Moving to Melbourne VIC 3000
What the official numbers say about living in Melbourne — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $381 a week, against a median household income of $1,448 a week.
Who you'll be living with
Melbourne grew 93% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (28,404 → 54,941 people).
Largest overseas birthplaces: China, India, Malaysia; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Cantonese, Indonesian.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Melbourne sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by walking (18% of workers), while 43% work from home.
Nearest train station: Flinders Street, 300 m east.
Nearest tram stop: Stop 4: Flinders Street Station, Elizabeth Street, 100 m south-east.
Nearest bus interchange: Southern Cross Coach Terminal, 1000 m west.
Nearest ferry wharf: Southgate Landing - Berth 1, 300 m south-east.
Nearest airport: Essendon Fields Airport, 11.7 km north-west.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 88 schools · 1,738 cafes & restaurants · 64 supermarkets · 151 parks · 3 beaches — see them all on the Melbourne profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Ozford College 950 m · Holmes Grammar School 1.1 km · Haileybury College City Campus 1.2 km · Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School 1.2 km · South Melbourne Primary School 1.5 km · Simonds Catholic College St Mary's 7–10 Campus 1.6 km · River Nile School 1.6 km · St Joseph's Flexible Learning Centre 1.7 km
Groceries: Dae Bark Mart 100 m · Coles 150 m · Tan Hung Asian Supermarket 200 m · IGA 250 m · IGA X-press 450 m · Tang Asian Grocery 750 m · Tan Hung Asian Grocer 800 m · Pantre 800 m
Parks and reserves: Market Street Park 300 m · Enterprize Park 450 m · Batman Park 750 m · Queen Victoria Gardens 850 m · Alexandra Gardens 900 m · Birrarung Marr 900 m · Linear Park 900 m · Boyd Community Park 900 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Melbourne, most often seen first: Common Myna · Rainbow Lorikeet · Magpie-lark · Silver Gull · Rock Dove · Little Raven.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Melbourne, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne here | 54,941 | — | 10/10 | 9% |
| Southbank | 22,631 | — | 10/10 | 3% |
| South Melbourne | 11,548 | $1,532,500 | 10/10 | 6% |
| Carlton | 16,055 | $1,390,000 | 9/10 | 9% |
| West Melbourne | 8,025 | $1,231,000 | 10/10 | 2% |
| Docklands | 15,495 | — | 10/10 | 2% |
| East Melbourne | 4,896 | $3,650,000 | 10/10 | 14% |
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 3000 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Melbourne profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $381 a week.
The population grew 93% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 28,404 people to 54,941. Local government is Melbourne council, and the federal seat is Melbourne.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Melbourne vs Southbank.
Nearby guides: Southbank · South Melbourne · Carlton · West Melbourne · Docklands · East Melbourne.
Keep an eye on Melbourne
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