Caramut vs Penshurst

Caramut is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 51 in Penshurst. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Penshurst, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Caramut tends to suit families with children.

Caramut is a much smaller community of 256 people compared to Penshurst's 677, and sits closer to Melbourne at 249.8 km versus 271.0 km. Caramut offers higher median household income at $58,500 annually and significantly lower bushfire risk at 0 compared to Penshurst's 45, though it carries a higher crime risk of 38 versus 14. Penshurst has an older population with a median age of 51 years against Caramut's 43, and slightly higher weekly rent at $175. The choice between them depends on whether you prioritise a smaller, closer-to-city setting with lower natural disaster risk, or a larger, more established community with lower crime.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

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

Penshurst

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 2)
  • carries lower crime risk (17/100 vs 37/100)
  • But Caramut is already more of a family suburb (56% vs 44%)

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

First-home buyers

Caramut

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (13% vs 19%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Caramut

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($150/wk vs $175/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Caramut

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (16/100 vs 4/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (249.8 km vs 271 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (183 min vs 198 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Caramut is more walkable (16/100 vs 4/100)
  • Penshurst carries lower crime risk (17/100 vs 37/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

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

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Caramut Penshurst
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.

Caramut Penshurst
Walkability 16 / 4
Caramut — Walkability: 16/100 Penshurst — Walkability: 4/100
Safety 63 / 83
Caramut — Safety: 63/100 Penshurst — Safety: 83/100
Low fire risk 100 / 55
Caramut — Low fire risk: 100/100 Penshurst — Low fire risk: 55/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Caramut — Low flood risk: 100/100 Penshurst — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Penshurst has more residents (677 vs 256); Penshurst skews older (51 vs 43).

Caramut Penshurst
Population 256 677
+164% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.1% +8.8%
Median age 43 51
Median household income $58,500/yr
+10% vs other
 $52,728/yr
Median weekly rent $150/wk $175/wk
+17% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Caramut Penshurst
0-4 8.6% / 4.1%
Caramut — 0-4: 8.6% Penshurst — 0-4: 4.1%
5-14 12.1% / 12.0%
Caramut — 5-14: 12.1% Penshurst — 5-14: 12.0%
15-19 5.9% / 6.6%
Caramut — 15-19: 5.9% Penshurst — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 5.1% / 3.8%
Caramut — 20-24: 5.1% Penshurst — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 7.0% / 5.6%
Caramut — 25-34: 7.0% Penshurst — 25-34: 5.6%
35-44 10.9% / 9.6%
Caramut — 35-44: 10.9% Penshurst — 35-44: 9.6%
45-54 9.8% / 14.2%
Caramut — 45-54: 9.8% Penshurst — 45-54: 14.2%
55-64 13.7% / 17.7%
Caramut — 55-64: 13.7% Penshurst — 55-64: 17.7%
65-74 16.4% / 16.2%
Caramut — 65-74: 16.4% Penshurst — 65-74: 16.2%
75-84 5.9% / 6.5%
Caramut — 75-84: 5.9% Penshurst — 75-84: 6.5%
85+ 1.2% / 4.4%
Caramut — 85+: 1.2% Penshurst — 85+: 4.4%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Caramut 44.3% lone person
Caramut — Lone Person: 44.3% Caramut — Couple Families: 32.8% Caramut — One Parent Families: 23.0% Caramut — Group Household: 0.0% Caramut — Other Families: 0.0%
Penshurst 48.7% lone person
Penshurst — Lone Person: 48.7% Penshurst — Couple Families: 34.2% Penshurst — One Parent Families: 10.2% Penshurst — Group Household: 4.8% Penshurst — Other Families: 2.1%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Caramut 21.1% renting
Caramut — Owned Outright: 58.9% Caramut — Mortgage: 20.0% Caramut — Renting: 21.1%
Penshurst 16.9% renting
Penshurst — Owned Outright: 56.9% Penshurst — Mortgage: 26.2% Penshurst — Renting: 16.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Caramut Penshurst
Certificate III & IV 15.2% / 14.0%
Caramut — Certificate III & IV: 15.2% Penshurst — Certificate III & IV: 14.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.4% / 7.2%
Caramut — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4% Penshurst — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2%
Bachelor Degree 6.2% / 5.0%
Caramut — Bachelor Degree: 6.2% Penshurst — Bachelor Degree: 5.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.0% / 2.1%
Caramut — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0% Penshurst — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%
Postgraduate Degree 1.2% / 0.7%
Caramut — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2% Penshurst — Postgraduate Degree: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.2%).

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.

Caramut Penshurst
England 3.5% / 1.8%
Caramut — England: 3.5% Penshurst — England: 1.8%
New Zealand 2.3% / 1.9%
Caramut — New Zealand: 2.3% Penshurst — New Zealand: 1.9%
Ireland 2.0% / —
Caramut — Ireland: 2.0% Penshurst — Ireland: not among its largest
South Africa 1.2% / —
Caramut — South Africa: 1.2% Penshurst — South Africa: not among its largest
Scotland — / 0.9%
Caramut — Scotland: not among its largest Penshurst — Scotland: 0.9%
India — / 0.7%
Caramut — India: not among its largest Penshurst — India: 0.7%
Germany — / 0.7%
Caramut — Germany: not among its largest Penshurst — Germany: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Caramut 95.8% houses
Caramut — Houses: 95.8% Caramut — Flats / Apartments: 4.2%
Penshurst 98.1% houses
Penshurst — Houses: 98.1% Penshurst — Flats / Apartments: 1.9%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Caramut Penshurst
Median house price — $315,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $105,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 208 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Caramut Penshurst
Rural and farming 99% 98%
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

Caramut Penshurst
New dwellings approved 64
across Moyne
 43
across Southern Grampians
Approvals change year on year -15% +200%

Ranking within VIC

Caramut Penshurst
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 17% of VIC Higher than 11% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 77% of VIC Higher than 66% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption —
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 39% of VIC Higher than 45% of VIC

Liveability

Caramut is more walkable (16 vs 4).

Caramut Penshurst
Grade — C
Score — 42/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Penshurst carries more bushfire risk (45 vs 0); Caramut carries more crime risk (37 vs 17).

Caramut Penshurst
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
45/100
Crime Low
37/100
 Low
17/100
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

Caramut Penshurst
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Caramut

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

Schools in Penshurst

  • St Joseph's School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Penshurst Primary School Government · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Caramut Penshurst
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 2 5
Childcare 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 1
same for both
Waterways 19 11

Mobility

Penshurst sits further from the CBD (271 km vs 249.8 km).

Caramut Penshurst
Walkability score 16/100 4/100
Distance to Melbourne 249.8 km 271 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 183 min 198 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 3274
 0.0%
postcode 3289
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 45
postcode 3274
 36
postcode 3289

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.

Caramut Penshurst
Car (driver) 56.8% / 56.1%
Caramut — Car (driver): 56.8% Penshurst — Car (driver): 56.1%
Worked from Home 39.8% / 29.4%
Caramut — Worked from Home: 39.8% Penshurst — Worked from Home: 29.4%
Walked Only — / 9.5%
Caramut — Walked Only: not among its largest Penshurst — Walked Only: 9.5%
Car (passenger) 3.4% / 5.0%
Caramut — Car (passenger): 3.4% Penshurst — Car (passenger): 5.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (56.8%).

Setting

Caramut Penshurst
Elevation 160 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 225 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Caramut Penshurst
Connectivity score 29/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
123 premises
 0%
335 premises

Climate

Caramut Penshurst
Annual rainfall 594 mm 604 mm
Summer max (Jan) 26.1°C 26.5°C
Winter min (Jul) 4.7°C
same for both

Council rates

Caramut Penshurst
Average residential rate $1,613/yr $1,892/yr
Council Moyne Southern Grampians

Federal electorate

Caramut Penshurst
Division Wannon
same for both
Member Dan Tehan
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Caramut Penshurst
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Caramut

Quiet Rural Young Families

Penshurst

Affordable Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Caramut

Caramut vs Hexham Caramut vs Minhamite Caramut vs Minjah

Other comparisons with Penshurst

Penshurst vs Dunkeld Penshurst vs Minhamite Penshurst vs Croxton East
Full data on Caramut Full data on Penshurst
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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