Moving to South Melbourne VIC 3205
What the official numbers say about living in South Melbourne — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $1,532,500 for a median house or $612,000 for a unit (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 28% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $421 a week, against a median household income of $2,101 a week.
About 43% of homes are owner-occupied and 55% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the apartment.
Who you'll be living with
South Melbourne grew 24% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (9,317 → 11,548 people).
Around 51% of households are families, averaging 1.9 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, China; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Greek, Spanish.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), South Melbourne sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (26% of workers), while 54% work from home.
Nearest train station: Anzac, 1.1 km east.
Nearest tram stop: Stop 128: Dorcas Street, 50 m east.
Nearest bus interchange: Southern Cross Coach Terminal, 2 km north.
Nearest ferry wharf: Crown Landing, 1.2 km north.
Nearest airport: Essendon Fields Airport, 13.1 km north-west.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 2 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 74 schools · 1,308 cafes & restaurants · 40 supermarkets · 108 parks · 5 beaches — see them all on the South Melbourne profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Galilee Regional Catholic Primary School 600 m · South Melbourne Primary School 700 m · Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School 700 m · South Melbourne Park Primary School 900 m · Montague School 950 m · Mac.Robertson Girls' High School 1.1 km · Albert Park Primary School 1.2 km · Melbourne Grammar School 1.4 km
Groceries: Coles 150 m · Woolworths 350 m · Aldi 450 m · Woolworths Metro 700 m · IGA 850 m · IGA X-press + Liquor 850 m · Foodworks 900 m · Gumtree 950 m
Parks and reserves: Town Hall Reserve 150 m · Edythe McCallum Reserve 200 m · Foundry Site Park 200 m · Eastern North Reserve 500 m · See Yup temple garden 500 m · Eastern South Reserve 500 m · Ludwig Stamer Reserve 550 m · Sturt Street Reserve 550 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around South Melbourne, most often seen first: Common Myna · Silver Gull · Rainbow Lorikeet · Magpie-lark · Rock Dove · Little Raven.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to South Melbourne, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Melbourne here | 11,548 | $1,532,500 | 10/10 | 6% |
| Southbank | 22,631 | — | 10/10 | 3% |
| Albert Park | 6,044 | $2,225,000 | 10/10 | 7% |
| Melbourne | 54,941 | — | 10/10 | 9% |
| Middle Park | 4,000 | $2,563,500 | 10/10 | 6% |
| Docklands | 15,495 | — | 10/10 | 2% |
| Port Melbourne | 17,633 | $1,600,000 | 10/10 | 4% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Port Phillip — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Macnamara — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3205 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full South Melbourne profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in South Melbourne has a median sale price of $1,532,500 (2024 sales), and a unit $612,000. Renters pay a median $421 a week, and about 55% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 24% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 9,317 people to 11,548. It sits about 2 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line, and Anzac station is roughly 1.1 km away. Local government is Port Phillip council, and the federal seat is Macnamara.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: South Melbourne vs Southbank · South Melbourne vs Docklands.
Nearby guides: Southbank · Albert Park · Melbourne · Middle Park · Docklands · Port Melbourne.
Keep an eye on South Melbourne
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