Melba
Household income at the 88.7th percentile nationally is the defining number in Melba, a suburb where 47.6% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 17.5 percentage points above the national average. The 3,383-person suburb covers 2.31 square kilometres in Canberra's north-west, with 80.8% of dwellings being separate houses and 49.8% having four or more bedrooms, both figures that sit well above national norms.
Population
3,383
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,326/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
6
Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,100, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Stock is dominated by separate houses at 80.8%, and 49.8% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, higher than most ACT suburbs. Semi-detached homes account for 17.6% and apartments just 1.6%, so buyers seeking density have few options here. Outright owners make up 35.1% of households compared to 44.0% carrying a mortgage, indicating a mix of established owners and active buyers rather than a predominantly debt-free base.
For Buyers
Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,100, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Stock is dominated by separate houses at 80.8%, and 49.8% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, higher than most ACT suburbs. Semi-detached homes account for 17.6% and apartments just 1.6%, so buyers seeking density have few options here. Outright owners make up 35.1% of households compared to 44.0% carrying a mortgage, indicating a mix of established owners and active buyers rather than a predominantly debt-free base.
For Investors
Rental conditions in Melba are moderate rather than exceptional. Weekly rent averages $400 and the renter share is 20.9%, below the national average, meaning the tenant pool is relatively thin compared to higher-density suburbs. The vacancy rate of 4.5% sits above typical investment comfort levels, suggesting limited rental scarcity. Development activity is low at 6 applications in the past 12 months, mostly lease variations rather than new supply, so the housing stock remains largely unchanged. Net overseas migration adds around 40 residents a year while internal outflow removes 46, producing a small net population loss from migration that investors should factor in. Rent grew 11.1% over the period, above many comparable ACT suburbs.
Development Activity
Total DAs
28
Last 12 Months
6
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-25.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Melba iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Mount Rogers Primary School
K-6 · 461 students
Melba Copland Secondary School
7-12 · 953 students
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2.0 years below the national figure, reflecting a working-age and family-focused population. University qualifications reach 47.6%, which is 17.5 percentage points above national, consistent with the suburb's public-sector and professional employment base. Overseas-born residents account for 21.9% of the population, approximately in line with the national figure at 0.3 percentage points above. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,197 residents), Irish (443) and Scottish (375), with German ancestry fifth at 169. Average household size is 2.7, marginally above the national average. Couples with children make up 1,323 families while couples without children total 689, a profile that reflects the family-oriented housing stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
80.8%
Houses
17.6%
Townhouse
1.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Melba's housing stock is strongly detached: 80.8% of dwellings are separate houses, with only 1.6% apartments and 17.6% semi-detached. The bedroom distribution skews large, with 49.8% of homes having four or more bedrooms and 38.4% having three, figures higher than the ACT average. The tenure split shows 35.1% of households own outright, 44.0% hold a mortgage and 20.9% rent. Rent-to-income is 17.2% and mortgage-to-income is 20.9%, both well below the 30% stress threshold, which points to why housing stress is essentially absent here. The affordability trend improved from 40.1% in 2011 to 35.8% in 2021, meaning ownership is becoming more accessible relative to local incomes rather than less.
Mortgage / mo
$2,100
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$400
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,118
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.5%
Unoccupied
57
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.2%
Couples, no children
2,851
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public Administration dominates the local employment base at 28.5% (354 workers), consistent with Melba's location in the national capital where federal government employment is the largest single industry. Education follows at 14.1% (175 workers) and Professional/Technical services at 12.9% (160), with Healthcare at 11.4% and Construction at 8.9%. By occupation, Professionals lead with 506 workers and Managers account for 300, together representing the majority of the employed population. The unemployment rate is 4.2%, close to full-employment conditions. SEIFA scores place the suburb at decile 8 on IRSD and IRSAD, meaning it ranks above 70-80% of Australian suburbs on both advantage and disadvantage measures. Full-time employment runs at 67.8% among workers.
Unemployment
6.8%
Labour Force
1,785
Unemployed
122
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.8%
Part-time
28.0%
Participation
60.8%
Employed
1,536
Occupations
Top Industries
University
47.6%
Postgraduate
15.9%
Born Overseas
21.9%
Dwellings
1,190
Transport to Work
Transport in Melba is car-dependent: 86.9% of residents drive to work, compared to the national average, and only 4.7% use public transport, a figure below the ACT average. Walking and cycling account for 2.0% of commuters. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families depend on schools in neighbouring Belconnen-area suburbs. The suburb scores decile 9 on IEO (education and occupation) and decile 8 on IRSAD (advantage overall), placing it among the top 10-20% of Australian suburbs on both measures. Volunteering runs at a strong 21.5% of residents, above the national rate, and only 5.3% of residents (175 people) need daily assistance. The 79.6% residential stability rate means most residents stay long-term, a practical indicator of satisfaction with the area.
Drive
86.9%
Public Transport
4.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.15%/yr
(+5 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth is slow but steady: the 10-year change was 5.7% and the current annual rate is 0.15%, adding roughly 5 persons per year. The medium forecast projects the population near 3,369-3,396 through 2031, essentially flat. Overseas migration adds about 40 residents a year while internal migration removes 46, a small net loss that keeps growth below the national rate. The suburb is classified as established and not gentrifying, with a gentrification score of 0 out of 100, because the SEIFA advantage level is already high at decile 8 and real income growth is modest at 1.2% over the decade. The senior share grew 2.9 points and the working-age share contracted 4.2 points, a pattern typical of maturing Canberra suburbs.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+40
Net Internal / yr
-46
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Melba compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Melba a good suburb to live in?
Melba ranks at SEIFA decile 9 on IEO and decile 8 on IRSAD, placing it among the top 20% of Australian suburbs on education, occupation and overall advantage. Household income sits at the 88.7th percentile nationally, housing stress is low at mortgage-to-income of 20.9%, and 79.6% of residents stay long-term.
What is the median house price in Melba?
Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,100, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9% is well below the 30% stress threshold, making it relatively affordable for ACT given its income level.
What schools are in Melba?
No schools are recorded inside the Melba boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in surrounding Belconnen suburbs. Locally, 47.6% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 17.5 percentage points above the national figure, reflecting a highly educated resident base.
Is Melba safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Melba in this dataset. As an indirect measure, the suburb scores decile 8 on IRSD (index of relative disadvantage), placing it above 70-80% of Australian suburbs, and only 5.3% of residents need daily assistance. These indicators are consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Melba good for property investment?
Investment conditions are moderate. However, the vacancy rate of 4.5% is above ideal levels and the renter share of 20.9% is below average, limiting tenant demand. Rent grew 11.1% over the measured period.
How is Melba's population changing?
Population growth is slow at 0.15% annually, adding around 5 people per year. The 10-year change was 5.7%. Medium forecasts project the population near 3,369-3,396 through 2031. Overseas migration adds roughly 40 residents annually but internal migration removes about 46, producing a small net movement loss.
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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