Moving to Northcote VIC 3070
What the official numbers say about living in Northcote — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $1,600,000 for a median house or $636,000 for a unit (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 72% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $475 a week, against a median household income of $2,287 a week.
About 61% of homes are owner-occupied and 38% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Northcote grew 10% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (22,920 → 25,276 people).
Around 61% of households are families, averaging 2.3 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, Greece, New Zealand; most spoken languages besides English: Greek, Italian, Mandarin.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Northcote sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (31% of workers), while 55% work from home.
Nearest train station: Northcote, 550 m north-west.
Nearest tram stop: Stop 32: Mitchell Street, 200 m north-west.
Nearest bus interchange: Northland Shopping Centre, 4.4 km north-east.
Nearest ferry wharf: Berth 5, 5.8 km south-west.
Nearest airport: Essendon Fields Airport, 10.3 km north-west.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 6 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 94 schools · 312 cafes & restaurants · 22 supermarkets · 113 parks · 1 beach — see them all on the Northcote profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Santa Maria College 300 m · Northcote Primary School 350 m · St Joseph's Primary School 400 m · Westgarth Primary School 700 m · Northcote High School 1000 m · Merri Creek Primary School 1.2 km · Wales Street Primary School 1.4 km · Croxton School 1.5 km
Groceries: IGA 200 m · Coles 400 m · ALDI 450 m · Terra Madre 850 m · Psarakos Market 1.4 km · Naturally On High 1.5 km · IGA 1.6 km · Oasis 1.7 km
Parks and reserves: Derby Reserve 400 m · Baden Morgan Reserve 550 m · Peters Reserve 650 m · All Nations Park 700 m · Merri Common 800 m · Batman Park 850 m · Johnson Park 900 m · Grovesland Reserve 1 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Northcote, most often seen first: Common Myna · Rainbow Lorikeet · Noisy Miner · Red Wattlebird · Magpie-lark · Little Raven.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Northcote, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northcote here | 25,276 | $1,600,000 | 10/10 | 9% |
| Thornbury | 19,005 | $1,430,000 | 10/10 | 7% |
| Clifton Hill | 6,606 | $1,505,000 | 10/10 | 11% |
| Fairfield | 6,535 | $1,625,000 | 10/10 | 18% |
| Fitzroy North | 12,781 | $1,540,000 | 10/10 | 8% |
| Brunswick East | 13,279 | $1,353,000 | 10/10 | 8% |
| Alphington | 5,702 | $2,080,000 | 10/10 | 18% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Darebin — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Cooper — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3070 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Northcote profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in Northcote has a median sale price of $1,600,000 (2024 sales), and a unit $636,000. Renters pay a median $475 a week, and about 38% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 10% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 22,920 people to 25,276. It sits about 6 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line, and Northcote station is roughly 0.6 km away. Local government is Darebin council, and the federal seat is Cooper.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Northcote vs Thornbury · Northcote vs Fitzroy North.
Nearby guides: Thornbury · Clifton Hill · Fairfield · Fitzroy North · Brunswick East · Alphington.
Keep an eye on Northcote
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