10 Melbourne Suburbs with the most Housing Commission

Which Melbourne suburbs have the most public housing, and what percentage of housing commission can you find in each?

Unlike Sydney, which historically took an (perhaps more ill-advised) approach of creating large-scale public housing estates in specific suburbs, Melbourne’s urban planning went with a more integrated approach, mixing in public housing with regular housing on a much more evenly-distributed basis.

As a result, the highest percentages of public housing concentration in any one of Melbourne’s suburbs hovers around just over a quarter of the suburb’s total housing profile. Compare this to Sydney, when certain suburbs contain almost 90% public housing, and the end contrast between the two major Aussie capitals is pretty marked.

This has also lead to a generally lower crime rate per capita in many of these Melbourne suburbs versus Sydney, due to less dense concentrations of those suffering from lower-income & socio-economic status issues.

Here, we take a look at the 10 Melbourne suburbs with the most housing commission homes on a percentage basis. Note that the combined average across all Melbourne suburbs is around ~2% of public housing per suburb, as a baseline for comparison.

*Note that all figures are rounded to the nearest percentage.

And first, here’s the full list of Melbourne suburbs broken down by % of housing commission in pure data form, which you can filter via the Search field:

1. Heidelberg West

Percentage of housing commission: 36%

A suburb showcasing both some of the older, legacy housing commission established in Melbourne in the 1950’s as well as more modern redevelopments, Heidelberg West remains Melbourne’s most prominent example of public housing being integrated into a suburb in one of the worst ways of doing so.

Its current housing commission landscape has seen some pretty significant, recently-completed redevelopments that have replaced old existing homes with more than double the amount of more-modernised, newer homes in sections such as Tarakan Street.

Heidelberg West’s component of housing commission is largely concentrated in a centralised pocket of public housing buildings to the suburb’s south-east as well as in less-dense clusters on its north side, rather than spreading it out more evenly across the suburb, which is a bit of a planning error in the greater scheme of things and which sums up some of the reasons why this is typically a bad idea.

There’s a reason house prices here are typically several hundred thousand dollars cheaper than immediate neighbouring suburbs despite its otherwise pretty decent location relative to the Melbourne CBD. That’s because despite recent improvements that have happened here as in most relatively inner-ring Melbourne suburbs over the years, it still has fairly significant issues with crime in some spots to the present day.

The suburb’s history extends back to the post-Olympics era in which buildings for athletes were converted into public housing in this part of the suburb and remained since, concentrating all associated issues with poverty & crime into one hotspot.

While this will continue to change over time as various among these homes are gradually sold off, it’s still a fair way away from becoming properly gentrified and may eventually appreciate greatly in value in coming years (or decades) considering where it’s located. Areas such as its portion south of Southern Road are also much better safety-wise overall.

However for now, there are still some pretty undesirable pockets that are better to be avoided as issues with drugs, fighting, burnouts, and other night-time loud noises don’t make for the greatest living environment. It also lacks train connectivity, for pure practicality purposes.

2. Flemington

Percentage of housing commission: 29%

A suburb with two distinct faces, Flemington might be most widely known for its racecourse among the average person however it’s also home to one of Melbourne’s more significant concentrations of public housing as well.

Flemington’s housing commission component is largely concentrated on what could be cynically considered ‘the wrong side of the tracks’; quite literally, as its eastern component & north-eastern section over the railway line & which lies more adjacent to Ascot Vale is where the majority of these homes can be found.

The majority of this centres on its mid-rise towers around Holland Court in the suburb’s south-east, and is something a little more ‘upmarket’ and less dodgy than other denser clusters in some other suburbs on this list. It is also on the list to gradually be replaced in coming years.

While there’s some crime and the odd junkie associated with this, it’s no more severe than other suburbs that have similar percentages of public housing mixed in and if anything somewhat less so given Flemington’s fairly high percentage for its small size.

Flemington also boasts the fairly odd position of having some of these lower socio-economic components while also being home to an otherwise pretty desirable living environment given its blend of handy transport connections, decent city-proximate location, and very solid dining & drinking scene.

Its present streetscape and community is thus an interesting mix of both gentrification and disadvantaged separated mostly by the tracks and some additional distance, with its portion to the west of Railway Place consisting of quite highly desirable housing & pretty little streets with a dash of heritage atmosphere about them.

3. Collingwood

Percentage of housing commission: 26%

Featuring one of the more recogniseable collections of same-styled public housing towers in greater Melbourne that tread the line somewhere between being an eyesore and iconic, Collingwood‘s array of public housing is pretty conspicuous from quite far away due to its sheer size.

The suburb’s towers are largely concentrated on the centre portion of the suburb and are quite imposing buildings in themselves, built in a cost-effective, pre-fabricated, brutalist design based on the UK’s “council housing”.

While hardly aesthetically pretty, the towers have at least stood the test of time since their construction in the 1960’s, and ironically given their raw height offer pretty epic views of the city from their higher levels/rooftop.

They also boast a pretty central location that would make them highly valuable on the private market, however as it stands they face similar lingering issues due to both the combination of some residents with addiction and mental health issues.

This is compounded by visitors/outsiders often paying visits to their surrounding large park reserves to both use & buy drugs, while inside & around the towers are some of the usual occurrences such as night-time screaming or the occasional urinating in lifts.

While the majority of Collingwood in the present day is safe & much improved, it still boasts a fairly high crime rate per capita as there are still the occasional dodgy back alley or two around Wellington St, Vere St and the like as a spillover effect from these. The Victorian government currently also has vague plans to raze and replace these towers at some point, however what will be done to relocate their tenants in the meantime remains to be seen.

4. Braybrook

Percentage of housing commission: 21%

Sitting in a pocket of what could be considered the “inner west” of Melbourne, Braybrook sits in a location that’s still pretty close to the Melbourne CBD as the crow flies – around 10km or so to the city’s west.

It’s a multicultural suburb with Indian & other Asian influences that has started to see some decent pockets of modern development being added. This includes a fair bit of new townhouse/unit development & knockdown/rebuild action going on as former parts of the suburb used for warehousing and manufacturing type functions are being converted to private housing complexes.

This gives Braybrook something of an old-clashing-with-new dynamic occurring as its existing sections of public housing commission bely some of its older, rougher reputation while adding pockets of shiny new buildings on top.

As a result, it’s still got a little bit of that “junkie vibe” in spots, and there have been some lingering cross-over effects such as housing commission residents breaking into cars on the streets. While present-day Braybrook is safer than it was in the past, it also still suffers from a fairly above-average crime rate statistically versus the Melbourne median as well.

The suburb’s fairly handy location is also somewhat offset but its lack of trams, while its proximity to the train line on its southern border also means there’s a helping of both passenger and freight train noise to contend with.

This is as well as its remaining industrial zoning (albeit mostly just quieter warehousing & not manufacturing) which still takes up a fair chunk of the suburb. This contrast means you’ve now got both individual clusters of highly safe, modern areas with the traditional dodgier sections & back alleys, making for a suburb of pretty drastic extremes.

5. Fitzroy

Percentage of housing commission: 19%

The epitome of the change that occurs when a historically-poor suburb evolves over time to become cool & trendy, Fitzroy is now a semi-gentrified hub of pretty vibrant activity of many kinds in inner Melbourne.

While it’s become massively more expensive, it still hasn’t become as sterile as some other examples of gentrification, and still remains somewhat of an open, accepting, hipster-type suburb in the present day. This is a place you can go for a mix of a chance at some actual live music, hand-crafted arts and associated markets, and a truly strong dining scene without nearly as much of a level of fear of getting shanked as in the distant past.

Fitzroy’s public housing component is primarily located in the suburb’s south-central portion around its Atherton Gardens highrise compound, which is one of the better-done public housing tower complexes in the region. The complex comes equipped with a mix of fringing parks and sporting facilities, and is another suburb whose housing towers – while as similarly commie-block-looking as anywhere else – also have million-dollar views over the likes of Carlton Gardens for those high up enough on the west side.

While Fitzroy still boasts a pretty high crime rate even in the present day, much of this is mainly simply due to the high level of foot traffic, alcohol consumption and general activity the suburb sees rather than purely directly attributable to the housing commission towers themselves, although it’s still somewhat of a factor.

Overall though, in the present day this is a suburb that’s now far more “bohemian” than truly “rough”, populated by ample pretty, boutique storefronts, cafes and more. It’s certainly come a long, long way from the veritable no-go zones some of its streets were just a couple of decades back.

6. North Melbourne

Percentage of housing commission: 18%

Essentially almost a little, self-contained sub-village within walking distance of the Melbourne CBD, North Melbourne is a physically relatively small suburb yet has quite a wide amount of variation packed into that small physical space.

It features several different slices that each differ quite wildly from one another, often within just a short walk from one to the next. Part rough, part industrial, part nice – including a handful of exceptionally nice & upmarket residential terraced streets – it’s a suburb consisting of a mix of both old and new housing, including its dedicated pockets of public housing towers concentrated to the suburb’s north-east.

The change from one area to the next is pretty stark, as lovely, multi-coloured heritage terraces on tree-lined roads and the nice and varied cafe/dining scene of Errol St soon gives way to uninspiring warehouses and finally culminates in areas where the graffiti begins to get more prominent the further you head west & the housing commission towers come into view.

All the standard activities such as screaming noises, trash & trolleys on the sidewalk, urine smells and drug use all apply here as well, making for a particularly strong contrast with the higher-end streets just a few blocks away.

North Melbourne’s public housing towers also fall under the scope of the VIC government’s knockdown-rebuild future plan for the area, with the demolition of the towers still somewhat controversial given the residential displacement they will cause.

As a suburb on the whole, North Melbourne remains highly convenient and connected, with its multiple train and tram lines great for accessibility, but also adding pretty substantial ambient noise due to both these as well as fairly frequent helicopters from its adjacent hospital nearby.

7. Broadmeadows

Percentage of housing commission: 16%

Located a fair way further out from the city than most of the other housing commission-heavy suburbs on this list, Broadmeadows lies around 15km to the north of the Melbourne CBD more of a low-density housing profile overall as a result.

This is a suburb with a combined mix mostly of a lot of migrant families as well as older Australians, and which boasts a pretty solid array of public services to support its community. These include amenities such as an aquatic centre, good-quality library, and with its main feature ‘attraction’ being its large hub-style shopping complex & its various surrounding businesses.

The majority of Broadmeadows’ public housing commission homes are located to the west of this shopping centre, and ‘fan outwards’ from its central Banksia Gardens estate, encompassing a myriad of streets which surround this portion of the suburb.

Unlike the more city-adjacent housing commission suburbs, Broadmeadows public housing inventory is largely lower-lying units/townhouse style homes and ‘row-house’ type buildings, rather than the more typical, imposing commission towers that concentrate higher populations all in the one spot. As a result, the ‘halo’ effect of its public housing is more spread out, both increasing its coverage while decreasing its concentrated impact on a single specific spot.

As such, there’s not really one single congregation point for crime as in some other suburbs, however Broadmeadows still does have a quite above-average crime rate. There does seem to be potential for future gentrification here, given the suburb has decent transport connections and is only around a ~40 minute train ride into the city, however that may still be a fair way down the track.

It’s also otherwise fairly lacking in entertainment and dining options/pubs etc. outside its central shopping centre, which limits its appeal somewhat.

8. Hampton East

Percentage of housing commission: 16%

The Bayside region’s most notable hub of public housing, Hampton East boasts all the core appealing traits that most of the suburbs in this seaside part of the greater Melbourne region do.

Proximity to the beach, a decent rail connection, and mostly lower-lying, single or double-storey detached homes without much high density buildings at all to be seen casting shadows on its streetscape are all points in its favour from a liveability perspective – it just happens to have a higher smattering of public housing dotted throughout than most others.

Hampton East is again another suburb which shuns the tower-based approach to housing commission and instead features pockets of lower-density, double-storey unit-style homes for housing its public housing residents. Much of this supply has been concentrated on the suburb’s southern side above Wickham Road and below Dane Road, with a fairly noticeable difference in wealth concentration between the north and the south of the suburb in general.

However in recent times the suburb has seen a fair bit of sell-off & demolishing action of many of the flats going on here, with many of it being put under the microscope for reconstruction. Its Bluff Road site in particular is a large undertaking which will aim to deliver hundreds of new social, and ‘affordable’ rental homes resulting in a decent-sized increase to its lower-income housing profile once completed.

Outside of this, the suburb is largely safe as a whole and offers a pretty pleasant (and expensive, in terms of property) lifestyle, and is one of the more pleasant & desirable such suburbs of its ilk in terms of overall liveability on this list.

9. South Melbourne

Percentage of housing commission: 14%

Another fairly lively and interesting inner-city hub just south of the Melbourne CBD, South Melbourne is an additional suburb which shows a pretty strong contrast between its public housing and non-public housing sections.

The majority of the suburb features a mix of charming old single-storey heritage-style homes that nowadays fetch a very pretty penny in terms of price, and boasts numerous drawcards to make it a desirable place to live. Aside from the fact it’s obviously only a few minutes’ public transport ride into the city, it’s also pretty close to the beach, offers plenty of quality cafes & restaurants, a signature historic market, and a lot more crammed into its relatively small physical area.

It’s also another example of a suburb whose streetscape changes pretty quickly from prestige to mildly sketchy, with its pretty immense housing commission tower & surrounding low-lying units off Park & Bank streets making the transition to the ‘other’ side of town pretty obvious. While it’s one of the ‘nicer’ commission areas in the region, it still suffers from the density/concentration problem rather than being as spread out.

However, this influence is again largely limited to the immediate surrounding blocks and the occasional ‘character’ accessing the amenities on Clarendon Street. In addition, while South Melbourne has a fairly high crime rate relative to the city average, much of this can be more attributed to the large quantity of bars/pubs/clubs that the suburb offers – and where alcohol is dispensed, crime rates trend higher as an almost-universal truth.

None of this really changes what is otherwise overall a highly convenient, useful and interesting place to live for those who appreciate more active, inner-city life, however – it’s more a matter of choosing part of the suburb that will be less prone to the noise & some of the issues that occur immediately surrounding this one concentrated area, if possible.

10. Ascot Vale

Percentage of housing commission: 13%

Flemington’s (mentioned elsewhere on this list) immediate neighbour, Ascot Vale likewise has a proportion of housing commission homes, albeit far fewer per capita than its southern counterpart. The suburb lies a fairly short distance to the city’s north-west and boasts similarly strong city transport connections as well as a decent helping of quality pubs/restaurants along its main strip of Union Road.

Ascot Vale takes the non-tower approach to housing commission, mostly consisting of several pockets of older, red-brick and white-brutalist low-rise unit blocks mainly concentrated around thoroughfares such as Churchill Avenue and Ascot Street and sprawling outwards around its central housing management office.

This again avoids heavy concentration of high-density public housing & its associated issues, and overall the suburb ranks as the lowest-crime of any of any of the other suburbs mentioned on this list & it’s pretty much all isolated to its housing area itself.

About the worst problem you’ll encounter most days for the average person in Ascot Vale has more to do with its pretty severe traffic problems rather than actual crime; however its strong train and light rail connectivity helps cancel this out somewhat. And it’s got plenty of other positives – such as ample, spacious parkland on its western end – that add to its overall liveability, too.