Essendon West, VIC: suburb profile

The population of Essendon West VIC is 1,559 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Essendon West is $1,040 per week ($54,080 per year). Median rent in Essendon West is $450 per week ($1,950 per month). Essendon West has a median age of 39 years, older than the national median of 38. Essendon West has a population density of 1,520 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Essendon West is England. The most common religion is Catholic (44.5% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Italian. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Essendon West is $2,682.

There were 70 recorded offences in Essendon West in 2025-25, a rate of 45 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (26 offences).

Population
1,559
Census 2021
Median income
$1,040/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$450/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
39years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (crimestatistics.vic.gov.au), 2025-25.

Essendon West vs the typical VIC suburb

The median personal income in Essendon West is $1,040 a week, 36% above the typical VIC suburb ($767). That ranks 100th of 1,274 VIC suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $450 a week, $134 more than the typical VIC suburb. Rent takes 19.2% of the median household income here, against 19.1% in the typical VIC suburb. The median resident is 39, 4 years younger than in the typical VIC suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureEssendon WestTypical VICDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,040/wk$767/wk +36%$766/wk
Household income$2,338/wk$1,687/wk +39%$1,637/wk
Rent$450/wk$316/wk +42%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,682/mo$1,723/mo +56%$1,733/mo
Median age3943 −4 yrs42
Rent share of household income19.2%19.1% +0.2 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Essendon West, the typical VIC suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Essendon West Population

1,559 residents at the 2021 Census.

Essendon West Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,040/wk
$54,080 per year
Ranked 987 of 14,663
Median Rent
$450/wk
$1,950 per month
Ranked 1,049 of 14,663
Median Age
39years
1 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$2,682/mo
Avg household size: 2.7 · 0.8 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Essendon West Rent Prices & Affordability

19% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $2,338/wk
Median rent $450/wk
Rent to income 19.2%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Essendon West against your income

About $10,131 a month
Median rent $450/wk
Left after rent $1,888/wk
Rent share 19.2%

Essendon West Schools

29
schools nearby
15
government
1083
avg ICSEA score
15,903
total students
Penleigh & Essendon Grammar School Independent
Combined · Prep-12 · 2,913 students
1173
ICSEA
St Mary's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 374 students
1144
ICSEA
Moonee Ponds West Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 289 students
1136
ICSEA
St Margaret's Primary School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 441 students
1125
ICSEA
Essendon North Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 629 students
1116
ICSEA
St Therese's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 529 students
1116
ICSEA
Our Lady of the Nativity School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 364 students
1111
ICSEA
St John Bosco's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 413 students
1108
ICSEA
Aberfeldie Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 374 students
1108
ICSEA
St Bernard's College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,567 students
1100
ICSEA
Buckley Park College Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 888 students
1088
ICSEA
St Peter's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 561 students
1085
ICSEA
St Christopher's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 727 students
1083
ICSEA
Ave Maria College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 826 students
1082
ICSEA
Avondale Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 433 students
1074
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 29 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Essendon West, with a map

Essendon West Map

Essendon West, Victoria Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Essendon West, Victoria: 37.7549°S, 144.8837°E

Essendon West Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (29)

People in Essendon West

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.5% (773) Female 50.5% (789)

Population Density

1,520
people per km²
1,559 people · 1.0 km²

Households

2.7
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,925
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
1.9%
India
1.9%
Italy
1.8%
China
1.5%
Vietnam
1.2%
New Zealand
1.0%
Sri Lanka
1.0%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Italian
4.6%
Arabic
2.4%
Greek
2.2%
Vietnamese
1.9%
Mandarin
1.4%
Spanish
1.2%
Cantonese
0.8%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

Australian
27.0%
English
25.5%
Italian
18.5%
Irish
12.8%
Greek
5.3%
Scottish
5.1%
Chinese
4.6%
Maltese
3.1%
Vietnamese
2.8%
Indian
2.5%
Lebanese
2.1%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

Catholic
44.5%
No religion
25.4%
Eastern Orthodox
5.3%
Anglican
5.2%
Not stated
3.7%
Islam
2.7%
Uniting Church
2.6%
Buddhism
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.5%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
48.1% 617
Separated
2.6% 34
Divorced
7.9% 101
Widowed
5.8% 74
Never married
35.7% 458

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
44.7%
Couple: no children under 15
26.0%
Couple: no children
17.5%
One parent: no children under 15
7.4%
One parent: children under 15
4.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
25.7%
2 persons
27.5%
3 persons
15.2%
4 persons
20.8%
5 persons
8.8%
6+ persons
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Essendon West

Housing Tenure

Of the 571 occupied private dwellings in Essendon West at the 2021 Census, 25.9% were rented, 36.4% owned outright and 35.2% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.4% 8 dwellings
Owned outright
36.4% 208 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
35.2% 201 dwellings
Rented
25.9% 148 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.2% 7 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
67.4%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
17.1%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
15.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
2.3%
2 bedrooms
16.1%
3 bedrooms
46.2%
4 bedrooms
28.1%
5 bedrooms
6.3%
6+ bedrooms
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
8.1%
$800-$999/mo
2.7%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
8.7%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
10.1%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
20.1%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
18.1%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
32.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
4.9%
1 vehicle
35.4%
2 vehicles
38.6%
3 vehicles
14.3%
4+ vehicles
6.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Essendon West

Employment

Employed full-time
44.7% 532 people
Employed part-time
21.7% 258 people
Unemployed
2.5% 30 people
Not in labour force
31.1% 370 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
36.3%
Managers
21.8%
Technicians & Trade Workers
12.6%
Clerical & Administrative
11.2%
Community & Personal Service
6.8%
Sales Workers
5.5%
Labourers
3.5%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
3.0%
$1-$149/wk
0.7%
$150-$299/wk
0.9%
$300-$399/wk
2.2%
$400-$499/wk
4.9%
$500-$649/wk
4.7%
$650-$799/wk
4.7%
$800-$999/wk
3.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
4.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
3.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.1%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
11.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
8.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
6.2%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
5.8%
$4,000+/wk
25.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
11.8%
$1-$149/wk
4.5%
$150-$299/wk
4.2%
$300-$399/wk
2.6%
$400-$499/wk
2.9%
$500-$649/wk
3.0%
$650-$799/wk
6.4%
$800-$999/wk
6.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
12.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.1%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
10.6%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.2%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
13.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.0%
$3,500+/wk
6.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
72.2%
Did not go to work
15.9%
Car (passenger)
4.7%
Train
2.1%
Taxi/Rideshare
1.3%
Bicycle
1.3%
Walked only
1.1%
Bus
0.8%
Other
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
76.8%
Year 11 or equivalent
9.9%
Year 10 or equivalent
9.5%
Year 9 or equivalent
3.8%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
39.2%
Certificate III/IV
19.4%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
19.0%
Postgraduate Degree
14.0%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
6.1%
Certificate I/II
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
28.6%
Health
13.2%
Engineering
11.1%
Society & Culture
10.5%
Architecture & Building
8.7%
Education
7.7%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
6.4%
Information Technology
5.1%
Creative Arts
3.7%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.7%
Agriculture & Environment
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Catholic
22.2%
Secondary: Catholic
21.0%
Secondary: Government
14.4%
Pre-school
11.7%
Primary: Government
11.4%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
9.0%
Vocational Education
6.3%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
92.0%
Has need for assistance
4.3%
Need for assistance not stated
3.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
94
Asthma
65
Arthritis
43
Heart disease
42
Diabetes
28
Cancer
20
Lung condition
19
Kidney disease
15
Stroke
9

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
13.5% 167
Did not provide
86.5% 1,071

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
15.1% 188
Not a volunteer
84.9% 1,055

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
1.0% 13
Never served
99.0% 1,229

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
35.5%
1 child
11.7%
2 children
31.5%
3 children
16.7%
4 children
4.0%
5+ children
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
4
1951: 1960
35
1961: 1970
41
1971: 1980
32
1981: 1990
43
1991: 2000
37
2001: 2010
47
2011: 2015
37
2016
8
2017
5
2018
8
2019
12

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

11.6%
moved in the last year
35.9%
moved in the last 5 years
3.3%
unemployment rate (Census)
67.8%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,313
Moved from VIC
154
Moved from overseas
12
Moved: same area (SA2)
10

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
22.9%
5: 14 hours
28.8%
15: 29 hours
12.9%
30+ hours
8.8%
Did not do domestic work
26.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
91.8%
Step family: no other children
5.6%
Blended family: no other children
2.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Essendon West Crime Statistics

70 reported offences in 2025-25, by category.

Theft
26
Assault
12
Property Damage
10
Justice Procedures
7
Drug Offences
5
Break & Enter
3
Public Order
3
Fraud
2
Weapons
2

Total offences by year

2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (crimestatistics.vic.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Gardenvale
Income: $1,087/wk Rent: $301/wk $149/wk less rent
Manifold Heights
Income: $984/wk Rent: $310/wk $140/wk less rent
Batesford
Income: $952/wk Rent: $325/wk $125/wk less rent
Nichols Point
Income: $885/wk Rent: $225/wk $225/wk less rent
Glengarry (Vic.)
Income: $845/wk Rent: $270/wk $180/wk less rent
Quarry Hill
Income: $863/wk Rent: $298/wk $152/wk less rent
Inverleigh
Income: $852/wk Rent: $300/wk $150/wk less rent
Soldiers Hill (Vic.)
Income: $842/wk Rent: $300/wk $150/wk less rent

Suburbs near Essendon West

The closest suburb to Essendon West is Aberfeldie, 1.4 km away.

Aberfeldie
1.4 km away · income $1,053/wk · rent $440/wk
Niddrie
1.7 km away · income $965/wk · rent $432/wk
Avondale Heights
1.9 km away · income $666/wk · rent $400/wk
Maribyrnong
2.0 km away · income $980/wk · rent $396/wk
Essendon North
2.3 km away · income $1,031/wk · rent $360/wk
Essendon
2.6 km away · income $1,067/wk · rent $380/wk

Compare Essendon West

Frequently Asked Questions About Essendon West

What is the population of Essendon West VIC?

The population of Essendon West VIC is 1,559 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,520 people per km². Essendon West is ranked #3,343 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Essendon West?

The median personal income in Essendon West VIC is $1,040 per week, or $54,080 per year. The median household income is $2,338 per week. Family income is $2,925 per week. Essendon West is ranked #987 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Essendon West?

Median rent in Essendon West VIC is $450 per week ($1,950 per month). Rent represents 19.2% of household income, which is considered affordable. Essendon West ranks #1,049 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Essendon West?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Essendon West VIC is $2,682. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Essendon West?

The median age in Essendon West VIC is 39 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Essendon West a good suburb to live in?

Essendon West is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 1,559. The median income is $1,040/wk, which is above the typical VIC suburb ($767/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (19.2% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Melbourne Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 20888. All dollar figures in AUD.