$390 —
Higher than 86% of capital city areas.
- 2016: $350
- 2021: $390
Median weekly rent paid by households renting their home.
Greater Melbourne · Capital City
Housing & Dwellings in Greater Melbourne
Where and how people live — the homes, how they are held, and what they cost.
Far fewer people live in detached houses in Greater Melbourne than in the rest of the state. This sprawling city faces high housing costs, with typical monthly mortgage payments and weekly rents both sitting well above most other areas. These expenses have continued to climb, with the usual mortgage payment rising by $200 since 2016.
$390
—
- $150–$163: 1 area
- $163–$175: 0 areas
- $175–$188: 0 areas
- $188–$200: 0 areas
- $200–$213: 1 area
- $213–$225: 1 area
- $225–$238: 0 areas
- $238–$250: 0 areas
- $250–$263: 1 area
- $263–$275: 1 area
- $275–$288: 1 area
- $288–$300: 0 areas
- $300–$313: 0 areas
- $313–$325: 1 area
- $325–$338: 1 area
- $338–$350: 1 area
- $350–$363: 2 areas
- $363–$375: 0 areas
- $375–$388: 2 areas
- $388–$400: 1 area
- $400–$413: 0 areas
- $413–$425: 0 areas
- $425–$438: 0 areas
- $438–$450: 0 areas
- $450–$463: 1 area
- $463–$475: 1 area
- $475–$488: 0 areas
- $488–$500: 0 areas
All capital city areas, 2021. The marker is Greater Melbourne — higher than 86% of areas.
Housing costs
Rents, mortgages and crowding.
Typical weekly rent is $390 and the usual monthly mortgage is $2,000, both of which are much higher than in most other areas. These figures are about the same as the Victorian and national averages.
$2,000 —
Higher than 81% of capital city areas.
- 2016: $1,800
- 2021: $2,000
Median monthly mortgage repayment for households with a mortgage.
Weekly rent distribution
View on map →In Greater Melbourne, $350–$549 is the majority at 53%; $200–$349 is next at 25%.
Monthly mortgage distribution
View on map →In Greater Melbourne, the largest group is $1,800–$2,999 at 37%, followed by $1,000–$1,799 (27%) and $3,000 or more (22%).
Owning & renting
How homes are owned or rented.
About 30.2% of households rent, which is a little above the Victorian figure. Ownership is split almost evenly, with 37.1% having a mortgage and 29.7% owning their home outright.
30.2% —
Higher than 53% of capital city areas.
- 2016: 30.0%
- 2021: 30.2%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are rented.
29.7% —
Lower than 60% of capital city areas.
- 2016: 30.4%
- 2021: 29.7%
Share of occupied private dwellings owned outright (no mortgage).
How homes are owned or rented
View on map →In Greater Melbourne, the largest group is Owned with a mortgage at 37%, followed by Rented (30%) and Owned outright (30%).
Types of homes
Houses, townhouses, apartments and bedrooms.
Separate houses make up 67.8% of homes, which is well below the state and national figures. The area also sees more people per bedroom than most other areas, at 0.90.
0.90 —
Higher than 86% of capital city areas.
- 2016: 0.90
- 2021: 0.90
Average number of usual residents per bedroom — a crowding measure.
67.8% —
Lower than 80% of capital city areas.
- 2016: 67.8%
- 2021: 67.8%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are separate houses.
72.2% —
Lower than 69% of capital city areas.
- 2016: 71.3%
- 2021: 72.2%
Share of occupied private dwellings with three or more bedrooms.
Types of homes
View on map →In Greater Melbourne, Separate house is the majority at 68%; Townhouse / semi-detached is next at 16%.
Bedrooms per home
View on map →In Greater Melbourne, the largest group is 3 bedrooms at 40%, followed by 4 bedrooms (27%) and 2 bedrooms (21%).
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for Greater Melbourne
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Housing & Dwellings in Greater Melbourne [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/gccsa/2GMEL/greater-melbourne/topic/housing-dwellings