Moving to Melba ACT 2615
What the official numbers say about living in Melba — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $400 a week, against a median household income of $2,326 a week.
About 78% of homes are owner-occupied and 21% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Melba grew 6% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (3,200 → 3,383 people).
Around 77% of households are families, averaging 2.7 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, China, India; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Spanish, Vietnamese.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Melba sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 9 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (79% of workers), while 15% work from home.
Nearest bus interchange: Westfield Belconnen Bus Station, 3.4 km south.
Nearest airport: Canberra Airport, 16.6 km south-east.
The Canberra CBD is roughly 11 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 29 schools · 22 cafes & restaurants · 6 supermarkets · 13 parks · 6 beaches — see them all on the Melba profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Melba Copland Secondary School 500 m · Mount Rogers Primary School 550 m · St Monica's Primary School 800 m · Miles Franklin Primary School 1.2 km · Florey Primary 1.9 km · Charnwood-Dunlop School 2 km · Evatt Primary School 2 km · St Francis Xavier College 2 km
Groceries: IGA Melba 500 m · Spence Grocer 1.8 km · Evatt IGA 1.8 km · Supaexpress 1.9 km · Woolworths 1.9 km · Latham Shopping Hub 2.2 km
Parks and reserves: Sadlier Place Park 1.5 km · The Boslem and Harte Park 1.9 km · Lake Ginninderra Western Foreshore Park 2 km · Dean Place Park 2 km · Umbagong District Park 2.1 km · Donnison Place Park 2.2 km · William Palmer Park 2.2 km · McQuade Close Park 2.4 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Melba, most often seen first: Australian Magpie · Red Wattlebird · Magpie-lark · Sulphur-crested Cockatoo · Pied Currawong · Galah.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Melba, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melba here | 3,383 | — | 9/10 | 17% |
| Flynn | 3,671 | — | 10/10 | 15% |
| Spence | 2,587 | — | 9/10 | 13% |
| Evatt | 5,531 | — | 10/10 | 12% |
| Florey | 4,781 | — | 8/10 | 12% |
| Fraser | 2,126 | — | 10/10 | 15% |
| Charnwood | 3,055 | — | 5/10 | 14% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Unincorporated ACT — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Fenner — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2615 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Melba profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $400 a week, and about 21% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 6% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 3,200 people to 3,383. It sits about 11 km from the Canberra CBD in a straight line. Local government is Unincorporated ACT council, and the federal seat is Fenner.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Melba vs Flynn · Melba vs Spence.
Nearby guides: Flynn · Spence · Evatt · Florey · Fraser · Charnwood.
Keep an eye on Melba
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