Ripponlea
At 0.29 square kilometres, Ripponlea packs 5,360 residents per square kilometre, making it one of Melbourne's densest suburbs. The median age is 34, which is 6 years below the national figure, and 60.1% of residents hold university qualifications, a rate 30 points above national. Household income sits at the 75.7th percentile nationally. The suburb is overwhelmingly apartment-driven, with 64.6% of dwellings in multi-storey buildings and 49.2% of residents renting, framing a profile that is young, highly educated, and predominantly tenant-occupied.
Local council: Port Phillip
Population
1,532
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,023/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$2.0M
October to December 2025
Only a handful of houses sold here in this period, so this median can jump sharply from one quarter to the next for reasons that have nothing to do with the market. Treat it as a rough guide, not a settled price.
Separate houses account for only 20.7% of stock, so supply of detached homes is tightly constrained compared to the broader market. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,085 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 23.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold relative to household incomes at the 75.7th percentile nationally.
For Buyers
Separate houses account for only 20.7% of stock, so supply of detached homes is tightly constrained compared to the broader market. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,085 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 23.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold relative to household incomes at the 75.7th percentile nationally.
For Investors
With 49.2% of residents renting and weekly rent of $391, the tenant base is substantial. The rent-to-income ratio is 19.3%, indicating tenants are not under financial pressure and turnover risk is moderate. Development activity is low at only 2 applications in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a near-term pressure.
Development Activity
Total DAs
4
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+200.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 34 is 6 years below the national average, anchored by a large 20s-30s renting cohort. University qualifications reach 60.1%, which is 30 points above the national figure, one of the highest education concentrations across Melbourne. Overseas-born residents make up 31.2%, which is 9.6 points above the national rate. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, with English (500 residents), Irish (236) and Scottish (142) the top groups, alongside Italian (74). Judaism is a notable faith community with 193 adherents, placing Ripponlea in line with the historically significant Jewish presence across Caulfield and St Kilda. Average household size is 2.2, which is 0.3 below national, consistent with the couples-and-singles profile in apartment-dense suburbs.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
20.7%
Houses
14.7%
Townhouse
64.6%
Apartment
Tenure
The stock is apartment-dominant: 64.6% of dwellings are apartments or units, 14.7% semi-detached, and only 20.7% separate houses, which is below the Melbourne metropolitan average. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 50.6% of all homes, and 0-1 bedroom dwellings are 18.5%, reflecting the singles and couples orientation of the suburb. Tenure splits into 49.2% renting, 30.1% mortgaged and 20.7% owned outright. The low outright-ownership share compared to established Melbourne suburbs reflects the younger, more transient demographic.
Mortgage / mo
$2,085
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$391
Census 2021
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,190
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.5%
Unoccupied
114
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
37.5%
Couples with children
46.1%
Couples, no children
13.4%
Single parent
373
Total families
Economy & Employment
The top employing sectors are Professional/Tech at 17.7% (125 workers), with Education and Healthcare each at 14.4% (102 workers each), and Retail at 7.5%. By occupation, Professionals (371 residents) and Managers (152) dominate, consistent with the 60.1% university qualification rate, which is 30 points above national. The full-time employment rate is 64.1% and unemployment is 5.5%. Personal weekly income averages $1,190 and household weekly income $2,023, placing household income at the 75.7th percentile nationally. The concentration in knowledge and health industries reflects the suburb's broader fit within the St Kilda corridor, which draws white-collar workers to inner-south Melbourne.
Unemployment
5.1%
Labour Force
971
Unemployed
50
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.6%
Part-time
33.3%
Participation
76.7%
Employed
921
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
60.1%
Postgraduate
16.4%
Born Overseas
31.2%
Dwellings
673
Transport to Work
Public transport use is 16.7% and 10.2% of residents walk or cycle, above average for Melbourne suburbs and consistent with proximity to Ripponlea train station on the Sandringham line. Car dependence at 65.5% is lower than many Melbourne outer suburbs. No schools are recorded inside the 0.29 km2 boundary, so families depend on institutions in neighbouring Elsternwick and Caulfield. The crime rate is 70.5 incidents per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences (63 incidents) accounting for the majority, a pattern typical of high-density inner suburbs. Rent-to-income at 19.3% and mortgage-to-income at 23.8% are both below stress thresholds, indicating that housing cost burden is manageable compared to many inner-Melbourne suburbs.
Drive
31.5%
Public Transport
10.0%
Walk / Cycle
4.9%
Work from Home
49.9%
Growth Outlook
No population forecast data is available for Ripponlea specifically, but proxy indicators suggest modest organic growth. The turnover rate is 34.0%, meaning roughly one in three residents changed address in the five years prior to Census, pointing to a transient rather than deeply rooted community. The suburb's apartment-heavy stock and 14.5% vacancy rate act as natural caps on population density expansion. Development activity at 2 applications in 12 months signals constrained new supply.
Population trend: Port Phillip council area
Ripponlea sits in the Port Phillip council area. These are the council area's residents, not Ripponlea's.
Residents 2025
114,434
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.7%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.9%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
108
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
70.5
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 Ripponlea compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ripponlea a good suburb to live in?
Ripponlea suits young professionals and renters well. The median age is 34, which is 6 years below the national figure, and 60.1% of residents hold university qualifications, 30 points above national. Household income sits at the 75.7th percentile nationally. Trade-offs include a 14.5% vacancy rate and limited school options inside the 0.29 km2 suburb boundary.
What schools are in Ripponlea?
No schools are recorded inside the Ripponlea suburb boundary in this dataset. Families typically access schools in neighbouring Elsternwick and Caulfield. The suburb itself has very high educational attainment, with 60.1% of residents holding university qualifications, which is 30 points above the national figure.
Is Ripponlea safe?
The recorded crime rate is 70.5 incidents per 1,000 residents based on 108 total offences. Property and deception offences account for 63 of these, which is the most common category in high-density inner-Melbourne suburbs. Crimes against the person total 24 incidents. Rent-to-income is 19.3% and mortgage-to-income is 23.8%, both below financial-stress thresholds.
Is Ripponlea good for property investment?
The 49.2% renter share and weekly rent of $391 provide a broad tenant base, but the 14.5% vacancy rate is elevated compared to a healthy market benchmark, signalling apartment oversupply. Development activity is low at only 2 applications in 12 months, limiting near-term new supply pressure.
How is Ripponlea's population changing?
Ripponlea has a population of 1,532 across just 0.29 km2, giving a density of 5,360 per km2. The suburb turnover rate is 34.0%, meaning roughly one-third of residents moved in the preceding 5 years, pointing to a transient young demographic rather than long-term settlement. No population growth forecast is available at the suburb level.
What languages are spoken in Ripponlea?
About 31.2% of residents were born overseas, which is 9.6 points above the national rate. Greek (21 speakers), Nepali (15) and Russian (14) are the most common non-English languages recorded. The suburb has a historically notable Jewish community, with 193 residents identifying with Judaism, linked to the broader Caulfield and St Kilda East corridor.
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).
Explore Ripponlea on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map