Top Ten Suburbs for Public Housing in Melbourne
Across Victoria, 2.5% of households are public housing. In Melbourne, public housing distribution varies. Certain suburbs have a notably higher concentration, where around 25% of residences are publicly owned.
You may be wondering, where is public housing in Melbourne? Is your property at risk? Which suburbs should you avoid in Melbourne? On this page, we will take a look at the Top 10 Suburbs in Melbourne which have the highest proportion of public housing, and other public housing trends in Melbourne Suburbs.
Top 10 Suburbs: Highest Proportion of Public Housing in Melbourne
1. Heidelberg West: 25.7%
Heidelberg West is located north-east of central Melbourne. It was developed by the Housing Commission in the 1950s. Part of Heidelberg West was designated as the Olympic Village and later used as public housing. Most public housing in Heidelberg West sits on Southern Road to Banksia Street, with new social housing developments on Tarakan Street and Bardia-Bell Street. Public housing consists of brick houses with sizable yards, townhouses and newly developed units.
Heidelberg West has a reputation for crime and disadvantage, but recent housing developments have led to demographic changes. Night time safety in Heidelberg ranks in the bottom 36% for Melbourne and total property crime is in Melbourne’s top 46%. Heidelberg West ranks in the top 14% for welfare recipients per postcode. According to the 2021 census, the highest proportion of people are aged in the 25-34 year old age bracket, with 20% of people in this age bracket, compared to 14.3% nationally. The median weekly household income in Heidelberg West is $1,246, below the national median of $1,746. Most people have English (24.7%) or Australian (21.9%) ancestry. Other nationalities include Somali (9.7%), Irish (8.8%) and Chinese (7.8%).
2. Flemington: 24%
Flemington is an inner-city suburb, located in Melbourne’s north-east. Flemington contains a large public housing estate which consists of four 20-storey apartment towers and several 3- and 4-storey blocks of flats. The estate was constructed in the 1960s on land which used to be occupied by factories. Other houses that are publicly owned are spread throughout other parts of Flemington. The government has been building new housing developments in Flemington, with new developments on Victoria Street and Holland Court, together providing an additional 290 social homes and 355 affordable homes. However, the Victorian Government has plans to demolish and redevelop some of towers.
Flemington shows some signs of social disadvantage. Night time safety in Flemington ranks in the bottom 38% for Melbourne and total property crime is in Melbourne’s top 42%. Flemington ranks in the top 37% for welfare recipients per postcode. According to the 2021 census, the highest proportion of people are aged in the 25-34 year old age bracket, with 26.4% of people in this age bracket, compared to 14.3% nationally. The median weekly household income in Flemington is $1,571, below the national median of $1,746. Most people have English (24.8%) or Australian (21.2%) ancestry. Other nationalities include Irish (11.5%), Chinese (8.7%) and Scottish (8.3%).
3. Braybrook: 16.3%
Braybrook is a suburb located in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria. Public housing, currently low density and scattered across the suburb, is undergoing development. Housing on Ballarat Rd will soon be demolished for higher density housing for the private market, however, the Braybrook Regeneration Project will build 12 new public housing apartment blocks dispersed around the suburb. The homes will be a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments.
Braybrook faces challenges associated with social disadvantage and crime. Nighttime safety in Braybrook ranks in the lower percentiles for Melbourne, ranking in the bottom 11% in Melbourne. Property crime rates in Braybrook are relatively high compared to other areas in Melbourne (top 42%), highlighting issues with theft and vandalism.
According to the 2021 census, the demographic profile of Braybrook shows a notable concentration of individuals aged between 25 and 34 years, comprising 22.9% of the population, surpassing the national average of 14.3%. The median weekly household income in Braybrook is $1,451, below the national median of $1,746. Braybrook has a large Vietnamese (27.3%) and Chinese (14.4%) community, with other ancestries including English (11.4%), Australian (10.5%) and Indian (5.4%).
4. Bellfield: 14.7%
Bellfield is a suburb located in Melbourne's inner north-east. Bellfield is characterised by its mix of residential properties, including single-family homes, townhouses, and units. The Victorian Government has recently delivered 58 new dwellings in a large, four-storey complex, to accompany existing public housing in the suburb. Bellfield offers a quiet residential environment with easy access to amenities and green spaces.
Bellfield has an average violent crime and average property crime rate for Melbourne. Night Time Safety in Bellfield ranks in the bottom 36% of Melbourne, and Total Property Crime is in Melbourne’s top 42%. According to the 2021 census, the demographic profile of Bellfield shows a balanced distribution across different age groups, with the highest representation in the 25-34 age bracket (19.2% compared to 14.3% nationally). The majority of residents trace their ancestry to English (25.7%) or Australian (23.1%) origins, with other ancestries including Irish (9.9%), Chinese (8%), and Scottish (7.2%).
5. Collingwood: 14.4%
Collingwood is an inner-city suburb located just north-east of Melbourne's central business district. The suburb features a diverse mix of housing options, including heritage-listed homes, modern apartments, and public housing unit towers, similar to those in Flemington. Upcoming public housing developments include more than 150 new homes and 2 new 8-storey buildings on Wellington Street. However, the Victorian government has plans to demolish and redevelop 44 high-rise public housing towers across the state, which includes the Collingwood Tower Blocks.
Collingwood faces challenges associated with urbanisation, including issues related to social disadvantage and crime. Nighttime safety in Collingwood ranks moderately well relative to Melbourne (top 43% in Melbourne), while property crime rates in Collingwood are relatively high compared to other areas in Melbourne, (top 35% in Melbourne). According to the 2021 census, the demographic profile of Collingwood shows a concentration of individuals aged between 25 and 34 years (36.4% compared to 14.3% nationally), reflecting its appeal to a younger demographic. The median weekly household income in Collingwood is slightly above the national average at $2,130, compared to $1,746 nationally.
6. Fitzroy: 14.2%
Fitzroy is an inner-city suburb located just north-east of Melbourne's central business district. Historically, Fitzroy has been a hub for artists, musicians, and bohemians, with a reputation for its eclectic mix of Victorian-era architecture and vibrant street art. Fitzroy has undergone waves of gentrification since the 1980s and is now home to the most expensive rents in Melbourne, as well as Melbourne’s largest public housing complexes, Atherton Gardens. There are plans to demolish and redevelop several public housing towers on Napier Street and Brunswick Street.
While the suburb has undergone significant transformation in recent decades, it continues to grapple with issues related to social disadvantage and affordability. Nighttime safety is moderate, sitting in Melbourne’s top 43%. Property crime rates in Fitzroy are relatively high compared to other areas in Melbourne, sitting in Melbourne’s top 35%. According to the 2021 census, there is a concentration of individuals aged between 25 and 34 years (29.4%). The median weekly household income in Fitzroy is above the national average at $2,194, compared to $1,746 nationally.
7. Broadmeadows: 13%
Broadmeadows is a suburb located in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. The majority of Broadmeadows’ social housing was constructed between 1950 and 1969. Public housing in Broadmeadows is dispersed throughout the suburb, with clusters of units located in various residential areas. Upcoming social housing developments will build 120 new quality homes for public housing.
Broadmeadows faces challenges associated with socioeconomic disadvantage and crime. Night time safety in Broadmeadows ranks in the Bottom 5% in Melbourne. Property crime and family violence is above average, ranking in the top 39% and top 35%, respectively. The suburb also has a significant proportion of welfare recipients per postcode, ranking in the top 24% in Melbourne. According to the 2021 census, there is a concentration of individuals aged between 25 and 34 years (19.2%), with a median weekly household income below the national average ($1,151, compared to $1,746).
8. Hampton East: 11.6%
Hampton East is a suburb located in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria. Hampton East public housing consists of individual dwellings, townhouses, and apartment buildings. The local government has plans to develop the Bluff Road public housing estate, by replacing older houses with 285 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-bedroom homes.
Hampton East maintains a relatively low crime rate compared to other areas in Melbourne. Night time safety in Hampton East ranks in Melbourne’s Top 25% of suburbs, and property crime is in Melbourne’s Bottom 27%. According to the 2021 census, there is a balanced distribution across different age groups, with a median weekly household income slightly above the national average. The majority of residents trace their ancestry to English (32.6%) or Australian (28.2%) origins, with other nationalities including Irish (10.7%), Scottish (9.4%) and Chinese (5.8%).
9. North Melbourne: 11.1%
North Melbourne is an inner-city suburb located just north-west of Melbourne's central business district. Public housing developments were completed in the 1960s. The suburb features a mix of public housing options, including free-standing houses and units in large towers. The public housing unit towers are part of the Victorian government’s large development plan, which looks to demolish public housing towers and replace them with more modern public housing options. The development at Abbortsford Street, North Melbourne, will replace 112 public housing dwellings with 127 social homes and 167 market homes.
North Melbourne faces challenges associated with gentrification and urban renewal. While the suburb has undergone significant transformation in recent years, it continues to grapple with issues related to social disadvantage and affordability. Night time safety in North Melbourne is average, while property crime rates are in Melbourne’s top 38%, highlighting challenges with theft and vandalism. According to the 2021 census, there is a large concentration of people aged 20-29 years old (29.5%, compared to 13.2% nationally). Many residents trace their ancestry to English (21.8%) or Australian (17.7%) origins, with other nationalities including Chinese (17.3%), Irish (9.9%) and Scottish (7.3%). The median weekly household income in North Melbourne is $1,717, just below the national median of $1,746.
10. Kensington: 9.8%
Kensington is an inner-city suburb located just north-west of Melbourne's central business district. Kensington contains two of inner-Melbourne’s high-rise public housing towers. There are plans to demolish these towers in the coming years or decades.
Kensington is relatively safe and free from social disadvantage and crime. Nighttime safety in Kensington ranks average, ranking in Melbourne’s top 47%. Property crime frequency is relatively low, ranking in Melbourne’s bottom 39% for property crime occurrences. The suburb also has a notable proportion of welfare recipients per postcode, ranking in Melbourne’s top 37% for welfare recipients per postcode.
According to the 2021 census, there is a concentration of individuals aged between 30 and 39 years (24.4%, compared to the national average of 14.5%). The median weekly household income in Kensington is slightly above the national average, sitting at $2,216, compared to the national median of $1,746. The majority of residents trace their ancestry to English (30.3%) or Australian (25.8%) origins, with other ancestries including Irish (15.2%), Scottish (10.8%), and Chinese (10.5%).
Every single suburb’s public housing figure is available here to subscribers, along with a zoomable Melbourne-wide heat map.
Does this really matter?
None of the above should mean you completely avoid any of these LGAs for buying a property. It just means you have to do your research. Our analysis shows though that, from the point of view of investors, home owners and tenants, what really matters is public housing within 100-200 metres of your property. Merely having public housing in your local government area or even the other side of the suburb does not affect your capital growth and in most cases not your lifestyle either. To get pocket level public housing, as well as other risk factors like bushfire, mobile blackspots, high turnover rates and growth on a hyperlocal pocket level, see our suburb reports.
