flats / apartments
West Melbourne — Flats / Apartments: 80.2% West Melbourne — Townhouses: 18.6% West Melbourne — Houses: 1.2%
Docklands 98.0% flats / apartments
Docklands — Flats / Apartments: 98.0% Docklands — Townhouses: 1.4% Docklands — Houses: 0.5%
Flats / Apartments Townhouses Houses

Property market

West Melbourne Docklands
Median house price $1,272,500 $586,000
Median unit price $530,000 $580,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 18 sales
 85 days
from 8 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.

West Melbourne Docklands
1 bed $392K / $408K
West Melbourne — 1 bed: $392K (112 sales) Docklands — 1 bed: $408K (263 sales)

112 vs 263 sales

2 bed $605K / $638K
West Melbourne — 2 bed: $605K (164 sales) Docklands — 2 bed: $638K (437 sales)

164 vs 437 sales

3 bed $978K / $1.2M
West Melbourne — 3 bed: $978K (28 sales) Docklands — 3 bed: $1.2M (70 sales)

28 vs 70 sales

Zoning mix

West Melbourne has more commercially zoned land (44% vs 26%); West Melbourne has more industrially zoned land (15% vs 0%).

West Melbourne Docklands
Other and special use 5% 62%
Commercial 44% 26%
Infrastructure and transport 28% 10%
Industrial 15% 0%
Residential 5% 0%
Parks and recreation 3% 2%
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

West Melbourne Docklands
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.

West Melbourne Docklands
Houses 3.7%
$810/wk on $1.15M
 3.2%
$865/wk on $1.43M
Units 6.5%
$670/wk on $536K
 6.3%
$730/wk on $605K

Ranking within VIC

West Melbourne Docklands
House price Higher than 73% of VIC —
Income Higher than 62% of VIC Higher than 74% of VIC
Schools Higher than 7% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 99% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 25% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 99% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 94% of VIC Higher than 89% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 44% of VIC Higher than 20% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC

Liveability

Docklands is more walkable (96 vs 38); Docklands scores higher overall (68 vs 52).

West Melbourne Docklands
Grade B
same for both
Score 52/100 68/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Docklands carries more flood risk (86 vs 64).

West Melbourne Docklands
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
92/100
 High
95/100
Flood Moderate
64/100
 High
86/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 42
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

West Melbourne Docklands
Inside the suburb 3 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Victoria University Footscray Park, 2.8 km
 3
Melbourne C.Q.U Campus, 2.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 6.8% 5.0%

Schools in West Melbourne

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

Schools in Docklands

  • Docklands Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Docklands Primary School-Bundha Campus Government · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

West Melbourne Docklands
Supermarkets 3 10
Cafes & restaurants 31 130
Parks & reserves 12 15
Childcare 2 6
GPs 1 2
Pharmacies 0 4
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 5
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 12 2

Mobility

West Melbourne Docklands
Walkability score 38/100 96/100
Distance to Melbourne 4.6 km
+39% vs other
 2.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 11 min 9 min
Public transport score 96/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
 97/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 309.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 707.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.5%
postcode 3003
 3.2%
postcode 3008
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 3
postcode 3003
 1
postcode 3008

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.

West Melbourne Docklands
Worked from Home 45.4% / 52.3%
West Melbourne — Worked from Home: 45.4% Docklands — Worked from Home: 52.3%
Car (driver) 19.3% / 18.7%
West Melbourne — Car (driver): 19.3% Docklands — Car (driver): 18.7%
Walked Only 13.6% / 8.6%
West Melbourne — Walked Only: 13.6% Docklands — Walked Only: 8.6%
Tram / Light Rail 7.0% / 12.3%
West Melbourne — Tram / Light Rail: 7.0% Docklands — Tram / Light Rail: 12.3%
Train 8.8% / 4.7%
West Melbourne — Train: 8.8% Docklands — Train: 4.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (52.3%).

Setting

West Melbourne Docklands
Elevation 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.4 km
3.4 km to a named beach
 2.7 km
3.1 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

West Melbourne Docklands
Connectivity score 87/100 78/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the building
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 56%
6,126 premises
 38%
11,299 premises

Climate

West Melbourne Docklands
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)

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

West Melbourne

Apartments Easy Commute Inner Multicultural Professionals Trains Trams Transport Hub

Docklands

Apartments Cafe Culture Coastal Easy Commute Inner Multicultural Nightlife Parks Professionals Trams Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with West Melbourne

West Melbourne vs Melbourne West Melbourne vs Port Melbourne West Melbourne vs Footscray West Melbourne vs Yarraville West Melbourne vs North Melbourne West Melbourne vs Kensington

Other comparisons with Docklands

Docklands vs Melbourne Docklands vs Southbank Docklands vs Port Melbourne Docklands vs South Melbourne Docklands vs South Wharf
Full data on West Melbourne Full data on Docklands
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or