Side by sideSuburb comparison

South Wharf vs West Melbourne.

Suburb-to-suburb comparison across price, growth, lifestyle, schools and risk. South Wharf edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.

South Wharf scores higher on walkability (100/100 vs 4/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving South Wharf (1078) sits above West Melbourne (1064).

The takeWhich suburb suits which buyer

For buyers

We don't yet have verified suburb-level medians for one or both of these suburbs. Check the individual profiles for the data we do publish, and the methodology page for how we source it.

For investors

Rental or growth data is incomplete for one or both suburbs. Look at the full investor view on each suburb profile for a complete picture.

For families

South Wharf edges out on average school ICSEA (1078 vs 1064). South Wharf also has a higher family-household share (87% vs 48%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.

Common questionsSouth Wharf vs West Melbourne

Common questions

Does South Wharf or West Melbourne have better schools?

On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), South Wharf scores 1078 vs 1064 in West Melbourne. ICSEA is a school-community indicator, not a quality rating, so always check NAPLAN results and catchment boundaries for the specific address you're considering.

Which is more walkable, South Wharf or West Melbourne?

South Wharf scores 100/100 on walkability vs 4/100. Above 70 is considered very walkable (most errands on foot), 50-69 is walkable for some errands, below 50 typically requires a car for daily life.

The numbers behind the take

South Wharf
Metric
West Melbourne

Price & Market

Median house
$1,430,000
Median unit
$515,000
+0.0%
Annual growth (house)
+0.0%
Days on market

Rental

Rent (house / wk)
$853/wk
Rent (unit / wk)
$660/wk
30.0%
Owner occupied
32.0%
61.0%
Renter occupied
65.0%

Lifestyle & Demographics

100
Walk score
4
100
Transit score
0
100
Bike score
100
71
Population
8,025
34
Median age
31

Risk & Hazard

Flood class
Bushfire risk

Schools

20
Schools nearby
20
1078
Avg ICSEA
1064

Climate

639 mm
Annual rainfall
639 mm
25.9°C
Mean max (Jan)
25.9°C

Green dot = better on that metric (lower price, higher growth, higher walkability, lower risk).