Question 1

Is Airport West a nice place to live?

Accepted Answer

Airport West is a practical, mid-density suburb in north-west Melbourne that mixes residential streets with a light industrial and office precinct around Essendon Fields. You’ll find many mid-century weatherboard and brick homes alongside newer townhouses, plus a local shopping centre and café strip for day-to-day needs. Public transport includes the tram route 59 terminus and regular buses, and arterial roads provide straightforward access toward the city and the airports. Scattered parks and sports reserves support family life, and the area appeals to commuters, airport workers and people wanting a convenient suburban base.

The community of 8,173 has a median age of 39 and is largely owner-occupied, with couple families the dominant household type. The suburb is the focus of local and regional planning, with the Airport West activity centre under review, a neighbourhood plan for the McNamara Avenue precinct in preparation, and council proposals for a new pavilion at AJ Davis Reserve and a community hub. Whether Airport West suits you will come down to how much you value convenience, established housing and ongoing local investment.

Question 2

Is it expensive to live in Airport West?

Accepted Answer

Housing costs in Airport West sit above local incomes recorded at the last Census. A median house price of $940,000 works out to about 10.3 times a typical local household's annual income at the last Census, and the median unit price of $852,000 is about 9.3 times that annual income, which places buying well above what local households were earning at the last Census.

Looking at renting, a house at $650 a week would take about 36.9% of that typical household's weekly income, and a unit at $540 a week would take about 30.7% of weekly income, and both are a sizeable share of income. If you're renting rather than buying, those rent shares are the figures most relevant to you; whether that feels expensive depends on your own circumstances.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

Question 3

Is Airport West a good place to invest?

Accepted Answer

Over the past 12 months both house and unit values in Airport West recorded solid gains: median house values climbed 7.6% while median unit values rose 9.0%, so unit prices increased a little faster than houses. If capital growth is your focus, the unit side showed the larger 12-month gain.

Rents also moved up at similar rates, with house rents increasing 8.3% and unit rents 8.0% over the year. For houses the rental uplift slightly outpaced house price growth this year, whereas for units price growth outpaced rent growth. Which of those patterns matters to you will depend on whether rental income or capital growth is your priority.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

	Houses	Units
Median price Past 3 months	$940K	$852K
Change in value Past 12 months	7.6%	9.0%
Sold Past 3 months	47	15
Median days on market Past 12 months	41	35
Average rent Past 12 months	$650	$540
Change in rent Past 12 months	8.3%	8.0%

Get a property report and suburb profile for any property in Airport West

Airport West suburb profile

Airport West property market performance

5 year median price trend for houses and units

Airport West demographics

Suburbs near Airport West

How does Airport West compare to nearby suburbs?

Choose the right real estate agents in Airport West

Get a head start and compare top local agents in Airport West

Not quite ready to sell?

Suburb and property report

Digital estimate for your property

Navigate the market