Brunswick East VIC 3057
Located in Victoria, Brunswick East sits 6 km from Melbourne CBD, around 15 minutes by car. The suburb has 13,279 residents, a median age of 33, and a median household income of $108,576 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 20% nationally. Population grew 15.4% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $421 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,000. The area shows high crime risk and high flood risk. Of 3 schools within the suburb boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is high.
Is Brunswick East a good suburb?
Brunswick East scores a A (76/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on schools, transit, and community, weaker on prices and safety.
Above the state average
3 schools · 1 above peer schools
Walkable and central
Walkability 94/100 · 5.9 km · 15 min drive to Melbourne
Above the state median
Median $1.44M · Less affordable than 76% of VIC
High crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 75/100 · Flood 63/100
Very advantaged
SEIFA decile 10/10 · median age 33 · 13,279 residents
Liveability Rating
76 / 100 · Ranked #97 in VICEach bar is Brunswick East's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Brunswick East?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
76 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median Unit Price
Public listings dataBrunswick East's unit market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $530,000, about 5% above where it sat a year earlier.
Units
$530,000
5% below its 6 neighbours (median $555,000)
Based on 371 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 24 days — median across 251 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 1 bed 128 sales $388K
- 2 bed 212 sales $585K
- 3 bed 20 sales $820K
Houses
$1,435,000
In line with its 7 neighbours (median $1,440,000)
Based on 141 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 23 days — median across 93 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 40 sales $1.21M
- 3 bed 73 sales $1.46M
- 4 bed 20 sales $1.77M
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Brunswick East are currently listed at around $1.25 million on average. Based on 84 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$1.25M
84 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$545K
153 units listed in the last 6 months.
237 of the suburb's 6,368 dwellings (3.7%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Brunswick East rent for around $840 a week on average, based on 33 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$840/wk
5% below its 6 neighbours (median $880/wk)
33 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$580/wk
7% below its 5 neighbours (median $625/wk)
106 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
139 rentals advertised against an estimated 3,471 rented homes (4.0%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025112 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 27% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3057.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$840/week ($44,000 a year) on a $1.25 million median
$580/week ($30,000 a year) on a $545,000 median
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Short-Stay Rentals
120 active Airbnb listings: 72 whole homes and 48 rooms. Whole homes are about 1.0% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Brunswick East safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Brunswick East sits in the high band, with 937 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 12% on the prior year.
937 offences
11.9% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202551 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Three schools serve Brunswick East, and results are mixed — some outperforming peer-suburb schools, some below. Our Lady Help of Christians School leads the pack.
- • 845 students across 3 schools (avg 282)
- • Sectors: 2 Government, 1 Catholic
- • ICSEA 1124-1171, median 1162 (well above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Brunswick South Primary School (317 students)
Primary
Universities nearby
- 3.0 kmThe University of MelbourneThe University of Melbourne · 404 courses
- 3.6 kmAustralian Catholic University-Melbourne CampusAustralian Catholic University · 137 courses
- 6.3 kmMelbourne C.Q.U CampusCentral Queensland University · 59 courses
3.8% of residents here are full-time university students aged 15–24.
Distance is measured to the suburb centre. A campus nearby does not by itself mean a student rental market — most suburbs within a few kilometres of one have a student share close to the national norm, and the figure above is what tells them apart.
Walkability
Brunswick East is exceptionally walkable on foot — at 94/100, daily errands don't require a car at all. Within the suburb there are 6 supermarkets, 16 parks and 65 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Brunswick East.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 430.0 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 322.6 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 256.9 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 20.6 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Brunswick East.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 86%
- Premises covered
- 8,455
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Merri-bek: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 34 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 3 different deciles — a narrow range, so the average describes the suburb closely.
Brunswick East is home to about 13,300 residents, with a median age of 33, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $109,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.2%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
13,279
Median Age
33
Median Household Income
$108,576/yr
Census Median Rent
$421/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,000/mo
Avg Household Size
2.0
Median Personal Income
$65,104/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
Unoccupied Dwellings
14.1%
Total Dwellings
6,368
Owner-Occupier Rate
45.5%
Houses
22.6%
Rental Stress
20.2%
Mortgage Stress
22.1%
Work From Home
54.8%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
90 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 17 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 3,399 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 66.1%
- English Spoken at Home
- 73.3%
- Employment Rate
- 74.5%
- Completed Year 12
- 74.4%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
959 residents (7.2%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 12,790 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
42% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (3,725 of 8,953).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 4,002 people work here; 8,953 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.4 jobs per working resident. At least 53% of employed residents must work outside the suburb.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,914 a year through Merri-bek based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 63%
- Parks and recreation 15%
- Commercial 12%
- Infrastructure and transport 4%
- Industrial 4%
- Other and special use 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 — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Merri-bek
In the year to August 2026, 1,387 new dwellings were approved across Merri-bek. That mix is 300 houses and 1,087 units. Approvals are up 68.5% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 919 homes
- Apartment and townhouse projects under construction 108 homes
- Projects firmly planned 530 homes
- Projects likely to go ahead 216 homes
- Projects possible in the longer term 65 homes
From the Victorian Government's Urban Development Program: growth-area land and approved lots (metropolitan 2025, regional June 2024) and projects of 10 or more homes in Melbourne (2025), by stage. Lots and homes are counted as published; a lot usually becomes one home.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2008).
Registered Aboriginal Parties are appointed by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 as the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Aboriginal cultural heritage for their area. They are the body to contact about cultural heritage here.
Air Quality
MODERATEPM2.5 averaged 7.9 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³).
From the Melbourne CBD monitoring station, 4.3 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Essendon Airport, 7.7 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 48 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 9.0 km
- Near high-voltage lines
- 1.4% of addresses
- 138 within 100 m of an overhead line of 110 kV or more
- Annual rainfall
- 534 mm
- 85 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 26.7°C
- 13 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 6.5°C
- 2 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
15 facilities within 5 km- 2.9 kmHuman Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Product ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 3.5 kmHospitals (Except Psychiatric Hospitals)Top reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 3.7 kmHospitals (Except Psychiatric Hospitals)Top reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 3.8 kmHospitals (Except Psychiatric Hospitals)Top reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 3.9 kmFossil Fuel Electricity GenerationTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
EV adoption
In postcode 3057, 127 of 7,311 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.1% (230 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 4.9%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3057, 786 rooftop-solar systems totalling 4.6 MW have been installed since 2001, against 7,264 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 100 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
The separate First Home Buyer Duty Reduction (stamp-duty concession) runs alongside this grant.
3 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3057 in 2025-26, rank 155 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 105, in 2019-20.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
6 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb.
Land transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with State Revenue Office Victoria
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with State Revenue Office Victoria.
At $530,000 this is under the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with State Revenue Office Victoria.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Peter Khalil Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Peter Khalil | 80.9% | 19.1% | +3.8 |
| 2022 | Peter Khalil | 75.8% | 24.2% | -0.1 |
| 2019 | Peter Khalil | 75.8% | 24.1% | -4.2 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Tim Read Australian Greens
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Tim Read GRN | 55.1% | 84.1% | 15.9% |
| 2018 | Tim Read GRN | 50.6% | 84.4% | 15.6% |
| 2014 | Jane Garrett ALP | 52.2% | 79.4% | 20.6% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Brunswick East?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 13,279 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Featured in
Checking the whole city?
Suburbs to avoid in Melbourne There is no list of bad suburbs, but there are hazards the state measures and publishes — recorded crime, bushfire exposure, flood overlays and aircraft noise. Melbourne suburbs ranked on them, with what the numbers do and don't mean.Nearby suburbs
Coburg VIC 3058
Northcote VIC 3070
Brunswick VIC 3056
Thornbury VIC 3071
Fitzroy North VIC 3068
Carlton North VIC 3054
Compare Brunswick East to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other VIC suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Brunswick East
Is Brunswick East a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Brunswick East is high (75/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Brunswick East?
Brunswick East has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (63/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Brunswick East a good place to live?
Brunswick East has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of A (76/100), ranked against other VIC suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Brunswick East?
Brunswick East, VIC had a population of 13,279 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Brunswick East, VIC?
The postcode for Brunswick East, VIC is 3057.
How far is Brunswick East from Melbourne?
Brunswick East is 6 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 15 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Brunswick East?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Brunswick East was $108,576 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Brunswick East?
The median advertised rent in Brunswick East is $840 a week for houses (33 listings) and $580 a week for units (106 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Brunswick East?
The median age of residents in Brunswick East was 33 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Brunswick East?
There are 3 schools inside the Brunswick East boundary: 1 above, 1 at, and 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Brunswick East walkable?
Brunswick East scores 94/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it exceptionally walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the air quality in Brunswick East?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Brunswick East (Melbourne CBD) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 7.9 µg/m³. That puts Brunswick East below the Australian NEPM annual standard of 8 µg/m³ but above the stricter WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Brunswick East?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Brunswick East, Essendon Airport (7.7 km away), summer days average 26.7°C, winter nights 6.5°C, 534 mm of rain a year over 85 rainy days, and 13 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Brunswick East?
First-home buyers in VIC may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by State Revenue Office Victoria; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Brunswick East belong to?
Brunswick East sits within the Merri-bek local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Brunswick East?
The average residential rates bill through Merri-bek is $1,914 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Brunswick East?
Across Merri-bek, 1,387 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 68.5% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Brunswick East in?
Brunswick East sits within the federal Division of Wills, currently held by Peter Khalil (Australian Labor Party).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- State electorate · 2022
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.