Overall score
Port Melbourne
56.8/100
St Kilda West
48.5/100
Port Melbourne for retirees and beach lifestyle; St Kilda West for families and schools.
See which suburb leads on livability, safety, schools, and lifestyle.
Head to head
Overall score
Port Melbourne
56.8/100
St Kilda West
48.5/100
Crime rate
Port Melbourne
150.8 / 1k
St Kilda West
75.5 / 1k
Nearby amenities
Port Melbourne
512
St Kilda West
54
Population
Port Melbourne
17,633
St Kilda West
2,951
Desirability pillars scored 0–100 vs comparable suburbs
Clearer edge on lifestyle fit (score gap ≥ 3)
Who each suburb suits — composite scores out of 100
Side-by-side scores for every compared metric.
Exact figures for every metric — winner highlighted in bold.
| Category | Port Melbourne | St Kilda West |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 56.8/100 | 48.5/100 |
| Housing (desirability) | 62.1/100 | 55.9/100 |
| Crime rate | 150.8 / 1k | 75.5 / 1k |
| Schools & preschools | 3 | 8 |
| Weather (desirability) | 82.3/100 | 82.3/100 |
| Parks & reserves | 29 | 5 |
| Public transport stops | 98 | 10 |
| Walkability | 100.0/100 | 23.0/100 |
| Nearby amenities | 512 | 54 |
| Planning activity | 306 | 40 |
| Green cover | 8.1% | 14.9% |
| Population | 17,633 | 2,951 |
| SEIFA (IRSAD decile) | 10/10 | 10/10 |
Put side by side, Port Melbourne is a coastal established suburb with an easy, sea-led rhythm, and St Kilda West is a coastal mid-sized suburb shaped by beach life and outdoor living.
On the data, Port Melbourne is stronger for housing affordability, parks and reserves, and public transport access; St Kilda West answers with a quieter safety profile, schools and education options, and a calmer planning outlook.
People chasing a beach lifestyle, investors, and value-focused buyers may find Port Melbourne the better fit, while retirees, families, and households prioritising schools are more likely to prefer St Kilda West.
Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.