Melbourne’s most dangerous suburbs

Do you live in a crime hotspot? See which suburbs had the highest rates of violent offences last year.

Have you ever wondered where Melbourne’s safest — and most dangerous — suburbs are?

We ranked every council area in Greater Melbourne by its crime rate — which includes everything from low-level drink driving to murder — using the most recent data from Victoria’s Crime Statistics Agency.

The Herald Sun also compiled a list of violent or dangerous crimes — from assault and aggravated burglary to sexual and weapon offences — to find the Melbourne hot spots for serious crimes, and how common they are in your suburb.

HIGHEST CRIME RATES

1. CITY OF MELBOURNE

20,859.7 offences per 100,000

Population: 135,969

More than 35,000 offences were recorded in Melbourne over 12 months.

Our home of sport is also home to the most crime in Melbourne, with more than 35,000 triple-0 offences — ranging from murder to drunk and disorderly — recorded in the city between April 2020 and March 2021.

The number also takes into account several thousand breaches of Covid restrictions, inflating the figures.

The Melbourne crime rate equates to 20, 859.7 offences per 100 000 residents, meaning the city has the highest rate out of all metropolitan council areas even when adjusted for population.

But given the number of nonresidents who visit the city — temporarily increasing the population every day — it’s hardly a surprising result, with the LGA also the metropolitan murder and mugging capital.

There were 7.0 homicide and related offences recorded per 100,000 residents in the latest reporting period, and 119.1 for aggravated robberies against a person.

Melbourne also saw the highest number of recorded sexual offences, with more than 353 per 100,000 residents.

Melbourne had more muggings than any other area.

2. CITY OF YARRA

13, 566.6 offences per 100,000

Population: 86,657

Second on the list is the City of Yarra, which takes in Melbourne’s north and eastern suburbs, and has a crime rate of 13,566.6 total offences per 100,000 residents.

Unlike others on this list — where a category of domestic violence offences is the number one violent* crime — common assault and serious assault actually outrank their family violence equivalent.

Common assault (non-FV) is Yarra’s top violent offence with a rate of 338.52 per 100 000, followed by prohibited and controlled weapons offences at 323.7 per 100 000 and serious assault (non-FV) at 257.59 per 100,000.

3. PORT PHILLIP

11,793.0 offences per 100,000

Population: 100,863

The third inner-city LGA on our list, Port Phillip’s rate of 11,793.0 per 100 000 also makes it home to the third highest offence rate.

But, when it comes to residential aggravated burglaries, the bay suburbs rate (83 per 100 000) is second only to Maribyrnong, which has the highest number of more than 116.

It’s also second in Melbourne for common assault (non-family violence), with a rate of more than 342 per 100 000.

But for other offences, Port Phillip doesn’t even make it in the top 10, including dangerous driving, where it’s number 18 on the list.

4. GREATER DANDENONG

11,574.5 offences per 100,000

Population: 152,050

Greater Dandenong has the fourth-highest crime rate in Melbourne.

With more than 11,5000 offences per 100,000 residents, Greater Dandenong has the fourth highest crime rate in Melbourne.

The southeastern LGA is sadly home to Melbourne’s highest numbers for family violence common assault offences, with a rate of more than 374 per 100,000.

It’s the most frequently recorded violent offence in Greater Dandenong, followed by its non-family violence equivalent (286.35 per 100 000) and prohibited and controlled weapons offences (237.9 per 100 000).

5. STONNINGTON

10,041.7 offences per 100,000

Population: 103,832

Stonnington, which takes in the city’s southeastern suburbs, comes in at number five, with more than 10,000 offences recorded for every 100,000 residents.

It’s also the last LGA to clock more than 10,000 offences per 100,000 residents, with every other Melbourne LGA recording figures in four digits or less.

It’s three most common violent crimes are non-family violence common assault (214.5 per 100,000), prohibited and controlled weapons offences (201.6 per 100,000) and family violence common assault (198.1 per 100,000).

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the overall crime rate across all five regions “remained steady and consistent with previous years” and Yarra and Stonnington had both recorded decreases in offending.

“The key point worth noting is the crime rate for each Local Government Area is significantly inflated by fines issued for breaches of the chief health officer’s directions, with all five areas recording severe decreases in crime once these offences are discounted,” she said.

“A number of these areas recorded significant decreases in serious crimes committed against a person, including Melbourne, Yarra and Greater Dandenong.

“Melbourne led the way in this regard, with around 14 per cent less crimes against the person committed in the CBD.

“Port Phillip and Stonnington also experienced decreases in property crime and deception over the same period, including sharp decreases in stolen vehicles and homes being broken into.”

LOWEST CRIME RATES

1. NILLUMBIK

3298.4 offences per 100,000

Population: 61,273

Nillumbik recorded 114.76 firearm offences per 100,000 residents over a year.

The northeastern council area in outer Melbourne came in at number three for LGAs with the lowest rate of dangerous crime, with less than 750 offences per 100,000 residents.

Nillumbik’s most frequent violent crimes are sexual offences (115.5 per 100,000), firearms offences (114.76 per 100,000) and family violence common assault (104.76 per 100,000).

2. MANNINGHAM

3,718.4 offences per 100,000

Population: 116,255

Manningham was the only other area which recorded a rate in the 3000s, making it the second lowest LGA in Melbourne in our analysis.

The top three violent crimes in the Eastern LGA are all assault offences, led by family violence serious assault (50 per 100,000) and non-family violence serious assault (37.59 per 100,000).

There were 18 assaults per 100 000 residents against police, emergency services or other authorised officers in Manningham, making it the LGA’s third most common violent offence.

The top three violent crimes in Manningham are all assault offences.

3. BOROONDARA

4,350 offences per 100,000

Population: 167,231

Boroondara’s suburbs enjoy some of the lowest crime rates in Melbourne, with the LGA sitting at number three.

Boroondara, which lies to the east of the city, consistently find itself among the lowest rates for assault offences, including in family violence categories.

Therefore, it may seem odd when Boroondara shows up in second place for murder in Greater Melbourne.

Ten homicide and related offences were recorded in Boroondara over 12 months.

But it’s really a reflection of how relatively rare murder is in Victoria and doesn’t change the fact Boroondara can be considered among the metropolitan area’s safest locations.

Victoria’s low homicide rate means that Boroondara’s figure (less than 6 per 100,000) is enough to make it No.2 in Melbourne for homicide and related offences.