South Melbourne
Housing tenure
In South Melbourne, 40% of households were purchasing or fully owned their home, 41.2% were renting privately, and 11.1% were in social housing in 2021.
South Melbourne's Housing Tenure data provides insights into its socio-economic status as well as the role it plays in the housing market. For example, a high concentration of private renters may indicate a transient area attractive to young singles and couples, while a concentration of home owners indicates a more settled area with mature families and empty-nesters (Household Summary). Tenure can also reflect built form (Dwelling Type), with a significantly higher share of renters in high density housing and a substantially larger proportion of home-owners in separate houses, although this is not always the case.
In conjunction with other socio-economic status indicators in South Melbourne, Tenure data is useful for analysing housing markets, housing affordability and identifying public housing areas.
Further reading: How can Councils influence affordable housing.
Derived from the Census questions:
'Is this dwelling (owned outright, owned with a mortgage etc.)', and 'If this dwelling is being rented, who is it rented from?'
Households
| Housing tenure | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Melbourne - Households (Enumerated) | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
| Tenure type | Number | % | St Kilda Road % | Number | % | St Kilda Road % | 2016 to 2021 | |
| Fully owned | 1,075 | 17.9 | 16.7 | 903 | 16.6 | 15.4 | +171 | 22001 |
| Mortgage | 1,319 | 21.9 | 21.1 | 1,046 | 19.2 | 19.9 | +273 | 22002 |
| Renting - Total | 3,154 | 52.4 | 52.0 | 2,758 | 50.7 | 50.8 | +396 | 22003 |
| Renting - Social housing | 668 | 11.1 | 1.5 | 690 | 12.7 | 2.4 | -22 | 22004 |
| Renting - Private | 2,478 | 41.2 | 50.3 | 2,063 | 37.9 | 48.5 | +415 | 22005 |
| Renting - Not stated | 8 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 5 | 0.1 | -- | +3 | 22006 |
| Other tenure type | 109 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 98 | 1.8 | 1.5 | +10 | 22007 |
| Not stated | 364 | 6.0 | 8.4 | 637 | 11.7 | 12.3 | -274 | 22008 |
| Total households | 6,021 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 5,444 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +576 | |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing (opens a new window) 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (opens a new window)(informed decisions).
(Enumerated data)
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Dominant groups
Analysis of the housing tenure of households of South Melbourne in 2021 compared to St Kilda Road shows that there was a larger proportion of households who owned their dwelling; a larger proportion purchasing their dwelling; and a similar proportion who were renters.
Overall, 17.9% of households owned their dwelling; 21.9% were purchasing, and 52.4% were renting, compared with 16.7%, 21.1% and 52.0% respectively for St Kilda Road.
Emerging groups
The largest changes in housing tenure categories for the households in South Melbourne between 2016 and 2021 were:
- Renting - Private (+415 households)
- Mortgage (+273 households)
- Fully owned (+171 households)
The total number of households in South Melbourne increased by 577 between 2016 and 2021.