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Living in South Melbourne, VIC
South Melbourne is in the Port Phillip council area. About 11,548 people lived here at the 2021 Census. Here's who they are, their homes and how they get around, next to the rest of Port Phillip and Victoria.
Who lives here
| Measure | South Melbourne | Port Phillip | VIC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39 | 38 | 38 |
| People per home | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.5 |
| Household income, a week (median) | $2,101 | $2,069 | $1,759 |
Homes
| Measure | South Melbourne | Port Phillip | VIC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owned outright | 19% | 21% | 33% |
| Owned with a mortgage | 24% | 25% | 37% |
| Rented | 55% | 52% | 29% |
| Separate houses | 5% | 9% | 74% |
| Flats and apartments | 59% | 67% | 12% |
| Rent, a week (median, 2021) | $421 | $420 | $370 |
| Mortgage repayment, a month (median) | $2,200 | $2,169 | $1,859 |
Shares of homes where people answered the question. Rent and mortgage figures are from 2021, so they're well below today's. See what tenants pay now.
Getting around
| Measure | South Melbourne | Port Phillip | VIC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes with no car | 23% | 18% | 8% |
| Homes with two or more cars | 21% | 26% | 56% |
| Went to work by car | 25% | 32% | 60% |
| Went to work by public transport | 9% | 9% | 4% |
| Walked or cycled to work | 12% | 8% | 3% |
| Worked from home | 52% | 49% | 29% |
How people got to work on Census day, as a share of those who went to work or worked at home. The Census was on 10 August 2021, when Greater Sydney and Melbourne were in lockdown, so many more people there worked from home than usual, and fewer took public transport.
Public transport
| Kind | Stops | Services stopping, a weekday | Busiest stop, 7 to 9am |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tram | 29 | 3,379 | Wells St/Park St #119: 21 services |
| Bus | 16 | 834 | Montague St/Normanby Rd: 14 services |
South Melbourne has no train station. The nearest is Anzac Railway Station, about 1.1 km from the middle of the suburb in a straight line.
Counted for Wednesday 21 October 2026, an ordinary weekday in the timetable. Each time a train, tram, ferry or bus stops counts once, in both directions. Train and tram stations count once however many platforms they have.
Bushfire map
- The state's map shows no bushfire-prone land in South Melbourne.
These are planning maps. They decide building rules, like how a new home must be built. They aren't an insurance price or a promise: a place outside them can still burn or flood. Check a street address on VicPlan.
More about Port Phillip
- What it costs to live in Port Phillip: rent, power, fuel, pokies losses and crime, against Victoria.
- Compare Port Phillip with another area.
- Other suburbs in Port Phillip.
Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021, General Community Profile, and Suburbs and Localities boundaries, CC BY 4.0. Port Phillip figures use the council's 2021 boundaries. Public transport: Public Transport Victoria, GTFS Schedule, CC BY 4.0. Hazards: Department of Transport and Planning, Designated Bushfire Prone Area, CC BY 4.0.