Toorak leads way on wages

Data released on Wednesday by the Bureau of Statistics shows that Toorak residents earned an average estimated income of $132,252, making them the best paid in Victoria and Australia.

The bureau's National Statistics Centre director Lisa Conolly said the new estimates of personal income had used 2010 data from the Australian Taxation Office to provide breakdowns of personal income by wage and salary, investment and superannuation.

"Victoria's top five earning regions are in Melbourne with Toorak leading the way, followed by Brighton on $101,776, East Melbourne on $95,349, Albert Park on $91,871 and Armadale on $89,534 per annum," she said.

The lowest-earning suburbs in Melbourne were Doveton, where residents averaged just $33,014, Broadmeadows on $33,243, Meadow Heights on $34,260, Clayton on $34,738 and Noble Park on $35,104.

Outside Melbourne, the data showed, the highest average total incomes were in the Geelong area of Newtown, where residents average $56,512.

Woodend in the Macedon Ranges had average incomes of $50,960. Other regions with high average total incomes were Torquay on $48,553, Geelong on $48,528 and Traralgon on $48,344.

Ms Conolly said the average income for Victoria was $47,623 - slightly lower than the national average of $48,530.

Nationally, the next highest average incomes after Toorak were Sydney's Double Bay, on $129,116, and Mosman on $126,956.

MELBOURNES TOP 10 EARNERS

Toorak $132,252

Brighton $101,776

East Melbourne $95,349

Albert Park $91,871

Armadale $89,534

Kew $86,430

Malvern/Glen Iris $85,344

Surrey Hills/Canterbury $82,897

South Yarra $81,799

Hawthorn $80,851

MELBOURNES LOWEST 10 EARNERS

Doveton $33,014

Broadmeadows $33,243

Meadow Heights $43,260

Clayton $34,738

Noble Park $35,104

Campbellfi eld/Coolaroo $35,266

St Albans $35,565

Dandenong $35,649

Lalor $35,939

Thomastown $36,501

AND A TASTE OF THE REGIONS

Newtown, Geelong $56,512

Woodend $50,960

Torquay $48,553

Geelong $48,528

Traralgon $48,344

Ballarat $43,323

Bendigo $41,646

Castlemaine $36,760

French Island $24,585

(Victorias lowest average income)

AVERAGE ANNUAL INCOME PER PERSON

SOURCE: AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS ESTIMATES OF PERSONAL INCOME FOR SMALL AREAS