Brookfield vs Long Forest

Brookfield is the younger of the two, with a median age of 32 against 44 in Long Forest. In both, most households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Long Forest: a median of $1.07 million, against $605,000 in Brookfield, and rent is higher there too. Brookfield is closer to the city centre: 48 km, against 54.1 km. On these figures, Brookfield tends to suit families with children 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Brookfield has more childcare (11 vs 0)
  • Long Forest is already more of a family suburb (85% vs 74%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Brookfield has cheaper houses ($605,000 vs $1,070,000)
  • Long Forest leaves households under less mortgage stress (16% vs 23%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Brookfield

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $520/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Brookfield

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (40/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (48 km vs 54.1 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Brookfield is more walkable (40/100 vs 0/100)
  • Long Forest has more residents already 65 and over (16% vs 11%)

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

Investors

Brookfield

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (17.0% vs -5.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Brookfield Long Forest
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.

Brookfield Long Forest
Walkability 40 / 0
Brookfield — Walkability: 40/100 Long Forest — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 57 / 57
Brookfield — Safety: 57/100 Long Forest — Safety: 57/100
Low fire risk 34 / 34
Brookfield — Low fire risk: 34/100 Long Forest — Low fire risk: 34/100
Low flood risk 87 / 71
Brookfield — Low flood risk: 87/100 Long Forest — Low flood risk: 71/100

Demographics

Brookfield has more residents (10,782 vs 343); Long Forest rents higher ($520/wk vs $350/wk).

Brookfield Long Forest
Population 10,782
+97% vs other
 343
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +17.0% -5.0%
Median age 32 44
Median household income $85,384/yr $126,724/yr
+48% vs other
Median weekly rent $350/wk $520/wk
+49% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Brookfield Long Forest
0-4 8.9% / 1.5%
Brookfield — 0-4: 8.9% Long Forest — 0-4: 1.5%
5-14 17.9% / 13.1%
Brookfield — 5-14: 17.9% Long Forest — 5-14: 13.1%
15-19 6.4% / 10.2%
Brookfield — 15-19: 6.4% Long Forest — 15-19: 10.2%
20-24 6.1% / 5.5%
Brookfield — 20-24: 6.1% Long Forest — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 15.2% / 7.3%
Brookfield — 25-34: 15.2% Long Forest — 25-34: 7.3%
35-44 15.9% / 14.6%
Brookfield — 35-44: 15.9% Long Forest — 35-44: 14.6%
45-54 10.4% / 16.9%
Brookfield — 45-54: 10.4% Long Forest — 45-54: 16.9%
55-64 8.2% / 16.3%
Brookfield — 55-64: 8.2% Long Forest — 55-64: 16.3%
65-74 6.8% / 13.1%
Brookfield — 65-74: 6.8% Long Forest — 65-74: 13.1%
75-84 3.1% / 2.9%
Brookfield — 75-84: 3.1% Long Forest — 75-84: 2.9%
85+ 1.0% / —
Brookfield — 85+: 1.0% Long Forest — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Brookfield 55.0% couple families
Brookfield — Couple Families: 55.0% Brookfield — One Parent Families: 18.8% Brookfield — Lone Person: 22.4% Brookfield — Group Household: 2.3% Brookfield — Other Families: 1.5%
Long Forest 64.1% couple families
Long Forest — Couple Families: 64.1% Long Forest — One Parent Families: 20.5% Long Forest — Lone Person: 15.4% Long Forest — Group Household: 0.0% Long Forest — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Brookfield 30.0% renting
Brookfield — Owned Outright: 24.2% Brookfield — Mortgage: 45.8% Brookfield — Renting: 30.0%
Long Forest 0.0% renting
Long Forest — Owned Outright: 46.2% Long Forest — Mortgage: 53.8% Long Forest — Renting: 0.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Brookfield Long Forest
Certificate III & IV 13.4% / 20.1%
Brookfield — Certificate III & IV: 13.4% Long Forest — Certificate III & IV: 20.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.2% / 10.8%
Brookfield — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2% Long Forest — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.8%
Bachelor Degree 8.3% / 9.0%
Brookfield — Bachelor Degree: 8.3% Long Forest — Bachelor Degree: 9.0%
Postgraduate Degree 2.8% / 2.9%
Brookfield — Postgraduate Degree: 2.8% Long Forest — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 1.5%
Brookfield — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Long Forest — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.1%).

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.

Brookfield Long Forest
India 7.5% / —
Brookfield — India: 7.5% Long Forest — India: not among its largest
England 2.1% / 4.7%
Brookfield — England: 2.1% Long Forest — England: 4.7%
New Zealand 3.1% / 2.3%
Brookfield — New Zealand: 3.1% Long Forest — New Zealand: 2.3%
Philippines 2.4% / —
Brookfield — Philippines: 2.4% Long Forest — Philippines: not among its largest
Pakistan 1.4% / —
Brookfield — Pakistan: 1.4% Long Forest — Pakistan: not among its largest
Germany — / 0.9%
Brookfield — Germany: not among its largest Long Forest — Germany: 0.9%
Netherlands — / 0.9%
Brookfield — Netherlands: not among its largest Long Forest — Netherlands: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Brookfield 89.7% houses
Brookfield — Houses: 89.7% Brookfield — Townhouses: 10.3%
Long Forest 100.0% houses
Long Forest — Houses: 100.0% Long Forest — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

Brookfield Long Forest
Median house price $605,000 $1,070,000
Median unit price $450,000 —
Median land price $364,250 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 32 days
from 153 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Long Forest has more rural and farming land (58% vs 11%).

Brookfield Long Forest
Residential 65% 0%
Rural and farming 11% 58%
Parks and recreation 7% 37%
Infrastructure and transport 11% 5%
Environmental 5% 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

Brookfield Long Forest
New dwellings approved 4,602
across Melton
 338
across Moorabool
Approvals change year on year +5% +4%

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.

Brookfield Long Forest
Houses 3.8%
$470/wk on $637K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Brookfield Long Forest
House price Higher than 24% of VIC —
Income Higher than 55% of VIC —
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 38% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 82% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 72% of VIC Higher than 65% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of VIC Higher than 21% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 57% of VIC —

Liveability

Brookfield is more walkable (40 vs 0).

Brookfield Long Forest
Grade C —
Score 44/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Long Forest carries more flood risk (29 vs 13).

Brookfield Long Forest
Bushfire Moderate
66/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
43/100
same for both
Flood Low
13/100
 Low
29/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Brookfield Long Forest
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Brookfield

  • Melton Christian College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Binap Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Long Forest

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

Amenities in the suburb

Brookfield Long Forest
Parks & reserves 3 1
Childcare 11 0
Waterways 7 1

Mobility

Long Forest sits further from the CBD (54.1 km vs 48 km).

Brookfield Long Forest
Walkability score 40/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 48 km 54.1 km
+13% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 45 min 46 min
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 3338
 0.7%
postcode 3340
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 57
postcode 3338
 42
postcode 3340

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.

Brookfield Long Forest
Car (driver) 73.1% / 64.8%
Brookfield — Car (driver): 73.1% Long Forest — Car (driver): 64.8%
Worked from Home 17.5% / 25.5%
Brookfield — Worked from Home: 17.5% Long Forest — Worked from Home: 25.5%
Car (passenger) 5.7% / 6.1%
Brookfield — Car (passenger): 5.7% Long Forest — Car (passenger): 6.1%
Train 3.1% / 3.6%
Brookfield — Train: 3.1% Long Forest — Train: 3.6%
Walked Only 0.4% / —
Brookfield — Walked Only: 0.4% Long Forest — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.1%).

Setting

Brookfield Long Forest
Elevation 119 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 175 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 31.1 km 36.5 km

NBN connectivity

Brookfield Long Forest
Connectivity score 96/100 22/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 92%
4,078 premises
 0%
66 premises

Climate

Brookfield Long Forest
Annual rainfall 482 mm 778 mm
Summer max (Jan) 25.9°C —
Winter min (Jul) 6.2°C —

Air quality (annual mean)

Brookfield Long Forest
PM2.5 4.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Brookfield Long Forest
Average residential rate $1,779/yr $1,979/yr
Council Melton Moorabool

Federal electorate

Brookfield Long Forest
Division Hawke
same for both
Member Sam Rae
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Brookfield Long Forest
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Brookfield

Family Large Blocks Multicultural Outer Young Families

Long Forest

Acreage Outer

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Brookfield

Brookfield vs Melton South Brookfield vs Melton West Brookfield vs Melton Brookfield vs Weir Views Brookfield vs Hopetoun Park Brookfield vs Parwan

Other comparisons with Long Forest

Long Forest vs Harkness Long Forest vs Melton West Long Forest vs Hopetoun Park Long Forest vs Toolern Vale Long Forest vs Coimadai Long Forest vs Merrimu
Full data on Brookfield Full data on Long Forest
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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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