Williamstown VIC 3016
Located in Victoria, Williamstown sits 14 km from Melbourne CBD, around 24 minutes by car. The suburb has 14,407 residents, a median age of 45, and a median household income of $125,372 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 $450 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,700. The area shows high crime risk and no recorded bushfire exposure. 7 schools sit within the suburb boundary, and walkability is high.
Is Williamstown a good suburb?
Williamstown scores a B (65/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit and community, weaker on schools, prices, and safety.
Below the state average
7 schools
Walkable and central
Walkability 90/100 · 13.9 km · 24 min drive to Melbourne
Above the state median
Median $1.52M · Less affordable than 80% of VIC
High crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 72/100 · Flood 43/100
Very advantaged
SEIFA decile 10/10 · median age 45 · 14,407 residents
Liveability Rating
65 / 100 · Ranked #218 in VICEach bar is Williamstown's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Williamstown?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
65 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataWilliamstown's house market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $1.52 million, about 4% below where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$1,517,500
32% above its 4 neighbours (median $1,150,000)
Based on 274 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 30 days — median across 151 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 39 sales $1.1M
- 3 bed 144 sales $1.45M
- 4 bed 72 sales $1.9M
- 5 bed 9 sales $2.25M
Units
$600,000
9% below its 4 neighbours (median $657,500)
Based on 77 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 49 days — median across 39 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 1 bed 18 sales $446K
- 2 bed 52 sales $608K
- 3 bed 7 sales $915K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Williamstown are currently listed at around $1.52 million on average. Based on 111 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$1.52M
111 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$675K
32 units listed in the last 6 months.
143 of the suburb's 5,460 dwellings (2.6%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Williamstown rent for around $898 a week on average, based on 48 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$898/wk
20% above its 4 neighbours (median $750/wk)
48 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$535/wk
9% below its 3 neighbours (median $590/wk)
24 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
72 rentals advertised against an estimated 1,365 rented homes (5.3%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025102 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 29% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3016.
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$898/week ($47,000 a year) on a $1.52 million median
$535/week ($28,000 a year) on a $675,000 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
81 active Airbnb listings: 67 whole homes and 14 rooms. Whole homes are about 1.1% 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 Williamstown safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Williamstown sits in the high band, with 996 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 16% on the prior year.
996 offences
15.8% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202528 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 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.
Coastal Erosion
Shoreline Change Summary
1989–2025Nearest Eroding Coastline
- Distance
- 858 m
- Rate
- -0.20 m/yr
- Net Movement
- -13.0 m
- Certainty
- good
Data Quality
Schools
Seven schools serve Williamstown, and the cohort is trailing peer-suburb performance.
- • 3,940 students across 6 schools (avg 657)
- • Sectors: 5 Government, 1 Independent, 1 Catholic
- • ICSEA 1006-1135, median 1118 (well above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Williamstown High School (1,527 students)
Primary
Secondary
Combined
Universities nearby
- 7.0 kmVictoria University Footscray ParkVictoria University · 138 courses
- 8.2 kmMelbourne C.Q.U CampusCentral Queensland University · 59 courses
- 8.2 kmRMIT University - 124 Latrobe Street, MelbourneRoyal Melbourne Institute of Technology · 438 courses
3.3% 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
Williamstown is exceptionally walkable on foot — at 90/100, daily errands don't require a car at all. Within the suburb there are 2 supermarkets, 23 parks and 36 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Williamstown.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 240.0 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 202.0 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 116.1 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 20.0 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 Williamstown.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 39%
- Premises covered
- 7,665
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
Hobsons Bay: 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 33 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.
Williamstown is home to about 14,400 residents, with a median age of 45, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $125,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.6%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
14,407
Median Age
45
Median Household Income
$125,372/yr
Census Median Rent
$450/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,700/mo
Avg Household Size
2.5
Median Personal Income
$57,512/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.6%
Unoccupied Dwellings
12.8%
Total Dwellings
5,460
Owner-Occupier Rate
75.0%
Houses
56.2%
Rental Stress
18.7%
Mortgage Stress
25.8%
Work From Home
48.7%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
230 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 9 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 1,338 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 74.1%
- English Spoken at Home
- 81.8%
- Employment Rate
- 62.4%
- Completed Year 12
- 56.2%
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.
289 residents (2.0%) 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 13,842 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
27% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (2,014 of 7,375).
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 4,962 people work here; 7,375 employed residents live here.
Roughly as many jobs as working residents (0.7 per resident). At least 33% 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 $2,677 a year through Hobsons Bay based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 55%
- Parks and recreation 22%
- Other and special use 7%
- Infrastructure and transport 7%
- Commercial 4%
- Industrial 4%
- Not zoned 1%
Planning zones cover 99% of the suburb's area. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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: Hobsons Bay
In the year to August 2026, 1,028 new dwellings were approved across Hobsons Bay. That mix is 200 houses and 828 units. Approvals are up 205.6% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 10 homes
- Apartment and townhouse projects under construction 10 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 Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2017).
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).
NO₂ averaged 0.81 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: NO₂ 0.
From the Altona North monitoring station, 3.0 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Laverton RAAF, 11.7 kmDry climate — hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 11 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 693 m
- 699 m to a named beach
- Annual rainfall
- 482 mm
- 76 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 25.9°C
- 11 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 6.2°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
17 facilities within 5 km- 2.3 km
- 2.6 kmStevedoring ServicesTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 2.7 kmPetroleum Product WholesalingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · n-Hexane · Xylenes (individual or mixed isomers)
- 2.9 kmFossil Fuel Electricity GenerationTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 3.0 kmPetroleum Product WholesalingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · n-Hexane · Toluene (methylbenzene)
EV adoption
In postcode 3016, 238 of 12,458 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.9% (359 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 4.8%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3016, 1,734 rooftop-solar systems totalling 10.3 MW have been installed since 2001, against 6,895 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 105 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.
0 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3016 in 2025-26. The most was 68, in 2006-07.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
27 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 28 across postcode 3016.
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 $1,517,500 this is $767,500 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 2026-10-27 — 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 Tim Watts Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Tim Watts | 65.1% | 34.9% | +3.9 |
| 2022 | Tim Watts | 61.5% | 38.5% | +1.5 |
| 2019 | Tim Watts | 64.8% | 35.2% | +0.3 |
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 Melissa Horne Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Melissa Horne ALP | 63.4% | 63.4% | 36.6% |
| 2018 | Melissa Horne ALP | 50.4% | 72.1% | 27.9% |
| 2014 | Wade Noonan ALP | 66.5% | 66.5% | 33.5% |
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 Williamstown?
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 14,407 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
Compare Williamstown 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 Williamstown
Is Williamstown a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Williamstown is high (72/100, 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 Williamstown?
Williamstown has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (43/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Williamstown a good place to live?
Williamstown has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (65/100), 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 Williamstown?
Williamstown, VIC had a population of 14,407 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Williamstown, VIC?
The postcode for Williamstown, VIC is 3016.
How far is Williamstown from Melbourne?
Williamstown is 14 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 24 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Williamstown?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Williamstown was $125,372 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 Williamstown?
The median advertised rent in Williamstown is $898 a week for houses (48 listings) and $535 a week for units (24 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Williamstown?
The median age of residents in Williamstown was 45 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Williamstown?
There are 7 schools inside the Williamstown boundary: 5 at and 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Williamstown walkable?
Williamstown scores 90/100 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 Williamstown?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Williamstown, Laverton RAAF (11.7 km away), summer days average 25.9°C, winter nights 6.2°C, 482 mm of rain a year over 76 rainy days, and 11 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Williamstown?
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 Williamstown belong to?
Williamstown sits within the Hobsons Bay local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Williamstown?
The average residential rates bill through Hobsons Bay is $2,677 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Williamstown?
Across Hobsons Bay, 1,028 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 205.6% 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 Williamstown in?
Williamstown sits within the federal Division of Gellibrand, currently held by Tim Watts (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.