Bendigo vs Golden Square

Golden Square is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 43 in Bendigo. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Bendigo, about half of households rent and about half of households are people living alone. In Golden Square, most households own their home.

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

Bendigo

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (9 vs 2)
  • has more childcare (9 vs 6)
  • has more parks and reserves (13 vs 10)
  • But Golden Square carries lower crime risk (69/100 vs 98/100)

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

First-home buyers

Golden Square

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper land ($305,000 vs $480,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

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

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

Commuting to the city

Golden Square

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (106 min vs 113 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (148.5 km vs 152.4 km)
  • But Bendigo is more walkable (95/100 vs 67/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Bendigo

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (18 vs 1)
  • is more walkable (95/100 vs 67/100)
  • But Golden Square carries lower crime risk (69/100 vs 98/100)

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

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

Bendigo Golden Square
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.

Bendigo Golden Square
Walkability 95 / 67
Bendigo — Walkability: 95/100 Golden Square — Walkability: 67/100
Safety 2 / 31
Bendigo — Safety: 2/100 Golden Square — Safety: 31/100
Low fire risk 100 / 80
Bendigo — Low fire risk: 100/100 Golden Square — Low fire risk: 80/100
Low flood risk 30 / 56
Bendigo — Low flood risk: 30/100 Golden Square — Low flood risk: 56/100

Demographics

Golden Square has more residents (9,220 vs 5,652); Bendigo skews older (43 vs 39).

Bendigo Golden Square
Population 5,652 9,220
+63% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.5% +4.5%
Median age 43 39
Median household income $74,308/yr
+6% vs other
 $69,888/yr
Median weekly rent $290/wk $295/wk
+2% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bendigo Golden Square
0-4 4.5% / 5.8%
Bendigo — 0-4: 4.5% Golden Square — 0-4: 5.8%
5-14 8.4% / 11.5%
Bendigo — 5-14: 8.4% Golden Square — 5-14: 11.5%
15-19 5.3% / 5.2%
Bendigo — 15-19: 5.3% Golden Square — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 7.7% / 5.8%
Bendigo — 20-24: 7.7% Golden Square — 20-24: 5.8%
25-34 15.3% / 15.2%
Bendigo — 25-34: 15.3% Golden Square — 25-34: 15.2%
35-44 10.6% / 12.6%
Bendigo — 35-44: 10.6% Golden Square — 35-44: 12.6%
45-54 13.5% / 11.3%
Bendigo — 45-54: 13.5% Golden Square — 45-54: 11.3%
55-64 13.9% / 11.7%
Bendigo — 55-64: 13.9% Golden Square — 55-64: 11.7%
65-74 12.4% / 10.4%
Bendigo — 65-74: 12.4% Golden Square — 65-74: 10.4%
75-84 5.8% / 6.9%
Bendigo — 75-84: 5.8% Golden Square — 75-84: 6.9%
85+ 2.4% / 3.5%
Bendigo — 85+: 2.4% Golden Square — 85+: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bendigo 51.5% lone person
Bendigo — Lone Person: 51.5% Bendigo — Couple Families: 23.6% Bendigo — One Parent Families: 15.8% Bendigo — Group Household: 6.9% Bendigo — Other Families: 2.2%
Golden Square 43.6% lone person
Golden Square — Lone Person: 43.6% Golden Square — Couple Families: 30.7% Golden Square — One Parent Families: 19.1% Golden Square — Group Household: 5.1% Golden Square — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bendigo 45.5% renting
Bendigo — Owned Outright: 31.6% Bendigo — Mortgage: 22.8% Bendigo — Renting: 45.5%
Golden Square 35.6% renting
Golden Square — Owned Outright: 31.5% Golden Square — Mortgage: 32.9% Golden Square — Renting: 35.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bendigo Golden Square
Certificate III & IV 12.9% / 16.6%
Bendigo — Certificate III & IV: 12.9% Golden Square — Certificate III & IV: 16.6%
Bachelor Degree 16.2% / 10.3%
Bendigo — Bachelor Degree: 16.2% Golden Square — Bachelor Degree: 10.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 7.4%
Bendigo — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% Golden Square — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4%
Postgraduate Degree 6.5% / 2.6%
Bendigo — Postgraduate Degree: 6.5% Golden Square — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.9% / 2.2%
Bendigo — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.9% Golden Square — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

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.

Bendigo Golden Square
India 2.3% / 1.2%
Bendigo — India: 2.3% Golden Square — India: 1.2%
England 2.0% / 1.4%
Bendigo — England: 2.0% Golden Square — England: 1.4%
Thailand 0.9% / 0.9%
Bendigo — Thailand: 0.9% Golden Square — Thailand: 0.9%
New Zealand 0.8% / 0.7%
Bendigo — New Zealand: 0.8% Golden Square — New Zealand: 0.7%
Philippines 0.8% / 0.7%
Bendigo — Philippines: 0.8% Golden Square — Philippines: 0.7%
Myanmar 0.7% / 0.7%
Bendigo — Myanmar: 0.7% Golden Square — Myanmar: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bendigo 81.8% houses
Bendigo — Houses: 81.8% Bendigo — Townhouses: 14.9% Bendigo — Flats / Apartments: 3.2%
Golden Square 91.4% houses
Golden Square — Houses: 91.4% Golden Square — Townhouses: 4.3% Golden Square — Flats / Apartments: 4.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bendigo Golden Square
Median house price $650,000 $609,000
Median unit price $455,000 $472,125
Median land price $480,000 $305,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 40 days
from 96 sales
 25 days
from 102 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.

Bendigo Golden Square
2 bed $560K / $470K
Bendigo — 2 bed: $560K (45 sales) Golden Square — 2 bed: $470K (33 sales)

45 vs 33 sales

3 bed $649K / $591K
Bendigo — 3 bed: $649K (122 sales) Golden Square — 3 bed: $591K (148 sales)

122 vs 148 sales

4 bed $892K / $727K
Bendigo — 4 bed: $892K (38 sales) Golden Square — 4 bed: $727K (64 sales)

38 vs 64 sales

Zoning mix

Bendigo has more commercially zoned land (19% vs 8%).

Bendigo Golden Square
Residential 48% 64%
Commercial 19% 8%
Infrastructure and transport 16% 11%
Parks and recreation 12% 7%
Industrial 1% 7%
Other and special use 3% 4%
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

Bendigo Golden Square
New dwellings approved 885
across Greater Bendigo
same for both
Approvals change year on year +28%
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.

Bendigo Golden Square
Houses 3.8%
$560/wk on $765K
 4.1%
$530/wk on $674K
Units 5.3%
$450/wk on $442K
 5.2%
$450/wk on $446K

Ranking within VIC

Bendigo Golden Square
House price Higher than 29% of VIC Higher than 20% of VIC
Income Higher than 40% of VIC Higher than 32% of VIC
Schools Higher than 38% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 98% of VIC Higher than 89% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 62% of VIC Higher than 68% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 67% of VIC Higher than 36% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 76% of VIC Higher than 78% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 55% of VIC Higher than 74% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 75% of VIC Higher than 73% of VIC

Liveability

Bendigo is more walkable (95 vs 67).

Bendigo Golden Square
Grade C
same for both
Score 41/100 40/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Golden Square carries more bushfire risk (20 vs 0); Bendigo carries more flood risk (70 vs 44).

Bendigo Golden Square
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
20/100
Crime High
98/100
 Moderate
69/100
Flood High
70/100
 Moderate
44/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 9
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Bendigo Golden Square
Inside the suburb 9 2
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 4 2
Universities within 10 km 1
Bendigo Campus, 3.1 km
 1
Bendigo Campus, 3.9 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.9% 1.1%

Schools in Bendigo

  • Creek Street Christian College Independent · Combined above peers
  • Camp Hill Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Catherine McAuley College Catholic · Secondary below peers
  • Girton Grammar School Independent · Combined below peers
  • St Kilian's School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Bendigo Senior Secondary College Government · Secondary

Schools in Golden Square

  • Golden Square Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Specimen Hill Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Bendigo Golden Square
Supermarkets 5 1
Cafes & restaurants 66 2
Parks & reserves 13 10
Childcare 9 6
GPs 18 1
Pharmacies 8 1
Hospitals 2 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 8 2
Fuel stations 5
same for both
EV chargers 2 0
Waterways 18 3

Mobility

Bendigo sits further from the CBD (152.4 km vs 148.5 km).

Bendigo Golden Square
Walkability score 95/100 67/100
Distance to Melbourne 152.4 km
+3% vs other
 148.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 113 min 106 min
Public transport score 77/100
Rail
 75/100
Peak arrivals per hour 281.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 106.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 3550
 0.4%
postcode 3555
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 34
postcode 3550
 38
postcode 3555

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.

Bendigo Golden Square
Car (driver) 60.6% / 75.1%
Bendigo — Car (driver): 60.6% Golden Square — Car (driver): 75.1%
Worked from Home 18.2% / 15.1%
Bendigo — Worked from Home: 18.2% Golden Square — Worked from Home: 15.1%
Walked Only 13.2% / 1.9%
Bendigo — Walked Only: 13.2% Golden Square — Walked Only: 1.9%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 5.5%
Bendigo — Car (passenger): 4.5% Golden Square — Car (passenger): 5.5%
Bus 1.3% / 1.3%
Bendigo — Bus: 1.3% Golden Square — Bus: 1.3%
Bicycle 1.5% / 0.8%
Bendigo — Bicycle: 1.5% Golden Square — Bicycle: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.1%).

Setting

Bendigo Golden Square
Elevation 224 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 233 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Bendigo Golden Square
Connectivity score 63/100 68/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 32%
5,084 premises
 42%
4,934 premises

Climate

Bendigo Golden Square
Annual rainfall 598 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.7°C
same for both

Council rates

Bendigo Golden Square
Average residential rate $1,949/yr
same for both
Council Greater Bendigo
same for both

Federal electorate

Bendigo Golden Square
Division Bendigo
same for both
Member Lisa Chesters
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bendigo Golden Square
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bendigo

Parks Professionals River

Golden Square

Large Blocks Regional Centre River

More comparisons

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Bendigo vs Kennington Bendigo vs North Bendigo Bendigo vs Flora Hill Bendigo vs White Hills Bendigo vs Long Gully Bendigo vs Quarry Hill

Other comparisons with Golden Square

Golden Square vs Kangaroo Flat Golden Square vs Maiden Gully Golden Square vs Quarry Hill Golden Square vs Ironbark Golden Square vs West Bendigo Golden Square vs Golden Gully
Full data on Bendigo Full data on Golden Square
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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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