Preston VIC 3072
Located in Victoria, Preston sits 10 km from Melbourne CBD, around 23 minutes by car. The suburb has 33,790 residents, a median age of 37, and a median household income of $95,888 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the top 40% nationally. The suburb grew 2.9% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $392 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,000. Preston is characterised by high crime risk and no recorded bushfire exposure. Of 16 schools within the suburb boundary, 4 rank above the state average, and walkability is high.
Is Preston a good suburb?
Preston scores a A (68/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit and community, weaker on prices and safety.
Mixed results
16 schools · 4 above peer schools
Walkable and central
Walkability 99/100 · 10.4 km · 23 min drive to Melbourne
Above the state median
Median $1.18M
High crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 91/100 · Flood 38/100
Advantaged
SEIFA decile 8/10 · median age 37 · 33,790 residents
Liveability Rating
68 / 100 · Ranked #173 in VICEach bar is Preston's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Preston?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
68 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataPreston's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $1.18 million, about 2% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$1,182,500
16% above its 7 neighbours (median $1,022,500)
Based on 427 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 24 days — median across 273 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 1 bed 5 sales $415K
- 2 bed 98 sales $1.02M
- 3 bed 235 sales $1.18M
- 4 bed 76 sales $1.36M
- 5 bed 8 sales $1.57M
Units
$490,000
17% below its 6 neighbours (median $588,750)
Based on 343 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 25 days — median across 203 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 1 bed 98 sales $375K
- 2 bed 213 sales $530K
- 3 bed 27 sales $775K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Preston are currently listed at around $1.1 million on average. Based on 304 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$1.1M
304 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$498K
114 units listed in the last 6 months.
418 of the suburb's 13,645 dwellings (3.1%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Preston rent for around $720 a week on average, based on 160 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$720/wk
11% above its 6 neighbours (median $650/wk)
160 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$550/wk
In line with its 5 neighbours (median $550/wk)
129 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
289 rentals advertised against an estimated 5,622 rented homes (5.1%) 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 3072.
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$720/week ($37,000 a year) on a $1.1 million median
$550/week ($29,000 a year) on a $498,000 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
95 active Airbnb listings: 58 whole homes and 37 rooms. Whole homes are about 0.4% 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 Preston safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Preston sits in the high band, with 5,292 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 18% on the prior year.
5,292 offences
18.2% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–2025141 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 6 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
16 schools serve Preston, and results are mixed — some outperforming peer-suburb schools, some below. Newlands Primary School and Preston High School lead the pack.
- • 5,915 students across 12 schools (avg 493)
- • Sectors: 10 Government, 3 Independent, 3 Catholic
- • ICSEA 955-1165, median 1100 (well above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Preston High School (1,275 students)
Primary
Secondary
Combined
Universities nearby
- 6.6 kmMelbourne (Bundoora) CampusLa Trobe University · 223 courses
- 6.6 kmBundoora Campus, Plenty Road, Bundoora Vic 3083Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology · 111 courses
- 7.1 kmAustralian Catholic University-Melbourne CampusAustralian Catholic University · 137 courses
2.6% 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
Preston is exceptionally walkable on foot — at 99/100, daily errands don't require a car at all. Within the suburb there are 13 supermarkets, 28 parks and 107 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Preston.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 1062.5 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 928.9 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 630.2 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 21.5 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 2 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 Preston.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 17%
- Premises covered
- 18,580
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
Darebin: 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 76 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 9 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Preston is home to about 33,800 residents, with a median age of 37, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $96,000 a year, with unemployment at 5.5%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
33,790
Median Age
37
Median Household Income
$95,888/yr
Census Median Rent
$392/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,000/mo
Avg Household Size
2.4
Median Personal Income
$45,344/yr
Unemployment Rate
5.5%
Unoccupied Dwellings
10.7%
Total Dwellings
13,645
Owner-Occupier Rate
58.8%
Houses
55.7%
Rental Stress
21.3%
Mortgage Stress
25.0%
Work From Home
41.8%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
609 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 108 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 5,472 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 63.8%
- English Spoken at Home
- 62.1%
- Employment Rate
- 63.7%
- Completed Year 12
- 59.0%
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.
1,986 residents (5.9%) 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 32,001 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
26% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (4,702 of 18,295).
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 21,206 people work here; 18,295 employed residents live here.
Roughly as many jobs as working residents (1.2 per resident). At least 13% of the people who work here must live elsewhere.
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 $1,764 a year through Darebin based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 64%
- Industrial 12%
- Infrastructure and transport 12%
- Commercial 9%
- Parks and recreation 4%
Rezoned since Oct 2025
- General Residential Zone → Housing Choice and Transport Zone · GC270, Mar 2026 21.8 ha
- Neighbourhood Residential Zone → Housing Choice and Transport Zone · GC270, Mar 2026 4.0 ha
and 1 smaller change
Land in this suburb moved from one zone to another by a planning scheme amendment (Vicmap Planning, CC BY 4.0). Exhibited amendments are proposals and can change or lapse.
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: Darebin
In the year to August 2026, 1,213 new dwellings were approved across Darebin. That mix is 212 houses and 1,001 units.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 3,804 homes
- Apartment and townhouse projects under construction 559 homes
- Projects firmly planned 789 homes
- Projects likely to go ahead 263 homes
- Projects possible in the longer term 2,193 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, 4.5 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Essendon Airport, 9.1 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 78 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 12.9 km
- Near high-voltage lines
- 0.3% of addresses
- 72 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
9 facilities within 5 km- 1.8 kmPrintingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Ethyl acetate · Ethanol
- 1.9 kmPulp, Paper and Paperboard ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 1.9 kmLaundry and Dry-Cleaning ServicesTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 3.2 kmPrintingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Ethanol
- 3.9 kmHospitals (Except Psychiatric Hospitals)Top reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
EV adoption
In postcode 3072, 309 of 26,133 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 4.9% (1,273 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 6.1%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3072, 3,184 rooftop-solar systems totalling 20.3 MW have been installed since 2001, against 15,106 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 188 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.
41 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3072 in 2025-26, rank 34 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 220, in 2005-06.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
25 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 $1,182,500 this is $432,500 above 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 Nathan Lambert Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Nathan Lambert ALP | 52.1% | 69.7% | 30.3% |
| 2018 | Robin Scott ALP | 52.0% | 78.5% | 21.5% |
| 2014 | Robin Scott ALP | 52.7% | 74.7% | 25.4% |
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 Preston?
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 33,790 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
Reservoir VIC 3073
Coburg VIC 3058
Thornbury VIC 3071
Ivanhoe VIC 3079
Coburg North VIC 3058
Heidelberg West VIC 3081
Compare Preston 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 Preston
Is Preston a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Preston is high (91/100, 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 Preston?
Preston has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a low share of it (38/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Preston a good place to live?
Preston has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of A (68/100), 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 Preston?
Preston, VIC had a population of 33,790 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Preston, VIC?
The postcode for Preston, VIC is 3072.
How far is Preston from Melbourne?
Preston is 10 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 23 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Preston?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Preston was $95,888 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 Preston?
The median advertised rent in Preston is $720 a week for houses (160 listings) and $550 a week for units (129 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Preston?
The median age of residents in Preston was 37 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Preston?
There are 16 schools inside the Preston boundary: 4 above, 6 at, and 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Preston walkable?
Preston scores 99/100 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 Preston?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Preston (Alphington) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 7.3 µg/m³ and PM10 of 17.8 µg/m³. That puts Preston 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 Preston?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Preston, Essendon Airport (9.1 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 Preston?
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 Preston belong to?
Preston sits within the Darebin local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Preston?
The average residential rates bill through Darebin is $1,764 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Preston?
Across Darebin, 1,213 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Preston in?
Preston sits within the federal Division of Cooper, currently held by Ged Kearney (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.