Maribyrnong
High vacancy and premium pricing define Maribyrnong more than a simple inner-west affordability story. The median house price reached $1,437,500 in Apr-Jun 2024, 101.3% above 2013, while vacancy sits at 13.0% and crime at 138.4 per 1,000. It attracts different buyer types because the housing stock is split between 33.7% separate houses, 35.0% apartments and 31.3% semi-detached homes. Compared with nearby Footscray or Ascot Vale, Maribyrnong reads as a smaller, higher-income pocket, with household income in the 75.6 percentile.
Population
12,573
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,020/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
4
Median House
$1.4M
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers face a high entry point, with the median house price at $1,437,500 and the latest quarter also marking the peak, so peak-to-latest movement is 0.0%. The suburb is not purely detached: 33.7% of dwellings are separate houses, 35.0% are apartments and 31.3% are semi-detached, giving more format choice than a typical house-only market. Mortgage repayments average $2,000 per month and mortgage-to-income is 22.9%, below common stress thresholds, because local household income sits in the 75.6 percentile.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a high entry point, with the median house price at $1,437,500 and the latest quarter also marking the peak, so peak-to-latest movement is 0.0%. The suburb is not purely detached: 33.7% of dwellings are separate houses, 35.0% are apartments and 31.3% are semi-detached, giving more format choice than a typical house-only market. Mortgage repayments average $2,000 per month and mortgage-to-income is 22.9%, below common stress thresholds, because local household income sits in the 75.6 percentile.
For Investors
Investors get a large tenant pool, with 38.7% renting, higher than the 26.2% owned outright share. The caution is leasing depth: vacancy is 13.0%, well above what buyers would normally call tight, while weekly rent is $396. Demand is supported because overseas migration is the primary driver, adding an average 409 people a year, but internal migration is negative at -195 a year. Only 3 development applications were recorded in 12 months, so new local supply pressure appears limited compared with the vacancy signal.
Development Activity
Total DAs
9
Last 12 Months
4
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+300.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Maribyrnong iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Margaret's Primary School
Prep-6 · 441 students
Maribyrnong College
7-12 · 1361 students
Demographics
Maribyrnong is younger and more internationally connected than the national profile. Median age is 36, which is 4.0 years below national, while 45.2% were born overseas, 23.6 percentage points above national. Education levels are a standout: 55.1% hold a university qualification, 25.0 points above national, helping explain household income in the 75.6 percentile. Chinese ancestry counts 1,974 residents, Vietnamese 1,839 and Italian 1,023, while Christianity records 5,220 people and Buddhism 1,240.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
33.7%
Houses
31.3%
Townhouse
35.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is mixed rather than dominated by one format. Separate houses make up 33.7%, apartments 35.0% and semi-detached homes 31.3%, so price pressure is shaped by both family housing and higher-density stock. The median house price rose from $714,000 in 2013 to $1,437,500 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 101.3% gain and 5.1% CAGR across 14 years. Tenure is also balanced: 26.2% owned outright, 35.1% with a mortgage and 38.7% renting, while rent-to-income at 19.6% sits below mortgage-to-income at 22.9%.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$396
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$980
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.0%
Unoccupied
756
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.0%
Couples, no children
9,543
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce leans white-collar, with Professionals the largest occupation group at 2,218 people, followed by Managers at 1,150 and Clerical/Admin at 1,000. Healthcare is the top industry at 15.8%, ahead of Professional/Tech at 11.1%, Education at 10.6%, Retail at 8.2% and Public Admin at 7.7%. Full-time work is strong at 67.4% and unemployment is 5.6%. SEIFA is mostly above average: IEO decile 8, IRSAD decile 8 and IRSD decile 7, while IER decile 6 is lower because economic resources are more mixed than education and occupation levels.
Unemployment
3.3%
Labour Force
9,827
Unemployed
320
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.4%
Part-time
27.0%
Participation
66.8%
Employed
6,838
Occupations
Top Industries
University
55.1%
Postgraduate
15.9%
Born Overseas
45.2%
Dwellings
5,060
Transport to Work
Livability is strongest for households wanting established school options and mixed housing, but weaker for car-light living. Two local schools cover Catholic primary and Government secondary, led by St Margaret's Primary School with ICSEA 1125 and Maribyrnong College with ICSEA 1064, a 1064 to 1125 range. Transport behaviour is car-heavy, with 85.9% driving compared with 2.5% using public transport and 4.8% walking or cycling. Safety is the key trade-off: 1,740 offences equate to 138.4 per 1,000, although IRSAD decile 8 signals above-average socio-economic advantage.
Drive
85.9%
Public Transport
2.5%
Walk / Cycle
4.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.7%/yr
(+238 people/yr)
EstablishedMaribyrnong is forecast to keep growing at a measured pace, not a boom pace. The trend path is 1.7% a year, or about 238 people annually, with the medium scenario rising from 14,371 in 2026 to 15,559 in 2031. Migration explains the pattern: overseas migration is the primary driver at +409 a year, higher than the net internal outflow of -195 a year. The shift profile is aging, because seniors increased by 3.6 points while the young share fell 2.4 points. Gentrification is scored 30 and labelled Early signs, below a mature transformation reading.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+409
Net Internal / yr
-195
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +31% since 2011, Net internal outflow -195/yr, Strong overseas inflow +409/yr, COVID recovered (-4% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,740
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
138.4
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 Maribyrnong compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Maribyrnong a good suburb to live in?
Maribyrnong can suit buyers who want an inner-west setting with strong incomes and mixed housing. Household income is in the 75.6 percentile, but the 138.4 offences per 1,000 crime rate and 85.9% car-driver share are important trade-offs.
What is the median house price in Maribyrnong?
The median house price in Maribyrnong is $1,437,500 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is also the recorded peak, with prices up 101.3% from $714,000 in 2013 across the available 14-year history.
What schools are in Maribyrnong?
Maribyrnong has 2 local schools listed: St Margaret's Primary School, a Catholic primary with ICSEA 1125 and 441 enrolments, and Maribyrnong College, a Government secondary with ICSEA 1064 and 1,361 enrolments.
Is Maribyrnong safe?
Safety is a mixed point. Maribyrnong recorded 1,740 offences, equal to 138.4 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences the largest category at 1,344 incidents.
Is Maribyrnong good for property investment?
Maribyrnong has investor appeal because 38.7% of homes are rented and overseas migration averages +409 people a year. The main risk is vacancy at 13.0%, which is high compared with tighter rental markets.
How is Maribyrnong's population changing?
Maribyrnong is growing at a forecast 1.7% a year, or about 238 people annually. The medium scenario reaches 15,559 people by 2031, driven by overseas migration of +409 a year despite internal outflow of -195.
What languages are spoken in Maribyrnong?
Maribyrnong has a strong overseas-born profile at 45.2%, which is 23.6 percentage points above national. Reported language groups include Canton with 300 speakers, Mandarin with 279, Greek with 117 and Italian with 115.
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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