Essendon
VICEssendon is a growing suburb in VIC with 21,240 residents.
- SAL code
- 20885
- SA2
- 206031502
- Population
- 21,240
- LGA
- Moonee Valley
Essendon, VIC had 21,240 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 3.4% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 25-34 years, and the median age sits at 39. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $2,275 a month. Around 62.1% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being rented at 35.6%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 47.3% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 22 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Essendon, VIC at a glance
Essendon is an established inner north-west Melbourne suburb ~8 km from the CBD in the City of Moonee Valley. Period homes on tree-lined streets sit alongside a steady stream of medium-density infill, and the Craigieburn-line train, Mount Alexander Road retail strip and Essendon DFO anchor everyday life. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council pipeline.
For homebuyers
Essendon is one of Melbourne's older inner-north-west suburbs and feels like it. Edwardian and interwar houses on generous lots dominate the streets between Mt Alexander Road and Buckley Street, with cafes and boutiques clustered along Mount Alexander Road, Buckley Street and Keilor Road. Essendon, Glenbervie and Strathmore stations on the Craigieburn line put the CBD ~15-20 minutes away, and Essendon Fields, Essendon DFO and North Essendon Village handle weekend shopping; Highpoint is a short drive south. Schools are a key draw — Penleigh and Essendon Grammar, Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar and St Columba's College all sit inside or on the edge of the suburb. Queens Park, Aberfeldie Park and the Maribyrnong River trail anchor recreation. In short: a mature, well-serviced inner-NW suburb with strong schools and a short CBD commute, at an inner-Melbourne price.
For investors
Essendon is a low-yield, capital-intensive market currently in correction. Median house $1,708,000 against $795/week rent is a ~2.20% gross yield; units sit at $602,500 / $528 rent for ~4.69% (Your Investment Property May 2026). Houses spent 54 days on market, units 35. Volume was deep at 238 house and 245 unit sales over 12 months. 12-month capital growth was negative — houses -3.77%, units -7.31% — though vacancy across the 3040 postcode remained tight under 1%.
Strengths
- Deep, liquid market — ~483 combined house + unit sales over 12 months means easy entry and exit (Your Investment Property May 2026).
- Tight rental conditions — postcode 3040 vacancy ~0.4%, supporting reliable leasing despite soft sale prices.
- Premium school catchment (Penleigh and Essendon Grammar, Lowther Hall, St Columba's) underpins long-term family-tenant demand.
- Three Craigieburn-line stations inside the suburb — an unusually strong transit footprint for inner Melbourne.
Trade-offs
- House yields ~2.20% are among the lowest in metro Melbourne — almost a pure capital-growth play (Your Investment Property May 2026).
- Capital growth was negative over the 12 months to early 2026 (houses -3.77%, units -7.31%) — the market is mid-correction, not coasting.
- Houses sat on market 54 days — slower than tighter inner-north suburbs and a sign buyers are negotiating hard.
- Heavy unit supply through medium-density infill keeps unit values lagging houses — diligence on building age and OC fees matters.
What's coming
Moonee Valley's $44.88M 2025/26 Capital Works program continues, with a $43.8M draft program proposed for 2026/27. The Victorian Government's North Essendon and Niddrie (Keilor Road) Activity Centre Plans took effect April 2025, lifting built-form and height controls in the core. The St Columban's Mission redevelopment at 45-69 Woodland Street is in council assessment.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: an established inner-NW suburb with strong schools, transit and amenity at an inner-Melbourne price. For investors: a deep, capital-growth-oriented market currently in correction, with tight rents but thin yields.
Population
?21,240
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+3.4%
3yr: +7.7% · 10yr: +10.8%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$2,132/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
39
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?9/10
SA2 · least disadvantaged
Unemployment
?4.1%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
6
3 primary, 4 secondary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?22
11 long day, 6 OSHC
Parks & green space
?22
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?112
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
?41
Moonee Valley · Feb 2026
Median Weekly Rent
Based on rental bond lodgements recorded by the state government.
Median House Sale Price
Source: Valuer-General Victoria (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from VIC police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Essendon - East (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Essendon suburb alone is ~21,240 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 10,309 to 13,196 over 24 years, averaging 1.0% per year.
Schools
5 in suburbSector
2 public · 3 private
Type
2 primary · 2 secondary · 1 K-12
Total enrolment
3,720
Avg per school
744
Government school catchment
Catchment data is not yet available for VIC.
Source when available: Victorian Department of Education / Vicmap School Zones.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 0.9%Mostly detached houses (47.3%), mixed tenure (62.1% own or mortgage).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
VIC 29%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
This suburb falls outside every bushfire polygon mapped by the relevant authority. Always confirm at the property address — local conditions and unmapped overlays can still apply.
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions. Source when available: Vicmap Planning — Bushfire Prone Area + Vicmap flood overlays.
Flood risk
Source: VIC DTP Vicmap Planning Overlay (flood codes)
As of Apr 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Planning zones
13 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCTZ2 | HCTZ2Other | 39.3% | 2.42 km² |
| R1Z | Residential 1 ZoneResidential | 38.8% | 2.39 km² |
| PPRZ | Public Park and Recreation ZoneRecreation | 7.5% | 0.46 km² |
| TRZ2 | TRZ2Special use | 4.6% | 0.29 km² |
| B1Z | Business 1 ZoneBusiness | 2.1% | 0.13 km² |
| B2Z | Business 2 ZoneBusiness | 2.0% | 0.12 km² |
| RGZ1 | Residential Growth Zone Schedule 1Residential | 1.3% | 0.08 km² |
| TRZ1 | TRZ1Special use | 1.2% | 0.08 km² |
| PUZ2 | Public Use Zone Schedule 2Special use | 1.2% | 0.07 km² |
| SUZ3 | Special Use Zone Schedule 3Special use | 0.8% | 0.05 km² |
| C1Z | Commercial 1 ZoneBusiness | 0.7% | 0.04 km² |
| B4Z | Business 4 ZoneBusiness | 0.5% | 0.03 km² |
| MUZ | Mixed Use ZoneResidential | 0.1% | 8,282 m² |
Source: VIC DTP Vicmap Planning Zones (ZONE_VIC/2026-04-29/08783d2926383881) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.