$381 ▼ -8.4%
Higher than 78% of suburb / locality areas.
- 2011: $416
- 2016: $456
- 2021: $381
Median weekly rent paid by households renting their home.
Melbourne · Suburb / Locality
Housing & Dwellings in Melbourne
Where and how people live — the homes, how they are held, and what they cost.
A staggering 71% of households rent in Melbourne, making it one of the most rented areas in the country. This heavy reliance on renting and a lack of freestanding houses creates a very different living experience than in the suburbs. Most people live in apartments, where the typical weekly rent is $381.
$381
▼ -8.4%
- $0–$25: 37 areas
- $25–$50: 86 areas
- $50–$75: 199 areas
- $75–$100: 214 areas
- $100–$125: 525 areas
- $125–$150: 343 areas
- $150–$175: 699 areas
- $175–$200: 597 areas
- $200–$225: 1183 areas
- $225–$250: 724 areas
- $250–$275: 1277 areas
- $275–$300: 787 areas
- $300–$325: 1282 areas
- $325–$350: 618 areas
- $350–$375: 935 areas
- $375–$400: 570 areas
- $400–$425: 763 areas
- $425–$450: 288 areas
- $450–$475: 415 areas
- $475–$500: 176 areas
- $500–$525: 204 areas
- $525–$550: 79 areas
- $550–$575: 125 areas
- $575–$600: 70 areas
- $600–$625: 97 areas
- $625–$650: 21 areas
- $650–$675: 54 areas
- $675–$700: 145 areas
All suburb / locality areas, 2021. The marker is Melbourne — higher than 78% of areas.
Housing costs
Rents, mortgages and crowding.
Weekly rents of $381 are much higher than most areas, though this is about the same as the figures for Victoria and Australia. For those with a mortgage, the typical monthly payment is $1,800, which is also similar to the national and state levels.
$1,800 ▼ -10.0%
Higher than 61% of suburb / locality areas.
- 2011: $2,000
- 2016: $1,800
- 2021: $1,800
Median monthly mortgage repayment for households with a mortgage.
Weekly rent distribution
View on map →In Melbourne, $350–$549 is the majority at 53%; $200–$349 is next at 32%.
Monthly mortgage distribution
View on map →Melbourne splits fairly evenly between $1,800–$2,999 (35%) and $1,000–$1,799 (34%), with $3,000 or more at 17%.
Owning & renting
How homes are owned or rented.
Renting is far more common here than in the rest of the state, with 71% of homes rented compared to the Victorian average of 28.5%. Conversely, only 12.7% of homes are owned outright, which is far below the national figure of 31%.
71.0% ▲ +12.4%
Higher than 99% of suburb / locality areas.
- 2011: 63.1%
- 2016: 66.8%
- 2021: 71.0%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are rented.
12.7% ▼ -20.0%
Lower than 95% of suburb / locality areas.
- 2011: 15.9%
- 2016: 14.0%
- 2021: 12.7%
Share of occupied private dwellings owned outright (no mortgage).
How homes are owned or rented
View on map →In Melbourne, Rented is the majority at 71%; Owned with a mortgage is next at 13%.
Types of homes
Houses, townhouses, apartments and bedrooms.
Apartments dominate the landscape, making up 99.2% of all homes, while separate houses are almost non-existent at 0.1%. Because three-bedroom homes are so rare (only 9.9%), there are more people per bedroom here than in most other areas.
1.00 ▼ -23.1%
Higher than 89% of suburb / locality areas.
- 2011: 1.30
- 2016: 1.20
- 2021: 1.00
Average number of usual residents per bedroom — a crowding measure.
0.1% ▼ -44.5%
Lower than 99% of suburb / locality areas.
- 2011: 0.1%
- 2016: 0.2%
- 2021: 0.1%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are separate houses.
9.9% ▼ -22.0%
Lower than 99% of suburb / locality areas.
- 2011: 12.7%
- 2016: 10.7%
- 2021: 9.9%
Share of occupied private dwellings with three or more bedrooms.
Types of homes
View on map →In Melbourne, Flat or apartment is the majority at 100%; Townhouse / semi-detached is next at 0%.
Bedrooms per home
View on map →In Melbourne, 2 bedrooms is the majority at 54%; 1 bedroom is next at 33%.
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for Melbourne
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Housing & Dwellings in Melbourne [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL21640/melbourne/topic/housing-dwellings