Bairnsdale vs Forge Creek

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Bairnsdale, about half of households are people living alone. In Forge Creek, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Forge Creek: a median of $840,000, against $520,000 in Bairnsdale, though rent is higher in Bairnsdale. On these figures, Bairnsdale tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Forge Creek suits couples.

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

  • Bairnsdale has more childcare (11 vs 0)
  • Forge Creek carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 95/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Bairnsdale has cheaper houses ($520,000 vs $840,000)
  • Forge Creek leaves households under less mortgage stress (19% vs 25%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Forge Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (12% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($220/wk vs $270/wk)
  • But Bairnsdale has a bigger rental market to choose from (35% vs 8%)

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

Commuting to the city

Bairnsdale

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (200 min vs 210 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (278.2 km vs 288.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Bairnsdale

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (7 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (26% vs 20%)
  • But Forge Creek carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 95/100)

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

Investors

Forge Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (25.4% vs 4.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
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.

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Walkability 0 / 0
Bairnsdale — Walkability: 0/100 Forge Creek — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 5 / 73
Bairnsdale — Safety: 5/100 Forge Creek — Safety: 73/100
Low fire risk 39 / 43
Bairnsdale — Low fire risk: 39/100 Forge Creek — Low fire risk: 43/100
Low flood risk 31 / 26
Bairnsdale — Low flood risk: 31/100 Forge Creek — Low flood risk: 26/100

Demographics

Bairnsdale has more residents (7,905 vs 346); Forge Creek has higher household incomes ($96,876 vs $57,252).

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Population 7,905
+96% vs other
 346
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.3% +25.4%
Median age 44 45
Median household income $57,252/yr $96,876/yr
+69% vs other
Median weekly rent $270/wk
+19% vs other
 $220/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
0-4 5.7% / 3.5%
Bairnsdale — 0-4: 5.7% Forge Creek — 0-4: 3.5%
5-14 11.3% / 10.1%
Bairnsdale — 5-14: 11.3% Forge Creek — 5-14: 10.1%
15-19 5.0% / 12.1%
Bairnsdale — 15-19: 5.0% Forge Creek — 15-19: 12.1%
20-24 5.6% / 4.0%
Bairnsdale — 20-24: 5.6% Forge Creek — 20-24: 4.0%
25-34 12.7% / 8.4%
Bairnsdale — 25-34: 12.7% Forge Creek — 25-34: 8.4%
35-44 10.3% / 9.5%
Bairnsdale — 35-44: 10.3% Forge Creek — 35-44: 9.5%
45-54 11.0% / 14.7%
Bairnsdale — 45-54: 11.0% Forge Creek — 45-54: 14.7%
55-64 12.9% / 15.9%
Bairnsdale — 55-64: 12.9% Forge Creek — 55-64: 15.9%
65-74 12.4% / 12.4%
Bairnsdale — 65-74: 12.4% Forge Creek — 65-74: 12.4%
75-84 9.2% / 6.4%
Bairnsdale — 75-84: 9.2% Forge Creek — 75-84: 6.4%
85+ 4.0% / 0.9%
Bairnsdale — 85+: 4.0% Forge Creek — 85+: 0.9%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bairnsdale 25.9% couple families
Bairnsdale — Couple Families: 25.9% Bairnsdale — Lone Person: 49.8% Bairnsdale — One Parent Families: 18.1% Bairnsdale — Group Household: 4.5% Bairnsdale — Other Families: 1.7%
Forge Creek 68.6% couple families
Forge Creek — Couple Families: 68.6% Forge Creek — Lone Person: 23.5% Forge Creek — One Parent Families: 7.8% Forge Creek — Group Household: 0.0% Forge Creek — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bairnsdale 34.7% renting
Bairnsdale — Owned Outright: 38.2% Bairnsdale — Mortgage: 27.1% Bairnsdale — Renting: 34.7%
Forge Creek 8.2% renting
Forge Creek — Owned Outright: 48.0% Forge Creek — Mortgage: 43.9% Forge Creek — Renting: 8.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Certificate III & IV 16.2% / 15.6%
Bairnsdale — Certificate III & IV: 16.2% Forge Creek — Certificate III & IV: 15.6%
Bachelor Degree 7.3% / 11.0%
Bairnsdale — Bachelor Degree: 7.3% Forge Creek — Bachelor Degree: 11.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 6.9%
Bairnsdale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% Forge Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9%
Postgraduate Degree 2.0% / 4.6%
Bairnsdale — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0% Forge Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 4.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 4.6%
Bairnsdale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Forge Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.2%).

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.

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
England 2.6% / 2.0%
Bairnsdale — England: 2.6% Forge Creek — England: 2.0%
New Zealand 0.8% / 1.4%
Bairnsdale — New Zealand: 0.8% Forge Creek — New Zealand: 1.4%
India 0.7% / 0.9%
Bairnsdale — India: 0.7% Forge Creek — India: 0.9%
Philippines 1.2% / —
Bairnsdale — Philippines: 1.2% Forge Creek — Philippines: not among its largest
Italy — / 0.9%
Bairnsdale — Italy: not among its largest Forge Creek — Italy: 0.9%
Ireland — / 0.9%
Bairnsdale — Ireland: not among its largest Forge Creek — Ireland: 0.9%
Vietnam 0.5% / —
Bairnsdale — Vietnam: 0.5% Forge Creek — Vietnam: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bairnsdale 84.3% houses
Bairnsdale — Houses: 84.3% Bairnsdale — Townhouses: 14.4% Bairnsdale — Flats / Apartments: 1.3%
Forge Creek 100.0% houses
Forge Creek — Houses: 100.0% Forge Creek — Townhouses: 0.0% Forge Creek — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Median house price $520,000 $840,000
Median unit price $347,500 —
Median land price $225,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 42 days
from 132 sales
 23 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Rural and farming 69% 74%
Parks and recreation 10% 22%
Residential 9% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 9% 2%
Industrial 3% 0%
Environmental 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

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
New dwellings approved 386
across East Gippsland
same for both
Approvals change year on year +50%
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.

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Houses 4.6%
$500/wk on $565K
 —
Units 5.3%
$415/wk on $410K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
House price Higher than 9% of VIC —
Income Higher than 15% of VIC Higher than 67% of VIC
Schools Higher than 36% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 22% of VIC Higher than 56% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 78% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 47% of VIC Higher than 48% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of VIC Higher than 46% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 93% of VIC —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 74% of VIC —

Liveability

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Grade D —
Score 14/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Bairnsdale carries more crime risk (95 vs 27).

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Bushfire Moderate
61/100
 Moderate
57/100
Crime High
95/100
 Low
27/100
Flood Moderate
69/100
 High
74/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 5
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Inside the suburb 9 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 3 0
Rated below peers 3 0

Schools in Bairnsdale

  • Bairnsdale Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Bairnsdale West Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Nagle College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • St Mary's School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Bairnsdale Christian College Independent · Combined below peers
  • Bairnsdale Secondary College Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in Forge Creek

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

Amenities in the suburb

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 13 0
Parks & reserves 9 2
Childcare 11 0
GPs 7 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 6 0
Fuel stations 5 0
EV chargers 5 0
Beaches 0 4
Waterways 1
same for both

Mobility

Forge Creek sits further from the CBD (288.5 km vs 278.2 km).

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 278.2 km 288.5 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 200 min 210 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 3875
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 3875
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.

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Car (driver) 76.8% / 67.5%
Bairnsdale — Car (driver): 76.8% Forge Creek — Car (driver): 67.5%
Worked from Home 9.9% / 11.5%
Bairnsdale — Worked from Home: 9.9% Forge Creek — Worked from Home: 11.5%
Car (passenger) 6.9% / 10.2%
Bairnsdale — Car (passenger): 6.9% Forge Creek — Car (passenger): 10.2%
Walked Only 5.0% / 7.0%
Bairnsdale — Walked Only: 5.0% Forge Creek — Walked Only: 7.0%
Bus 0.1% / 3.8%
Bairnsdale — Bus: 0.1% Forge Creek — Bus: 3.8%
Bicycle 1.2% / —
Bairnsdale — Bicycle: 1.2% Forge Creek — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.8%).

Setting

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Elevation 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 31 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 18.5 km 9.9 km
3.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Connectivity score 68/100 29/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 44%
5,144 premises
 0%
153 premises

Climate

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Annual rainfall 620 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 4.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Average residential rate $1,807/yr
same for both
Council East Gippsland
same for both

Federal electorate

Bairnsdale Forge Creek
Division Gippsland
same for both
Member Darren Chester
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Bairnsdale

Affordable Retirees

Forge Creek

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bairnsdale

Bairnsdale vs Wy Yung Bairnsdale vs Lucknow Bairnsdale vs East Bairnsdale Bairnsdale vs Eagle Point Bairnsdale vs Hillside Bairnsdale vs Goon Nure

Other comparisons with Forge Creek

Forge Creek vs Eagle Point Forge Creek vs Loch Sport Forge Creek vs Newlands Arm Forge Creek vs Raymond Island Forge Creek vs Goon Nure
Full data on Bairnsdale Full data on Forge Creek
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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