East MelbourneVIC · suburb profile
VIC 3002 · Melbourne
Daily life in East Melbourne is influenced by its proximity to the central business district, making it a convenient location for professionals. A significant 48.8% of the workforce works from home, which is much higher than the Victorian average of 25.7%. Public transport usage is relatively low at 7.1%, possibly due to the high work-from-home rate. The community has a professional feel, with a large proportion of residents working as professionals (49.2%) and managers (20.0%).
Sales · 12 months to August 2026
What property sold for in East Melbourne
Units · Across 58 sales, units in East Melbourne reached a median of $703,000, 3.4% up year on year and well clear of the Victorian median of $573,000.
The median hides a lot in East Melbourne: half of units sold anywhere between $526,000 and $909,000.
Houses
$3.05m
median of 11 sales
Too few sales to be reliable — treat as a rough guide
Half sold between $1.92m and $3.75m.
Last sold one to two months ago
Units
$703k
median of 58 sales
3.4% up on the previous twelve months.
Dearer than 86% of the 162 suburbs we cover in Victoria.
Half sold between $526k and $909k.
Last sold within the past two weeks
69 sales on record · data to 30 August 2026
Since 2022
How prices have moved
Units · The longer arc is downward here, $872,000 in 2022 to $703,000 now.
- Houses
- Units
Dashed lines and hollow points are part years — incomplete, so a dip may only mean fewer sales have happened yet. A break in a line is a year with no published figure, not a fall to zero.
| Year | Houses | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 · part year | $714k | |
| 2025 · part year | $3.05m | $695k |
| 2024 | $3.65m | $725k |
| 2023 | $3.17m | $658k |
| 2022 | $3.13m | $872k |
Quarter by quarter
| Quarter | Median | Sales | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q4 | $3.13m | 10 |
| Quarter | Median | Sales | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Q2 | $560k | 10 | -28.7%low confidence10 sales this quarter, 8 the quarter before. Under 30 either side, the movement is mostly which homes happened to sell rather than the market moving. |
| 2026 Q1 | $785k | 8 | +11.7%low confidence8 sales this quarter, 33 the quarter before. Under 30 either side, the movement is mostly which homes happened to sell rather than the market moving. |
| 2025 Q4 | $703k | 33 | +15.2% |
A change is marked low confidence where either quarter had fewer than 30 sales. The medians are real; with a handful of sales the movement between them is mostly which homes happened to change hands, not the market moving.
Last 12 months
What an extra bedroom costs in East Melbourne
Houses
In East Melbourne, over the last 12 months, a three-bedroom house has a median of $2.67 million from 8 sales.
| Bedrooms | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | $2.67m | 8 · few |
Units
In East Melbourne, over the last 12 months, a two-bedroom unit has a median of $855,000 from 29 sales, while a one-bedroom unit has a median of $520,000 from 24 sales.
| Bedrooms | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $520k | 24 · few |
| 2 | $855k | 29 · few |
Counts with fewer than five sales are left out rather than estimated, and bigger does not always mean dearer — a bedroom count with few sales can be pulled either way by the particular homes that happened to change hands.
The read
What living here is actually like
East Melbourne is a suburb characterized by a relatively small population of 4,898 people, with a median age of 42, which is slightly older than the Victorian average of 38. The gender distribution is fairly balanced, with 48.0% male and 52.0% female residents. The suburb has a high proportion of couple households without children at 71.6%, and a significant number of single-person households at 43.1%. The average household size is 1.8 people, reflecting the prevalence of smaller household types. Housing in East Melbourne is predominantly apartments, which make up 73.5% of the dwellings, and the area has a high rental market presence with 52.8% of properties rented.
Buyer fit
Who this suburb suits
One score per buyer type, out of 100, built from the demographic, housing and commute profile. Strongest first.
Buyer-fit score
East Melbourne · 0–100
Show data table
| Buyer type | Score |
|---|---|
| Professionals | 85 |
| Investors | 75 |
| Retirees | 60 |
| Families | 55 |
| First home buyers | 50 |
Why professionals score highest
The signals doing the work
- High percentage of professionals at 49.2%
- Close proximity to the CBD for work opportunities
- High work-from-home rate at 48.8%
- Above average median personal income of $1,532
Against the state
How East Melbourne differs from Victoria
Every bar is this suburb. The vertical tick is the Victorian figure — the gap between them is the story.
Housing & movement
What’s built here, and how people leave in the morning
Dwelling mix
Share of occupied private dwellings
Show data table
| Dwelling type | Share |
|---|---|
| Apartments | 73.5% |
| Separate houses | 3.2% |
| Townhouses | 22.5% |
How people get to work
Method of travel, 2021 Census
Show data table
| Method | Share |
|---|---|
| Worked from home | 48.8% |
| Drove a car | 18.1% |
| Public transport | 7.1% |
| Walked only | 11.7% |
Costs 2021 Census
Census figures, collected in 2021. Rents and repayments have moved since — for what property is selling for now, see .
Top occupations
Share of the employed workforce
Key highlights
- Highly educated population - 60.6% hold bachelor degrees or higher (vs VIC 29.2%)
- High median personal weekly income of $1,532 (vs VIC median household $1,759)
- Low unemployment rate at 3.1% (vs VIC 5.0%)
- Predominantly apartment living - 73.5% of dwellings
- Significant work-from-home culture - 48.8% of residents
Things to be aware of
- High rental market presence may affect long-term stability
- Median age of 42 suggests a potentially aging population
- Limited separate houses at 3.2% may not suit all family preferences
- High median weekly rent of $480 could be a barrier for some
- Lower percentage of residents with no health conditions at 59.7% (vs VIC 61.0%)
Coming soon to this page
Where the richer profile lands
Schools & catchments
Zoned primary and secondary, NAPLAN bands, distances.
Transport & access
Stations, tram routes, drive time to the CBD, walkability.
Development activity
Permits approved, projects underway, zoning changes.
Want to dig into one address in East Melbourne?
A suburb page gets you this far. For a specific block you get what homes of that size sell for here, the schools that address is zoned to, any subdivisions proposed within 500 m, plus lot dimensions, easements, planning overlays and true sun aspect — free, no account.
X-Ray an address →Data sources
Demographic figures from the Census of Population and Housing © Australian Bureau of Statistics, used under Creative Commons Attribution.
Cadastral and boundary data contains information © State of Victoria (Vicmap), licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Narrative summaries are AI-generated from the underlying data and may contain errors.
Base map © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap. Improve this map at openstreetmap.org/fixthemap.
Informational only — not financial, legal or planning advice. Verify zoning, overlays and catchments with the relevant council before relying on them. Data vintage: 2021 Census.