Fairfield VIC 3078
Located in Victoria, Fairfield sits 7 km from Melbourne CBD, around 16 minutes by car. The suburb has 6,535 residents, a median age of 37, and a median household income of $102,284 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 20% nationally. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $369 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,167. The area shows high crime risk and high flood risk. 1 school sits within the suburb boundary, and walkability is high.
Is Fairfield a good suburb?
Fairfield scores a A (76/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit and community, weaker on prices and safety.
Mixed results
1 school
Walkable and central
Walkability 96/100 · 6.9 km · 16 min drive to Melbourne
Above the state median
Median $1.66M · Less affordable than 95% of VIC
High crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 73/100 · Flood 70/100
Very advantaged
SEIFA decile 10/10 · median age 37 · 6,535 residents
Liveability Rating
76 / 100 · Ranked #96 in VICEach bar is Fairfield's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
How do you rate the liveability in Fairfield?
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 dataFairfield's unit market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $483,000, about 4% above where it sat a year earlier.
Units
$483,250
13% below its 6 neighbours (median $557,000)
Based on 110 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 20 days — median across 34 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 1 bed 47 sales $385K
- 2 bed 51 sales $580K
Houses
$1,662,500
In line with its 6 neighbours (median $1,650,000)
Based on 50 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 22 days — median across 16 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 11 sales $1.61M
- 3 bed 25 sales $1.55M
- 4 bed 7 sales $1.95M
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Fairfield are currently listed at around $1.32 million on average. Based on 18 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$1.32M
18 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$445K
17 units listed in the last 6 months.
35 of the suburb's 2,738 dwellings (1.3%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Fairfield rent for around $825 a week on average, based on 7 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$825/wk
7 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$500/wk
12% below its 6 neighbours (median $565/wk)
19 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
26 rentals advertised against an estimated 1,158 rented homes (2.2%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025116 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 26% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3078.
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$825/week ($43,000 a year) on a $1.32 million median
Based on a small sample (7 listings) — indicative only.
$500/week ($26,000 a year) on a $445,000 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
35 active Airbnb listings: 22 whole homes and 13 rooms. Whole homes are about 0.7% 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 Fairfield safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Fairfield sits in the high band, with 434 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 36% on the prior year.
434 offences
35.9% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202538 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
One school serve Fairfield, and the cohort is trailing peer-suburb performance.
- • 556 students in one school (avg 556)
Primary
Universities nearby
- 3.7 kmAustralian Catholic University-Melbourne CampusAustralian Catholic University · 137 courses
- 4.7 kmHawthorn Campus John Street Hawthorn Swinburne UniversitySwinburne University of Technology · 402 courses
- 5.7 kmThe University of MelbourneThe University of Melbourne · 404 courses
3.0% 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
Fairfield is exceptionally walkable on foot — at 96/100, daily errands don't require a car at all. Within the suburb there are 3 supermarkets, 6 parks and 35 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Fairfield.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 128.8 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 112.7 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 69.2 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 19.6 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 9 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 Fairfield.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 6%
- Premises covered
- 3,717
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
Yarra: 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 14 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 4 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Fairfield is home to about 6,500 residents, with a median age of 37, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $102,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
6,535
Median Age
37
Median Household Income
$102,284/yr
Census Median Rent
$369/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg Household Size
2.2
Median Personal Income
$56,836/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
12.8%
Total Dwellings
2,738
Owner-Occupier Rate
57.7%
Houses
43.7%
Rental Stress
18.8%
Mortgage Stress
25.4%
Work From Home
50.7%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
23 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 19 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 1,134 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 73.9%
- English Spoken at Home
- 77.4%
- Employment Rate
- 67%
- Completed Year 12
- 63.1%
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.
178 residents (2.7%) 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 6,193 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
32% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (1,196 of 3,707).
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.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,937 a year through Yarra based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Parks and recreation 43%
- Residential 36%
- Infrastructure and transport 12%
- Industrial 6%
- Commercial 3%
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: Yarra
In the year to August 2026, 1,675 new dwellings were approved across Yarra. That mix is 23 houses and 1,652 units. Approvals are up 645.5% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 413 homes
- Projects firmly planned 59 homes
- Projects possible in the longer term 354 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 7.3 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³). 1 day exceeded the daily threshold of 25 µg/m³.
PM10 averaged 17.8 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.82 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 0 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 0.
From the Alphington monitoring station, 1.5 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Essendon Airport, 11.5 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 36 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 9.1 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
11 facilities within 5 km- 3.0 kmBeer ManufacturingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Ethanol · Oxides of Nitrogen
- 3.5 kmLaundry and Dry-Cleaning ServicesTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 3.6 km
- 3.7 kmPulp, Paper and Paperboard ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 4.1 kmHospitals (Except Psychiatric Hospitals)Top reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
EV adoption
In postcode 3078, 277 of 9,328 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 4.1% (378 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 7.0%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3078, 1,371 rooftop-solar systems totalling 8.9 MW have been installed since 2001, against 5,505 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 108 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 3078 in 2025-26, rank 155 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 90, in 2001-02.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
7 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 11 across postcode 3078.
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 $483,250 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 Ged Kearney Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ged Kearney | 78.5% | 21.5% | +2.8 |
| 2022 | Ged Kearney | 75.5% | 24.5% | +0.8 |
| 2019 | Ged Kearney | 76.3% | 23.7% | -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 Kat Theophanous Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Kat Theophanous ALP | 50.2% | 81.7% | 18.3% |
| 2018 | Kat Theophanous ALP | 51.7% | 83.2% | 16.8% |
| 2014 | Fiona Richardson ALP | 56.0% | 79.8% | 20.2% |
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 Fairfield?
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 6,535 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
Northcote VIC 3070
Kew VIC 3101
Thornbury VIC 3071
Abbotsford VIC 3067
Clifton Hill VIC 3068
Alphington VIC 3078
Compare Fairfield 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 Fairfield
Is Fairfield a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Fairfield is high (73/100, 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 Fairfield?
Fairfield has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a high share of it (70/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Fairfield a good place to live?
Fairfield 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 Fairfield?
Fairfield, VIC had a population of 6,535 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Fairfield, VIC?
The postcode for Fairfield, VIC is 3078.
How far is Fairfield from Melbourne?
Fairfield is 7 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 16 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Fairfield?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Fairfield was $102,284 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 Fairfield?
The median advertised rent in Fairfield is $825 a week for houses (7 listings) and $500 a week for units (19 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Fairfield?
The median age of residents in Fairfield was 37 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Fairfield?
There is 1 school inside the Fairfield boundary: 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Fairfield walkable?
Fairfield scores 96/100 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 Fairfield?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Fairfield (Alphington) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 7.3 µg/m³ and PM10 of 17.8 µg/m³. That puts Fairfield 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 Fairfield?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Fairfield, Essendon Airport (11.5 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 Fairfield?
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 Fairfield belong to?
Fairfield sits within the Yarra local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Fairfield?
The average residential rates bill through Yarra is $1,937 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Fairfield?
Across Yarra, 1,675 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 645.5% 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 Fairfield in?
Fairfield sits within the federal Division of Cooper, currently held by Ged Kearney (Australian Labor Party).
Search another suburb or address
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.
Was the information on this page useful to you?
Thanks! Anything we could improve?
We hate spam as much as you do — we'll never use your email for marketing, and we might not be able to reply to everyone.
Thanks for your feedback! 🙏
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.