Moving to Carlton VIC 3053
What the official numbers say about living in Carlton — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $1,390,000 for a median house or $409,000 for a unit (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 36% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $365 a week, against a median household income of $1,292 a week.
About 24% of homes are owner-occupied and 73% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the apartment.
Who you'll be living with
Carlton grew 19% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (13,520 → 16,055 people).
Around 36% of households are families, averaging 1.8 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: China, India, Malaysia; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Carlton sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 9 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (20% of workers), while 45% work from home.
Nearest train station: Parkville, 700 m west.
Nearest tram stop: Stop 3: Lincoln Square, 250 m south-west.
Nearest bus interchange: Southern Cross Coach Terminal, 2.1 km south-west.
Nearest ferry wharf: Berth 2, 2 km south.
Nearest airport: Essendon Fields Airport, 10.3 km north-west.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 1 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 95 schools · 1,713 cafes & restaurants · 71 supermarkets · 155 parks · 1 beach — see them all on the Carlton profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Carlton Gardens Primary School 300 m · Carlton Primary School 700 m · Academy of Mary Immaculate 800 m · The University High School 950 m · St Joseph's Flexible Learning Centre 1 km · River Nile School 1.1 km · The University High School Elizabeth Blackburn School of Sciences 1.1 km · Sacred Heart Primary School 1.1 km
Groceries: IGA X-press plus Liquor 400 m · Woolworths 400 m · Mr. Dad Super Market 700 m · KT Mart 700 m · Lin's Asian Grocery 750 m · Aldi 800 m · Casa Iberica 950 m · Hometown Asian Supermarket 950 m
Parks and reserves: Argyle Square 200 m · La Mama Square 300 m · 1888 South Lawn 300 m · 1888 Courtyard 300 m · Lincoln Square 300 m · Welcome Garden 350 m · Old Geology Courtyard 450 m · Chemical Engineering Lawn 450 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Carlton, most often seen first: Common Myna · Rainbow Lorikeet · Magpie-lark · Rock Dove · Silver Gull · Noisy Miner.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Carlton, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlton here | 16,055 | $1,390,000 | 9/10 | 9% |
| Fitzroy | 10,431 | $1,750,000 | 9/10 | 6% |
| Carlton North | 6,177 | $1,515,000 | 10/10 | 7% |
| Melbourne | 54,941 | — | 10/10 | 9% |
| North Melbourne | 14,953 | $1,311,000 | 9/10 | 7% |
| Princes Hill | 2,005 | $1,722,500 | 10/10 | 5% |
| West Melbourne | 8,025 | $1,231,000 | 10/10 | 2% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Melbourne — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Melbourne — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3053 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Carlton profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in Carlton has a median sale price of $1,390,000 (2024 sales), and a unit $409,000. Renters pay a median $365 a week, and about 73% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 19% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 13,520 people to 16,055. It sits about 1 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line, and Parkville station is roughly 0.7 km away. Local government is Melbourne council, and the federal seat is Melbourne.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Carlton vs Fitzroy · Carlton vs North Melbourne.
Nearby guides: Fitzroy · Carlton North · Melbourne · North Melbourne · Princes Hill · West Melbourne.
Keep an eye on Carlton
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