Living in Melbourne has been quite a journey for our little family. My husband works hard, and while we’re not rolling in money, we make sure to focus on what really matters—a safe home. When we moved here, one of the biggest things I worried about was safety, especially for our two kids. So, I got to work looking into the safest places around Melbourne.
At first, I thought choosing a safe council would be easy, but here’s the thing—not all suburbs in a council are the same. Some are much safer than others, even in the safest councils. So, while it’s good to know which councils are doing well overall, you’ve really got to check the crime rates in each suburb.
Top 10 Safest Councils in Melbourne
After looking at a bunch of data from RedSuburbs, I found there are actually 17 councils that are considered Melbourne’s safest
- Nillumbik and Yarra Ranges have crime increases of less than 1%, so they’re pretty stable and safe overall. These seem like great places for families like ours.
- Other councils like Manningham, Boroondara, Glen Eira, Banyule, Maroondah, and Mornington Peninsula have crime increases of less than 10%, which is still decent.
But Here’s the Catch... Not All Suburbs Are Safe!
This is where things get tricky. Just because a council ranks as one of the safest
doesn’t mean every suburb within that council is safe. For example, Casey has the highest rate of violent crime, but it doesn’t mean every suburb in Casey is unsafe. Some are fine, but you have to dig a little deeper to know which ones.
Another example is Manningham and Whitehorse. These councils have seen theft spikes in certain suburbs like Doncaster and Box Hill. In 2023, Doncaster (population 25,020) reported 593 thefts, and Box Hill (population 14,353) had 585 thefts—that’s a lot for such small places! You’ve really got to pay attention to the suburb-level stats, not just the council.
Crime Trends You Should Know
Based on RedSuburbs data, crime rates in Melbourne have been going up. Here are a few trends that stood out to me:
- Nillumbik and Yarra Ranges are pretty stable with less than 1% increases.
- Councils like Manningham, Boroondara, and Glen Eira have less than 10% increases, so they’re still doing okay.
- But watch out for Bayside, Monash, and Kingston—they’ve had 16-18% increases in crime rates recently.
How This Helped Us Decide
For our family, I realized we had to go beyond just picking a “safe” council. We dug deeper into the suburbs, checking out crime rates for each one. I wanted to make sure we ended up in a place where I’d feel secure raising our kids. So, we’re focused on councils like Nillumbik,
but I’m still double-checking each suburb before making any decisions. Also, while Nillumbik is considered one of the safest councils, it's also a bit far from the city. If you're like us and need to be closer to schools, work, or shopping, it might not be the best option.
Statistics Don’t Tell the Full Story—You’ve Got to Feel the Vibe
One thing I’ve learned from all this research is that statistics don’t tell the whole story. Sure, numbers are important, but they don’t capture the vibe of a place. You really have to visit the area, walk around, and see how it feels. Sometimes a suburb can have low crime rates but might not feel right for your family. The opposite can also be true—maybe the stats look higher, but when you go there, you feel perfectly safe. Trust your instincts!
For us, it’s about balancing the numbers with the feel of the neighborhood. We want a place that feels like home, where we’re comfortable and can let our kids play outside without worrying too much. So before you commit, make sure you check out the area in person!
Finding Joy in Our Safe Home
At the end of the day, we just want to be in a safe place where our kids can be happy and we can enjoy life’s simple joys. If you’re like us—
focused on a simple, down-to-earth life—I hope this helps you when deciding where to settle. Just remember: not all suburbs are created equal, even in the safest councils, and sometimes, you’ve just got to trust the vibe!
Related Article:
- Top 10 Councils in Melbourne with the Highest Crime Rates – explore the areas with the highest crime rates and what it means for your family's safety.
- How We Use the RedSuburbs Crime Map to Find a Safe Place for Our Family – learn how to navigate crime data to choose the right suburb for your family.