Balwyn North vs Mont Albert North

In both, the large majority of households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Balwyn North, most households are couple families. In Mont Albert North, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Balwyn North: a median of $2.21 million, against $1.7 million in Mont Albert North, and rent is higher there too. Balwyn North is closer to the city centre: 14.1 km, against 18 km. On these figures, Mont Albert North tends to suit 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

Balwyn North

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (4 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (13 vs 4)
  • has more parks and reserves (12 vs 5)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Balwyn North has cheaper units ($825,500 vs $1,062,888)
  • Mont Albert North has cheaper houses ($1,700,000 vs $2,210,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Mont Albert North

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($500/wk vs $554/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Balwyn North

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (14.1 km vs 18 km)
  • is more walkable (85/100 vs 73/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Balwyn North

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (6 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (85/100 vs 73/100)
  • But Mont Albert North has more units and townhouses to downsize into (37% vs 17%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
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.

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Walkability 85 / 73
Balwyn North — Walkability: 85/100 Mont Albert North — Walkability: 73/100
Safety 56 / 60
Balwyn North — Safety: 56/100 Mont Albert North — Safety: 60/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Balwyn North — Low fire risk: 100/100 Mont Albert North — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 51 / 62
Balwyn North — Low flood risk: 51/100 Mont Albert North — Low flood risk: 62/100

Demographics

Balwyn North has more residents (21,302 vs 5,609); Balwyn North rents higher ($554/wk vs $500/wk).

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Population 21,302
+74% vs other
 5,609
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.4% +1.9%
Median age 42 43
Median household income $121,992/yr
+7% vs other
 $113,568/yr
Median weekly rent $554/wk
+10% vs other
 $500/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
0-4 3.4% / 4.5%
Balwyn North — 0-4: 3.4% Mont Albert North — 0-4: 4.5%
5-14 14.4% / 13.6%
Balwyn North — 5-14: 14.4% Mont Albert North — 5-14: 13.6%
15-19 8.9% / 7.0%
Balwyn North — 15-19: 8.9% Mont Albert North — 15-19: 7.0%
20-24 6.9% / 6.1%
Balwyn North — 20-24: 6.9% Mont Albert North — 20-24: 6.1%
25-34 8.6% / 8.7%
Balwyn North — 25-34: 8.6% Mont Albert North — 25-34: 8.7%
35-44 10.8% / 13.0%
Balwyn North — 35-44: 10.8% Mont Albert North — 35-44: 13.0%
45-54 15.9% / 14.8%
Balwyn North — 45-54: 15.9% Mont Albert North — 45-54: 14.8%
55-64 13.7% / 12.9%
Balwyn North — 55-64: 13.7% Mont Albert North — 55-64: 12.9%
65-74 9.0% / 10.7%
Balwyn North — 65-74: 9.0% Mont Albert North — 65-74: 10.7%
75-84 5.7% / 6.0%
Balwyn North — 75-84: 5.7% Mont Albert North — 75-84: 6.0%
85+ 2.9% / 2.8%
Balwyn North — 85+: 2.9% Mont Albert North — 85+: 2.8%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Balwyn North 60.5% couple families
Balwyn North — Couple Families: 60.5% Balwyn North — Lone Person: 21.3% Balwyn North — One Parent Families: 14.8% Balwyn North — Group Household: 2.3% Balwyn North — Other Families: 1.1%
Mont Albert North 51.6% couple families
Mont Albert North — Couple Families: 51.6% Mont Albert North — Lone Person: 29.2% Mont Albert North — One Parent Families: 14.6% Mont Albert North — Group Household: 3.0% Mont Albert North — Other Families: 1.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Balwyn North 20.0% renting
Balwyn North — Owned Outright: 47.0% Balwyn North — Mortgage: 33.1% Balwyn North — Renting: 20.0%
Mont Albert North 19.8% renting
Mont Albert North — Owned Outright: 43.7% Mont Albert North — Mortgage: 36.5% Mont Albert North — Renting: 19.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Bachelor Degree 25.0% / 23.2%
Balwyn North — Bachelor Degree: 25.0% Mont Albert North — Bachelor Degree: 23.2%
Postgraduate Degree 10.5% / 10.9%
Balwyn North — Postgraduate Degree: 10.5% Mont Albert North — Postgraduate Degree: 10.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.5% / 8.3%
Balwyn North — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5% Mont Albert North — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Certificate III & IV 4.3% / 5.7%
Balwyn North — Certificate III & IV: 4.3% Mont Albert North — Certificate III & IV: 5.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.3% / 4.3%
Balwyn North — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.3% Mont Albert North — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.0%).

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.

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
China 14.4% / 11.0%
Balwyn North — China: 14.4% Mont Albert North — China: 11.0%
Malaysia 3.8% / 3.4%
Balwyn North — Malaysia: 3.8% Mont Albert North — Malaysia: 3.4%
India 2.7% / 1.7%
Balwyn North — India: 2.7% Mont Albert North — India: 1.7%
England 1.9% / 2.2%
Balwyn North — England: 1.9% Mont Albert North — England: 2.2%
Vietnam 1.9% / 0.8%
Balwyn North — Vietnam: 1.9% Mont Albert North — Vietnam: 0.8%
New Zealand — / 1.5%
Balwyn North — New Zealand: not among its largest Mont Albert North — New Zealand: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Balwyn North 83.0% houses
Balwyn North — Houses: 83.0% Balwyn North — Townhouses: 13.5% Balwyn North — Flats / Apartments: 3.5%
Mont Albert North 63.3% houses
Mont Albert North — Houses: 63.3% Mont Albert North — Townhouses: 36.3% Mont Albert North — Flats / Apartments: 0.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Median house price $2,210,000 $1,700,000
Median unit price $825,500 $1,062,888
Median land price $1,515,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 204 sales
 24 days
from 62 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.

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
2 bed $694K / $748K
Balwyn North — 2 bed: $694K (20 sales) Mont Albert North — 2 bed: $748K (12 sales)

20 vs 12 sales

3 bed $1.28M / $1.21M
Balwyn North — 3 bed: $1.28M (11 sales) Mont Albert North — 3 bed: $1.21M (18 sales)

11 vs 18 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.

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
2 bed $1.55M / $1.23M
Balwyn North — 2 bed: $1.55M (11 sales) Mont Albert North — 2 bed: $1.23M (6 sales)

11 vs 6 sales

3 bed $1.95M / $1.51M
Balwyn North — 3 bed: $1.95M (106 sales) Mont Albert North — 3 bed: $1.51M (42 sales)

106 vs 42 sales

4 bed $2.27M / $1.77M
Balwyn North — 4 bed: $2.27M (122 sales) Mont Albert North — 4 bed: $1.77M (43 sales)

122 vs 43 sales

5 bed $2.93M / $2.31M
Balwyn North — 5 bed: $2.93M (49 sales) Mont Albert North — 5 bed: $2.31M (16 sales)

49 vs 16 sales

Zoning mix

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Residential 76% 80%
Parks and recreation 14% 12%
Infrastructure and transport 10% 7%
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

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
New dwellings approved 711
across Boroondara
 879
across Whitehorse
Approvals change year on year -40% +17%

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.

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Houses 2.6%
$1,070/wk on $2.1M
 3.0%
$900/wk on $1.57M
Units 4.6%
$655/wk on $742K
 5.0%
$725/wk on $752K

Ranking within VIC

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
House price Higher than 98% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC
Income Higher than 92% of VIC Higher than 86% of VIC
Schools Higher than 87% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 95% of VIC Higher than 91% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 4% of VIC Higher than 7% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 99% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 87% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 5% of VIC Higher than 12% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 37% of VIC Higher than 62% of VIC

Liveability

Balwyn North is more walkable (85 vs 73).

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Grade A+
same for both
Score 87/100 86/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Balwyn North carries more flood risk (49 vs 38).

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
44/100
 Moderate
40/100
Flood Moderate
49/100
 Low
38/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Inside the suburb 7 2
Rated above peers 4 1
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Hawthorn Campus John Street Hawthorn Swinburne University, 5.9 km
 2
Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, 5.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 5.5% 4.4%

Schools in Balwyn North

  • Balwyn High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Belle Vue Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Boroondara Park Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Greythorn Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Balwyn North Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Bede's School Catholic · Primary below peers

Schools in Mont Albert North

  • Koonung Secondary College Government · Secondary above peers
  • Box Hill Senior Secondary College Government · Secondary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Supermarkets 6 0
Cafes & restaurants 22 3
Parks & reserves 12 5
Childcare 13 4
GPs 6 0
Pharmacies 6 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 0
Waterways 7 1

Mobility

Mont Albert North sits further from the CBD (18 km vs 14.1 km).

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Walkability score 85/100 73/100
Distance to Melbourne 14.1 km 18 km
+28% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 22 min 23 min
Public transport score 79/100
Tram · Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 411.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 132.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 3.2%
postcode 3104
 2.3%
postcode 3129
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 26
postcode 3104
 23
postcode 3129

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.

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Car (driver) 48.3% / 46.7%
Balwyn North — Car (driver): 48.3% Mont Albert North — Car (driver): 46.7%
Worked from Home 42.1% / 43.8%
Balwyn North — Worked from Home: 42.1% Mont Albert North — Worked from Home: 43.8%
Car (passenger) 4.0% / 3.2%
Balwyn North — Car (passenger): 4.0% Mont Albert North — Car (passenger): 3.2%
Bus 2.2% / 1.8%
Balwyn North — Bus: 2.2% Mont Albert North — Bus: 1.8%
Train 0.9% / 2.3%
Balwyn North — Train: 0.9% Mont Albert North — Train: 2.3%
Tram / Light Rail 1.1% / 0.2%
Balwyn North — Tram / Light Rail: 1.1% Mont Albert North — Tram / Light Rail: 0.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (48.3%).

Setting

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Elevation 58 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 63 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 12.7 km 13.9 km

NBN connectivity

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Connectivity score 77/100 75/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 8%
8,729 premises
 2%
2,450 premises

Climate

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Annual rainfall 534 mm 777 mm
Summer max (Jan) 26.7°C 26.9°C
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C 6.3°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
PM2.5 7.3 µg/m³ 4.3 µg/m³
PM10 17.8 µg/m³ —
NO₂ 0.82 pphm —

Council rates

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Average residential rate $2,253/yr $1,516/yr
Council Boroondara Whitehorse

Federal electorate

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Division Kooyong Menzies
Member Monique Ryan Gabriel Ng
Party Independent Australian Labor Party

First Home Owner Grant

Balwyn North Mont Albert North
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Balwyn North

Luxury Middle-Ring Multicultural Professionals Trams

Mont Albert North

Middle-Ring Parks Premium Professionals Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Balwyn North

Balwyn North vs Doncaster Balwyn North vs Kew Balwyn North vs Balwyn Balwyn North vs Ivanhoe Balwyn North vs Bulleen Balwyn North vs Kew East

Other comparisons with Mont Albert North

Mont Albert North vs Doncaster Mont Albert North vs Box Hill Mont Albert North vs Balwyn Mont Albert North vs Box Hill North Mont Albert North vs Mont Albert
Full data on Balwyn North Full data on Mont Albert North
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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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