Albion vs Sunshine

In Albion, about half of households rent and about half of households are people living alone. In Sunshine, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. Sunshine is closer to the city centre: 13.1 km, against 24.4 km. On these figures, Albion tends to suit 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

Sunshine

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (11 vs 3)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (7 vs 2)
  • has more parks and reserves (14 vs 10)
  • But Albion has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Albion

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($295,000 vs $415,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Albion

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($301/wk vs $340/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Sunshine

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (13.1 km vs 24.4 km)
  • is more walkable (99/100 vs 62/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Albion has more units and townhouses to downsize into (45% vs 31%)
  • Sunshine has more GPs (15 vs 0)

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

Investors

Sunshine

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (-3.3% vs -8.4%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on units (5.5% vs 4.6%)
  • But Albion returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.4% vs 3.6%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Albion Sunshine
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.

Albion Sunshine
Walkability 62 / 99
Albion — Walkability: 62/100 Sunshine — Walkability: 99/100
Safety 16 / 4
Albion — Safety: 16/100 Sunshine — Safety: 4/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Albion — Low fire risk: 100/100 Sunshine — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 61 / 49
Albion — Low flood risk: 61/100 Sunshine — Low flood risk: 49/100

Demographics

Sunshine has more residents (9,445 vs 4,334); Sunshine has higher household incomes ($81,432 vs $68,120).

Albion Sunshine
Population 4,334 9,445
+118% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -8.4% -3.3%
Median age 35
same for both
Median household income $68,120/yr $81,432/yr
+20% vs other
Median weekly rent $301/wk $340/wk
+13% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Albion Sunshine
0-4 5.6% / 6.2%
Albion — 0-4: 5.6% Sunshine — 0-4: 6.2%
5-14 8.6% / 10.0%
Albion — 5-14: 8.6% Sunshine — 5-14: 10.0%
15-19 3.6% / 4.1%
Albion — 15-19: 3.6% Sunshine — 15-19: 4.1%
20-24 7.4% / 7.5%
Albion — 20-24: 7.4% Sunshine — 20-24: 7.5%
25-34 23.1% / 21.0%
Albion — 25-34: 23.1% Sunshine — 25-34: 21.0%
35-44 16.7% / 15.9%
Albion — 35-44: 16.7% Sunshine — 35-44: 15.9%
45-54 10.3% / 12.1%
Albion — 45-54: 10.3% Sunshine — 45-54: 12.1%
55-64 9.7% / 9.8%
Albion — 55-64: 9.7% Sunshine — 55-64: 9.8%
65-74 8.5% / 6.8%
Albion — 65-74: 8.5% Sunshine — 65-74: 6.8%
75-84 4.8% / 4.0%
Albion — 75-84: 4.8% Sunshine — 75-84: 4.0%
85+ 1.8% / 2.4%
Albion — 85+: 1.8% Sunshine — 85+: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Albion 47.4% lone person
Albion — Lone Person: 47.4% Albion — Couple Families: 25.9% Albion — One Parent Families: 14.4% Albion — Group Household: 9.3% Albion — Other Families: 3.0%
Sunshine 32.2% lone person
Sunshine — Lone Person: 32.2% Sunshine — Couple Families: 37.0% Sunshine — One Parent Families: 17.7% Sunshine — Group Household: 9.7% Sunshine — Other Families: 3.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Albion 46.5% renting
Albion — Owned Outright: 26.2% Albion — Mortgage: 27.3% Albion — Renting: 46.5%
Sunshine 42.1% renting
Sunshine — Owned Outright: 28.2% Sunshine — Mortgage: 29.7% Sunshine — Renting: 42.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Albion Sunshine
Vietnam 6.4% / 13.5%
Albion — Vietnam: 6.4% Sunshine — Vietnam: 13.5%
India 7.1% / 4.7%
Albion — India: 7.1% Sunshine — India: 4.7%
Nepal 3.2% / 3.7%
Albion — Nepal: 3.2% Sunshine — Nepal: 3.7%
Philippines 3.7% / 2.4%
Albion — Philippines: 3.7% Sunshine — Philippines: 2.4%
China 2.0% / 1.8%
Albion — China: 2.0% Sunshine — China: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.5%).

Qualifications

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

Albion Sunshine
Bachelor Degree 14.7% / 15.9%
Albion — Bachelor Degree: 14.7% Sunshine — Bachelor Degree: 15.9%
Certificate III & IV 9.4% / 8.8%
Albion — Certificate III & IV: 9.4% Sunshine — Certificate III & IV: 8.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 6.6%
Albion — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Sunshine — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6%
Postgraduate Degree 6.8% / 6.9%
Albion — Postgraduate Degree: 6.8% Sunshine — Postgraduate Degree: 6.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 2.1%
Albion — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Sunshine — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Albion 54.8% houses
Albion — Houses: 54.8% Albion — Townhouses: 18.9% Albion — Flats / Apartments: 26.3%
Sunshine 69.2% houses
Sunshine — Houses: 69.2% Sunshine — Townhouses: 22.1% Sunshine — Flats / Apartments: 8.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Albion Sunshine
Median house price $791,000 $835,000
Median unit price $295,000 $415,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 15 sales
 29 days
from 115 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.

Albion Sunshine
2 bed $705K / $720K
Albion — 2 bed: $705K (10 sales) Sunshine — 2 bed: $720K (30 sales)

10 vs 30 sales

3 bed $791K / $824K
Albion — 3 bed: $791K (21 sales) Sunshine — 3 bed: $824K (109 sales)

21 vs 109 sales

4 bed $804K / $1.03M
Albion — 4 bed: $804K (14 sales) Sunshine — 4 bed: $1.03M (26 sales)

14 vs 26 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.

Albion Sunshine
1 bed $238K / $269K
Albion — 1 bed: $238K (24 sales) Sunshine — 1 bed: $269K (14 sales)

24 vs 14 sales

2 bed $340K / $431K
Albion — 2 bed: $340K (34 sales) Sunshine — 2 bed: $431K (40 sales)

34 vs 40 sales

3 bed $591K / $720K
Albion — 3 bed: $591K (6 sales) Sunshine — 3 bed: $720K (7 sales)

6 vs 7 sales

Zoning mix

Sunshine has more commercially zoned land (15% vs 2%).

Albion Sunshine
Residential 43% 50%
Parks and recreation 29% 8%
Industrial 16% 13%
Commercial 2% 15%
Infrastructure and transport 9% 14%
Other and special use 1% 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

Albion Sunshine
New dwellings approved 670
across Brimbank
same for both
Approvals change year on year +40%
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.

Albion Sunshine
Houses 4.4%
$650/wk on $762K
 3.6%
$580/wk on $848K
Units 4.6%
$422/wk on $475K
 5.5%
$400/wk on $375K

Ranking within VIC

Albion Sunshine
House price Higher than 49% of VIC Higher than 56% of VIC
Income Higher than 29% of VIC Higher than 49% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 21% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 88% of VIC Higher than 100% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 31% of VIC Higher than 41% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 73% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 87% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 89% of VIC Higher than 39% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 39% of VIC Higher than 85% of VIC

Liveability

Sunshine is more walkable (99 vs 62).

Albion Sunshine
Grade C
same for both
Score 48/100 44/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Sunshine carries more flood risk (51 vs 39); Sunshine carries more crime risk (96 vs 84).

Albion Sunshine
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
84/100
 High
96/100
Flood Low
39/100
 Moderate
51/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 28
within 5 km
 37
within 5 km

Schools

Albion Sunshine
Inside the suburb 2 7
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 1
Victoria University Footscray Park, 7.5 km
 1
Victoria University Footscray Park, 5.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.2% 2.4%

Schools in Albion

  • Albion Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Theresa's School Catholic · Primary above peers

Schools in Sunshine

  • Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Sunshine Harvester Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Sunshine Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • SEDA College (Victoria) - AFL - Sunshine Independent · Secondary
  • Sunshine College-Sunshine Work Education Training Unit Government · Secondary
  • Hester Hornbrook Academy - Sunshine Campus Independent · Secondary · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Albion Sunshine
Supermarkets 0 15
Cafes & restaurants 1 32
Parks & reserves 10 14
Childcare 3 11
GPs 0 15
Pharmacies 0 7
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 6
Fuel stations 1 5
Waterways 5 4

Mobility

Albion sits further from the CBD (24.4 km vs 13.1 km).

Albion Sunshine
Walkability score 62/100 99/100
Distance to Melbourne 24.4 km
+46% vs other
 13.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 27 min 24 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 94/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 132.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 578.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 3020
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 28
postcode 3020
same for both

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.

Albion Sunshine
Car (driver) 52.4% / 52.6%
Albion — Car (driver): 52.4% Sunshine — Car (driver): 52.6%
Worked from Home 26.1% / 28.3%
Albion — Worked from Home: 26.1% Sunshine — Worked from Home: 28.3%
Train 12.5% / 9.3%
Albion — Train: 12.5% Sunshine — Train: 9.3%
Car (passenger) 4.6% / 4.2%
Albion — Car (passenger): 4.6% Sunshine — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Bus 2.0% / 3.2%
Albion — Bus: 2.0% Sunshine — Bus: 3.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (52.6%).

Setting

Albion Sunshine
Elevation 45 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 40 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 10.1 km 8.2 km

NBN connectivity

Albion Sunshine
Connectivity score 76/100 77/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 4%
2,427 premises
 15%
5,519 premises

Climate

Albion Sunshine
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)

Albion Sunshine
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 23.2 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Albion Sunshine
Average residential rate $1,847/yr
same for both
Council Brimbank
same for both

Federal electorate

Albion Sunshine
Division Fraser
same for both
Member Daniel Mulino
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Albion Sunshine
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Albion

Affordable Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks

Sunshine

Easy Commute Gentrifying Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks River Townhouses Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Albion

Albion vs St Albans Albion vs Sunshine West Albion vs Sunshine North Albion vs Cairnlea Albion vs Ardeer

Other comparisons with Sunshine

Sunshine vs Sunshine West Sunshine vs Sunshine North Sunshine vs Braybrook Sunshine vs Ardeer Sunshine vs Brooklyn
Full data on Albion Full data on Sunshine
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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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