Bonnie Doon vs Howes Creek

Howes Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 46 against 54 in Bonnie Doon. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Bonnie Doon, about half of households are people living alone. In Howes Creek, most households are couple families. On these figures, Bonnie Doon tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Howes Creek suits families with children and 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

Howes Creek

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 45/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (58% vs 47%)
  • But Bonnie Doon has more parks and reserves (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Bonnie Doon

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (23% vs 29%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Howes Creek

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (23% vs 10%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 22%)
  • has cheaper rent ($238/wk vs $296/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Bonnie Doon

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (173.4 km vs 202.1 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (150 min vs 172 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Bonnie Doon has more residents already 65 and over (29% vs 10%)
  • Howes Creek carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 45/100)

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

Investors

Bonnie Doon

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (16.8% vs -4.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
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.

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
Walkability 0 / 0
Bonnie Doon — Walkability: 0/100 Howes Creek — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 55 / 78
Bonnie Doon — Safety: 55/100 Howes Creek — Safety: 78/100
Low fire risk 67 / 59
Bonnie Doon — Low fire risk: 67/100 Howes Creek — Low fire risk: 59/100
Low flood risk 24 / 8
Bonnie Doon — Low flood risk: 24/100 Howes Creek — Low flood risk: 8/100

Demographics

Bonnie Doon has more residents (666 vs 67); Bonnie Doon rents higher ($296/wk vs $238/wk).

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
Population 666
+90% vs other
 67
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +16.8% -4.3%
Median age 54 46
Median household income $68,380/yr $71,500/yr
+5% vs other
Median weekly rent $296/wk
+20% vs other
 $238/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
0-4 3.2% / —
Bonnie Doon — 0-4: 3.2% Howes Creek — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 5.6% / 20.9%
Bonnie Doon — 5-14: 5.6% Howes Creek — 5-14: 20.9%
15-19 5.6% / 4.5%
Bonnie Doon — 15-19: 5.6% Howes Creek — 15-19: 4.5%
20-24 2.6% / 7.5%
Bonnie Doon — 20-24: 2.6% Howes Creek — 20-24: 7.5%
25-34 11.3% / —
Bonnie Doon — 25-34: 11.3% Howes Creek — 25-34: not among its largest
35-44 6.8% / 10.4%
Bonnie Doon — 35-44: 6.8% Howes Creek — 35-44: 10.4%
45-54 16.5% / 19.4%
Bonnie Doon — 45-54: 16.5% Howes Creek — 45-54: 19.4%
55-64 20.4% / 16.4%
Bonnie Doon — 55-64: 20.4% Howes Creek — 55-64: 16.4%
65-74 21.5% / 10.4%
Bonnie Doon — 65-74: 21.5% Howes Creek — 65-74: 10.4%
75-84 6.8% / —
Bonnie Doon — 75-84: 6.8% Howes Creek — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ 0.8% / —
Bonnie Doon — 85+: 0.8% Howes Creek — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bonnie Doon 35.1% couple families
Bonnie Doon — Couple Families: 35.1% Bonnie Doon — Lone Person: 50.6% Bonnie Doon — One Parent Families: 11.7% Bonnie Doon — Group Household: 2.6%
Howes Creek 57.9% couple families
Howes Creek — Couple Families: 57.9% Howes Creek — Lone Person: 42.1% Howes Creek — One Parent Families: 0.0% Howes Creek — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bonnie Doon 9.7% renting
Bonnie Doon — Owned Outright: 59.3% Bonnie Doon — Mortgage: 31.0% Bonnie Doon — Renting: 9.7%
Howes Creek 22.7% renting
Howes Creek — Owned Outright: 36.4% Howes Creek — Mortgage: 40.9% Howes Creek — Renting: 22.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
Certificate III & IV 20.3% / 22.4%
Bonnie Doon — Certificate III & IV: 20.3% Howes Creek — Certificate III & IV: 22.4%
Bachelor Degree 9.6% / 14.9%
Bonnie Doon — Bachelor Degree: 9.6% Howes Creek — Bachelor Degree: 14.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.5% / 6.0%
Bonnie Doon — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5% Howes Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / —
Bonnie Doon — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Howes Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest
Postgraduate Degree 1.4% / —
Bonnie Doon — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4% Howes Creek — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.4%).

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.

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
South Africa — / 4.5%
Bonnie Doon — South Africa: not among its largest Howes Creek — South Africa: 4.5%
England 2.9% / —
Bonnie Doon — England: 2.9% Howes Creek — England: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.4% / —
Bonnie Doon — New Zealand: 1.4% Howes Creek — New Zealand: not among its largest
India 0.9% / —
Bonnie Doon — India: 0.9% Howes Creek — India: not among its largest
Germany 0.9% / —
Bonnie Doon — Germany: 0.9% Howes Creek — Germany: not among its largest
Netherlands 0.9% / —
Bonnie Doon — Netherlands: 0.9% Howes Creek — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bonnie Doon 97.8% houses
Bonnie Doon — Houses: 97.8% Bonnie Doon — Flats / Apartments: 2.2%
Howes Creek 100.0% houses
Howes Creek — Houses: 100.0% Howes Creek — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
Median house price $757,500 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $653,400 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 72 days
from 9 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
Rural and farming 64% 62%
Infrastructure and transport 15% 34%
Parks and recreation 20% 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

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
New dwellings approved 76
across Mansfield
same for both
Approvals change year on year -50%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 30% of VIC Higher than 35% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 22% of VIC Higher than 32% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption — Higher than 59% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 34% of VIC Higher than 59% of VIC

Liveability

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
Grade D —
Score 25/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
same for both

Risk profile

Bonnie Doon carries more crime risk (45 vs 22); Howes Creek carries more flood risk (92 vs 76).

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
Bushfire Low
33/100
 Moderate
41/100
Crime Moderate
45/100
 Low
22/100
Flood High
76/100
 High
92/100
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

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
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

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
Parks & reserves 4 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Waterways 13 1

Mobility

Howes Creek sits further from the CBD (202.1 km vs 173.4 km).

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 173.4 km 202.1 km
+17% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 150 min 172 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 3720
 0.6%
postcode 3723
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 40
postcode 3720
 33
postcode 3723

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.

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
Car (driver) 70.5% / 54.8%
Bonnie Doon — Car (driver): 70.5% Howes Creek — Car (driver): 54.8%
Worked from Home 20.8% / 45.2%
Bonnie Doon — Worked from Home: 20.8% Howes Creek — Worked from Home: 45.2%
Walked Only 4.5% / —
Bonnie Doon — Walked Only: 4.5% Howes Creek — Walked Only: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 4.2% / —
Bonnie Doon — Car (passenger): 4.2% Howes Creek — Car (passenger): not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.5%).

Setting

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
Elevation 280 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 284 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
Connectivity score 28/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
521 premises
 0%
36 premises

Climate

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
Annual rainfall 865 mm 810 mm
Summer max (Jan) 27.2°C 29.3°C
Winter min (Jul) 2.0°C 4.1°C

Council rates

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
Average residential rate $1,697/yr
same for both
Council Mansfield
same for both

Federal electorate

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
Division Indi
same for both
Member Helen Haines
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bonnie Doon Howes Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bonnie Doon

Retirees Rural

Howes Creek

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bonnie Doon

Bonnie Doon vs Strathbogie Bonnie Doon vs Maindample Bonnie Doon vs Barjarg Bonnie Doon vs Ancona Bonnie Doon vs Maintongoon Bonnie Doon vs Woodfield

Other comparisons with Howes Creek

Howes Creek vs Mansfield Howes Creek vs Goughs Bay Howes Creek vs Maindample
Full data on Bonnie Doon Full data on Howes Creek
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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