Southbank

VIC · 2021 Census

Young Professional HubHighRenter-heavy

Daily life in Southbank is dynamic, with a strong professional presence as 38.5% of residents work in professional occupations. The suburb has a high labour force participation rate of 77.7%, with many residents working from home (40.6%). Commuting is diverse, with 15.5% using public transport and 15.1% driving. The community is culturally diverse, with 33.3% born in Australia and significant populations from India and China.

Map showing the boundary of Southbank, VIC, in the MELBOURNE local government area.
Southbank · VIC · MELBOURNE
Population
22,631
2021 Census
Median age
31
Victoria: 38
Household income
$1,926
per week
Owner-occupied
30.3%
67% rented

The read

What living here is actually like

Southbank, VIC is a vibrant suburb with a population of 22,631 and a median age of 31, indicating a youthful demographic. The gender distribution is relatively balanced, with 50.7% male and 49.3% female residents. The suburb is characterized by a high proportion of apartments, making up 98.3% of housing, and a significant number of residents renting at 67.0%. The average household size is 1.8 people, reflecting the prevalence of single-person households (43.0%) and couples without children (68.1%).

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

Southbank · 0–100

Professionals85
Investors80
First home buyers60
Families55
Retirees45
Show data table
Buyer typeScore
Professionals85
Investors80
First home buyers60
Families55
Retirees45

Why professionals score highest

The signals doing the work

  • High percentage of professionals at 38.5%
  • Strong work-from-home culture at 40.6%
  • High median personal income of $1,171
  • Proximity to professional industries like Computer System Design

Against the state

How Southbank differs from Victoria

Every bar is this suburb. The vertical tick is the Victorian figure — the gap between them is the story.

Bachelor’s degree or higher59% · VIC 29.2%
+29.8% against the state
Median household income, weekly$1,926 · VIC $1,759
+$167 against the state
Work from home40.6% · VIC 25.7%
+14.9% against the state
Rented dwellings67% · VIC 28.5%
38.5 points against the state — renter-heavier than most of Victoria
Travel to work by public transport15.5% · VIC 8.9%
+6.6% against the state

Housing & movement

What’s built here, and how people leave in the morning

Dwelling mix

Share of occupied private dwellings

Apartments 98.3%Townhouses 1.3%
Show data table
Dwelling typeShare
Apartments98.3%
Townhouses1.3%

How people get to work

Method of travel, 2021 Census

Worked from home 40.6%Drove a car 15.1%Public transport 15.5%Walked only 12.9%
Show data table
MethodShare
Worked from home40.6%
Drove a car15.1%
Public transport15.5%
Walked only12.9%

Costs

Median weekly rent
Median monthly mortgage
$1,900

Top occupations

Share of the employed workforce

Professionals38.5
Managers15.1
Clerical and Administrative Workers12.1
Community and Personal Service Workers10.1

Key highlights

  • Highly educated population - 59.0% hold bachelor degrees or higher (vs VIC 29.2%)
  • High median personal weekly income of $1,171 (vs VIC $805)
  • Significant professional workforce - 38.5% in professional occupations
  • Predominantly apartment living - 98.3% of housing
  • High work-from-home rate at 40.6%

Things to be aware of

  • High rental market presence may limit ownership opportunities
  • Lower proportion of family households at 44.3%
  • Median age significantly younger than VIC average (31 vs 38)
  • High apartment density may not suit all lifestyle preferences
  • Limited separate house options

Coming to this page

Where the richer profile lands

Slots reserved now so the layout doesn’t need reworking when the data arrives.

Planned

Schools & catchments

Zoned primary and secondary, NAPLAN bands, distances.

Planned

Transport & access

Stations, tram routes, drive time to the CBD, walkability.

Planned

Price history

Ten-year median by dwelling type, growth rate, clearance trend.

Planned

Development activity

Permits approved, projects underway, zoning changes.

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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.