Melton South
The suburb is younger than the national pattern, with a median age of 35, while 35.2% of residents were born overseas, 13.6 percentage points above the national comparison. Detached homes account for 86.0% of stock. Compared with nearby Melton's established town-centre role, Melton South has a more growth-oriented residential feel, shaped by internal migration and newer development. The trade-off is an IRSAD decile 1 result, below the middle of the socioeconomic scale, so buyers should weigh price against services and travel time.
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
4
Median House
$581K
October to December 2025
Home buyers get a predominantly detached market, with 86.0% of dwellings classed as separate houses and 59.0% containing 3 bedrooms. A further 27.7% have 4 or more bedrooms, supporting family demand more than apartment-style living. The 36.9% mortgaged share is higher than the 25.8% owned outright, showing substantial buyer participation.
For Buyers
Home buyers get a predominantly detached market, with 86.0% of dwellings classed as separate houses and 59.0% containing 3 bedrooms. A further 27.7% have 4 or more bedrooms, supporting family demand more than apartment-style living. The 36.9% mortgaged share is higher than the 25.8% owned outright, showing substantial buyer participation.
For Investors
The rental case is supported by a 36.3% renting share and a weekly rent of $300, compared with 25.8% of homes owned outright. Vacancy is 6.8%, so tenants have more available choice than in a tightly constrained market and landlords should not assume uninterrupted rental growth. The shift profile records rent growth of 44.6%, while the wider growth forecast runs at 3.68% annually and is driven by internal migration. Five development applications in 12 months, including a 41-lot subdivision, may add future competition. Melton South therefore suits investors seeking an affordable, detached-house market, but supply and a below-midpoint IRSAD decile 1 position require careful property selection.
Development Activity
Total DAs
17
Last 12 Months
4
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-33.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Melton South
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Al Iman College
Coburn Primary School
Melton South Primary School
St Anthony's School
Staughton College
Demographics
Melton South has a median age of 35, which is 5 years younger than the national comparison. Overseas-born residents account for 35.2%, or 13.6 percentage points above the national figure, with English ancestry recorded for 2,799 people, Other ancestry for 2,737, Irish for 682 and Indian for 657. Punjabi is the most common listed non-English language at 287 speakers, followed by Urdu at 119 and Bengali at 104. University attainment is 22.5%, 7.6 percentage points below the national comparison. The average household size of 2.6 is 0.1 above national, while couples with children represent 42.8% of families and one-parent families 26.6%, supporting demand for practical family services.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.0%
Houses
13.7%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split between 25.8% owned outright, 36.9% mortgaged and 36.3% rented. Compared with apartment-led areas, Melton South is strongly detached: 86.0% separate houses versus 0.3% apartments, with 13.7% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 59.0%, helping explain the suburb's family-oriented housing demand.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$300
Census 2021
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
42.8%
Couples with children
28.4%
Couples, no children
26.6%
Single parent
2,715
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest listed industry at 17.6%, with 391 workers, followed by education at 10.4% and 230, transport at 10.2% and 226, construction at 9.8% and 217, and retail at 8.2% and 183. The occupational mix is similarly practical, led by machinery operators and drivers at 611, trades at 566, community and personal service work at 557, labourers at 527 and professionals at 453. Unemployment is 11.0% among a labour force of 4,255, while participation is 48.9% and the full-time rate is 59.2%. Household income sits at the 25.9th percentile, below the national midpoint, consistent with SEIFA IEO and IER decile 2 and IRSD and IRSAD decile 1. These measures point to an economy with essential-service and trades links but lower average socioeconomic capacity than more advantaged suburbs.
Unemployment
11.0%
Labour Force
4,255
Unemployed
468
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.2%
Part-time
33.4%
Participation
48.9%
Employed
3,787
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.5%
Postgraduate
7.1%
Born Overseas
35.2%
Dwellings
3,811
Transport to Work
Daily mobility is car-led: 71.4% of residents drove to work, compared with 4.8% using public transport, 1.4% walking or cycling and 15.6% working from home. That makes exact access to employment, shops and services important when comparing homes. Five local schools provide a mix of 3 primary options, 1 government secondary school and 1 combined primary-secondary school across government, Catholic and independent sectors. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Safety also deserves attention, with 1,267 recorded offences and a rate of 111.5 per 1,000; property and deception offences numbered 609 and crimes against the person 322. The IRSAD decile 1 result is below the midpoint of the socioeconomic scale, so affordability should be weighed against amenity, support services and travel needs.
Drive
71.4%
Public Transport
4.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
15.6%
Population Forecast
+3.68%/yr
(+840 people/yr)
High GrowthGrowth is the clearest market signal: the annual trend is 3.68%, driven by internal migration, which is above a flat-growth outcome. Population change across the wider area runs at 93.8% over ten years, while the shift trajectory is labelled Mixed. Affordability worsened from 47.6 in 2011 to 50.1 in 2021, even as real income growth reached 11.8%, indicating that housing pressure has increased alongside demand. The forecast labels the area New development with a gentrification score of 0, while another shift measure records Early signs at 26, so the transition is not yet established. Five development applications in 12 months, including a 41-lot subdivision, reinforce the growth story and may expand supply faster than established suburbs.
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
What schools are in Melton South?
There are 5 listed local schools: 3 primary schools, 1 government secondary college and 1 combined primary-secondary school. The sector mix includes 3 government schools, 1 Catholic school and 1 independent school. Check enrolment zones for the exact property address.
Is Melton South safe?
Safety needs careful consideration because 1,267 offences were recorded at a rate of 111.5 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 609 incidents and crimes against the person for 322, so compare specific streets and inspect local conditions before renting or buying.
Is Melton South good for property investment?
Melton South has a 36.3% renting share, $300 weekly rent and a 6.8% vacancy rate. Growth is forecast at 3.68% annually and is driven by internal migration, but 5 development applications in 12 months may increase competing supply.
How is Melton South's population changing?
The suburb has a current population of 11,362 and a younger median age of 35. Growth is forecast at 3.68% annually, driven by internal migration, while population change across the wider area is recorded at 93.8% over 10 years.
What languages are spoken in Melton South?
Melton South has an overseas-born share of 35.2%, which is 13.6 percentage points above the national comparison. Listed languages include Punjabi with 287 speakers, Urdu with 119, Bengali with 104, Hindi with 76 and Samoan with 64.
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), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), 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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