Beaufort vs Waterloo

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Beaufort, about half of households are people living alone. In Waterloo, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Waterloo: a median of $750,000, against $422,000 in Beaufort, though rent is higher in Beaufort. On these figures, Beaufort tends to suit older residents and buyers on a tighter budget, while Waterloo suits people living alone.

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

Beaufort

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 3)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • But Waterloo carries lower crime risk (24/100 vs 77/100)

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

First-home buyers

Beaufort

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($422,500 vs $750,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Waterloo

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (15% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($165/wk vs $250/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

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

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Beaufort

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (31% vs 22%)
  • But Waterloo carries lower crime risk (24/100 vs 77/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Beaufort Waterloo
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.

Beaufort Waterloo
Walkability 4 / 0
Beaufort — Walkability: 4/100 Waterloo — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 23 / 76
Beaufort — Safety: 23/100 Waterloo — Safety: 76/100
Low fire risk 64 / 51
Beaufort — Low fire risk: 64/100 Waterloo — Low fire risk: 51/100
Low flood risk 71 / 100
Beaufort — Low flood risk: 71/100 Waterloo — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Beaufort has more residents (1,712 vs 122); Beaufort rents higher ($250/wk vs $165/wk).

Beaufort Waterloo
Population 1,712
+93% vs other
 122
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.2% +10.9%
Median age 51 50
Median household income $53,612/yr $56,836/yr
+6% vs other
Median weekly rent $250/wk
+34% vs other
 $165/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Beaufort Waterloo
0-4 4.3% / —
Beaufort — 0-4: 4.3% Waterloo — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 10.3% / 13.1%
Beaufort — 5-14: 10.3% Waterloo — 5-14: 13.1%
15-19 5.8% / 9.0%
Beaufort — 15-19: 5.8% Waterloo — 15-19: 9.0%
20-24 4.0% / 4.1%
Beaufort — 20-24: 4.0% Waterloo — 20-24: 4.1%
25-34 8.0% / 5.7%
Beaufort — 25-34: 8.0% Waterloo — 25-34: 5.7%
35-44 9.3% / 17.2%
Beaufort — 35-44: 9.3% Waterloo — 35-44: 17.2%
45-54 13.4% / 19.7%
Beaufort — 45-54: 13.4% Waterloo — 45-54: 19.7%
55-64 14.2% / 14.8%
Beaufort — 55-64: 14.2% Waterloo — 55-64: 14.8%
65-74 18.0% / 16.4%
Beaufort — 65-74: 18.0% Waterloo — 65-74: 16.4%
75-84 9.2% / 2.5%
Beaufort — 75-84: 9.2% Waterloo — 75-84: 2.5%
85+ 3.6% / 3.3%
Beaufort — 85+: 3.6% Waterloo — 85+: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Beaufort 51.2% lone person
Beaufort — Lone Person: 51.2% Beaufort — Couple Families: 27.9% Beaufort — One Parent Families: 16.0% Beaufort — Group Household: 3.3% Beaufort — Other Families: 1.6%
Waterloo 60.0% lone person
Waterloo — Lone Person: 60.0% Waterloo — Couple Families: 26.7% Waterloo — One Parent Families: 13.3% Waterloo — Group Household: 0.0% Waterloo — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Beaufort 17.8% renting
Beaufort — Owned Outright: 51.2% Beaufort — Mortgage: 31.0% Beaufort — Renting: 17.8%
Waterloo 0.0% renting
Waterloo — Owned Outright: 72.3% Waterloo — Mortgage: 27.7% Waterloo — 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.

Beaufort Waterloo
England 4.2% / 2.5%
Beaufort — England: 4.2% Waterloo — England: 2.5%
Philippines 0.3% / 4.1%
Beaufort — Philippines: 0.3% Waterloo — Philippines: 4.1%
New Zealand 1.2% / 2.5%
Beaufort — New Zealand: 1.2% Waterloo — New Zealand: 2.5%
Netherlands 0.6% / —
Beaufort — Netherlands: 0.6% Waterloo — Netherlands: not among its largest
Scotland 0.5% / —
Beaufort — Scotland: 0.5% Waterloo — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.2%).

Qualifications

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

Beaufort Waterloo
Certificate III & IV 17.3% / 14.8%
Beaufort — Certificate III & IV: 17.3% Waterloo — Certificate III & IV: 14.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.9% / 10.7%
Beaufort — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9% Waterloo — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.7%
Bachelor Degree 5.5% / 4.9%
Beaufort — Bachelor Degree: 5.5% Waterloo — Bachelor Degree: 4.9%
Postgraduate Degree 1.6% / 6.6%
Beaufort — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6% Waterloo — Postgraduate Degree: 6.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 2.5%
Beaufort — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Waterloo — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Beaufort 97.1% houses
Beaufort — Houses: 97.1% Beaufort — Townhouses: 1.9% Beaufort — Flats / Apartments: 1.0%
Waterloo 100.0% houses
Waterloo — Houses: 100.0% Waterloo — Townhouses: 0.0% Waterloo — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Beaufort Waterloo
Median house price $422,500 $750,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $142,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 67 days
from 35 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Beaufort has more rural and farming land (84% vs 40%); Waterloo has more land zoned for conservation (28% vs 4%).

Beaufort Waterloo
Rural and farming 84% 40%
Parks and recreation 8% 31%
Environmental 4% 28%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 1%
Residential 1% 0%
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

Beaufort Waterloo
New dwellings approved 45
across Pyrenees
same for both
Approvals change year on year +100%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Beaufort Waterloo
House price Higher than 7% of VIC —
Income Higher than 12% of VIC Higher than 15% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 65% of VIC Higher than 55% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 75% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 31% of VIC Higher than 32% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of VIC Higher than 14% of VIC

Liveability

Beaufort Waterloo
Grade D —
Score 25/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Beaufort carries more flood risk (29 vs 0); Beaufort carries more crime risk (77 vs 24).

Beaufort Waterloo
Bushfire Low
36/100
 Moderate
49/100
Crime High
77/100
 Low
24/100
Flood Low
29/100
 None
0/100
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

Beaufort Waterloo
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Beaufort

  • Beaufort Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Beaufort Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Waterloo

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

Amenities in the suburb

Beaufort Waterloo
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 8 0
Parks & reserves 10 3
Childcare 1 0
GPs 4 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 2 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 1 2

Mobility

Beaufort Waterloo
Walkability score 4/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 164.5 km 164.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 116 min 114 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 3373
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 3373
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.

Beaufort Waterloo
Car (driver) 78.1% / 72.5%
Beaufort — Car (driver): 78.1% Waterloo — Car (driver): 72.5%
Worked from Home 11.1% / 19.6%
Beaufort — Worked from Home: 11.1% Waterloo — Worked from Home: 19.6%
Car (passenger) 5.4% / 7.8%
Beaufort — Car (passenger): 5.4% Waterloo — Car (passenger): 7.8%
Walked Only 5.4% / —
Beaufort — Walked Only: 5.4% Waterloo — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.1%).

Setting

Beaufort Waterloo
Elevation 444 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 408 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Beaufort Waterloo
Connectivity score 68/100 17/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 46%
890 premises
 0%
40 premises

Climate

Beaufort Waterloo
Annual rainfall 554 mm 537 mm
Summer max (Jan) 27.5°C —
Winter min (Jul) 4.0°C —

Council rates

Beaufort Waterloo
Average residential rate $1,584/yr
same for both
Council Pyrenees
same for both

Federal electorate

Beaufort Waterloo
Division Wannon
same for both
Member Dan Tehan
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Beaufort Waterloo
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Beaufort

Affordable Retirees Rural Trains

Waterloo

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Beaufort

Beaufort vs Raglan Beaufort vs Trawalla Beaufort vs Buangor

Other comparisons with Waterloo

Waterloo vs Langi Kal Kal Waterloo vs Lexton Waterloo vs Raglan Waterloo vs Trawalla
Full data on Beaufort Full data on Waterloo
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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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