Melton
The suburb has 7,953 residents, a median age of 40 and a strongly detached housing profile. Melton contrasts with nearby Melton South and Kurunjang through its buyer profile: 83.2% of dwellings are separate houses and just 0.1% are apartments. Overseas-born residents account for 30.0% of the population, 8.4 percentage points above the national comparison, while internal migration is the main growth driver.
Population
7,953
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,058/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
19
Median House
$578K
October to December 2025
The market is dominated by separate houses at 83.2%, with 64.6% of dwellings containing 3 bedrooms and 21.6% containing 4 or more, so family-sized stock is easier to find than compact apartments. The estimated mortgage payment is $1,300 per month and weekly rent is $300. Mortgage costs equal 28.4% of household income, while 30.3% of households have a mortgage and 33.3% own outright. Prices are 135.7% higher than the earliest recorded level, making budget checks important despite the relatively accessible headline price.
For Buyers
The market is dominated by separate houses at 83.2%, with 64.6% of dwellings containing 3 bedrooms and 21.6% containing 4 or more, so family-sized stock is easier to find than compact apartments. The estimated mortgage payment is $1,300 per month and weekly rent is $300. Mortgage costs equal 28.4% of household income, while 30.3% of households have a mortgage and 33.3% own outright. Prices are 135.7% higher than the earliest recorded level, making budget checks important despite the relatively accessible headline price.
For Investors
Melton has a substantial tenant base, with 35.2% of households renting compared with 33.3% owning outright, creating a broad potential rental pool. Weekly rent is $300, while the 8.0% vacancy rate is higher than the low-vacancy conditions investors usually prefer, which can soften competition between landlords. The investment case is supported by a 3.68% annual growth trend, 44.6% rent growth in the shift profile and internal migration as the primary growth driver. Development activity reached 20 applications in 12 months, helping expand housing supply but also creating competition for older properties. The main risk is that high vacancy can limit short-term rental pricing power.
Development Activity
Total DAs
38
Last 12 Months
19
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+171.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Melton
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Muhammadiyah Australia College
Kurunjang Primary School
Melton Primary School
St Dominic's School
Djerriwarrh Community & Education Services | Djerriwarrh Community College
Demographics
Melton's median age of 40 matches the national comparison, but university attainment is 16.0%, or 14.1 percentage points below the national figure. The overseas-born share is 30.0%, 8.4 percentage points above national levels, adding languages and cultural backgrounds beyond the largest English ancestry group of 2,288 people. Christianity is recorded for 3,593 residents and no religion for 2,781, while Islam accounts for 297. Average household size is 2.4 people, just 0.1 below the national comparison. Compared with nearby Melton South and Kurunjang, the profile is shaped by a mix of family households, established ancestry groups and newer migrant connections. This helps explain demand for 3-bedroom homes, which make up 64.6% of dwellings.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.2%
Houses
16.5%
Townhouse
0.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split between 33.3% outright ownership, 30.3% mortgage ownership and 35.2% renting. Separate houses account for 83.2% of dwellings, compared with 0.1% apartments and 16.5% semi-detached homes. The strong detached-house share supports family demand, while the 28.4% mortgage-to-income ratio still requires careful budgeting.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $300.
$450
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $420 · units $365
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$539
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.0%
Unoccupied
264
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.4%
Couples with children
33.6%
Couples, no children
27.0%
Single parent
1,992
Total families
Economy & Employment
Melton's work base is led by healthcare at 18.0% of jobs, or 266 positions, followed by construction at 12.7% (187), education at 9.9% (146), transport at 9.4% (139) and retail at 8.7% (128). Machinery and drivers (410), trades (396), community and personal service workers (384), labourers (373) and clerical and administrative workers (357) reinforce a practical service, construction and logistics profile. Employment is constrained by 9.5% unemployment and 45.5% participation, while 2,873 people are outside the labour force. Household income of $1,058 a week sits at the 15.2nd percentile, below the midpoint, and all four SEIFA deciles are 1. This disadvantage can limit purchasing power despite the area's broad employment mix.
Unemployment
9.5%
Labour Force
2,941
Unemployed
280
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.2%
Part-time
32.2%
Participation
45.5%
Employed
2,661
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.0%
Postgraduate
3.1%
Born Overseas
30.0%
Dwellings
3,025
Transport to Work
Melton is strongly car-dependent: 73.6% of residents drive, compared with only 2.1% using public transport, 2.4% walking or cycling and 15.3% working from home. Eight nearby schools span government, Catholic and independent sectors, with primary, secondary, specialist and combined Pri/Sec options. That mix supports practical access for families, although enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Safety is a key consideration because the recorded crime rate is 266.2 per 1,000 residents, including 1,154 property and deception offences, 383 justice procedure offences and 332 crimes against the person. All four SEIFA measures sit in decile 1, below the highest socioeconomic decile, so affordability comes with fewer local amenity and income advantages than higher-ranked areas.
Drive
73.6%
Public Transport
2.1%
Walk / Cycle
2.4%
Work from Home
15.3%
Population Forecast
+3.68%/yr
(+840 people/yr)
High GrowthMelton is tracking as a high-growth suburb, with an annual forecast trend of 3.68% driven primarily by internal migration. Population change across the wider area is 93.8% over 10 years, well above a flat-growth trajectory, and the shift profile is labelled Mixed. Housing affordability worsened from 47.6% in 2011 to 50.1% in 2021, while rents grew by 44.6%, showing that demand is putting pressure on costs. Gentrification signals are still transitional: the shift profile records a score of 26 at the Early signs stage, while the current forecast classification records score 0 and New development. This combination points to expansion led more by new housing and incoming households than by mature premium-market change.
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
2,117
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
266.2
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 compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Melton?
Melton has 8 nearby schools across government, Catholic and independent sectors. Options cover primary, secondary, specialist and combined Pri/Sec education, including 4 government, 2 Catholic and 2 independent schools. Compared with a single-sector area, families have a broader choice, but enrolment zones should be checked for each address.
Is Melton safe?
Melton recorded 2,117 offences, or 266.2 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were higher than crimes against the person, at 1,154 compared with 332. Safety conditions can vary by street, so buyers and renters should compare recent local incidents and inspect the area at different times.
Is Melton good for property investment?
Melton has a $300 weekly rent, 35.2% renting households and a 3.68% annual growth trend. Compared with a low-vacancy market, the 8.0% vacancy rate is a risk because it may weaken short-term rental competition. Internal migration and 44.6% rent growth support the longer-term demand case.
How is Melton's population changing?
Growth is strong, with a 3.68% annual forecast trend driven by internal migration. Population change across the wider area is 93.8% over 10 years, above a flat trajectory, while the shift is labelled Mixed. The young share has increased by 6.6 percentage points, indicating that incoming households are helping reshape demand.
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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