Abbotsford vs Fairfield

Abbotsford is the younger of the two, with a median age of 33 against 37 in Fairfield. In Abbotsford, most households rent, most homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. In Fairfield, most households own their home and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Fairfield: a median of $1.66 million, against $1.33 million in Abbotsford, though rent is higher in Abbotsford. Abbotsford is closer to the city centre: 4.3 km, against 6.9 km. On these figures, Abbotsford tends to suit renters, young adults, and people living alone.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Fairfield

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (44% vs 10%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (43% vs 24%)
  • carries lower crime risk (73/100 vs 92/100)
  • But Abbotsford has more parks and reserves (17 vs 6)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Abbotsford

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,331,000 vs $1,662,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Abbotsford has a bigger rental market to choose from (57% vs 42%)
  • Fairfield has cheaper rent ($369/wk vs $425/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Abbotsford

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (4.3 km vs 6.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Abbotsford has more units and townhouses to downsize into (90% vs 56%)
  • Fairfield carries lower crime risk (73/100 vs 92/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Abbotsford

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (11.0% vs -0.4%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.7% vs 3.2%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

Abbotsford and Fairfield drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Abbotsford Fairfield
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Abbotsford Fairfield
Walkability 95 / 96
Abbotsford — Walkability: 95/100 Fairfield — Walkability: 96/100
Safety 8 / 27
Abbotsford — Safety: 8/100 Fairfield — Safety: 27/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Abbotsford — Low fire risk: 100/100 Fairfield — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 28 / 30
Abbotsford — Low flood risk: 28/100 Fairfield — Low flood risk: 30/100

Demographics

Abbotsford has more residents (9,088 vs 6,535); Abbotsford rents higher ($425/wk vs $369/wk).

Abbotsford Fairfield
Population 9,088
+28% vs other
 6,535
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.0% -0.4%
Median age 33 37
Median household income $114,244/yr
+10% vs other
 $102,284/yr
Median weekly rent $425/wk
+13% vs other
 $369/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Abbotsford Fairfield
0-4 3.7% / 5.2%
Abbotsford — 0-4: 3.7% Fairfield — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 4.4% / 10.2%
Abbotsford — 5-14: 4.4% Fairfield — 5-14: 10.2%
15-19 2.1% / 4.3%
Abbotsford — 15-19: 2.1% Fairfield — 15-19: 4.3%
20-24 7.3% / 5.8%
Abbotsford — 20-24: 7.3% Fairfield — 20-24: 5.8%
25-34 36.1% / 18.8%
Abbotsford — 25-34: 36.1% Fairfield — 25-34: 18.8%
35-44 19.6% / 17.0%
Abbotsford — 35-44: 19.6% Fairfield — 35-44: 17.0%
45-54 9.8% / 14.0%
Abbotsford — 45-54: 9.8% Fairfield — 45-54: 14.0%
55-64 7.6% / 11.5%
Abbotsford — 55-64: 7.6% Fairfield — 55-64: 11.5%
65-74 5.6% / 7.6%
Abbotsford — 65-74: 5.6% Fairfield — 65-74: 7.6%
75-84 2.7% / 4.0%
Abbotsford — 75-84: 2.7% Fairfield — 75-84: 4.0%
85+ 1.1% / 1.8%
Abbotsford — 85+: 1.1% Fairfield — 85+: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (36.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Abbotsford 57.9% lone person
Abbotsford — Lone Person: 57.9% Abbotsford — Couple Families: 18.0% Abbotsford — Group Household: 16.2% Abbotsford — One Parent Families: 6.0% Abbotsford — Other Families: 1.9%
Fairfield 49.1% lone person
Fairfield — Lone Person: 49.1% Fairfield — Couple Families: 33.6% Fairfield — Group Household: 6.8% Fairfield — One Parent Families: 9.0% Fairfield — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Abbotsford 56.6% renting
Abbotsford — Owned Outright: 15.9% Abbotsford — Mortgage: 27.5% Abbotsford — Renting: 56.6%
Fairfield 42.3% renting
Fairfield — Owned Outright: 29.2% Fairfield — Mortgage: 28.5% Fairfield — Renting: 42.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Abbotsford Fairfield
Bachelor Degree 33.0% / 24.9%
Abbotsford — Bachelor Degree: 33.0% Fairfield — Bachelor Degree: 24.9%
Postgraduate Degree 15.2% / 12.1%
Abbotsford — Postgraduate Degree: 15.2% Fairfield — Postgraduate Degree: 12.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.7% / 6.7%
Abbotsford — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7% Fairfield — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7%
Certificate III & IV 6.2% / 6.6%
Abbotsford — Certificate III & IV: 6.2% Fairfield — Certificate III & IV: 6.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.2% / 5.5%
Abbotsford — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.2% Fairfield — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 5.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (33.0%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Abbotsford Fairfield
England 3.7% / 3.2%
Abbotsford — England: 3.7% Fairfield — England: 3.2%
Vietnam 3.9% / 0.7%
Abbotsford — Vietnam: 3.9% Fairfield — Vietnam: 0.7%
New Zealand 3.1% / 1.4%
Abbotsford — New Zealand: 3.1% Fairfield — New Zealand: 1.4%
Greece 1.0% / 2.6%
Abbotsford — Greece: 1.0% Fairfield — Greece: 2.6%
China 1.7% / 0.8%
Abbotsford — China: 1.7% Fairfield — China: 0.8%
India 1.6% / 0.9%
Abbotsford — India: 1.6% Fairfield — India: 0.9%
Malaysia 1.8% / 0.5%
Abbotsford — Malaysia: 1.8% Fairfield — Malaysia: 0.5%
Italy — / 1.8%
Abbotsford — Italy: not among its largest Fairfield — Italy: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Abbotsford 65.9% flats / apartments
Abbotsford — Flats / Apartments: 65.9% Abbotsford — Houses: 10.2% Abbotsford — Townhouses: 23.9%
Fairfield 35.0% flats / apartments
Fairfield — Flats / Apartments: 35.0% Fairfield — Houses: 43.7% Fairfield — Townhouses: 21.3%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Abbotsford Fairfield
Median house price $1,331,000 $1,662,500
Median unit price $500,000 $483,250
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 57 sales
 22 days
from 16 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Abbotsford Fairfield
1 bed $380K / $385K
Abbotsford — 1 bed: $380K (98 sales) Fairfield — 1 bed: $385K (47 sales)

98 vs 47 sales

2 bed $596K / $580K
Abbotsford — 2 bed: $596K (118 sales) Fairfield — 2 bed: $580K (51 sales)

118 vs 51 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Abbotsford Fairfield
2 bed $1.21M / $1.61M
Abbotsford — 2 bed: $1.21M (51 sales) Fairfield — 2 bed: $1.61M (11 sales)

51 vs 11 sales

3 bed $1.43M / $1.55M
Abbotsford — 3 bed: $1.43M (40 sales) Fairfield — 3 bed: $1.55M (25 sales)

40 vs 25 sales

4 bed $1.75M / $1.95M
Abbotsford — 4 bed: $1.75M (6 sales) Fairfield — 4 bed: $1.95M (7 sales)

6 vs 7 sales

Zoning mix

Abbotsford has more commercially zoned land (23% vs 3%); Abbotsford has more industrially zoned land (19% vs 6%).

Abbotsford Fairfield
Parks and recreation 12% 43%
Residential 31% 36%
Commercial 23% 3%
Industrial 19% 6%
Infrastructure and transport 11% 12%
Other and special use 5% 0%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Abbotsford Fairfield
New dwellings approved 1,675
across Yarra
same for both
Approvals change year on year +646%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Abbotsford Fairfield
Houses 3.7%
$850/wk on $1.2M
 3.2%
$825/wk on $1.32M
Units 5.9%
$600/wk on $525K
 5.8%
$500/wk on $445K

Ranking within VIC

Abbotsford Fairfield
House price Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 94% of VIC
Income Higher than 86% of VIC Higher than 75% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 98% of VIC Higher than 99% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 26% of VIC Higher than 5% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 95% of VIC Higher than 98% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 93% of VIC Higher than 87% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 47% of VIC Higher than 25% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 92% of VIC Higher than 89% of VIC

Liveability

Abbotsford Fairfield
Grade A
same for both
Score 72/100 76/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Abbotsford carries more crime risk (92 vs 73).

Abbotsford Fairfield
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
92/100
 High
73/100
Flood High
72/100
 High
70/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 17
within 5 km
 11
within 5 km

Schools

Abbotsford Fairfield
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Australian Catholic University-Melbourne Campus, 1.8 km
 3
Australian Catholic University-Melbourne Campus, 3.7 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.7% 3.0%

Schools in Abbotsford

  • Abbotsford Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Sophia Mundi Steiner School Independent · Combined below peers

Schools in Fairfield

  • Fairfield Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Abbotsford Fairfield
Supermarkets 7 3
Cafes & restaurants 37 35
Parks & reserves 17 6
Childcare 5 6
GPs 4 3
Pharmacies 1 5
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 3 4
EV chargers 2 0
Waterways 0 2

Mobility

Fairfield sits further from the CBD (6.9 km vs 4.3 km).

Abbotsford Fairfield
Walkability score 95/100 96/100
Distance to Melbourne 4.3 km 6.9 km
+60% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 12 min 16 min
Public transport score 95/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
 93/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 428.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 128.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.1%
postcode 3067
 3.0%
postcode 3078
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 6
postcode 3067
 25
postcode 3078

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Abbotsford Fairfield
Worked from Home 52.7% / 50.7%
Abbotsford — Worked from Home: 52.7% Fairfield — Worked from Home: 50.7%
Car (driver) 24.6% / 33.5%
Abbotsford — Car (driver): 24.6% Fairfield — Car (driver): 33.5%
Train 4.0% / 5.7%
Abbotsford — Train: 4.0% Fairfield — Train: 5.7%
Walked Only 6.7% / 2.9%
Abbotsford — Walked Only: 6.7% Fairfield — Walked Only: 2.9%
Bicycle 4.3% / 4.3%
Abbotsford — Bicycle: 4.3% Fairfield — Bicycle: 4.3%
Tram / Light Rail 4.8% / 0.1%
Abbotsford — Tram / Light Rail: 4.8% Fairfield — Tram / Light Rail: 0.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (52.7%).

Setting

Abbotsford Fairfield
Elevation 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 36 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.5 km 9.1 km

NBN connectivity

Abbotsford Fairfield
Connectivity score 85/100 77/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Hybrid fibre-coaxial
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 48%
7,088 premises
 6%
3,717 premises

Climate

Abbotsford Fairfield
Annual rainfall 534 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Abbotsford Fairfield
PM2.5 7.9 µg/m³ 7.3 µg/m³
PM10 — 17.8 µg/m³
NO₂ — 0.82 pphm

Council rates

Abbotsford Fairfield
Average residential rate $1,937/yr
same for both
Council Yarra
same for both

Federal electorate

Abbotsford Fairfield
Division Melbourne Cooper
Member Sarah Witty Ged Kearney
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Abbotsford Fairfield
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Abbotsford

Apartments Easy Commute Inner Parks Professionals River Townhouses Trams Transport Hub Urban

Fairfield

Apartments Cafe Culture Easy Commute Gentrifying Inner Parks Professionals Townhouses Transport Hub Village Feel

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Abbotsford

Abbotsford vs Richmond Abbotsford vs Kew Abbotsford vs Hawthorn Abbotsford vs Collingwood Abbotsford vs Clifton Hill

Other comparisons with Fairfield

Fairfield vs Northcote Fairfield vs Kew Fairfield vs Thornbury Fairfield vs Clifton Hill Fairfield vs Alphington
Full data on Abbotsford Full data on Fairfield
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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