Barfold vs Metcalfe

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Barfold tends to suit 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

Metcalfe

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Metcalfe

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 30%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Barfold

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($165/wk vs $311/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (13% vs 21%)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Barfold

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (104.8 km vs 109.7 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Metcalfe

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (29% vs 23%)

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

Investors

Metcalfe

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (2.7% vs -6.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Barfold Metcalfe
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.

Barfold Metcalfe
Walkability 0 / 0
Barfold — Walkability: 0/100 Metcalfe — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 66 / 74
Barfold — Safety: 66/100 Metcalfe — Safety: 74/100
Low fire risk 31 / 37
Barfold — Low fire risk: 31/100 Metcalfe — Low fire risk: 37/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Barfold — Low flood risk: 100/100 Metcalfe — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Metcalfe has more residents (190 vs 82); Metcalfe rents higher ($311/wk vs $165/wk).

Barfold Metcalfe
Population 82 190
+132% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -6.8% +2.7%
Median age 53 52
Median household income $68,224/yr $77,220/yr
+13% vs other
Median weekly rent $165/wk $311/wk
+88% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Barfold Metcalfe
0-4 — / 2.1%
Barfold — 0-4: not among its largest Metcalfe — 0-4: 2.1%
5-14 3.7% / 13.2%
Barfold — 5-14: 3.7% Metcalfe — 5-14: 13.2%
15-19 4.9% / 3.7%
Barfold — 15-19: 4.9% Metcalfe — 15-19: 3.7%
20-24 6.1% / —
Barfold — 20-24: 6.1% Metcalfe — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 11.0% / 7.9%
Barfold — 25-34: 11.0% Metcalfe — 25-34: 7.9%
35-44 12.2% / 7.4%
Barfold — 35-44: 12.2% Metcalfe — 35-44: 7.4%
45-54 7.3% / 18.4%
Barfold — 45-54: 7.3% Metcalfe — 45-54: 18.4%
55-64 29.3% / 12.6%
Barfold — 55-64: 29.3% Metcalfe — 55-64: 12.6%
65-74 13.4% / 16.8%
Barfold — 65-74: 13.4% Metcalfe — 65-74: 16.8%
75-84 9.8% / 12.1%
Barfold — 75-84: 9.8% Metcalfe — 75-84: 12.1%
85+ — / —
Barfold — 85+: not among its largest Metcalfe — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Barfold 46.7% lone person
Barfold — Lone Person: 46.7% Barfold — Couple Families: 53.3% Barfold — One Parent Families: 0.0%
Metcalfe 49.0% lone person
Metcalfe — Lone Person: 49.0% Metcalfe — Couple Families: 41.2% Metcalfe — One Parent Families: 9.8%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Barfold 0.0% renting
Barfold — Owned Outright: 70.4% Barfold — Mortgage: 29.6% Barfold — Renting: 0.0%
Metcalfe 0.0% renting
Metcalfe — Owned Outright: 62.5% Metcalfe — Mortgage: 37.5% Metcalfe — Renting: 0.0%
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.

Barfold Metcalfe
Greece 4.9% / —
Barfold — Greece: 4.9% Metcalfe — Greece: not among its largest
England — / 2.1%
Barfold — England: not among its largest Metcalfe — England: 2.1%
New Zealand — / 2.1%
Barfold — New Zealand: not among its largest Metcalfe — New Zealand: 2.1%
South Africa — / 2.1%
Barfold — South Africa: not among its largest Metcalfe — South Africa: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.9%).

Qualifications

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

Barfold Metcalfe
Bachelor Degree 25.6% / 12.1%
Barfold — Bachelor Degree: 25.6% Metcalfe — Bachelor Degree: 12.1%
Certificate III & IV 18.3% / 12.6%
Barfold — Certificate III & IV: 18.3% Metcalfe — Certificate III & IV: 12.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.3% / 12.1%
Barfold — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3% Metcalfe — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 12.1%
Postgraduate Degree 7.3% / 10.0%
Barfold — Postgraduate Degree: 7.3% Metcalfe — Postgraduate Degree: 10.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 2.1%
Barfold — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Metcalfe — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Barfold 109.7% houses
Barfold — Houses: 109.7%
Metcalfe 100.0% houses
Metcalfe — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Property market

Barfold Metcalfe
Median house price — $1,050,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Barfold Metcalfe
Rural and farming 99% 92%
Parks and recreation 0% 7%
Residential 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

Barfold Metcalfe
New dwellings approved 102
across Mount Alexander
same for both
Approvals change year on year -7%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Barfold Metcalfe
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 30% of VIC Higher than 45% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 53% of VIC Higher than 8% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 76% of VIC Higher than 71% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 22% of VIC Higher than 27% of VIC

Liveability

Barfold Metcalfe
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
same for both

Risk profile

Barfold Metcalfe
Bushfire Moderate
69/100
 Moderate
63/100
Crime Low
34/100
 Low
26/100
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

Barfold Metcalfe
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Barfold Metcalfe
Parks & reserves 0 5
Waterways 5 3

Mobility

Metcalfe sits further from the CBD (109.7 km vs 104.8 km).

Barfold Metcalfe
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 104.8 km 109.7 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 79 min 81 min
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 3444
 0.9%
postcode 3448
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 49
postcode 3444
 68
postcode 3448

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.

Barfold Metcalfe
Car (driver) 50.0% / 72.5%
Barfold — Car (driver): 50.0% Metcalfe — Car (driver): 72.5%
Worked from Home 43.2% / 20.3%
Barfold — Worked from Home: 43.2% Metcalfe — Worked from Home: 20.3%
Car (passenger) — / 7.2%
Barfold — Car (passenger): not among its largest Metcalfe — Car (passenger): 7.2%
Tram / Light Rail 6.8% / —
Barfold — Tram / Light Rail: 6.8% Metcalfe — Tram / Light Rail: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.5%).

Setting

Barfold Metcalfe
Elevation 364 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 351 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Barfold Metcalfe
Connectivity score 22/100 26/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
39 premises
 0%
116 premises

Climate

Barfold Metcalfe
Annual rainfall 553 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.6°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.1°C
same for both

Council rates

Barfold Metcalfe
Average residential rate $1,885/yr
same for both
Council Mount Alexander
same for both

Federal electorate

Barfold Metcalfe
Division Bendigo
same for both
Member Lisa Chesters
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Barfold Metcalfe
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Barfold

Rural

Metcalfe

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Barfold

Barfold vs Redesdale Barfold vs Baynton Barfold vs Glenhope Barfold vs Langley

Other comparisons with Metcalfe

Metcalfe vs Malmsbury Metcalfe vs Elphinstone Metcalfe vs Taradale Metcalfe vs Redesdale
Full data on Barfold Full data on Metcalfe
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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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