46.0% ▲ +20.6%
Higher than 92% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 38.2%
- 2016: 48.1%
- 2021: 46.0%
Share of people who use a language other than English at home.
Melbourne City · Sub-region (SA3)
Language in Melbourne City
The languages spoken in homes across the area, beyond English.
Nearly half of all residents in Melbourne City speak a language other than English at home, marking it as one of the most linguistically diverse areas in the country. This mix of languages has grown since 2011, reflecting the city's role as a global hub.
Languages at home
English and the largest community languages.
About 46% of people use another language at home, which is far above the national figure of 22.3%. While 46.4% speak only English, others commonly use Mandarin (14.3%), Cantonese (3.4%), and Hindi (2.4%). A small number of people (5.2%) speak little or no English, though this is lower than it was in 2016.
5.2% ▼ -24.1%
Higher than 86% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2016: 6.9%
- 2021: 5.2%
Share of people who use another language at home and speak English not well or not at all. No 2011 figure — that census only asked proficiency of overseas-born residents.
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for Melbourne City
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Language in Melbourne City [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/20604/melbourne-city/topic/language