Chelsea, VIC 3196 — Suburb Profile
Last reviewed: · By Knowburb Research Team
In short
Chelsea is a suburb of Victoria, postcode 3196, home to 8,347 residents with an established residential profile. Located in the Kingston (Vic.) local government area and roughly 29 km from the Melbourne CBD.
Snapshot
Demographics
- Population
- 8,347
- Median age
- 41 years
- Median household income
- $1,683 /week
- Median personal income
- $951 /week
- Median family income
- $2,374 /week
- Average household size
- 2.2
- Persons per bedroom
- 0.8
- Local government area
- Kingston (Vic.)
- Statistical region (SA4)
- Melbourne - Inner South
- Remoteness classification
- Major Cities of Australia
- Federal electorate
- Isaacs
Property & cost of living
- Median rent
- $375 /week
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,008
- Rent share of household income
- 22%
Schools
- Chelsea Primary School
- St Joseph's School
- Edithvale Primary School
- Chelsea Heights Primary School
- Bonbeach Primary School
Transport
- Within 800 m walk: 24 bus stops
- Within 1.6 km: 2 metro stops, 88 bus stops
- Baxter Ave/Embankment Gr
- Chelbara General Store/Baxter Ave
- Beardsworth Ave/Thames Prom
- Chelsea Bicentennial Park/Thames Prom
- Chelsea Station
Lifestyle & amenities
- 13 cafés
- 34 restaurants
- 5 pubs and bars
- 40 parks and reserves
- 7 gyms and fitness centres
- 1 library
- 5 supermarkets
- 16 playgrounds
Climate
- Warmest month: Jan (25.9°C avg max)
- Coolest month: Jul (13.5°C avg max)
- Annual rainfall: 648 mm
- Reference station: Melbourne Regional Office, 29.5 km away
NBN & connectivity
Fibre to the Curb serves 55.3% of the 5,179 resolvable premises in Chelsea. Most premises here connect via fibre to a small pit on the kerb, then a short copper run into the home. Speeds up to NBN 250 are available on most addresses.
- Fibre to the Premises: 44.1%
- Fibre to the Curb: 55.3%
- Fibre to the Building: 0.7%
Safety
- Recorded offences: 1,578 across postcode 3196 in the year to December 2025.
- Most common categories: 944 property offences, 253 violent offences, 81 drug offences.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Chelsea?
Chelsea (VIC 3196) had 8,347 residents at the most recent ABS Census. The median age is 41. It sits within the Kingston (Vic.) local government area.
What is the median rent in Chelsea?
The median advertised rent in Chelsea is $375/week, based on SQM Research listings data. Rents vary by property type, bedrooms and condition.
Are there schools in Chelsea?
Yes — 5 schools are listed within or near Chelsea covering government, catholic sectors. Nearest include: Chelsea Primary School (0.9 km), St Joseph's School (1.1 km), Edithvale Primary School (1.3 km). School data sourced from ACARA and state education departments.
What NBN technology is available in Chelsea?
Chelsea is predominantly served by Fibre to the Curb (55.3% of premises). Coverage data is sourced from the NBN upgrade map aggregated from NBN Co address checks.
How safe is Chelsea?
Across postcode 3196, 1,578 offences were recorded in the 12 months to December 2025. The most common offence categories were property (944), violent (253), drug offences (81). Crime statistics are recorded by area (postcode or LGA), not by individual suburb. Data sourced from each state's crime statistics agency.
What is the climate like in Chelsea?
In Chelsea, mean daily temperatures range from 10.3°C to 19.9°C and annual rainfall is 648 mm measured at the Melbourne Regional Office weather station (29.5 km away). Long-term averages from the Bureau of Meteorology.
What public transport options are in Chelsea?
90 public transport stops are mapped within 1.6 km of the Chelsea centroid. Within 800 m, you'll find 24 bus stops. Stop data is sourced from state government GTFS feeds.
Sources & methodology
Demographics from ABS Census. Property data from SQM Research. Climate from Bureau of Meteorology. Schools from ACARA. NBN from NBN Co. Amenities from OpenStreetMap. See full methodology.
Additional sources for this profile: