Melton South
Rapid growth and low entry prices define Melton South: the median house price is $510,000, still 1.9% below the Jul-Sep 2023 peak, while the forecast points to 3.68% annual growth. South of central Melton and near Brookfield, its point of difference is scale and affordability rather than premium streetscapes. Overseas-born residents are 35.2%, 13.6 percentage points above national, but university attainment is 22.5%, 7.6 points below national, shaping a practical, mortgage-belt profile.
Population
11,362
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,209/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$510K
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers get a detached-house market at a lower price point: 86.0% of dwellings are separate houses, only 0.3% are apartments, and the median house price is $510,000. The typical mortgage is $1,300 a month and mortgage payments sit at 24.8% of income, which helps explain why stress is not flagged even with household income at the 25.9 percentile. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 59.0%, with 4 plus bedrooms at 27.7%, so family stock is the main choice.
For Buyers
Homebuyers get a detached-house market at a lower price point: 86.0% of dwellings are separate houses, only 0.3% are apartments, and the median house price is $510,000. The typical mortgage is $1,300 a month and mortgage payments sit at 24.8% of income, which helps explain why stress is not flagged even with household income at the 25.9 percentile. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 59.0%, with 4 plus bedrooms at 27.7%, so family stock is the main choice.
For Investors
Investors face demand from a large renter base, with 36.7% of households renting and weekly rent at $300, but the 6.8% vacancy rate is higher than a tight rental setting. That means pricing and tenant quality matter more than assuming instant absorption. Only 3 planning permits were lodged in the past 12 months, so near-term supply pressure looks limited. Average migration forecasts are stronger: 990 net internal migrants and 185 net overseas migrants a year, led by internal migration.
Development Activity
Total DAs
15
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-40.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Melton South iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Al Iman College
Prep-12 · 1149 students
St Anthony's School
Prep-6 · 646 students
Melton South Primary School
Prep-6 · 972 students
Staughton College
7-12 · 1705 students
Coburn Primary School
Prep-6 · 601 students
Demographics
Melton South skews younger and more migrant than Australia overall: the median age is 35, which is 5.0 years below national, and 35.2% of residents were born overseas, 13.6 percentage points above national. University attainment is 22.5%, 7.6 points below national, so the suburb leans more workforce-family than inner-professional. English ancestry records 2,799 people, Indian 657, and Punjabi, Urdu and Bengali are the largest named non-English languages at 287, 119 and 104 speakers.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.0%
Houses
13.7%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly suburban in form: 86.0% separate houses, 13.7% semi-detached and 0.3% apartments. The median house price moved from $230,000 in 2013 to $510,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 121.7% gain and 5.9% CAGR over 14 years. Prices remain 1.9% below the $520,000 peak from Jul-Sep 2023, so recent buyers are not paying the cycle high. Tenure is balanced, with 26.0% owned outright, 37.3% mortgaged and 36.7% renting.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$568
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.8%
Unoccupied
280
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
18.6%
Couples, no children
8,489
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local economy is weighted to essential and logistics-facing work rather than high-income office sectors. Healthcare employs 391 people, or 17.6%, followed by education at 230, transport at 226, construction at 217 and retail at 183. Occupations reinforce that pattern, led by 611 machinery and driver roles, 557 community and personal service roles, and 527 labourers. Unemployment is 11.8% and participation is 45.7%, while SEIFA sits in decile 1 for IRSAD and IRSD, below average advantage.
Unemployment
15.2%
Labour Force
3,632
Unemployed
553
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.9%
Part-time
24.3%
Participation
45.7%
Employed
3,507
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.5%
Postgraduate
7.1%
Born Overseas
35.2%
Dwellings
3,811
Transport to Work
Livability is car-oriented and school-rich, but safety is the constraint. Car driving accounts for 84.6% of commuting, far above public transport at 5.7% and walking or cycling at 1.6%, so daily convenience depends heavily on road access. Five schools cover Independent, Catholic and Government sectors, with ICSEA scores from 932 to 1059; Al Iman College is highest at 1059, followed by St Anthony's School at 1000 and Melton South Primary at 962. Crime is 111.5 per 1,000, with 1,267 offences, and IRSAD decile 1 points to lower area advantage.
Drive
84.6%
Public Transport
5.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+3.68%/yr
(+840 people/yr)
High GrowthGrowth is the strongest forward signal. The trend forecast is 3.68% a year, equal to about 840 additional residents annually, with the medium scenario rising from 21,941 in 2026 to 26,143 in 2031. Migration is the engine because average net internal migration is 990 a year compared with 185 net overseas migrants, and the primary driver is internal migration. The gentrification reading is score 0, stage New development, while the broader shift trajectory is Mixed after 44.6% rent growth.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+185
Net Internal / yr
+990
Gentrification Signal
New development
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,267
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
111.5
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 Melton South compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Melton South a good suburb to live in?
Melton South can suit buyers seeking affordability, larger houses and local schooling, with a $510,000 median house price and 5 schools. The trade-off is a car-heavy commute pattern and a crime rate of 111.5 per 1,000 residents.
What is the median house price in Melton South?
The median house price in Melton South is $510,000 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 1.9% below the Jul-Sep 2023 peak of $520,000, but still 121.7% above the 2013 level of $230,000.
What schools are in Melton South?
Melton South has 5 listed schools: Al Iman College, St Anthony's School, Melton South Primary School, Staughton College and Coburn Primary School. ICSEA scores range from 932 to 1059, covering Independent, Catholic and Government sectors.
Is Melton South safe?
Melton South records 1,267 offences, equal to 111.5 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences are the largest category at 609, followed by crimes against the person at 322, so street-level checks matter.
Is Melton South good for property investment?
Melton South has investment demand from a 36.7% renter share and $300 weekly rent, but the 6.8% vacancy rate is a caution. The stronger support is growth, with average net internal migration forecast at 990 people a year.
How is Melton South's population changing?
Melton South is forecast to keep growing quickly, with a 3.68% annual trend equal to about 840 people a year. The medium scenario rises from 21,941 residents in 2026 to 26,143 in 2031.
What languages are spoken in Melton South?
English remains common, but Melton South has a sizeable overseas-born population at 35.2%, which is 13.6 percentage points above national. The largest named non-English language groups are Punjabi with 287 speakers, Urdu with 119 and Bengali with 104.
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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