Bruthen vs Toorloo Arm

Comparing Bruthen and Toorloo Arm, VIC: Bruthen scores higher overall (23 vs 9); Toorloo Arm carries more crime risk (91 vs 44); and Bruthen has more residents (820 vs 509).

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

Bruthen

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (44/100 vs 91/100)
  • 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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Toorloo Arm

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (24% vs 12%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (13% vs 21%)
  • has cheaper rent ($170/wk vs $250/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Bruthen

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (311.1 km vs 332 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (242 min vs 249 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Bruthen

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (44/100 vs 91/100)

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

Investors

Toorloo Arm

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (40.6% vs 0.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
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.

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Walkability 0 / 0
Bruthen — Walkability: 0/100 Toorloo Arm — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 56 / 9
Bruthen — Safety: 56/100 Toorloo Arm — Safety: 9/100
Low fire risk 4 / 12
Bruthen — Low fire risk: 4/100 Toorloo Arm — Low fire risk: 12/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Bruthen — Low flood risk: 100/100 Toorloo Arm — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Bruthen has more residents (820 vs 509); Bruthen rents higher ($250/wk vs $170/wk).

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Population 820
+38% vs other
 509
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.7% +40.6%
Median age 43 45
Median household income $62,296/yr $68,484/yr
+10% vs other
Median weekly rent $250/wk
+32% vs other
 $170/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
0-4 6.1% / 5.3%
Bruthen — 0-4: 6.1% Toorloo Arm — 0-4: 5.3%
5-14 12.4% / 14.5%
Bruthen — 5-14: 12.4% Toorloo Arm — 5-14: 14.5%
15-19 5.0% / 6.5%
Bruthen — 15-19: 5.0% Toorloo Arm — 15-19: 6.5%
20-24 3.5% / 5.9%
Bruthen — 20-24: 3.5% Toorloo Arm — 20-24: 5.9%
25-34 12.9% / 7.5%
Bruthen — 25-34: 12.9% Toorloo Arm — 25-34: 7.5%
35-44 11.5% / 9.0%
Bruthen — 35-44: 11.5% Toorloo Arm — 35-44: 9.0%
45-54 12.0% / 16.9%
Bruthen — 45-54: 12.0% Toorloo Arm — 45-54: 16.9%
55-64 17.6% / 17.7%
Bruthen — 55-64: 17.6% Toorloo Arm — 55-64: 17.7%
65-74 10.7% / 10.8%
Bruthen — 65-74: 10.7% Toorloo Arm — 65-74: 10.8%
75-84 5.5% / 5.1%
Bruthen — 75-84: 5.5% Toorloo Arm — 75-84: 5.1%
85+ 1.8% / 1.0%
Bruthen — 85+: 1.8% Toorloo Arm — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bruthen 38.1% couple families
Bruthen — Couple Families: 38.1% Bruthen — Lone Person: 41.5% Bruthen — One Parent Families: 16.1% Bruthen — Group Household: 2.5% Bruthen — Other Families: 1.7%
Toorloo Arm 37.2% couple families
Toorloo Arm — Couple Families: 37.2% Toorloo Arm — Lone Person: 33.6% Toorloo Arm — One Parent Families: 21.2% Toorloo Arm — Group Household: 8.0% Toorloo Arm — 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.

Bruthen 11.9% renting
Bruthen — Owned Outright: 42.2% Bruthen — Mortgage: 45.9% Bruthen — Renting: 11.9%
Toorloo Arm 23.8% renting
Toorloo Arm — Owned Outright: 39.2% Toorloo Arm — Mortgage: 37.1% Toorloo Arm — Renting: 23.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
England 2.4% / 3.9%
Bruthen — England: 2.4% Toorloo Arm — England: 3.9%
New Zealand 0.4% / 0.8%
Bruthen — New Zealand: 0.4% Toorloo Arm — New Zealand: 0.8%
Netherlands 1.0% / —
Bruthen — Netherlands: 1.0% Toorloo Arm — Netherlands: not among its largest

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

Qualifications

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

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Certificate III & IV 18.3% / 15.7%
Bruthen — Certificate III & IV: 18.3% Toorloo Arm — Certificate III & IV: 15.7%
Bachelor Degree 7.4% / 6.3%
Bruthen — Bachelor Degree: 7.4% Toorloo Arm — Bachelor Degree: 6.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.5% / 3.9%
Bruthen — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5% Toorloo Arm — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.9% / 1.8%
Bruthen — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9% Toorloo Arm — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%
Postgraduate Degree 1.8% / 1.0%
Bruthen — Postgraduate Degree: 1.8% Toorloo Arm — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bruthen 95.5% houses
Bruthen — Houses: 95.5% Bruthen — Flats / Apartments: 1.8% Bruthen — Townhouses: 2.7%
Toorloo Arm 93.5% houses
Toorloo Arm — Houses: 93.5% Toorloo Arm — Flats / Apartments: 6.5% Toorloo Arm — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Median house price $482,500 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $491,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 147 days
from 7 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Bruthen has more rural and farming land (55% vs 11%).

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Parks and recreation 40% 80%
Rural and farming 55% 11%
Other and special use 0% 8%
Residential 3% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 1%
same for both
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

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
New dwellings approved 386
across East Gippsland
same for both
Approvals change year on year +50%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 23% of VIC Higher than 30% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 49% of VIC Higher than 56% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 51% of VIC Higher than 30% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 45% of VIC Higher than 32% of VIC

Liveability

Bruthen scores higher overall (23 vs 9).

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Grade D
same for both
Score 23/100 9/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Toorloo Arm carries more crime risk (91 vs 44).

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Bushfire High
96/100
 High
88/100
Crime Moderate
44/100
 High
91/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
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

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Bruthen

  • Bruthen Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Toorloo Arm

  • Toorloo Arm Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 6 0
Childcare 1 0
GPs 1
same for both
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 4 3

Mobility

Toorloo Arm sits further from the CBD (332 km vs 311.1 km).

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 311.1 km 332 km
+7% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 242 min 249 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 3885
 0.3%
postcode 3909
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 55
postcode 3885
 41
postcode 3909

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.

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Car (driver) 72.2% / 79.1%
Bruthen — Car (driver): 72.2% Toorloo Arm — Car (driver): 79.1%
Worked from Home 16.0% / 14.2%
Bruthen — Worked from Home: 16.0% Toorloo Arm — Worked from Home: 14.2%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 4.5%
Bruthen — Car (passenger): 4.8% Toorloo Arm — Car (passenger): 4.5%
Walked Only 7.0% / 2.2%
Bruthen — Walked Only: 7.0% Toorloo Arm — Walked Only: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.1%).

Setting

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Elevation 21 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 55 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 21.2 km 7.7 km

NBN connectivity

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Connectivity score 29/100 27/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
434 premises
 0%
159 premises

Climate

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Annual rainfall 620 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 4.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Average residential rate $1,807/yr
same for both
Council East Gippsland
same for both

Federal electorate

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Division Gippsland
same for both
Member Darren Chester
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bruthen Toorloo Arm
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bruthen

Affordable Rural

Toorloo Arm

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bruthen

Bruthen vs Tambo Upper Bruthen vs Nowa Nowa Bruthen vs Wiseleigh Bruthen vs Mossiface

Other comparisons with Toorloo Arm

Toorloo Arm vs Lakes Entrance Toorloo Arm vs Lake Tyers Beach Toorloo Arm vs Tambo Upper Toorloo Arm vs Nowa Nowa Toorloo Arm vs Kalimna West
Full data on Bruthen Full data on Toorloo Arm
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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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