Preston, VIC 3072 — Suburb Profile
Last reviewed: · By Knowburb Research Team
In short
Preston is an inner northern suburb of Melbourne, 9km from the CBD, in the City of Darebin local government area, bordered by Darebin Creek. It has a multicultural population of around 34,000 with residents aged 20-39 prominent, including Italian, Greek, Indian and Vietnamese communities. Housing comprises period homes and increasing medium-density developments alongside units.
Snapshot
Demographics
- Population
- 33,790
- Median age
- 37 years
- Median household income
- $1,844 /week
- Median personal income
- $872 /week
- Median family income
- $2,345 /week
- Average household size
- 2.4
- Persons per bedroom
- 0.9
- Local government area
- Darebin
- Statistical region (SA4)
- Melbourne - North East
- Remoteness classification
- Major Cities of Australia
- Federal electorate
- Cooper
Property & cost of living
- Median rent
- $700 /week
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,000
- Median house price
- $1,200,000
- Rent share of household income
- 38%
Schools
- Preston High School
- Preston West Primary School
- Northern College of the Arts and Technology
Transport
- Mernda line — Preston station
- Mernda line — Bell station
- Route 86 tram
Lifestyle & amenities
Multicultural established suburb with a mix of long-term residents and younger professionals. Key landmarks include Preston Market, Northland Shopping Centre and Preston City Oval.
- 44 cafés
- 123 restaurants
- 34 pubs and bars
- 40 parks and reserves
- 11 gyms and fitness centres
- 4 libraries
- 15 supermarkets
- 27 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, 8.1 km away
NBN & connectivity
Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial serves 65.2% of the 19,363 resolvable premises in Preston. Most premises here use the existing pay-TV coaxial cable, upgraded for NBN. Plans up to NBN 1000 are typically available.
- Fibre to the Premises: 18.1%
- Fibre to the Curb: 10.7%
- Fibre to the Building: 6.0%
- Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial: 65.2%
Safety
- Recorded offences: 6,400 across postcode 3072 in the year to December 2025.
- Most common categories: 4,461 property offences, 645 violent offences, 392 drug offences.
- Wider Darebin LGA: 10,706 offences per 100,000 residents.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Preston?
Preston (VIC 3072) had 33,790 residents at the most recent ABS Census. The median age is 37. It sits within the Darebin local government area.
What is the median rent in Preston?
The median advertised rent in Preston is $700/week, based on SQM Research listings data. Rents vary by property type, bedrooms and condition.
Are there schools in Preston?
Yes — 3 schools are listed within or near Preston. Nearest include: Preston High School, Preston West Primary School, Northern College of the Arts and Technology. School data sourced from ACARA and state education departments.
What NBN technology is available in Preston?
Preston is predominantly served by Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (65.2% of premises). Coverage data is sourced from the NBN upgrade map aggregated from NBN Co address checks.
How safe is Preston?
Across postcode 3072, 6,400 offences were recorded in the 12 months to December 2025. The most common offence categories were property (4,461), violent (645), drug offences (392). 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 Preston?
In Preston, 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 (8.1 km away). Long-term averages from the Bureau of Meteorology.
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: