Essendon VIC 3040
Located in Victoria, Essendon sits 11 km from Melbourne CBD, around 20 minutes by car. The suburb has 21,240 residents, a median age of 39, and a median household income of $110,864 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 20% nationally. Population grew 3.1% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $380 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,275. The area shows high crime risk and no recorded bushfire exposure. Of 7 schools within the suburb boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is high.
Is Essendon a good suburb?
Essendon scores a A (76/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit and community, weaker on prices.
Mixed results
7 schools · 1 above peer schools
Walkable and central
Walkability 97/100 · 10.7 km · 20 min drive to Melbourne
Above the state median
Median $1.75M · Less affordable than 89% of VIC
Moderate crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 65/100 · Flood 30/100
Very advantaged
SEIFA decile 10/10 · median age 39 · 21,240 residents
Liveability Rating
76 / 100 · Ranked #95 in VICEach bar is Essendon's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Essendon?
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 dataEssendon's unit market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $495,000, about 1% above where it sat a year earlier.
Units
$495,000
4% below its 8 neighbours (median $515,000)
Based on 346 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 25 days — median across 185 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 1 bed 96 sales $335K
- 2 bed 220 sales $545K
- 3 bed 24 sales $835K
Houses
$1,755,000
30% above its 8 neighbours (median $1,350,000)
Based on 287 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 25 days — median across 185 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 34 sales $1.03M
- 3 bed 100 sales $1.51M
- 4 bed 118 sales $2M
- 5 bed 27 sales $2.6M
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Essendon are currently listed at around $1.6 million on average. Based on 208 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$1.6M
208 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$538K
108 units listed in the last 6 months.
316 of the suburb's 8,522 dwellings (3.7%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Essendon rent for around $835 a week on average, based on 66 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$835/wk
4% above its 5 neighbours (median $800/wk)
66 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$550/wk
10% above its 3 neighbours (median $500/wk)
69 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
135 rentals advertised against an estimated 3,111 rented homes (4.3%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025118 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 25% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3040.
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$835/week ($43,000 a year) on a $1.6 million median
$550/week ($29,000 a year) on a $538,000 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
33 active Airbnb listings: 20 whole homes and 13 rooms. Whole homes are about 0.2% 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 Essendon safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Essendon sits in the moderate band, with 1,246 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 13% on the prior year.
1,246 offences
13.3% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202593 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 4 of them fatal
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
Seven schools serve Essendon, and performance is broadly at peer-suburb levels with one standout. St Therese's School leads the pack.
- • 3,710 students across 5 schools (avg 742)
- • Sectors: 3 Government, 2 Independent, 2 Catholic
- • ICSEA 1088-1161, median 1116 (well above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: St Columba's College (1,047 students)
Primary
Secondary
Combined
Universities nearby
- 5.4 kmThe University of MelbourneThe University of Melbourne · 404 courses
- 5.5 kmVictoria University Footscray ParkVictoria University · 138 courses
- 8.3 kmAustralian Catholic University-Melbourne CampusAustralian Catholic University · 137 courses
3.7% 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
Essendon is exceptionally walkable on foot — at 97/100, daily errands don't require a car at all. Within the suburb there are 4 supermarkets, 14 parks and 22 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Essendon.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 623.2 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 449.6 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 329.7 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 20.4 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 1 min wait
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 Essendon.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 23%
- Premises covered
- 11,330
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
Moonee Valley: 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 49 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 6 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Essendon is home to about 21,200 residents, with a median age of 39, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $111,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.2%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
21,240
Median Age
39
Median Household Income
$110,864/yr
Census Median Rent
$380/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,275/mo
Avg Household Size
2.4
Median Personal Income
$55,484/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
Unoccupied Dwellings
13.8%
Total Dwellings
8,522
Owner-Occupier Rate
63.5%
Houses
47.2%
Rental Stress
17.8%
Mortgage Stress
24.6%
Work From Home
40.6%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
79 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 81 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 3,037 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 72.1%
- English Spoken at Home
- 72.8%
- Employment Rate
- 66.1%
- Completed Year 12
- 60.3%
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.
1,135 residents (5.3%) 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 20,375 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
29% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (3,472 of 11,941).
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 5,727 people work here; 11,941 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.5 jobs per working resident. At least 52% 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 $2,027 a year through Moonee Valley based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 79%
- Parks and recreation 7%
- Infrastructure and transport 7%
- Commercial 5%
- Zones under 1% 1%
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: Moonee Valley
In the year to August 2026, 702 new dwellings were approved across Moonee Valley. That mix is 274 houses and 428 units. Approvals are up 81.5% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 730 homes
- Apartment and townhouse projects under construction 37 homes
- Projects firmly planned 204 homes
- Projects likely to go ahead 335 homes
- Projects possible in the longer term 154 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
This station does not measure fine particles (PM2.5).
PM10 averaged 18.9 µg/m³. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 0.
From the Footscray monitoring station, 6.6 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Essendon Airport, 2.5 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 53 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 10.0 km
- 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
4 facilities within 5 km- 2.9 kmPetroleum Product WholesalingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · n-Hexane · Cyclohexane
- 3.3 kmPetroleum Product WholesalingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Xylenes (individual or mixed isomers)
- 4.4 kmOther Metal Container ManufacturingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Xylenes (individual or mixed isomers) · Oxides of Nitrogen
- 4.6 kmHuman Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Product ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
EV adoption
In postcode 3040, 309 of 18,537 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.1% (566 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 4.7%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3040, 1,918 rooftop-solar systems totalling 12.9 MW have been installed since 2001, against 11,807 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 154 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.
1 first-home grant was paid in postcode 3040 in 2025-26, rank 213 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 118, in 2007-08.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
33 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 39 across postcode 3040.
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 $495,000 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 2026-10-26 — 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 Jo Briskey Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jo Briskey | 62.6% | 37.4% | -0.4 |
| 2022 | Bill Shorten | 62.5% | 37.5% | -2.1 |
| 2019 | Bill Shorten | 61.2% | 38.8% | -0.8 |
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 Danny Pearson Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Danny Pearson ALP | 62.5% | 62.5% | 37.5% |
| 2018 | Danny Pearson ALP | 65.9% | 65.9% | 34.1% |
| 2014 | Danny Pearson ALP | 58.7% | 58.7% | 41.3% |
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 Essendon?
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 21,240 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
Moonee Ponds VIC 3039
Brunswick West VIC 3055
Pascoe Vale South VIC 3044
Strathmore VIC 3041
Niddrie VIC 3042
Aberfeldie VIC 3040
Compare Essendon to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other VIC suburb — type a name and pick one.
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Common questions about Essendon
Is Essendon a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Essendon is moderate (65/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Essendon?
Essendon has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a low share of it (30/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Essendon a good place to live?
Essendon 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 Essendon?
Essendon, VIC had a population of 21,240 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Essendon, VIC?
The postcode for Essendon, VIC is 3040.
How far is Essendon from Melbourne?
Essendon is 11 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 20 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Essendon?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Essendon was $110,864 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 Essendon?
The median advertised rent in Essendon is $835 a week for houses (66 listings) and $550 a week for units (69 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Essendon?
The median age of residents in Essendon was 39 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Essendon?
There are 7 schools inside the Essendon boundary: 1 above and 4 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Essendon walkable?
Essendon scores 97/100 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 weather like in Essendon?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Essendon, Essendon Airport (2.5 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 Essendon?
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 Essendon belong to?
Essendon sits within the Moonee Valley local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Essendon?
The average residential rates bill through Moonee Valley is $2,027 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Essendon?
Across Moonee Valley, 702 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 81.5% 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 Essendon in?
Essendon sits within the federal Division of Maribyrnong, currently held by Jo Briskey (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.