Bundoora vs Watsonia North

Bundoora is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 41 in Watsonia North. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Watsonia North, about half of households are couple families. Bundoora is closer to the city centre: 17.2 km, against 22.8 km. On these figures, Watsonia North tends to suit 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

They split

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

  • Bundoora has more parks and reserves (75 vs 9)
  • Watsonia North carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 77/100)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Bundoora

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (29% vs 13%)

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

Commuting to the city

Bundoora

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (95/100 vs 59/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (17.2 km vs 22.8 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Bundoora

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (24% vs 2%)
  • has more GPs (11 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (95/100 vs 59/100)
  • But Watsonia North carries lower crime risk (43/100 vs 77/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bundoora Watsonia North
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.

Bundoora Watsonia North
Walkability 95 / 59
Bundoora — Walkability: 95/100 Watsonia North — Walkability: 59/100
Safety 23 / 57
Bundoora — Safety: 23/100 Watsonia North — Safety: 57/100
Low fire risk 44 / 100
Bundoora — Low fire risk: 44/100 Watsonia North — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 58 / 71
Bundoora — Low flood risk: 58/100 Watsonia North — Low flood risk: 71/100

Demographics

Bundoora has more residents (28,068 vs 3,799); Watsonia North has higher household incomes ($107,588 vs $86,736).

Bundoora Watsonia North
Population 28,068
+86% vs other
 3,799
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -2.0% -0.4%
Median age 38 41
Median household income $86,736/yr $107,588/yr
+24% vs other
Median weekly rent $381/wk $401/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bundoora Watsonia North
0-4 4.8% / 5.9%
Bundoora — 0-4: 4.8% Watsonia North — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 9.6% / 12.4%
Bundoora — 5-14: 9.6% Watsonia North — 5-14: 12.4%
15-19 6.2% / 4.9%
Bundoora — 15-19: 6.2% Watsonia North — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 9.7% / 5.4%
Bundoora — 20-24: 9.7% Watsonia North — 20-24: 5.4%
25-34 15.7% / 12.4%
Bundoora — 25-34: 15.7% Watsonia North — 25-34: 12.4%
35-44 12.1% / 14.2%
Bundoora — 35-44: 12.1% Watsonia North — 35-44: 14.2%
45-54 12.9% / 12.9%
Bundoora — 45-54: 12.9% Watsonia North — 45-54: 12.9%
55-64 11.3% / 11.3%
Bundoora — 55-64: 11.3% Watsonia North — 55-64: 11.3%
65-74 9.0% / 11.6%
Bundoora — 65-74: 9.0% Watsonia North — 65-74: 11.6%
75-84 6.1% / 7.5%
Bundoora — 75-84: 6.1% Watsonia North — 75-84: 7.5%
85+ 2.6% / 1.6%
Bundoora — 85+: 2.6% Watsonia North — 85+: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bundoora 44.2% couple families
Bundoora — Couple Families: 44.2% Bundoora — Lone Person: 30.3% Bundoora — One Parent Families: 15.1% Bundoora — Group Household: 8.3% Bundoora — Other Families: 2.1%
Watsonia North 54.8% couple families
Watsonia North — Couple Families: 54.8% Watsonia North — Lone Person: 24.6% Watsonia North — One Parent Families: 16.0% Watsonia North — Group Household: 2.9% Watsonia North — Other Families: 1.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bundoora 28.6% renting
Bundoora — Owned Outright: 37.9% Bundoora — Mortgage: 33.5% Bundoora — Renting: 28.6%
Watsonia North 12.6% renting
Watsonia North — Owned Outright: 46.3% Watsonia North — Mortgage: 41.1% Watsonia North — Renting: 12.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bundoora Watsonia North
Bachelor Degree 15.6% / 15.8%
Bundoora — Bachelor Degree: 15.6% Watsonia North — Bachelor Degree: 15.8%
Certificate III & IV 10.2% / 13.3%
Bundoora — Certificate III & IV: 10.2% Watsonia North — Certificate III & IV: 13.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 8.7%
Bundoora — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Watsonia North — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7%
Postgraduate Degree 6.9% / 5.8%
Bundoora — Postgraduate Degree: 6.9% Watsonia North — Postgraduate Degree: 5.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.0% / 2.9%
Bundoora — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0% Watsonia North — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.8%).

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.

Bundoora Watsonia North
China 7.6% / 2.5%
Bundoora — China: 7.6% Watsonia North — China: 2.5%
India 4.0% / 1.6%
Bundoora — India: 4.0% Watsonia North — India: 1.6%
Italy 2.2% / 2.3%
Bundoora — Italy: 2.2% Watsonia North — Italy: 2.3%
Greece 2.0% / 1.7%
Bundoora — Greece: 2.0% Watsonia North — Greece: 1.7%
England 1.3% / 1.9%
Bundoora — England: 1.3% Watsonia North — England: 1.9%
Sri Lanka 2.2% / 0.8%
Bundoora — Sri Lanka: 2.2% Watsonia North — Sri Lanka: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bundoora 76.1% houses
Bundoora — Houses: 76.1% Bundoora — Townhouses: 14.8% Bundoora — Flats / Apartments: 9.1%
Watsonia North 98.2% houses
Watsonia North — Houses: 98.2% Watsonia North — Townhouses: 1.7% Watsonia North — Flats / Apartments: 0.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bundoora Watsonia North
Median house price $875,000 $927,500
Median unit price $432,750 —
Median land price $980,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 316 sales
 25 days
from 25 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.

Bundoora Watsonia North
3 bed $850K / $895K
Bundoora — 3 bed: $850K (314 sales) Watsonia North — 3 bed: $895K (47 sales)

314 vs 47 sales

4 bed $1M / $1.1M
Bundoora — 4 bed: $1M (136 sales) Watsonia North — 4 bed: $1.1M (23 sales)

136 vs 23 sales

5 bed $1.02M / $1.15M
Bundoora — 5 bed: $1.02M (28 sales) Watsonia North — 5 bed: $1.15M (8 sales)

28 vs 8 sales

Zoning mix

Bundoora Watsonia North
Residential 43% 80%
Infrastructure and transport 23% 10%
Parks and recreation 23% 9%
Other and special use 7% 0%
Industrial 3% 0%
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

Bundoora Watsonia North
New dwellings approved 722
across Banyule
same for both
Approvals change year on year -75%
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.

Bundoora Watsonia North
Houses 3.8%
$600/wk on $820K
 4.0%
$725/wk on $938K
Units 5.3%
$460/wk on $450K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Bundoora Watsonia North
House price Higher than 63% of VIC Higher than 65% of VIC
Income Higher than 57% of VIC Higher than 80% of VIC
Schools Higher than 62% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 98% of VIC Higher than 87% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 39% of VIC Higher than 58% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 79% of VIC Higher than 83% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 54% of VIC Higher than 69% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 76% of VIC —

Liveability

Bundoora is more walkable (95 vs 59); Watsonia North scores higher overall (76 vs 57).

Bundoora Watsonia North
Grade B A
Score 57/100 76/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Bundoora carries more bushfire risk (56 vs 0); Bundoora carries more crime risk (77 vs 43).

Bundoora Watsonia North
Bushfire Moderate
56/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
77/100
 Moderate
43/100
Flood Moderate
42/100
 Low
29/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 8
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Bundoora Watsonia North
Inside the suburb 7 1
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 3 1
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 2
Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus, 0.0 km
 2
Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus, 2.3 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 5.4% 2.1%

Schools in Bundoora

  • Northside Christian College Independent · Combined above peers
  • St Damian's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Bundoora Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Norris Bank Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Parade College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Bundoora Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Watsonia North

  • Watsonia North Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Bundoora Watsonia North
Supermarkets 8 0
Cafes & restaurants 46 0
Parks & reserves 75 9
Childcare 17 3
GPs 11 0
Pharmacies 6 0
Hospitals 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 0
Fuel stations 2 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 7 3

Mobility

Watsonia North sits further from the CBD (22.8 km vs 17.2 km).

Bundoora Watsonia North
Walkability score 95/100 59/100
Distance to Melbourne 17.2 km 22.8 km
+33% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 33 min 36 min
Public transport score 80/100
Tram · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 638.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 60.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 3083
 1.3%
postcode 3087
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 27
postcode 3083
 26
postcode 3087

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.

Bundoora Watsonia North
Car (driver) 62.1% / 56.9%
Bundoora — Car (driver): 62.1% Watsonia North — Car (driver): 56.9%
Worked from Home 26.0% / 34.9%
Bundoora — Worked from Home: 26.0% Watsonia North — Worked from Home: 34.9%
Car (passenger) 4.6% / 3.0%
Bundoora — Car (passenger): 4.6% Watsonia North — Car (passenger): 3.0%
Train 2.7% / 3.2%
Bundoora — Train: 2.7% Watsonia North — Train: 3.2%
Bus 1.6% / 0.9%
Bundoora — Bus: 1.6% Watsonia North — Bus: 0.9%
Walked Only 1.4% / 0.9%
Bundoora — Walked Only: 1.4% Watsonia North — Walked Only: 0.9%

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

Setting

Bundoora Watsonia North
Elevation 102 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 72 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 19.3 km 20.7 km

NBN connectivity

Bundoora Watsonia North
Connectivity score 90/100 75/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Hybrid fibre-coaxial
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 56%
12,524 premises
 0%
1,459 premises

Climate

Bundoora Watsonia North
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)

Bundoora Watsonia North
PM2.5 3.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Bundoora Watsonia North
Average residential rate $1,787/yr
same for both
Council Banyule
same for both

Federal electorate

Bundoora Watsonia North
Division Jagajaga
same for both
Member Kate Thwaites
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bundoora Watsonia North
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bundoora

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Trams Transport Hub

Watsonia North

Middle-Ring Parks Quiet River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bundoora

Bundoora vs Reservoir Bundoora vs Mill Park Bundoora vs Lalor Bundoora vs Greensborough Bundoora vs Thomastown Bundoora vs Macleod

Other comparisons with Watsonia North

Watsonia North vs Greensborough Watsonia North vs Watsonia
Full data on Bundoora Full data on Watsonia North
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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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