Carrum Downs vs Sandhurst

Carrum Downs is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 41 in Sandhurst. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Sandhurst, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Sandhurst: a median of $1.04 million, against $786,000 in Carrum Downs, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Carrum Downs tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Sandhurst suits 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

  • Carrum Downs has more childcare (20 vs 1)
  • Sandhurst carries lower crime risk (33/100 vs 79/100)

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

First-home buyers

Carrum Downs

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($786,000 vs $1,045,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Carrum Downs

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (28% vs 14%)
  • has cheaper rent ($370/wk vs $530/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Carrum Downs

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (64/100 vs 25/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Carrum Downs

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (10 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (64/100 vs 25/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (21% vs 9%)
  • But Sandhurst carries lower crime risk (33/100 vs 79/100)

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

Investors

Carrum Downs

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.3% vs 3.6%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
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.

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Walkability 64 / 25
Carrum Downs — Walkability: 64/100 Sandhurst — Walkability: 25/100
Safety 21 / 67
Carrum Downs — Safety: 21/100 Sandhurst — Safety: 67/100
Low fire risk 66 / 100
Carrum Downs — Low fire risk: 66/100 Sandhurst — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 27 / 100
Carrum Downs — Low flood risk: 27/100 Sandhurst — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Carrum Downs has more residents (21,976 vs 5,211); Sandhurst has higher household incomes ($141,128 vs $86,216).

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Population 21,976
+76% vs other
 5,211
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.1% +4.6%
Median age 36 41
Median household income $86,216/yr $141,128/yr
+64% vs other
Median weekly rent $370/wk $530/wk
+43% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
0-4 6.9% / 6.0%
Carrum Downs — 0-4: 6.9% Sandhurst — 0-4: 6.0%
5-14 12.3% / 15.2%
Carrum Downs — 5-14: 12.3% Sandhurst — 5-14: 15.2%
15-19 5.3% / 6.1%
Carrum Downs — 15-19: 5.3% Sandhurst — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 6.0% / 4.6%
Carrum Downs — 20-24: 6.0% Sandhurst — 20-24: 4.6%
25-34 16.8% / 8.1%
Carrum Downs — 25-34: 16.8% Sandhurst — 25-34: 8.1%
35-44 14.6% / 16.3%
Carrum Downs — 35-44: 14.6% Sandhurst — 35-44: 16.3%
45-54 13.1% / 15.9%
Carrum Downs — 45-54: 13.1% Sandhurst — 45-54: 15.9%
55-64 11.6% / 13.8%
Carrum Downs — 55-64: 11.6% Sandhurst — 55-64: 13.8%
65-74 7.7% / 10.7%
Carrum Downs — 65-74: 7.7% Sandhurst — 65-74: 10.7%
75-84 3.8% / 2.9%
Carrum Downs — 75-84: 3.8% Sandhurst — 75-84: 2.9%
85+ 1.9% / 0.5%
Carrum Downs — 85+: 1.9% Sandhurst — 85+: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Carrum Downs 40.2% couple families
Carrum Downs — Couple Families: 40.2% Carrum Downs — Lone Person: 34.1% Carrum Downs — One Parent Families: 20.2% Carrum Downs — Group Household: 3.9% Carrum Downs — Other Families: 1.6%
Sandhurst 72.5% couple families
Sandhurst — Couple Families: 72.5% Sandhurst — Lone Person: 14.0% Sandhurst — One Parent Families: 11.6% Sandhurst — Group Household: 1.4% Sandhurst — Other Families: 0.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Carrum Downs 28.1% renting
Carrum Downs — Owned Outright: 22.9% Carrum Downs — Mortgage: 49.0% Carrum Downs — Renting: 28.1%
Sandhurst 13.5% renting
Sandhurst — Owned Outright: 28.5% Sandhurst — Mortgage: 58.0% Sandhurst — Renting: 13.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Certificate III & IV 18.0% / 12.5%
Carrum Downs — Certificate III & IV: 18.0% Sandhurst — Certificate III & IV: 12.5%
Bachelor Degree 8.5% / 14.3%
Carrum Downs — Bachelor Degree: 8.5% Sandhurst — Bachelor Degree: 14.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 11.6%
Carrum Downs — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Sandhurst — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.6%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / 4.8%
Carrum Downs — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% Sandhurst — Postgraduate Degree: 4.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 2.2%
Carrum Downs — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Sandhurst — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.0%).

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.

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
England 3.6% / 5.9%
Carrum Downs — England: 3.6% Sandhurst — England: 5.9%
India 2.8% / 2.7%
Carrum Downs — India: 2.8% Sandhurst — India: 2.7%
South Africa 0.6% / 4.7%
Carrum Downs — South Africa: 0.6% Sandhurst — South Africa: 4.7%
New Zealand 2.7% / 2.3%
Carrum Downs — New Zealand: 2.7% Sandhurst — New Zealand: 2.3%
Philippines 2.1% / 0.9%
Carrum Downs — Philippines: 2.1% Sandhurst — Philippines: 0.9%
Sri Lanka 0.9% / 1.1%
Carrum Downs — Sri Lanka: 0.9% Sandhurst — Sri Lanka: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Carrum Downs 79.0% houses
Carrum Downs — Houses: 79.0% Carrum Downs — Townhouses: 19.6% Carrum Downs — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Sandhurst 90.9% houses
Sandhurst — Houses: 90.9% Sandhurst — Townhouses: 9.0% Sandhurst — Flats / Apartments: 0.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Median house price $786,000 $1,045,000
Median unit price $605,000 —
Median land price $750,000 $815,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 11 days
from 209 sales
 38 days
from 36 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.

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
3 bed $760K / $965K
Carrum Downs — 3 bed: $760K (342 sales) Sandhurst — 3 bed: $965K (16 sales)

342 vs 16 sales

4 bed $850K / $1.05M
Carrum Downs — 4 bed: $850K (137 sales) Sandhurst — 4 bed: $1.05M (76 sales)

137 vs 76 sales

5 bed $861K / $1.56M
Carrum Downs — 5 bed: $861K (11 sales) Sandhurst — 5 bed: $1.56M (6 sales)

11 vs 6 sales

Zoning mix

Carrum Downs has more industrially zoned land (14% vs 0%); Carrum Downs has more rural and farming land (14% vs 0%).

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Other and special use 0% 99%
Residential 33% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 31% 2%
Industrial 14% 0%
Rural and farming 14% 0%
Parks and recreation 7% 0%
Commercial 1% 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

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
New dwellings approved 725
across Frankston
same for both
Approvals change year on year -47%
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.

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Houses 4.3%
$630/wk on $760K
 3.6%
$810/wk on $1.16M
Units 4.5%
$560/wk on $642K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
House price Higher than 53% of VIC Higher than 69% of VIC
Income Higher than 56% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
Schools Higher than 51% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 88% of VIC Higher than 81% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 50% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 58% of VIC Higher than 77% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 97% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 85% of VIC Higher than 43% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 34% of VIC —

Liveability

Carrum Downs is more walkable (64 vs 25); Sandhurst scores higher overall (80 vs 37).

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Grade C A
Score 37/100 80/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Carrum Downs carries more flood risk (73 vs 0); Carrum Downs carries more bushfire risk (34 vs 0).

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Bushfire Low
34/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
79/100
 Low
33/100
Flood High
73/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Inside the suburb 5 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Carrum Downs

  • St Joachim's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Carrum Downs Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Rowellyn Park Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Banyan Fields Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Flinders Christian Community College - Carrum Downs Campus Independent · Combined

Schools in Sandhurst

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

Amenities in the suburb

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Supermarkets 4 0
Cafes & restaurants 14 0
Parks & reserves 25 3
Childcare 20 1
GPs 10 0
Pharmacies 4 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 7 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 9 0

Mobility

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Walkability score 64/100 25/100
Distance to Melbourne 47.3 km
+1% vs other
 46.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 43 min
same for both
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 63/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 333.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 15.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 3201
 1.0%
postcode 3977
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 39
postcode 3201
 54
postcode 3977

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.

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Car (driver) 75.3% / 58.9%
Carrum Downs — Car (driver): 75.3% Sandhurst — Car (driver): 58.9%
Worked from Home 16.8% / 35.0%
Carrum Downs — Worked from Home: 16.8% Sandhurst — Worked from Home: 35.0%
Car (passenger) 4.6% / 4.0%
Carrum Downs — Car (passenger): 4.6% Sandhurst — Car (passenger): 4.0%
Train 1.2% / 0.8%
Carrum Downs — Train: 1.2% Sandhurst — Train: 0.8%
Walked Only 1.0% / 0.6%
Carrum Downs — Walked Only: 1.0% Sandhurst — Walked Only: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.3%).

Setting

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Elevation 19 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.5 km
4.6 km to a named beach
 7.5 km

NBN connectivity

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Connectivity score 90/100 94/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 53%
11,873 premises
 69%
848 premises

Climate

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Annual rainfall —
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 24.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.3°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.98 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Average residential rate $1,795/yr
same for both
Council Frankston
same for both

Federal electorate

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Division Dunkley
same for both
Member Jodie Belyea
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Carrum Downs Sandhurst
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Carrum Downs

Outer

Sandhurst

Large Blocks Outer

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Carrum Downs

Carrum Downs vs Langwarrin Carrum Downs vs Seaford Carrum Downs vs Lyndhurst Carrum Downs vs Skye Carrum Downs vs Patterson Lakes Carrum Downs vs Frankston North

Other comparisons with Sandhurst

Sandhurst vs Lyndhurst Sandhurst vs Skye
Full data on Carrum Downs Full data on Sandhurst
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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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