Alma vs Maryborough

In both, most households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Alma: a median of $575,000, against $424,000 in Maryborough, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Maryborough tends to suit older residents and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Alma carries lower crime risk (54/100 vs 79/100)
  • Maryborough has more childcare (6 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Maryborough

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($423,500 vs $575,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Maryborough

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (29% vs 4%)
  • has cheaper rent ($240/wk vs $275/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Maryborough

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (78/100 vs 10/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (168 km vs 182.7 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Maryborough

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (78/100 vs 10/100)
  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (32% vs 23%)
  • But Alma carries lower crime risk (54/100 vs 79/100)

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

Investors

Maryborough

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (3.0% vs -3.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Alma Maryborough
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.

Alma Maryborough
Walkability 10 / 78
Alma — Walkability: 10/100 Maryborough — Walkability: 78/100
Safety 46 / 21
Alma — Safety: 46/100 Maryborough — Safety: 21/100
Low fire risk 100 / 18
Alma — Low fire risk: 100/100 Maryborough — Low fire risk: 18/100
Low flood risk 27 / 44
Alma — Low flood risk: 27/100 Maryborough — Low flood risk: 44/100

Demographics

Maryborough has more residents (8,160 vs 195); Alma has higher household incomes ($58,500 vs $45,552).

Alma Maryborough
Population 195 8,160
+4085% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.0% +3.0%
Median age 52 51
Median household income $58,500/yr
+22% vs other
 $45,552/yr
Median weekly rent $275/wk
+13% vs other
 $240/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Alma Maryborough
0-4 3.1% / 4.3%
Alma — 0-4: 3.1% Maryborough — 0-4: 4.3%
5-14 13.8% / 10.6%
Alma — 5-14: 13.8% Maryborough — 5-14: 10.6%
15-19 6.2% / 5.1%
Alma — 15-19: 6.2% Maryborough — 15-19: 5.1%
20-24 2.1% / 4.4%
Alma — 20-24: 2.1% Maryborough — 20-24: 4.4%
25-34 5.6% / 9.9%
Alma — 25-34: 5.6% Maryborough — 25-34: 9.9%
35-44 10.3% / 8.1%
Alma — 35-44: 10.3% Maryborough — 35-44: 8.1%
45-54 22.1% / 11.6%
Alma — 45-54: 22.1% Maryborough — 45-54: 11.6%
55-64 15.9% / 13.6%
Alma — 55-64: 15.9% Maryborough — 55-64: 13.6%
65-74 14.9% / 15.9%
Alma — 65-74: 14.9% Maryborough — 65-74: 15.9%
75-84 6.2% / 11.7%
Alma — 75-84: 6.2% Maryborough — 75-84: 11.7%
85+ 2.1% / 4.8%
Alma — 85+: 2.1% Maryborough — 85+: 4.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Alma 46.8% lone person
Alma — Lone Person: 46.8% Alma — Couple Families: 34.0% Alma — One Parent Families: 19.1% Alma — Group Household: 0.0% Alma — Other Families: 0.0%
Maryborough 54.2% lone person
Maryborough — Lone Person: 54.2% Maryborough — Couple Families: 22.7% Maryborough — One Parent Families: 17.8% Maryborough — Group Household: 4.1% Maryborough — Other Families: 1.3%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Alma 4.5% renting
Alma — Owned Outright: 62.7% Alma — Mortgage: 32.8% Alma — Renting: 4.5%
Maryborough 28.8% renting
Maryborough — Owned Outright: 45.8% Maryborough — Mortgage: 25.3% Maryborough — Renting: 28.8%
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.

Alma Maryborough
England 3.6% / 2.9%
Alma — England: 3.6% Maryborough — England: 2.9%
New Zealand — / 0.7%
Alma — New Zealand: not among its largest Maryborough — New Zealand: 0.7%
Philippines — / 0.7%
Alma — Philippines: not among its largest Maryborough — Philippines: 0.7%
Netherlands — / 0.6%
Alma — Netherlands: not among its largest Maryborough — Netherlands: 0.6%
India — / 0.5%
Alma — India: not among its largest Maryborough — India: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.6%).

Qualifications

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

Alma Maryborough
Certificate III & IV 18.5% / 17.3%
Alma — Certificate III & IV: 18.5% Maryborough — Certificate III & IV: 17.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.1% / 5.3%
Alma — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.1% Maryborough — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.3%
Bachelor Degree 4.6% / 5.7%
Alma — Bachelor Degree: 4.6% Maryborough — Bachelor Degree: 5.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.2%
Alma — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Maryborough — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%
Postgraduate Degree — / 0.9%
Alma — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Maryborough — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Alma 104.4% houses
Alma — Houses: 104.4% Alma — Townhouses: 0.0% Alma — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Maryborough 87.1% houses
Maryborough — Houses: 87.1% Maryborough — Townhouses: 9.4% Maryborough — Flats / Apartments: 3.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Alma Maryborough
Median house price $575,000 $423,500
Median unit price — $310,000
Median land price — $170,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 32 days
from 3 sales
 57 days
from 125 sales

Zoning mix

Alma has more rural and farming land (92% vs 15%).

Alma Maryborough
Rural and farming 92% 15%
Parks and recreation 6% 52%
Residential 0% 12%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 12%
Industrial 0% 4%
Environmental 0% 4%
Other and special use 0% 1%
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

Alma Maryborough
New dwellings approved 40
across Central Goldfields
same for both
Approvals change year on year +129%
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.

Alma Maryborough
Houses — 4.7%
$420/wk on $464K
Units — 5.4%
$345/wk on $330K

Ranking within VIC

Alma Maryborough
House price — Higher than 6% of VIC
Income Higher than 18% of VIC Higher than 5% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 7% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 71% of VIC Higher than 92% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 61% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 14% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 43% of VIC Higher than 77% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 94% of VIC
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 81% of VIC

Liveability

Maryborough is more walkable (78 vs 10).

Alma Maryborough
Grade — D
Score — 19/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Maryborough carries more bushfire risk (82 vs 0); Maryborough carries more crime risk (79 vs 54).

Alma Maryborough
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
82/100
Crime Moderate
54/100
 High
79/100
Flood High
73/100
 Moderate
56/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Alma Maryborough
Inside the suburb 0 4
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Alma

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Maryborough

  • Highview College Independent · Secondary at peers
  • St Augustine's School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Maryborough Education Centre Government · Combined below peers
  • Maryborough Education Centre-Beckworth Campus Government · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Alma Maryborough
Supermarkets 0 4
Cafes & restaurants 0 7
Parks & reserves 4 8
Childcare 0 6
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 5
Fuel stations 0 3
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 2
same for both

Mobility

Alma sits further from the CBD (182.7 km vs 168 km).

Alma Maryborough
Walkability score 10/100 78/100
Distance to Melbourne 182.7 km
+8% vs other
 168 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 132 min 128 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 3465
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 36
postcode 3465
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.

Alma Maryborough
Car (driver) 95.2% / 79.1%
Alma — Car (driver): 95.2% Maryborough — Car (driver): 79.1%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 7.1%
Alma — Car (passenger): 4.8% Maryborough — Car (passenger): 7.1%
Worked from Home — / 6.6%
Alma — Worked from Home: not among its largest Maryborough — Worked from Home: 6.6%
Walked Only — / 6.4%
Alma — Walked Only: not among its largest Maryborough — Walked Only: 6.4%
Bicycle — / 0.8%
Alma — Bicycle: not among its largest Maryborough — Bicycle: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (95.2%).

Setting

Alma Maryborough
Elevation 204 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 239 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Alma Maryborough
Connectivity score 29/100 67/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
89 premises
 42%
4,808 premises

Climate

Alma Maryborough
Annual rainfall 510 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.9°C
same for both

Council rates

Alma Maryborough
Average residential rate $1,555/yr
same for both
Council Central Goldfields
same for both

Federal electorate

Alma Maryborough
Division Mallee
same for both
Member Anne Webster
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Alma Maryborough
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Alma

River Rural

Maryborough

Affordable Regional Centre Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Alma

Alma vs Bowenvale Alma vs Moonlight Flat Alma vs Wareek

Other comparisons with Maryborough

Maryborough vs Golden Point Maryborough vs Carisbrook Maryborough vs Daisy Hill Maryborough vs Bowenvale Maryborough vs Flagstaff Maryborough vs Adelaide Lead
Full data on Alma Full data on Maryborough
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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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