Brunswick vs Brunswick East

In both, about half of households rent and about half of households are people living alone. In Brunswick East, about half of homes are flats or apartments. Houses cost more in Brunswick East: a median of $1.44 million, against $1.26 million in Brunswick.

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

Brunswick

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (14 vs 6)
  • has more parks and reserves (29 vs 16)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (35% vs 23%)
  • But Brunswick East has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Brunswick

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,260,000 vs $1,435,000)

Weighs house prices, unit 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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Brunswick has more GPs (14 vs 4)
  • Brunswick East has more units and townhouses to downsize into (77% vs 65%)

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

Investors

Brunswick East

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (15.4% vs 1.7%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Brunswick Brunswick East
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.

Brunswick Brunswick East
Walkability 99 / 94
Brunswick — Walkability: 99/100 Brunswick East — Walkability: 94/100
Safety 18 / 25
Brunswick — Safety: 18/100 Brunswick East — Safety: 25/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Brunswick — Low fire risk: 100/100 Brunswick East — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 56 / 37
Brunswick — Low flood risk: 56/100 Brunswick East — Low flood risk: 37/100

Demographics

Brunswick has more residents (24,896 vs 13,279).

Brunswick Brunswick East
Population 24,896
+47% vs other
 13,279
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.7% +15.4%
Median age 34 33
Median household income $108,992/yr $108,576/yr
Median weekly rent $441/wk
+5% vs other
 $421/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Brunswick Brunswick East
0-4 3.9% / 3.7%
Brunswick — 0-4: 3.9% Brunswick East — 0-4: 3.7%
5-14 6.3% / 5.7%
Brunswick — 5-14: 6.3% Brunswick East — 5-14: 5.7%
15-19 2.7% / 2.7%
Brunswick — 15-19: 2.7% Brunswick East — 15-19: 2.7%
20-24 9.3% / 8.1%
Brunswick — 20-24: 9.3% Brunswick East — 20-24: 8.1%
25-34 29.2% / 33.5%
Brunswick — 25-34: 29.2% Brunswick East — 25-34: 33.5%
35-44 17.8% / 20.0%
Brunswick — 35-44: 17.8% Brunswick East — 35-44: 20.0%
45-54 11.2% / 10.6%
Brunswick — 45-54: 11.2% Brunswick East — 45-54: 10.6%
55-64 8.4% / 7.0%
Brunswick — 55-64: 8.4% Brunswick East — 55-64: 7.0%
65-74 5.7% / 4.5%
Brunswick — 65-74: 5.7% Brunswick East — 65-74: 4.5%
75-84 3.7% / 2.8%
Brunswick — 75-84: 3.7% Brunswick East — 75-84: 2.8%
85+ 1.8% / 1.3%
Brunswick — 85+: 1.8% Brunswick East — 85+: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (33.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Brunswick 47.0% lone person
Brunswick — Lone Person: 47.0% Brunswick — Couple Families: 23.2% Brunswick — Group Household: 19.4% Brunswick — One Parent Families: 8.1% Brunswick — Other Families: 2.3%
Brunswick East 53.3% lone person
Brunswick East — Lone Person: 53.3% Brunswick East — Couple Families: 19.3% Brunswick East — Group Household: 17.2% Brunswick East — One Parent Families: 8.0% Brunswick East — Other Families: 2.1%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Brunswick 49.1% renting
Brunswick — Owned Outright: 24.2% Brunswick — Mortgage: 26.8% Brunswick — Renting: 49.1%
Brunswick East 54.5% renting
Brunswick East — Owned Outright: 18.4% Brunswick East — Mortgage: 27.1% Brunswick East — Renting: 54.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Brunswick Brunswick East
Bachelor Degree 29.4% / 31.3%
Brunswick — Bachelor Degree: 29.4% Brunswick East — Bachelor Degree: 31.3%
Postgraduate Degree 15.6% / 16.4%
Brunswick — Postgraduate Degree: 15.6% Brunswick East — Postgraduate Degree: 16.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.7% / 7.0%
Brunswick — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7% Brunswick East — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Certificate III & IV 6.1% / 6.2%
Brunswick — Certificate III & IV: 6.1% Brunswick East — Certificate III & IV: 6.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.7% / 5.0%
Brunswick — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.7% Brunswick East — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 5.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (31.3%).

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.

Brunswick Brunswick East
England 3.6% / 3.9%
Brunswick — England: 3.6% Brunswick East — England: 3.9%
New Zealand 3.0% / 3.0%
Brunswick — New Zealand: 3.0% Brunswick East — New Zealand: 3.0%
Italy 2.6% / 2.8%
Brunswick — Italy: 2.6% Brunswick East — Italy: 2.8%
Greece 2.5% / 1.3%
Brunswick — Greece: 2.5% Brunswick East — Greece: 1.3%
China 1.2% / 1.0%
Brunswick — China: 1.2% Brunswick East — China: 1.0%
Malaysia 0.9% / 1.0%
Brunswick — Malaysia: 0.9% Brunswick East — Malaysia: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Brunswick 35.4% flats / apartments
Brunswick — Flats / Apartments: 35.4% Brunswick — Houses: 35.3% Brunswick — Townhouses: 29.3%
Brunswick East 51.6% flats / apartments
Brunswick East — Flats / Apartments: 51.6% Brunswick East — Houses: 22.6% Brunswick East — Townhouses: 25.8%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Brunswick Brunswick East
Median house price $1,260,000 $1,435,000
Median unit price $555,000 $530,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 23 days
from 169 sales
 23 days
from 93 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.

Brunswick Brunswick East
2 bed $1.12M / $1.21M
Brunswick — 2 bed: $1.12M (118 sales) Brunswick East — 2 bed: $1.21M (40 sales)

118 vs 40 sales

3 bed $1.36M / $1.46M
Brunswick — 3 bed: $1.36M (131 sales) Brunswick East — 3 bed: $1.46M (73 sales)

131 vs 73 sales

4 bed $1.5M / $1.77M
Brunswick — 4 bed: $1.5M (32 sales) Brunswick East — 4 bed: $1.77M (20 sales)

32 vs 20 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Brunswick Brunswick East
1 bed $376K / $388K
Brunswick — 1 bed: $376K (173 sales) Brunswick East — 1 bed: $388K (128 sales)

173 vs 128 sales

2 bed $629K / $585K
Brunswick — 2 bed: $629K (301 sales) Brunswick East — 2 bed: $585K (212 sales)

301 vs 212 sales

3 bed $1.06M / $820K
Brunswick — 3 bed: $1.06M (29 sales) Brunswick East — 3 bed: $820K (20 sales)

29 vs 20 sales

Zoning mix

Brunswick Brunswick East
Residential 68% 63%
Parks and recreation 5% 15%
Commercial 11% 12%
Industrial 11% 4%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 4%
Other and special use 0% 2%
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

Brunswick Brunswick East
New dwellings approved 1,387
across Merri-bek
same for both
Approvals change year on year +68%
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.

Brunswick Brunswick East
Houses 3.8%
$880/wk on $1.2M
 3.5%
$840/wk on $1.25M
Units 5.5%
$625/wk on $592K
 5.5%
$580/wk on $545K

Ranking within VIC

Brunswick Brunswick East
House price Higher than 81% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
Income Higher than 81% of VIC
same for both
Schools Higher than 19% of VIC Higher than 72% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 100% of VIC Higher than 98% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 25% of VIC Higher than 24% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 92% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 97% of VIC Higher than 98% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 56% of VIC Higher than 36% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 83% of VIC Higher than 85% of VIC

Liveability

Brunswick East scores higher overall (76 vs 64).

Brunswick Brunswick East
Grade B A
Score 64/100 76/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Brunswick East carries more flood risk (63 vs 44).

Brunswick Brunswick East
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
82/100
 High
75/100
Flood Moderate
44/100
 Moderate
63/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 11
within 5 km
 15
within 5 km

Schools

Brunswick Brunswick East
Inside the suburb 3
same for both
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 2 1
Universities within 10 km 3
The University of Melbourne, 2.4 km
 3
The University of Melbourne, 3.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 4.3% 3.8%

Schools in Brunswick

  • Brunswick Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Margaret Mary's School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Sydney Road Community School Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in Brunswick East

  • Our Lady Help of Christians School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Brunswick East Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Brunswick South Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Brunswick Brunswick East
Supermarkets 12 6
Cafes & restaurants 132 65
Parks & reserves 29 16
Childcare 14 6
GPs 14 4
Pharmacies 7 4
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 4 2
Fuel stations 2
same for both
EV chargers 5 1

Mobility

Brunswick Brunswick East
Walkability score 99/100 94/100
Distance to Melbourne 5.6 km 5.9 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 15 min
same for both
Public transport score 96/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
 81/100
Tram · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 516.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 430.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.7%
postcode 3056
 1.7%
postcode 3057
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 14
postcode 3056
 11
postcode 3057

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.

Brunswick Brunswick East
Worked from Home 52.1% / 54.8%
Brunswick — Worked from Home: 52.1% Brunswick East — Worked from Home: 54.8%
Car (driver) 24.7% / 24.5%
Brunswick — Car (driver): 24.7% Brunswick East — Car (driver): 24.5%
Bicycle 7.0% / 6.5%
Brunswick — Bicycle: 7.0% Brunswick East — Bicycle: 6.5%
Tram / Light Rail 5.5% / 7.3%
Brunswick — Tram / Light Rail: 5.5% Brunswick East — Tram / Light Rail: 7.3%
Walked Only 4.4% / 3.4%
Brunswick — Walked Only: 4.4% Brunswick East — Walked Only: 3.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (54.8%).

Setting

Brunswick Brunswick East
Elevation 53 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 48 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.7 km 9.0 km

NBN connectivity

Brunswick Brunswick East
Connectivity score 91/100 96/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 67%
15,802 premises
 86%
8,455 premises

Climate

Brunswick Brunswick East
Annual rainfall 534 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Brunswick Brunswick East
PM2.5 7.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Brunswick Brunswick East
Average residential rate $1,914/yr
same for both
Council Merri-bek
same for both

Federal electorate

Brunswick Brunswick East
Division Wills
same for both
Member Peter Khalil
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Brunswick Brunswick East
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Brunswick

Apartments Arts Cafe Culture Easy Commute Gentrifying Inner Nightlife Parks Professionals Townhouses Trams Transport Hub Urban

Brunswick East

Apartments Cafe Culture Gentrifying Inner Nightlife Parks Professionals Townhouses Trams Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Brunswick

Brunswick vs Coburg Brunswick vs Brunswick West Brunswick vs Parkville Brunswick vs Carlton North Brunswick vs Princes Hill

Other comparisons with Brunswick East

Brunswick East vs Coburg Brunswick East vs Northcote Brunswick East vs Thornbury Brunswick East vs Fitzroy North Brunswick East vs Carlton North Brunswick East vs Princes Hill
Full data on Brunswick Full data on Brunswick East
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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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