Purnim West is a rural locality in Victoria, 254 km from Melbourne CBD, around 3 hours 5 minutes by car. Population is 50; the median age is 42 and the median household income is $136,448 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 20% nationally. Population grew 35.1% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $346 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $3,500. The area shows no recorded bushfire exposure and no recorded flood exposure. Walkability is low.
This locality is too small to rate.
The Liveability Rating is calculated for suburbs of 500 residents or more, and this one has 50. Below that the school, census and safety figures behind the score cover too few people to rank fairly against the rest of the state. The individual measures further down this page are still shown.
How do you rate the liveability in Purnim West?
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Our score
Not enough data to score this locality.
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Short-Stay Rentals
No active Airbnb listings.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months.
Is Purnim West safe? Crime statistics
2021Crime in Purnim West sits in the low band, with 1 incidents recorded in 2021.
1 offences
no change since 2020Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–2025No crash in Purnim West killed anyone or put anyone in hospital in 2021–2025.
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.
Schools
Walkability
Purnim 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 Purnim West.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 15
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
Moyne: 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
Purnim West is home to 50 residents, with a median age of 42, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $136,000 a year, with unemployment at 0.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
50
Median Age
42
Median Household Income
$136,448/yr
Census Median Rent
$346/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$3,500/mo
Avg Household Size
2.8
Median Personal Income
$54,184/yr
Unemployment Rate
0.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
30.8%
Total Dwellings
13
Owner-Occupier Rate
100.0%
Houses
100.0%
Rental Stress
13.2%
Mortgage Stress
30.8%
Work From Home
40.0%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 76.0%
- English Spoken at Home
- 90.0%
- Employment Rate
- 73.5%
- Completed Year 12
- 24.0%
Occupations
Religion
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,613 a year through Moyne based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 99%
- 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: Moyne
In the year to August 2026, 64 new dwellings were approved across Moyne. That mix is 59 houses and 5 units. Approvals are down 15.4% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2013).
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 Port Fairy AWS, 29.8 kmModerate rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 60 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 12.1 km
- Annual rainfall
- 699 mm
- 111 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 22.5°C
- 5 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 7.2°C
- 0 frost days ≤ 0°C
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.
EV adoption
In postcode 3278, 0 of 349 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.2% (11 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.2%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3278, 67 rooftop-solar systems totalling 0.6 MW have been installed since 2001, against 129 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 1 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 3278 in 2025-26, rank 213 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 4, in 2012-13.
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 Purnim 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 50 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 Purnim West 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 Purnim West
Is Purnim West a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Purnim West is low (28/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Purnim West?
Purnim West has no recorded bushfire history. No mapped flood overlay applies. These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
What is the population of Purnim West?
Purnim West, VIC had a population of 50 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Purnim West, VIC?
The postcode for Purnim West, VIC is 3278.
How far is Purnim West from Melbourne?
Purnim West is 254 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 187 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Purnim West?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Purnim West was $136,448 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 Purnim West?
There are too few current rental listings in Purnim West for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $346, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Purnim West?
The median age of residents in Purnim West was 42 at the 2021 ABS Census.
What is the weather like in Purnim West?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Purnim West, Port Fairy AWS (29.8 km away), summer days average 22.5°C, winter nights 7.2°C, 699 mm of rain a year over 111 rainy days, and 5 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Purnim 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 Purnim West belong to?
Purnim West sits within the Moyne local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Purnim West?
The average residential rates bill through Moyne is $1,613 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Purnim West?
Across Moyne, 64 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 15.4% 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 Purnim West in?
Purnim 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 · 2021
- 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.