Residents of Melbourne’s west feel less safe in their homes than in any other part of the state.
That’s one of the findings of a new study conducted by the RACV and Neighbourhood Watch examining how safe Victorians feel in their homes.
The Victorian Community Safety Perception report analysed 8021 responses to Neighbourhood Watch Victoria’s ’How Safe Is My House’ quiz collected between 2021 and 2024 – the first Victoria-wide review focused not just on crime data, but on how safe people feel in their homes and what protective actions they take.
Residents of Melbourne’s western metropolitan region, which takes in the Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay, Wyndham, Brimbank, Melton and Moonee Ponds council areas, recorded the state’s lowest safety rating of 7.29.
Western regional, which takes in all council areas west of Melbourne, including Moorabool and Macedon Ranges, recorded the state’s highest safety rating of 7.87.
Northern metropolitan, which includes Hume and Whittlesea council areas, recorded 7.56.
The statewide average was 7.66.
Western metropolitan residents also adopted safety measures at a higher rate than those elsewhere, with home security system use increasing from 53 per cent of respondents in 2021, to 63 per cent in 2024.
The percentage of residents installing home security in northern metropolitan increased from 53 to 59 per cent over the same period.
Western regional residents bucked the trend, with the proportion adopting home security systems dropping from 45 per cent in 2021, to 43 per cent in 2024.
Neighbourhood Watch chief executive Bambi Gordon said the research was important as it revealed how Victorians actually felt about their home safety.
“The data shows that while crime statistics are important, people’s perceptions of safety are shaped by many factors including their environment, community connections, and personal experiences,“ Ms Gordon said.
“Understanding how residents perceive their safety is crucial for developing effective community safety strategies.“
The full Victorian Community Safety Perception Report is available at www.nhw.com.au.
