Region (SA4) · Area profile
Melbourne - Inner East
147 km²
A significant surge in wealth and education has transformed Melbourne - Inner East since 2011. It is now a highly qualified hub where nearly half of adults hold a university degree and typical incomes sit well above the national figure. This prosperity is paired with a diverse, international population and a high number of seniors. The area's character is defined by a shift toward high-earning professionals and a layout that makes it one of the most walkable parts of the state.
Melbourne - Inner East's schools draw a community as advantaged as its high household incomes suggest.
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The population has grown by nearly 10% since 2011, reaching 373,472 people. While the typical resident is 40, the area has a higher proportion of seniors than most similar places, and the number of children has fallen slightly over the last decade.
This is a diverse community where 39.6% of people were born overseas, a figure far above the national average. Chinese, English, and Australian are the most common ancestries, with the overseas-born population rising by 6.4 percentage points since 2011.
Almost 39% of residents use a language other than English at home, which is much higher than in most areas. This diversity is reflected in the high number of people who speak little or no English, which stands at 6.8%.
People with no religion make up 42.8% of the community, a figure that has risen by 16 percentage points since 2011. This is well above the national figure of 38.9%.
Education levels are exceptionally high, with 46% of adults holding a bachelor degree or more. This is far above the national average, and 77.8% of residents have completed Year 12.
The area is very wealthy, with the typical family income of $2,552 per week sitting well above the national figure. Since 2011, the proportion of households earning over $3,000 a week has risen by 14 percentage points.
Residents generally experience better health than those in most similar areas, with lower rates of long-term health conditions and mental health conditions compared to the state and national figures.
Volunteering is more common here than in most areas, although the rate has fallen since 2011. Unpaid care is also more frequent, with 13.7% of people providing such support.
The First Nations community is small, but those residing here have personal incomes and Year 12 completion rates that are far above the national and state figures.
Families are slightly larger than usual, with 2.6 people per home. Most households consist of couples with children (62.4%) or couples without children (25.1%).
Housing is expensive, with typical weekly rents of $441 and monthly mortgage payments of $2,500, both of which are much higher than most areas. Detached houses are far less common here than across the state.
Working from home has seen a massive increase, rising from 5% in 2011 to 37.3% in 2021. While car use remains common, the area has very high public transport frequency.
The area sees a steady flow of people, with 39.7% having moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 16.2% of the population.
Most residents work in professional roles, with 36.1% of the workforce in professional occupations. Health care, social assistance, and technical services are the primary industries.
The population continues to grow, with a 7.3% increase since 2021, keeping the area larger than about 74% of similar regions.
The area experiences higher annual rainfall than the state average, though it has lower average maximum temperatures than most similar areas.
This is a walker's paradise, with a walkability score of 8.1. Almost every home is within a 15-minute walk of a park, school, and public transport.