> Source: https://www.k-stra.com/australia/melbourne/ > Updated: 2026-11-03 Australia · VIC · Melbourne # How many people live in Melbourne, and how many can reach the centre? Flat ground, a grid of arterial roads and growth on three fronts: Melbourne is the Australian city where the most people live within a drive of the centre. In short Greater Melbourne had 5,431,267 residents at 30 June 2025. A 45-minute drive from Bourke Street reaches 4,762,581 of them, more than the same drive from the centre of Sydney, as Melbourne is flatter and more compact. Growth is fastest in Melton, Wyndham and Cardinia; income is highest in the inner south and the inner city. [Draw a catchment in Melbourne](https://www.k-stra.com/a/?b=15,30,45&mv=144.95,-37.81,9.1,0,0&src=australia-melbourne) Drive times ## How many people live within 15, 30 and 45 minutes of central Melbourne? *[Image: K-Stra map of the 15, 30 and 45-minute drive areas from 350 Bourke Street, Melbourne, with the residents of each band and the full table of population by band.]* People & Economy · Melbourne 4,762,581 residents within 45 minutesDrive bands from 350 Bourke Street in average traffic, residents by band. One topic, 2 credits. From 350 Bourke Street, 860,360 people live within 15 minutes by car, 2,188,335 between 15 and 30 minutes and 1,713,886 between 30 and 45. The 45-minute area covers 3,325 km², against 1,929 for the same drive from Martin Place in Sydney. In total 4,762,581 residents, 87.7% of Greater Melbourne, are within 45 minutes of the CBD. Without a harbour or national parks in the way, the area reaches far to the west, the north and the south-east. Residents by drive time from 350 Bourke Street, Melbourne Drive time Residents Cumulative 0–15 min 860,360 860,360 15–30 min 2,188,335 3,048,695 30–45 min 1,713,886 4,762,581 Source: K-Stra analysis of 2 November 2026, drive time by car in average traffic from 350 Bourke Street; residents from ABS Estimated Resident Population at 30 June 2025, placed on address points. Distance ## How does Melbourne change with distance from the centre? In a straight line, 1,098,512 people live within 10 kilometres of Bourke Street and 4,008,567 within 30. The first 5 kilometres are young, with a median age of 32.4, and 79.8% of homes there are flats; beyond 20 kilometres flats are 5.4% or less. The income index peaks between 5 and 10 km, at 119.0, above the 109.4 of the centre, where students pull the average down. Beyond 10 kilometres it settles just under 100 in every ring. Residents, income, age and housing by straight-line distance from central Melbourne Distance from 350 Bourke Street Residents Within this distance Income index Median age Flats (2021) Rented (2021) 0–5 km 422,881 422,881 109.4 32.4 79.8% 62.0% 5–10 km 675,631 1,098,512 119.0 37.1 39.3% 40.7% 10–20 km 1,564,745 2,663,257 99.8 38.6 13.2% 30.5% 20–30 km 1,345,310 4,008,567 98.3 36.4 5.4% 26.2% 30–50 km 1,174,938 5,183,505 99.2 36.6 2.0% 23.5% Straight-line rings counted by K-Stra on every address point, inside or outside the city boundary. Residents and age: ABS 2025; income index: ABS Personal Income 2022–23; flats and renting: ABS Census 2021. Key figures ## What are the key figures for Greater Melbourne? Key figures for Greater Melbourne against Victoria and Australia Indicator Greater Melbourne VIC Australia Residents, 30 June 2025 5,431,267 7,073,859 27,613,654 Average yearly change, 2019–2025 1.56% 1.37% 1.50% Area 9,993 km² 227,496 km² 7,688,095 km² Residents per km² 543.5 31.1 3.6 Median age 36.8 38.0 38.5 Aged under 15 17.4% 17.3% 17.4% Aged 65 and over 15.0% 17.0% 17.5% Income index 102.1 98.8 100.0 Consumption index 102.0 98.9 100.0 Spending per resident, a year A$53,629 A$52,000 A$52,582 Resident spending, a year A$291.3 billion A$367.8 billion A$1,452.0 billion Families (Census 2021) 1,299,198 1,718,785 6,730,182 Homes rented (Census 2021) 32.2% 30.7% 33.6% Flats and apartments (Census 2021) 21.6% 16.9% 19.6% Area: the Greater Capital City Statistical Area (ABS ASGS Edition 3). Residents counted by K-Stra on the address points inside it; yearly change: council estimates 2019–2025 weighted by the residents each council brings. Income index from ABS Personal Income 2022–23 (tax data), measured or estimated; consumption index derived from it; 100 = Australia. Spending per resident from the consumption index and ABS national accounts (5204.0) for 2024–25. The parts of the city ## Which parts of Melbourne are largest, richest and youngest? Melbourne – West is the most populous region, with 981,014 residents, followed by the South East with 958,182. Both have only around 7% of homes in flats, against 69.0% in Melbourne – Inner. Melbourne – Inner South has the highest income index, 115.4, and the Mornington Peninsula the oldest residents, with a median age of 44.3. The parts of Greater Melbourne with residents, median age, income index and share of flats Region (SA4) Residents 2025 Median age Income index Flats (2021) Melbourne – West 981,014 35.1 100.0 7.5% Melbourne – South East 958,182 35.6 93.7 7.1% Melbourne – Inner 712,133 33.8 114.2 69.0% Melbourne – North East 590,882 37.4 103.6 7.3% Melbourne – Outer East 540,272 40.9 100.7 3.1% Melbourne – North West 474,975 35.9 97.8 3.0% Melbourne – Inner South 455,076 40.5 115.4 25.8% Melbourne – Inner East 401,147 39.6 101.2 24.8% Mornington Peninsula 317,586 44.3 95.4 2.8% Growth ## Which Melbourne councils are growing fastest? Melton grew 39.9% from 2019 to 2025, on average 6.65% a year and Wyndham 4.55%, in the west; Cardinia 3.19% and Casey 2.98%, in the south-east; Hume 3.08%, in the north. Casey, with 414,929 residents, is the largest council in the city. Boroondara, one of the wealthiest established councils, and Nillumbik, on the green north-eastern edge, lost a few residents, at −0.10% and −0.17% a year. Greater Melbourne grew about 9.4% in all, on average about 1.56% a year. The largest and fastest-growing councils of Greater Melbourne Council Residents 2019 Residents 2025 Change a year Median age Income index Casey 352,006 414,929 2.98% 34.9 96.5 Wyndham 273,201 347,830 4.55% 33.4 98.9 Hume 235,370 278,885 3.08% 34.4 90.9 Whittlesea 226,072 259,759 2.48% 35.8 97.6 Melton 165,535 231,567 6.65% 33.3 99.1 Monash 199,762 211,833 1.01% 35.9 92.4 Brimbank 206,771 198,181 −0.69% 38.3 88.9 Melbourne 168,952 194,481 2.52% 29.5 88.5 Cardinia 112,002 133,472 3.19% 35.5 98.9 The eight largest councils mostly inside the city, then the fastest growing of those with more than 20,000 residents. Change on 2025 council boundaries; the average yearly change is the total change over the six years divided by six. Income index and median age are worked out from the addresses inside the city, so a council’s figure can differ slightly from the ABS figure for the whole council. Postcodes ## Which postcodes in Melbourne have the highest and lowest incomes? The highest income indices are in 3207 Port Melbourne (140.7), 3142 Toorak (140.3) and 3143 Armadale (137.9), and, across the river, 3013 Yarraville (137.2). The lowest outside the student areas are 3061 Campbellfield and 3047 Broadmeadows, in the north. Carlton (3053, 57.0), next to the University of Melbourne, and the CBD (3000, 62.4), where RMIT stands, have the lowest incomes of all; Clayton (3168, 69.4), around Monash University, is also among the lowest. Parkville is the youngest postcode, with a median age of 25.9; Capel Sound, on the Mornington Peninsula, the oldest, at 60.9. Highest income index: postcodes of Greater Melbourne with more than 5,000 residents Highest income index Residents Median age Income index 3207 Port Melbourne 19,263 42.2 140.7 3142 Toorak 13,968 44.7 140.3 3143 Armadale (Vic.) 10,083 37.1 137.9 3013 Yarraville 17,427 37.5 137.2 3121 Richmond (Vic.) 35,615 34.1 136.8 Lowest income index: postcodes of Greater Melbourne with more than 5,000 residents Lowest income index Residents Median age Income index 3053 Carlton (Vic.) 20,937 27.3 57.0 3000 Melbourne 56,056 27.6 62.4 3061 Campbellfield 5,953 38.8 68.5 3168 Clayton 24,640 27.7 69.4 3047 Broadmeadows (Vic.) 24,739 33.4 72.5 ABS postal areas with more than 5,000 residents inside the city, named after their most populous suburb; the part of each postcode inside the city boundary only. Income index: ABS personal income tax data for 2022–23, measured for councils and SA2 areas and estimated elsewhere; a postcode is the average of its addresses, weighted by residents, so it can differ from the council that contains it. Spending and businesses ## How much do residents of Melbourne spend, and how many businesses serve them? Greater Melbourne has 13.14 restaurants and 10.74 bars and cafés per 10,000 residents, close to Sydney, and fewer real estate agencies, 4.25 against 5.48. Childcare, at 5.54, is the highest of the six cities. Spending of the residents of Greater Melbourne by category, a year Category Per resident Total (A$ million) Food and non-alcoholic beverages A$5,071 27,542 Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics A$1,526 8,288 Clothing and footwear A$1,888 10,254 Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels A$12,995 70,579 Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance A$2,310 12,546 Health A$3,909 21,231 Transport A$5,672 30,806 Information and communication A$974 5,290 Recreation, sport and culture A$5,525 30,008 Education services A$1,927 10,466 Restaurants and accommodation services A$4,578 24,864 Insurance and financial services A$4,234 22,996 Personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services A$3,020 16,402 All categories A$53,629 291,273 Businesses per 10,000 residents in Greater Melbourne, Victoria and Australia Per 10,000 residents Melbourne VIC Australia Supermarkets 2.76 2.86 2.92 Pharmacies 2.33 2.45 2.63 Gyms & fitness centers 5.98 6.61 7.06 Bars & cafés 10.74 11.85 12.00 Restaurants 13.14 12.61 12.17 Hairdressers 9.04 9.22 9.31 Childcare & early learning 5.54 5.59 5.24 Aged care & retirement living 1.86 2.14 2.50 Fuel stations 2.02 2.99 3.74 Real estate agencies 4.25 4.48 5.34 Hotels & accommodation 7.43 14.74 15.11 Spending per resident from the consumption index and ABS national accounts (5204.0) for 2024–25; residents only, visitors not included. K-Stra places catalogue, October 2026, as the app classifies each business; residents at 30 June 2025. Reading the numbers ## What does this mean for choosing a location in Melbourne? A single site in central Melbourne reaches more residents within 45 minutes than one in any other Australian city. For formats that draw from the whole metropolitan area, such as large-format retail or a flagship, that reach is the argument for the centre. For everyday formats the growth corridors decide: the west, the north and the south-east add tens of thousands of residents a year, young and close to average income, in suburbs where shops and services follow the houses. Inner Melbourne is two markets: students and young renters in Carlton, Parkville and the CBD, and some of the highest incomes in the country a few kilometres south-east. The postcode, not the distance from the centre, tells which one a site is in. FAQ ## What else do people ask about Melbourne? ### What is the population of Melbourne? Greater Melbourne had 5,431,267 residents at 30 June 2025 (estimated from ABS council figures), 76.8% of Victoria. The City of Melbourne council, which covers the centre, had 194,481. ### Is Melbourne bigger than Sydney? Not by the ABS definition: Greater Sydney had 5,638,736 residents in 2025 and Greater Melbourne 5,431,267. But more people live within a 45-minute drive of the Melbourne CBD (4,762,581) than of the Sydney CBD (4,435,276), largely because Melbourne is flatter and more compact. ### Where is Melbourne growing fastest? In Melton (6.65% a year from 2019 to 2025) and Wyndham (4.55%) in the west, Cardinia (3.19%) in the south-east and Hume (3.08%) in the north. 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