We’re might be biased, but we think that Melbourne is a marvellous place to live. And, now we’ve got some numbers to back that up. The team at the online moving network, Muval, have done some research to find out the most entertaining places to live in Australia. And, to our delight, Victoria featured heavily on the list, with Inner Melbourne ranked second in the nation, just behind Sydney’s City and Inner South area. To determine the results, they ranked Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4) regions based on 17 lifestyle factors, including restaurants, nightlife, events, arts, fitness, recreation and outdoor activities.
The most entertaining places to live in Australia, according to Muval
- Sydney – City and Inner South, NSW, with a score of 71.8 out of 100
- Melbourne – Inner, VIC, 63.4
- Perth – Inner, WA, 63.2
- Brisbane Inner City, QLD, 62
- Hume, VIC, 59.2
Unsurprisingly, the inner cities had the most buzz, with a high amount of cafes, restaurants, late-night venues and events. Interestingly, Victoria’s Hume region also scored strongly, with 113.8 events and festivals per 100,000 people.
“Major inner-city areas such as Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane continue to rank highly because they offer a diverse mix of entertainment options, such as restaurants, nightlife, events and cultural experiences all within proximity,” said James Morrell, Muval CEO. “This makes them particularly attractive for young professionals and people wanting a more active, social lifestyle. Simultaneously, regional destinations are becoming more competitive. Areas like Hume and the Coffs Harbour and Grafton region are becoming more viable options for people who want to live more regionally, but still have options for activities to do.”
The most entertaining places to live in Victoria
- Melbourne – Inner, with a final score of 63.4 out of 100
- Hume, 59.2
- Warrnambool and South West, 51.7
- Bendigo, 45.8
- Latrobe – Gippsland, 42.9
- Ballarat, 42.8
- Shepparton, 39
- Geelong, 38.6
- Melbourne – Outer East, 31.8
- Mornington Peninsula, 30.5
The least entertaining spots in Victoria were in Melbourne’s suburbs, with the North West receiving the lowest score of 12.7 out of 100. This was followed closely by Melbourne – West at 14.7, Melbourne – South East at 15.5, Melbourne – North East at 19.5 and Melbourne – Inner East at 19.8. These areas all received a low score for nightlife, dragging down their overall results. They also had a smaller amount of restaurants and cafes per 100,000 people.
This report used data from places like OpenStreetMap to determine the results. To have a look at the numbers yourself, click here.
