Arthurs Creek vs Strathewen

Strathewen is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 52 in Arthurs Creek. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Arthurs Creek, most households are couple families. In Strathewen, about half of households are couple families. Arthurs Creek is closer to the city centre: 45.1 km, against 55 km. On these figures, Arthurs Creek tends to suit couples and older residents, while Strathewen suits families with children.

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 6 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Strathewen

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 27%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Arthurs Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 17%)
  • has cheaper rent ($218/wk vs $351/wk)
  • But Strathewen has a bigger rental market to choose from (15% vs 4%)

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

Commuting to the city

Arthurs Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (58 min vs 72 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (45.1 km vs 55 km)
  • But Strathewen is more walkable (23/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Arthurs Creek has more residents already 65 and over (26% vs 10%)
  • Strathewen is more walkable (23/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Strathewen

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (11.2% vs -3.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
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.

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Walkability 0 / 23
Arthurs Creek — Walkability: 0/100 Strathewen — Walkability: 23/100
Safety 73 / 68
Arthurs Creek — Safety: 73/100 Strathewen — Safety: 68/100
Low fire risk 2 / 1
Arthurs Creek — Low fire risk: 2/100 Strathewen — Low fire risk: 1/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Arthurs Creek — Low flood risk: 100/100 Strathewen — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Arthurs Creek has more residents (478 vs 198); Strathewen rents higher ($351/wk vs $218/wk).

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Population 478
+59% vs other
 198
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.6% +11.2%
Median age 52 41
Median household income $115,128/yr
+5% vs other
 $108,888/yr
Median weekly rent $218/wk $351/wk
+61% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
0-4 3.6% / 4.5%
Arthurs Creek — 0-4: 3.6% Strathewen — 0-4: 4.5%
5-14 9.2% / 15.2%
Arthurs Creek — 5-14: 9.2% Strathewen — 5-14: 15.2%
15-19 6.1% / 7.1%
Arthurs Creek — 15-19: 6.1% Strathewen — 15-19: 7.1%
20-24 7.1% / 4.5%
Arthurs Creek — 20-24: 7.1% Strathewen — 20-24: 4.5%
25-34 6.7% / 6.6%
Arthurs Creek — 25-34: 6.7% Strathewen — 25-34: 6.6%
35-44 7.5% / 14.1%
Arthurs Creek — 35-44: 7.5% Strathewen — 35-44: 14.1%
45-54 13.2% / 19.2%
Arthurs Creek — 45-54: 13.2% Strathewen — 45-54: 19.2%
55-64 19.5% / 10.6%
Arthurs Creek — 55-64: 19.5% Strathewen — 55-64: 10.6%
65-74 15.9% / 10.1%
Arthurs Creek — 65-74: 15.9% Strathewen — 65-74: 10.1%
75-84 8.6% / —
Arthurs Creek — 75-84: 8.6% Strathewen — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ 1.3% / —
Arthurs Creek — 85+: 1.3% Strathewen — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Arthurs Creek 66.7% couple families
Arthurs Creek — Couple Families: 66.7% Arthurs Creek — Lone Person: 19.8% Arthurs Creek — One Parent Families: 9.4% Arthurs Creek — Group Household: 4.2%
Strathewen 53.8% couple families
Strathewen — Couple Families: 53.8% Strathewen — Lone Person: 21.2% Strathewen — One Parent Families: 15.4% Strathewen — Group Household: 9.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Arthurs Creek 4.3% renting
Arthurs Creek — Owned Outright: 57.1% Arthurs Creek — Mortgage: 38.6% Arthurs Creek — Renting: 4.3%
Strathewen 14.8% renting
Strathewen — Owned Outright: 42.6% Strathewen — Mortgage: 42.6% Strathewen — Renting: 14.8%
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.

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
England 4.0% / 1.5%
Arthurs Creek — England: 4.0% Strathewen — England: 1.5%
New Zealand 1.7% / 3.0%
Arthurs Creek — New Zealand: 1.7% Strathewen — New Zealand: 3.0%
Italy — / 2.0%
Arthurs Creek — Italy: not among its largest Strathewen — Italy: 2.0%
China 0.8% / —
Arthurs Creek — China: 0.8% Strathewen — China: not among its largest
Malaysia 0.6% / —
Arthurs Creek — Malaysia: 0.6% Strathewen — Malaysia: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.0%).

Qualifications

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

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Certificate III & IV 16.3% / 17.2%
Arthurs Creek — Certificate III & IV: 16.3% Strathewen — Certificate III & IV: 17.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 13.0% / 12.1%
Arthurs Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 13.0% Strathewen — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 12.1%
Bachelor Degree 13.4% / 10.1%
Arthurs Creek — Bachelor Degree: 13.4% Strathewen — Bachelor Degree: 10.1%
Postgraduate Degree 3.6% / 1.5%
Arthurs Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 3.6% Strathewen — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / —
Arthurs Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Strathewen — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Arthurs Creek 99.4% houses
Arthurs Creek — Houses: 99.4% Arthurs Creek — Flats / Apartments: 0.6%
Strathewen 100.0% houses
Strathewen — Houses: 100.0% Strathewen — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Median house price $1,785,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Arthurs Creek has more rural and farming land (70% vs 25%); Strathewen has more land zoned for conservation (73% vs 29%).

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Environmental 29% 73%
Rural and farming 70% 25%
Parks and recreation 0% 2%
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

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
New dwellings approved 98
across Nillumbik
same for both
Approvals change year on year +8%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 87% of VIC —
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 56% of VIC Higher than 81% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 83% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 68% of VIC Higher than 41% of VIC

Liveability

Strathewen is more walkable (23 vs 0).

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Bushfire High
98/100
 High
99/100
Crime Low
27/100
 Low
32/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Arthurs Creek

  • Arthurs Creek Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Strathewen

  • Strathewen Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Parks & reserves 1
same for both
Waterways 1 10

Mobility

Strathewen sits further from the CBD (55 km vs 45.1 km).

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Walkability score 0/100 23/100
Distance to Melbourne 45.1 km 55 km
+22% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 58 min 72 min
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 3099
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 3099
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.

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Car (driver) 62.1% / 59.5%
Arthurs Creek — Car (driver): 62.1% Strathewen — Car (driver): 59.5%
Worked from Home 29.2% / 35.1%
Arthurs Creek — Worked from Home: 29.2% Strathewen — Worked from Home: 35.1%
Car (passenger) 2.3% / 5.4%
Arthurs Creek — Car (passenger): 2.3% Strathewen — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Walked Only 4.6% / —
Arthurs Creek — Walked Only: 4.6% Strathewen — Walked Only: not among its largest
Train 1.8% / —
Arthurs Creek — Train: 1.8% Strathewen — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.1%).

Setting

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Elevation 181 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 183 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 38.9 km 44.4 km

NBN connectivity

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Connectivity score 30/100 29/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
184 premises
 0%
25 premises

Climate

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Annual rainfall 1,215 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 22.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.8°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
PM2.5 3.9 µg/m³ —
PM10 — 15.5 µg/m³
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Average residential rate $2,696/yr
same for both
Council Nillumbik
same for both

Federal electorate

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Division Mcewen
same for both
Member Rob Mitchell
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Arthurs Creek Strathewen
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Arthurs Creek

Outer Retirees

Strathewen

Outer Quiet River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Arthurs Creek

Arthurs Creek vs Doreen Arthurs Creek vs Kinglake West Arthurs Creek vs St Andrews Arthurs Creek vs Cottles Bridge Arthurs Creek vs Humevale Arthurs Creek vs Yan Yean

Other comparisons with Strathewen

Strathewen vs Kinglake Strathewen vs Kinglake West Strathewen vs St Andrews
Full data on Arthurs Creek Full data on Strathewen
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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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