Portland West is a rural locality in Victoria, 361 km from Melbourne CBD, around 4 hours 35 minutes by car. Population is 619; the median age is 49 and the median household income is $100,412 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the middle range nationally. Population grew 8.8% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $300 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,363. The area shows high bushfire risk. Walkability is low.
Is Portland West a good place to live?
Portland West scores a D (30/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — weaker on transit and safety.
Car-dependent
Walkability 0/100 · 360.6 km · 275 min drive to Melbourne
High bushfire risk
Fire 90/100 · Crime 36/100 · Flood 19/100
Mid-range socio-economic
SEIFA decile 6/10 · median age 49 · 619 residents
Liveability Rating
30 / 100 · Ranked #714 in VICEach bar is Portland West'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 Portland West?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
30 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Rental Market
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025114 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 26% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3305.
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.
Short-Stay Rentals
2 active Airbnb listings: 2 whole homes and 0 rooms. Whole homes are about 0.8% of the locality'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 Portland West safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Portland West sits in the low band, with 14 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 44% on the prior year.
14 offences
44.0% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20254 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the locality carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Coastal Erosion
Shoreline Change Summary
1988–2025Nearest Eroding Coastline
- Distance
- 2.8 km
- Rate
- -0.78 m/yr
- Net Movement
- -20.3 m
- Certainty
- good
Data Quality
Schools
Walkability
Portland West is very car-dependent on foot — at 0/100, nearly all errands require a car.
We hold no public transport timetable data for this area, so public transport is not rated here and the score is spread across the remaining components. It is not counted as zero.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Portland West.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 263
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
Glenelg: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this locality alone — this locality's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
Portland West is home to 619 residents, with a median age of 49, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $100,000 a year, with unemployment at 2.6%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
619
Median Age
49
Median Household Income
$100,412/yr
Census Median Rent
$300/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,363/mo
Avg Household Size
2.6
Median Personal Income
$40,768/yr
Unemployment Rate
2.6%
Unoccupied Dwellings
10.2%
Total Dwellings
225
Owner-Occupier Rate
94.0%
Houses
100.9%
Rental Stress
15.5%
Mortgage Stress
16.3%
Work From Home
12.1%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 88.5%
- English Spoken at Home
- 93.7%
- Employment Rate
- 61.5%
- Completed Year 12
- 37.3%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
5.7% of residents (34) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (26).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 593 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
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,852 a year through Glenelg based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 40%
- Environmental 33%
- Parks and recreation 26%
- 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 locality around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Glenelg
In the year to August 2026, 60 new dwellings were approved across Glenelg. That mix is 35 houses and 25 units. Approvals are down 65.0% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2007).
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.
Climate & Setting
from Portland, 5.5 kmModerate rainfall.
- Elevation
- 61 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 2.8 km
- Annual rainfall
- 661 mm
- 73 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- —
- Winter min (Jul)
- —
Elevation is the ground at the locality 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
1 facility within 5 km- 3.6 kmIndustrial and Agricultural Chemical Product WholesalingTop reported: Fluoride compounds · Manganese & compounds · Zinc and compounds
EV adoption
In postcode 3305, 19 of 12,613 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.1% (144 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.3%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3305, 2,008 rooftop-solar systems totalling 12.3 MW have been installed since 2001, against 6,137 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 71 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.
2 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3305 in 2025-26, rank 176 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 120, in 2001-02.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Dan Tehan Liberal
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Dan Tehan | 39.1% | 60.9% | -2.3 |
| 2022 | Dan Tehan | 40.9% | 59.1% | -1.1 |
| 2019 | Dan Tehan | 39.6% | 60.4% | +1.2 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact locality's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Roma Britnell Liberal
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Roma Britnell LP | 58.0% | 42.0% | 58.0% |
| 2018 | Roma Britnell LP | 52.3% | 47.7% | 52.3% |
| 2014 | Denis Napthine LP | 57.0% | 39.0% | 61.0% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this locality's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Portland West?
Every figure above is a locality 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 619 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.
Nearby suburbs
Compare Portland West 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 Portland West
Is Portland West a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Portland West is low (36/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Portland West?
Portland West has a high recorded bushfire history (90/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a low share of it (19/100). These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Portland West a good place to live?
Portland West has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of D (30/100), 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 Portland West?
Portland West, VIC had a population of 619 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Portland West, VIC?
The postcode for Portland West, VIC is 3305.
How far is Portland West from Melbourne?
Portland West is 361 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 275 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Portland West?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Portland West was $100,412 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 Portland West?
There are too few current rental listings in Portland West for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $300, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Portland West?
The median age of residents in Portland West was 49 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Portland West at risk of bushfire?
Portland West has a high recorded bushfire history (90/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the locality relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
What is the weather like in Portland West?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Portland West, Portland (5.5 km away), 661 mm of rain a year over 73 rainy days over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Portland West?
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 Portland West belong to?
Portland West sits within the Glenelg local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Portland West?
The average residential rates bill through Glenelg is $1,852 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Portland West?
Across Glenelg, 60 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 65.0% 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 Portland West in?
Portland West sits within the federal Division of Wannon, currently held by Dan Tehan (Liberal).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- 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.