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Victoria · Postcode 3205
South Melbourne postcode and suburb data
Victoria · Phone area code 03 · 2 km from Melbourne
Suburb snapshot
South Melbourne at a glance vs VIC
Fast facts and benchmark bars show the suburb's key postcode, Census, SEIFA, school and LGA signals in context.
Quick facts
Benchmarks against VIC
Income, rent and SEIFA figures are from the ABS 2021 Census and are reported in 2021 dollars, not adjusted for subsequent inflation.
Where South Melbourne ranks: household income is in the top 25% of VIC suburbs; rents are among the top 10% in VIC; SEIFA decile 10 puts it in the top 20% of Australia for socio-economic advantage.
ABS Census 2021 · SEIFA 2021Detailed comparison table
South Melbourne vs the VIC average and the national average, using population-weighted 2021 Census data.
| Metric | South Melbourne | VIC avg | AU avg | Greater Melbourne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $2,101 +VIC | $1,817 | $1,836 | $1,943 |
| Rent/wk | $421 +VIC | $375 | $390 | $404 |
| Mortgage/month | $2,200 +VIC | $1,933 | $1,958 | $2,100 |
| Median age | 39 | 46.0 | 45.0 | 39.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 10/10 +VIC | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 | 9.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 5.2% ≈VIC | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% |
Green pill = at least 10% above the VIC average; red = at least 10% below; grey = within 10%. For unemployment, colour polarity is inverted: lower is better.
South Melbourne is a coastal suburb of Melbourne in Victoria, with postcode 3205. It sits about 2 km from the Melbourne CBD, within the Port Phillip local government area. The suburb footprint covers roughly 2.2 square kilometres.
According to the 2021 Census, South Melbourne has a population of 11,548 with a median age of 39. The median weekly household income is $2,101, above the VIC average. The unemployment rate is 5.2%. The Indigenous population is 65 (0.6% of residents).
Housing in South Melbourne includes a median weekly rent of $421, median monthly mortgage repayment of $2,200, with 5,547 total dwellings. These housing costs sit above the VIC average. Rental properties account for 56.5% of dwellings.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, South Melbourne scores in decile 10 out of 10, which is well above the national average.
Schools in South Melbourne include Galilee Regional Catholic Primary School, Youth2Industry College and Montague School.
South Melbourne is part of the Port Phillip statistical area in Victoria.
South Melbourne details
Location, Census, housing, SEIFA and geography fields used across this profile.
| Postcode | 3205 |
| State | Victoria (VIC) |
| Phone Area Code | 03 |
| Population (2021) | 11,548 |
| Median Age | 39 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $2,101/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $1,307/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $421 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $2,200 |
| Average Household Size | 1.9 persons |
| Area | 2.2 km² |
| Population Density | 5273/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 5,547 |
| Australian Citizens | 78.2% |
| Indigenous Population | 65 (0.6%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 10/10 (well above average) |
| Latitude | -37.8338889 |
| Longitude | 144.963937 |
| Distance from Melbourne | 2 km |
| Region (SA4) | Melbourne - Inner |
| Area (SA3) | Port Phillip |
| Local Government | Port Phillip |
| Federal Electorate | Macnamara |
| State Electorate | Prahran (Southern Metropolitan) |
| Time Zone | AEST (UTC+10), Australia/Melbourne (standard time) |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 1,335 (11.6%) |
| 15–24 years | 1,020 (8.8%) |
| 25–44 years | 4,506 (39.0%) |
| 45–64 years | 2,976 (25.8%) |
| 65+ years | 1,712 (14.8%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA socio-economic index
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Asthma | 900 (7.8%) |
| Arthritis | 679 (5.9%) |
| Heart Disease | 396 (3.4%) |
| Diabetes | 343 (3.0%) |
| Cancer | 313 (2.7%) |
| Lung Condition | 142 (1.2%) |
| Dementia | 96 (0.8%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 1,281 (23.4%) |
| 1 vehicle | 3,051 (55.7%) |
| 2 vehicles | 973 (17.8%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 169 (3.1%) |
Schools in South Melbourne
ACARA 2025 school profiles for schools located in South Melbourne. ICSEA is shown where ACARA publishes it.
Suburbs Near South Melbourne
More South Melbourne Data
Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 IRSAD, ACARA school profiles 2025. How this data is sourced.