East Melbourne
Apartments make up 74.0% of the dwelling stock and separate houses just 3.2%, so this is a high-density pocket where 54.1% of residents rent. Household income sits in the 89.2nd percentile nationally, and the suburb scores decile 10 on IRSAD, IEO and IRSD, the top advantage tier on three of four SEIFA indexes. University qualifications reach 66.8%, which is 36.7 points above the national figure. The median age of 42 runs 2.0 years above national, and a 26.3% vacancy rate paired with 36.4% annual turnover reflects how transient the apartment-heavy population is across the 1.86 km2 footprint.
Population
4,896
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,345/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
168
Median House
$9.1M
Apr-Jun 2024
Buyers face a stock that is overwhelmingly attached: 74.0% apartments and 22.6% semi-detached, leaving separate houses at only 3.2%, so a freestanding home is genuinely scarce. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 42.0% and one-bedroom-or-studio at 28.0%, with 4-plus bedroom homes just 7.4%, a profile built for singles and couples rather than larger families. The recorded median house price of $9,142,500 reflects a very thin sample of the few detached sales, well above the typical apartment that defines daily transactions here. Mortgage repayments average $2,383 a month against a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, because the 89.2nd-percentile household incomes absorb repayments easily. Outright owners at 27.6% outnumber mortgage holders at 18.3%, a sign of established, debt-free ownership rather than recent buyer churn.
For Buyers
Buyers face a stock that is overwhelmingly attached: 74.0% apartments and 22.6% semi-detached, leaving separate houses at only 3.2%, so a freestanding home is genuinely scarce. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 42.0% and one-bedroom-or-studio at 28.0%, with 4-plus bedroom homes just 7.4%, a profile built for singles and couples rather than larger families. The recorded median house price of $9,142,500 reflects a very thin sample of the few detached sales, well above the typical apartment that defines daily transactions here. Mortgage repayments average $2,383 a month against a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, because the 89.2nd-percentile household incomes absorb repayments easily. Outright owners at 27.6% outnumber mortgage holders at 18.3%, a sign of established, debt-free ownership rather than recent buyer churn.
For Investors
A 54.1% renter share and weekly rent of $480 give landlords a deep tenant pool, but the 26.3% vacancy rate signals real oversupply in the apartment segment that is 74.0% of dwellings. That vacancy is far higher than most inner-city markets, which means competition for tenants and pressure on rents despite strong demand fundamentals. Net overseas migration adds 150 residents a year while internal migration removes 70, leaving thin natural growth. Development activity is high at 165 applications in 12 months, mostly alterations and amendments rather than new supply. Rent grew 14.3% over the period, so the case rests more on rent escalation and capital preservation than on yield, given how compressed gross returns are against premium purchase prices.
Development Activity
Total DAs
225
Last 12 Months
168
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+223.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
$10.8M
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 8.0 points while the working-age share fell 6.2 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 29.1%, which is 7.5 points above national. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,867), Irish (877) and Scottish (678), with Chinese (329) the largest non-European group, and the top non-English languages are Mandarin (48), Italian (33) and Cantonese (30). University qualifications at 66.8% run 36.7 points above national, among the highest you will find anywhere. Average household size is 1.8, which is 0.7 below national, consistent with the apartment-dominant, couples-without-children profile: 62.0% of the 2,734 families are couples with no children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
3.2%
Houses
22.6%
Townhouse
74.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is renter-led: 54.1% rent, 27.6% own outright and 18.3% carry a mortgage, with outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders, a sign of long-held, debt-free wealth rather than buyer churn. The stock is 74.0% apartments and 22.6% semi-detached, leaving separate houses at only 3.2%, which makes detached homes scarce and pushes their few sales to extreme prices. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 42.0% and one-bedroom-or-studio 28.0%, while 4-plus bedroom homes are 7.4%. Prices have compounded at 12.4% a year over 14 years, rising 410.8% from $1,790,000 in 2013. Mortgage-to-income at 23.5% and rent-to-income at 20.5% both stay below the 30% stress threshold, a comfort margin that reflects how high incomes sit relative to repayment costs.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,383
Rent / wk
$480
HH Size
1.8
Personal Income / wk
$1,532
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
26.3%
Unoccupied
857
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
62.0%
Couples, no children
2,734
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce concentrates in high-paying knowledge sectors: Professional/Tech leads at 22.9% (599 workers), Healthcare follows at 16.5% (430) and Education at 10.2% (267), with Finance at 8.3% and Public Admin at 7.5%. By occupation, Professionals (1,514) and Managers (617) together account for the bulk of jobs, which aligns with the decile 10 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 3.3% and the full-time employment rate is 71.6%. Participation reads 65.7%, held down because the aging profile leaves 1,162 residents not in the labour force. One anomaly: the IER score sits at decile 4 against decile 10 on the other three SEIFA indexes, because the 54.1% renter base depresses the household-wealth measures that index captures.
Unemployment
3.4%
Labour Force
3,760
Unemployed
129
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
71.6%
Part-time
25.1%
Participation
65.7%
Employed
2,928
Occupations
Top Industries
University
66.8%
Postgraduate
23.7%
Born Overseas
29.1%
Dwellings
2,380
Transport to Work
Active and public transport are well used: 39.5% walk or cycle, far above the national reliance on cars, while 5.5% take public transport and 51.8% drive. The suburb earns decile 10 on IRSAD, the top advantage tier nationally, and decile 10 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, meaning very few residents face deprivation. Volunteering runs at 23.1% and only 4.1% (187 people) need daily assistance despite the older median age of 42. The crime rate of 195.7 per 1,000 residents is elevated, driven by 618 property and deception offences out of 958 total, a pattern typical of dense inner-city precincts with high foot traffic rather than residential violence. No schools are recorded inside the 1.86 km2 boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs.
Drive
51.8%
Public Transport
5.5%
Walk / Cycle
39.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.23%/yr
(+12 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation is effectively flat: annual growth registers 0.23% and the 10-year change is minus 0.1%, classifying it as an established, slow-growth suburb. The current population of 5,169 has still not recovered to the pre-COVID level of 5,416, sitting 4.2% above the COVID low of 4,959 after an 8.4% dip. Medium forecasts hold the population near 5,317 by 2031, so little expansion is expected. Overseas migration of 150 a year is the only positive driver, offset by net internal outflow of 70. The gentrification stage reads not gentrifying, which fits a suburb already at decile 10 advantage with no room to climb. Affordability improved from 35.8% in 2011 to 31.3% in 2021, though real income growth of 6.3% over the decade was modest.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+150
Net Internal / yr
-70
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
958
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
195.7
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How East Melbourne compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is East Melbourne a good suburb to live in?
East Melbourne ranks in decile 10 on IRSAD, IEO and IRSD, the top advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 89.2nd percentile. University qualifications reach 66.8%, 36.7 points above national, and 39.5% of residents walk or cycle. The main trade-off is an elevated crime rate of 195.7 per 1,000, mostly property offences.
What is the median house price in East Melbourne?
The recorded median house price is $9,142,500, but this reflects a very thin sample of the few detached sales in a suburb that is 74.0% apartments. Most transactions are units. Weekly rent averages $480 and mortgage repayments run about $2,383 a month, a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.5%.
What schools are in East Melbourne?
No schools are recorded inside the 1.86 km2 East Melbourne boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 66.8%, which is 36.7 points above the national figure.
Is East Melbourne safe?
The crime rate is 195.7 per 1,000 residents, elevated for a residential area, but 618 of the 958 offences are property and deception rather than crimes against the person (151). This pattern is typical of dense inner-city precincts with high foot traffic, and the suburb scores decile 10 on relative disadvantage.
Is East Melbourne good for property investment?
Rent of $480 a week supports a 54.1% renter base, but the 26.3% vacancy rate signals apartment oversupply where units are 74.0% of stock. Net overseas migration of 150 a year supports demand, and rent grew 14.3%, so returns lean on rent escalation more than yield or population growth, which is just 0.23% a year.
How is East Melbourne's population changing?
Population growth is 0.23% annually with a minus 0.1% change over 10 years. The current 5,169 residents remain below the pre-COVID 5,416 after an 8.4% dip. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 8.0 points and the working-age share down 6.2 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in East Melbourne?
About 29.1% of residents were born overseas, 7.5 points above the national figure. English dominates, with Mandarin (48 speakers), Italian (33), Cantonese (30) and Greek (23) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a small but international resident mix led by a Chinese ancestry group of 329.
How much development is happening in East Melbourne?
There were 165 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, high for a 1.86 km2 suburb. Most are alterations, permit amendments and minor building works on existing dwellings rather than new supply, consistent with an established, slow-growth area at 0.23% annual population growth.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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