Bright vs Wandiligong

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Bright, about half of households are people living alone. In Wandiligong, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Bright: a median of $1.12 million, against $845,000 in Wandiligong, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Bright tends to suit people living alone, while Wandiligong suits families with children, couples, and 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

Wandiligong

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (11/100 vs 55/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (62% vs 46%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (101% vs 86%)
  • But Bright has more parks and reserves (14 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Wandiligong

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (20% vs 28%)
  • has cheaper houses ($845,000 vs $1,122,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Wandiligong

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 22%)
  • has cheaper rent ($275/wk vs $300/wk)
  • But Bright has a bigger rental market to choose from (24% vs 12%)

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

Commuting to the city

Wandiligong

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (231 min vs 289 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (333.1 km vs 345.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Bright

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (5 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (28% vs 20%)
  • But Wandiligong carries lower crime risk (11/100 vs 55/100)

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

Investors

Wandiligong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (15.2% vs 8.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bright Wandiligong
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.

Bright Wandiligong
Walkability 0 / 0
Bright — Walkability: 0/100 Wandiligong — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 45 / 89
Bright — Safety: 45/100 Wandiligong — Safety: 89/100
Low fire risk 4 / 1
Bright — Low fire risk: 4/100 Wandiligong — Low fire risk: 1/100
Low flood risk 86 / 100
Bright — Low flood risk: 86/100 Wandiligong — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Bright has more residents (2,620 vs 522); Wandiligong has higher household incomes ($83,980 vs $70,304).

Bright Wandiligong
Population 2,620
+80% vs other
 522
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.9% +15.2%
Median age 49 47
Median household income $70,304/yr $83,980/yr
+19% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+8% vs other
 $275/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bright Wandiligong
0-4 3.3% / 4.0%
Bright — 0-4: 3.3% Wandiligong — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 11.4% / 16.7%
Bright — 5-14: 11.4% Wandiligong — 5-14: 16.7%
15-19 4.8% / 4.6%
Bright — 15-19: 4.8% Wandiligong — 15-19: 4.6%
20-24 4.3% / 1.1%
Bright — 20-24: 4.3% Wandiligong — 20-24: 1.1%
25-34 8.8% / 7.1%
Bright — 25-34: 8.8% Wandiligong — 25-34: 7.1%
35-44 12.0% / 13.0%
Bright — 35-44: 12.0% Wandiligong — 35-44: 13.0%
45-54 13.3% / 15.5%
Bright — 45-54: 13.3% Wandiligong — 45-54: 15.5%
55-64 14.4% / 16.1%
Bright — 55-64: 14.4% Wandiligong — 55-64: 16.1%
65-74 14.8% / 12.6%
Bright — 65-74: 14.8% Wandiligong — 65-74: 12.6%
75-84 9.6% / 6.5%
Bright — 75-84: 9.6% Wandiligong — 75-84: 6.5%
85+ 3.2% / 1.3%
Bright — 85+: 3.2% Wandiligong — 85+: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bright 33.4% couple families
Bright — Couple Families: 33.4% Bright — Lone Person: 47.4% Bright — One Parent Families: 12.6% Bright — Group Household: 5.6% Bright — Other Families: 1.0%
Wandiligong 51.3% couple families
Wandiligong — Couple Families: 51.3% Wandiligong — Lone Person: 34.5% Wandiligong — One Parent Families: 10.6% Wandiligong — Group Household: 3.5% Wandiligong — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bright 24.5% renting
Bright — Owned Outright: 47.6% Bright — Mortgage: 27.9% Bright — Renting: 24.5%
Wandiligong 11.9% renting
Wandiligong — Owned Outright: 48.0% Wandiligong — Mortgage: 40.1% Wandiligong — Renting: 11.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bright Wandiligong
Certificate III & IV 14.6% / 15.3%
Bright — Certificate III & IV: 14.6% Wandiligong — Certificate III & IV: 15.3%
Bachelor Degree 14.0% / 12.8%
Bright — Bachelor Degree: 14.0% Wandiligong — Bachelor Degree: 12.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.5% / 10.3%
Bright — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5% Wandiligong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3%
Postgraduate Degree 3.5% / 5.2%
Bright — Postgraduate Degree: 3.5% Wandiligong — Postgraduate Degree: 5.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / 2.3%
Bright — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% Wandiligong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

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

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.

Bright Wandiligong
England 5.5% / 4.0%
Bright — England: 5.5% Wandiligong — England: 4.0%
New Zealand 1.5% / 0.8%
Bright — New Zealand: 1.5% Wandiligong — New Zealand: 0.8%
Germany 1.1% / 1.0%
Bright — Germany: 1.1% Wandiligong — Germany: 1.0%
Italy 0.5% / 1.3%
Bright — Italy: 0.5% Wandiligong — Italy: 1.3%
Canada 0.5% / 0.6%
Bright — Canada: 0.5% Wandiligong — Canada: 0.6%
France — / 0.8%
Bright — France: not among its largest Wandiligong — France: 0.8%
South Africa 0.7% / —
Bright — South Africa: 0.7% Wandiligong — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bright 86.0% houses
Bright — Houses: 86.0% Bright — Townhouses: 11.0% Bright — Flats / Apartments: 3.0%
Wandiligong 101.1% houses
Wandiligong — Houses: 101.1% Wandiligong — Townhouses: 0.0% Wandiligong — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bright Wandiligong
Median house price $1,122,500 $845,000
Median unit price $622,500 —
Median land price $737,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 120 days
from 14 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Wandiligong has more rural and farming land (43% vs 19%).

Bright Wandiligong
Parks and recreation 76% 56%
Rural and farming 19% 43%
Residential 3% 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

Bright Wandiligong
New dwellings approved 32
across Alpine
same for both
Approvals change year on year -42%
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.

Bright Wandiligong
Houses 2.6%
$602/wk on $1.19M
 —
Units 3.5%
$420/wk on $624K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Bright Wandiligong
House price Higher than 71% of VIC —
Income Higher than 32% of VIC Higher than 51% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 4% of VIC Higher than 29% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 11% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 79% of VIC Higher than 93% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 92% of VIC Higher than 42% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 5% of VIC —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 2% of VIC —

Liveability

Wandiligong scores higher overall (46 vs 28).

Bright Wandiligong
Grade D C
Score 28/100 46/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Bright carries more flood risk (14 vs 0); Bright carries more crime risk (55 vs 11).

Bright Wandiligong
Bushfire High
96/100
 High
99/100
Crime Moderate
55/100
 Low
11/100
Flood Low
14/100
 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

Bright Wandiligong
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Bright

  • Bright P-12 College Government · Combined at peers

Schools in Wandiligong

  • Wandiligong Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Bright Wandiligong
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 18 1
Parks & reserves 14 1
Childcare 2 0
GPs 5 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 0
Fuel stations 3 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 30 76

Mobility

Bright sits further from the CBD (345.9 km vs 333.1 km).

Bright Wandiligong
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 345.9 km
+4% vs other
 333.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 289 min 231 min
Electric vehicle share 1.1%
postcode 3741
 1.8%
postcode 3744
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 45
postcode 3741
 48
postcode 3744

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.

Bright Wandiligong
Car (driver) 55.2% / 62.1%
Bright — Car (driver): 55.2% Wandiligong — Car (driver): 62.1%
Worked from Home 25.1% / 26.7%
Bright — Worked from Home: 25.1% Wandiligong — Worked from Home: 26.7%
Walked Only 13.0% / 5.1%
Bright — Walked Only: 13.0% Wandiligong — Walked Only: 5.1%
Car (passenger) 3.6% / 4.6%
Bright — Car (passenger): 3.6% Wandiligong — Car (passenger): 4.6%
Bicycle 2.8% / 1.5%
Bright — Bicycle: 2.8% Wandiligong — Bicycle: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.1%).

Setting

Bright Wandiligong
Elevation 900 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 384 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Bright Wandiligong
Connectivity score 84/100 29/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 45%
2,112 premises
 0%
278 premises

Climate

Bright Wandiligong
Annual rainfall 895 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Bright Wandiligong
Average residential rate $1,945/yr
same for both
Council Alpine
same for both

Federal electorate

Bright Wandiligong
Division Indi
same for both
Member Helen Haines
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bright Wandiligong
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bright

Retirees Rural

Wandiligong

River Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bright

Bright vs Porepunkah Bright vs Tawonga Bright vs Buckland Bright vs Coral Bank Bright vs Kancoona

Other comparisons with Wandiligong

Wandiligong vs Harrietville Wandiligong vs Buckland Wandiligong vs Freeburgh Wandiligong vs Smoko
Full data on Bright Full data on Wandiligong
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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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