Middle Park
The suburb skews older and highly educated: the median age is 45, 5 years above the national comparison, and 65.9% hold a university qualification, 35.8 percentage points above national. Household income ranks at the 96.4th percentile. Compared with nearby Albert Park and Port Melbourne, the key distinction is Middle Park's tightly bounded market and attached housing mix, with 58.1% semi-detached homes and 26.5% apartments. The trade-off is slow growth of -0.12% annually and a 17.2% vacancy rate, which can widen choice but also signals uneven demand.
Population
4,000
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,836/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
20
Median House
$2.9M
October to December 2025
The housing mix explains the variety: 58.1% semi-detached dwellings, 26.5% apartments and only 14.9% separate houses. Three-bedroom homes lead at 37.9%, followed by two-bedroom homes at 33.2%. Mortgage costs are higher than rent's 21.2% income share at 28.2%, although mortgage stress is not flagged. A household income of $2,836 weekly supports purchasing power, but buyers still need substantial capital.
For Buyers
The housing mix explains the variety: 58.1% semi-detached dwellings, 26.5% apartments and only 14.9% separate houses. Three-bedroom homes lead at 37.9%, followed by two-bedroom homes at 33.2%. Mortgage costs are higher than rent's 21.2% income share at 28.2%, although mortgage stress is not flagged. A household income of $2,836 weekly supports purchasing power, but buyers still need substantial capital.
For Investors
Investors face a premium, low-yield profile rather than a straightforward cash-flow play. Renting accounts for 32.0% of households, creating a meaningful tenant base, but 41.5% own outright and 24.8% hold a mortgage, indicating substantial owner presence. Rents have grown 16.2%, which supports income resilience, although the annual price trend is -0.12%. With 19 development matters in 12 months and overseas migration the primary driver, planning activity and tenant demand should be checked street by street. Compared with a lower-priced market such as Port Melbourne, Middle Park requires stronger capital depth and patience.
Development Activity
Total DAs
23
Last 12 Months
20
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Middle Park
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Middle Park Primary School
Demographics
Middle Park has an older, highly educated profile: the median age is 45, which is 5 years above the national comparison, while university attainment reaches 65.9%, 35.8 percentage points higher than national. Household size averages 2.3 people, 0.2 below the national comparison, consistent with 42.2% of households being couples without children and 45.6% couples with children. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry are the largest recorded groups at 1,458, 672 and 472 people, with Greek ancestry also notable at 369. Christianity and no religion are almost evenly represented at 1,831 and 1,825. Overseas-born residents account for 25.5%, 3.9 points above national. With 76.7% staying at the same address, household continuity is higher than the 23.3% turnover rate. Buyers comparing Middle Park with nearby Albert Park should weigh this smaller-household and older-age profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
14.9%
Houses
58.1%
Townhouse
26.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Middle Park's housing is compact and attached: 58.1% of dwellings are semi-detached, compared with 14.9% separate houses and 26.5% apartments. That mix suits buyers seeking lower-maintenance stock, while the 0.85 square kilometre footprint helps explain density of 4,719.8 people per square kilometre. Tenure is split between 41.5% outright owners, 24.8% mortgage holders and 32.0% renters. Three-bedroom homes lead at 37.9%, but two-bedroom homes are close at 33.2%, supporting demand from couples, downsizers and smaller households. Compared with Port Melbourne, buyers should pay particular attention to attached-dwelling maintenance and owners corporation costs.
Mortgage / mo
$3,467
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $602.
$698
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $1,150 · units $643
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$1,430
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
17.2%
Unoccupied
338
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.6%
Couples with children
42.2%
Couples, no children
11.4%
Single parent
1,114
Total families
Economy & Employment
Middle Park's income and workforce profile is strongly professional. Household income is $2,836 per week, ranking at the 96.4th percentile, and unemployment is 3.8% from a labour force of 2,130, supporting high purchasing power. Professional/Tech is the largest industry at 22.7% or 358 workers, followed by Healthcare at 15.1% or 237, Finance at 9.6% or 151, Education at 9.0% or 142 and Public Administration at 6.5% or 103. Occupations reinforce that pattern, with 820 professionals and 559 managers compared with 221 clerical/admin workers. Full-time employment is 63.0%, and 55.2% work from home, which helps explain demand for well-located apartments and attached homes with usable internal space. Compared with the national income position, household purchasing power is much higher, although the premium housing market limits affordability.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
2,130
Unemployed
81
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.0%
Part-time
31.3%
Participation
64.5%
Employed
2,049
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
65.9%
Postgraduate
22.0%
Born Overseas
25.5%
Dwellings
1,633
Transport to Work
Daily life is shaped by proximity and a strong work-from-home pattern. Public transport is used by 4.2% of residents, compared with 32.3% who drive and 6.2% who walk or cycle, while 55.2% work from home. One government primary school operates within the suburb; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address, especially when comparing nearby Albert Park and Port Melbourne. The compact 0.85 square kilometre area supports short local trips, although the crime rate is 78.8 incidents per 1,000 residents, including 254 property and deception offences out of 315 total offences. Property and deception offences are higher than crimes against the person at 24, so secure parking, lighting and delivery arrangements deserve attention. Volunteering is 22.5%, and need for assistance is 3.9%, pointing to established local participation and relatively limited support needs.
Drive
32.3%
Public Transport
4.2%
Walk / Cycle
6.2%
Work from Home
55.2%
Population Forecast
-0.12%/yr
(-9 people/yr)
EstablishedMiddle Park is an established, slow-growth market rather than a redevelopment-led story. Annual growth is -0.12%, while population change across the wider area is 0.0% over 10 years. Its trajectory is labelled Aging, with the senior share up 7.3 percentage points and the working share down 4.8 points, so demand is likely to favour established homes, accessibility and low-maintenance formats. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, indicating limited evidence of a new uplift cycle. Affordability improved from 52.5 in 2011 to 49.3 in 2021, while rents rose 16.2%, creating a mixed picture: lower population momentum than faster-growing suburbs, but continued pressure on a scarce premium housing base. For comparisons with Port Melbourne, the key question is whether buyers want growth exposure or an established setting.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+86
Net Internal / yr
-62
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
315
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
78.8
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 Middle Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Middle Park?
Middle Park Primary School is the local government primary school. Families should confirm the exact enrolment zone and compare nearby options, because one local school does not cover every year level or address need. The suburb has 4,000 residents.
Is Middle Park safe?
Safety needs a practical, property-focused reading. The recorded crime rate is 78.8 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 254 property and deception offences out of 315 total offences, compared with 24 crimes against the person. Secure entry, parking and deliveries are sensible priorities.
How is Middle Park's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 0.0% over 10 years and annual growth is -0.12%, indicating a stable to slowly contracting trajectory. The shift is labelled Aging, with senior share up 7.3 percentage points, while overseas migration remains the primary driver. The gentrification score is 0, so rapid demographic uplift is not the base case.
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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