Moving to North Melbourne VIC 3051
What the official numbers say about living in North Melbourne — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $1,311,000 for a median house or $520,000 for a unit (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 58% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $381 a week, against a median household income of $1,717 a week.
About 34% of homes are owner-occupied and 65% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the apartment.
Who you'll be living with
North Melbourne grew 27% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (11,755 → 14,953 people).
Around 48% of households are families, averaging 2.0 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: China, Vietnam, Malaysia; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), North Melbourne sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 9 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (24% of workers), while 47% work from home.
Nearest train station: Arden, 750 m south-west.
Nearest tram stop: Stop 16: Haines Street, 150 m west.
Nearest bus interchange: Southern Cross Coach Terminal, 2 km south.
Nearest ferry wharf: Port Phillip Ferries Docklands Terminal, 2 km south.
Nearest airport: Essendon Fields Airport, 9.2 km north-west.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 2 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 87 schools · 1,501 cafes & restaurants · 55 supermarkets · 140 parks — see them all on the North Melbourne profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: North Melbourne Primary School - Molesworth Campus 100 m · North Melbourne Primary School 300 m · The University High School Elizabeth Blackburn School of Sciences 600 m · St Michael's Primary School 600 m · The University High School 700 m · St Aloysius College 800 m · St Joseph's Flexible Learning Centre 850 m · Simonds Catholic College St Mary's 7–10 Campus 950 m
Groceries: North Melbourne IGA X-press 500 m · Royal Supermarket 500 m · The Local Grocer North Melbourne 500 m · IGA North Melbourne Plus Liquor 650 m · IGA 700 m · Tiem Tap Hoa Asian Grocer 700 m · ALDI 1 km · KT Mart 1.2 km
Parks and reserves: Curzon Street Reserve 100 m · Chapman Street Reserve 250 m · Errol Street Park 250 m · Pleasance Gardens 350 m · Gardiner Reserve 400 m · Leveson Street Park 400 m · Royal Park 500 m · North Melbourne Recreation Reserve 550 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around North Melbourne, most often seen first: Common Myna · Rainbow Lorikeet · Magpie-lark · Silver Gull · Rock Dove · Red Wattlebird.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to North Melbourne, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Melbourne here | 14,953 | $1,311,000 | 9/10 | 7% |
| West Melbourne | 8,025 | $1,231,000 | 10/10 | 2% |
| Parkville | 7,074 | $1,745,000 | 10/10 | 18% |
| Carlton | 16,055 | $1,390,000 | 9/10 | 9% |
| Travancore | 2,116 | $1,811,000 | 9/10 | 11% |
| Docklands | 15,495 | — | 10/10 | 2% |
| Kensington | 10,745 | $1,097,000 | 10/10 | 7% |
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 3051 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full North Melbourne profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in North Melbourne has a median sale price of $1,311,000 (2024 sales), and a unit $520,000. Renters pay a median $381 a week, and about 65% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 27% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 11,755 people to 14,953. It sits about 2 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line, and Arden station is roughly 0.7 km away. Local government is Melbourne council, and the federal seat is Melbourne.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: North Melbourne vs West Melbourne · North Melbourne vs Carlton.
Nearby guides: West Melbourne · Parkville · Carlton · Travancore · Docklands · Kensington.
Keep an eye on North Melbourne
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