Birdwoodton vs Merbein South

Birdwoodton is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 43 in Merbein South. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Birdwoodton, most households are couple families. In Merbein South, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Birdwoodton: a median of $805,000, against $500,000 in Merbein South. On these figures, Birdwoodton tends to suit families with children, while Merbein South suits 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

Birdwoodton

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (58/100 vs 69/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (76% vs 67%)

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

First-home buyers

Merbein South

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($500,000 vs $805,000)

Weighs house 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

Birdwoodton

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (12/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (549.3 km vs 554.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Birdwoodton

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (12/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (58/100 vs 69/100)

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

Investors

Birdwoodton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (16.3% vs 0.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Birdwoodton Merbein South
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.

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Walkability 12 / 0
Birdwoodton — Walkability: 12/100 Merbein South — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 42 / 31
Birdwoodton — Safety: 42/100 Merbein South — Safety: 31/100
Low fire risk 100 / 84
Birdwoodton — Low fire risk: 100/100 Merbein South — Low fire risk: 84/100
Low flood risk 38 / 100
Birdwoodton — Low flood risk: 38/100 Merbein South — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Birdwoodton has more residents (748 vs 407); Birdwoodton has higher household incomes ($92,768 vs $81,692).

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Population 748
+46% vs other
 407
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +16.3% +0.5%
Median age 39 43
Median household income $92,768/yr
+12% vs other
 $81,692/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+5% vs other
 $285/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Birdwoodton Merbein South
0-4 6.4% / 4.9%
Birdwoodton — 0-4: 6.4% Merbein South — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 16.2% / 13.5%
Birdwoodton — 5-14: 16.2% Merbein South — 5-14: 13.5%
15-19 7.5% / 9.6%
Birdwoodton — 15-19: 7.5% Merbein South — 15-19: 9.6%
20-24 3.1% / 3.2%
Birdwoodton — 20-24: 3.1% Merbein South — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 11.1% / 7.6%
Birdwoodton — 25-34: 11.1% Merbein South — 25-34: 7.6%
35-44 12.6% / 14.7%
Birdwoodton — 35-44: 12.6% Merbein South — 35-44: 14.7%
45-54 14.6% / 14.0%
Birdwoodton — 45-54: 14.6% Merbein South — 45-54: 14.0%
55-64 13.6% / 15.0%
Birdwoodton — 55-64: 13.6% Merbein South — 55-64: 15.0%
65-74 8.0% / 13.8%
Birdwoodton — 65-74: 8.0% Merbein South — 65-74: 13.8%
75-84 5.1% / 4.4%
Birdwoodton — 75-84: 5.1% Merbein South — 75-84: 4.4%
85+ 1.5% / 1.0%
Birdwoodton — 85+: 1.5% Merbein South — 85+: 1.0%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Birdwoodton 60.4% couple families
Birdwoodton — Couple Families: 60.4% Birdwoodton — Lone Person: 21.5% Birdwoodton — One Parent Families: 16.1% Birdwoodton — Group Household: 2.0%
Merbein South 54.2% couple families
Merbein South — Couple Families: 54.2% Merbein South — Lone Person: 24.0% Merbein South — One Parent Families: 12.5% Merbein South — Group Household: 9.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Birdwoodton 8.5% renting
Birdwoodton — Owned Outright: 41.8% Birdwoodton — Mortgage: 49.8% Birdwoodton — Renting: 8.5%
Merbein South 12.9% renting
Merbein South — Owned Outright: 39.4% Merbein South — Mortgage: 47.7% Merbein South — Renting: 12.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Certificate III & IV 16.8% / 18.4%
Birdwoodton — Certificate III & IV: 16.8% Merbein South — Certificate III & IV: 18.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 6.1%
Birdwoodton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% Merbein South — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1%
Bachelor Degree 5.7% / 3.4%
Birdwoodton — Bachelor Degree: 5.7% Merbein South — Bachelor Degree: 3.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 0.7%
Birdwoodton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Merbein South — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7%
Postgraduate Degree 1.1% / 0.7%
Birdwoodton — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1% Merbein South — Postgraduate Degree: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.4%).

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.

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Italy 1.2% / 1.2%
Birdwoodton — Italy: 1.2% Merbein South — Italy: 1.2%
Malaysia 0.9% / —
Birdwoodton — Malaysia: 0.9% Merbein South — Malaysia: not among its largest
Vietnam 0.8% / —
Birdwoodton — Vietnam: 0.8% Merbein South — Vietnam: not among its largest
England — / 0.7%
Birdwoodton — England: not among its largest Merbein South — England: 0.7%
Taiwan 0.5% / —
Birdwoodton — Taiwan: 0.5% Merbein South — Taiwan: not among its largest
New Zealand 0.4% / —
Birdwoodton — New Zealand: 0.4% Merbein South — New Zealand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Birdwoodton 100.0% houses
Birdwoodton — Houses: 100.0% Birdwoodton — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Merbein South 98.6% houses
Merbein South — Houses: 98.6% Merbein South — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Median house price $805,000 $500,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Merbein South has more rural and farming land (76% vs 65%).

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Rural and farming 65% 76%
Parks and recreation 28% 4%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 20%
Residential 4% 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

Birdwoodton Merbein South
New dwellings approved 446
across Mildura
same for both
Approvals change year on year +29%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Birdwoodton Merbein South
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 62% of VIC Higher than 50% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 74% of VIC Higher than 38% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 2% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 73% of VIC Higher than 61% of VIC

Liveability

Birdwoodton is more walkable (12 vs 0).

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Grade C —
Score 40/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Birdwoodton carries more flood risk (62 vs 0); Merbein South carries more bushfire risk (16 vs 0).

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
16/100
Crime Moderate
58/100
 Moderate
69/100
Flood Moderate
62/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Birdwoodton Merbein South
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

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Parks & reserves 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Merbein South sits further from the CBD (554.2 km vs 549.3 km).

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Walkability score 12/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 549.3 km 554.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 372 min 375 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 3505
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 3505
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.

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Car (driver) 72.0% / 68.3%
Birdwoodton — Car (driver): 72.0% Merbein South — Car (driver): 68.3%
Worked from Home 15.2% / 17.5%
Birdwoodton — Worked from Home: 15.2% Merbein South — Worked from Home: 17.5%
Car (passenger) 6.4% / 8.2%
Birdwoodton — Car (passenger): 6.4% Merbein South — Car (passenger): 8.2%
Walked Only 6.4% / 6.0%
Birdwoodton — Walked Only: 6.4% Merbein South — Walked Only: 6.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.0%).

Setting

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Elevation 55 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 50 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Connectivity score 48/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 22%
289 premises
 0%
169 premises

Climate

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Annual rainfall 278 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 33.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 4.9°C
same for both

Council rates

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Average residential rate $2,340/yr
same for both
Council Mildura
same for both

Federal electorate

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Division Mallee
same for both
Member Anne Webster
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Birdwoodton Merbein South
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Birdwoodton

Acreage Family

Merbein South

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Birdwoodton

Birdwoodton vs Mildura Birdwoodton vs Merbein Birdwoodton vs Cabarita Birdwoodton vs Koorlong

Other comparisons with Merbein South

Merbein South vs Merbein Merbein South vs Koorlong Merbein South vs Merbein West Merbein South vs Wargan
Full data on Birdwoodton Full data on Merbein South
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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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