Caulfield South vs Gardenvale

In Caulfield South, most households own their home and about half of households are couple families. In Gardenvale, about half of households rent and about half of households are people living alone. Gardenvale is closer to the city centre: 11.7 km, against 14 km. On these figures, Caulfield South tends to suit couples, while Gardenvale suits renters and people living alone.

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

Caulfield South

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (10 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (62% vs 40%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Caulfield South leaves households under less mortgage stress (28% vs 40%)
  • Gardenvale has cheaper units ($465,000 vs $676,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Gardenvale

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (47% vs 26%)
  • has cheaper rent ($301/wk vs $496/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Gardenvale

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (21 min vs 26 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (11.7 km vs 14 km)
  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 83/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Caulfield South has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • Gardenvale has more units and townhouses to downsize into (64% vs 45%)

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

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

Caulfield South Gardenvale
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.

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Walkability 83 / 92
Caulfield South — Walkability: 83/100 Gardenvale — Walkability: 92/100
Safety 53 / 33
Caulfield South — Safety: 53/100 Gardenvale — Safety: 33/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Caulfield South — Low fire risk: 100/100 Gardenvale — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 56 / 44
Caulfield South — Low flood risk: 56/100 Gardenvale — Low flood risk: 44/100

Demographics

Caulfield South has more residents (12,328 vs 1,019); Caulfield South rents higher ($496/wk vs $301/wk).

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Population 12,328
+92% vs other
 1,019
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.0% +1.3%
Median age 41 39
Median household income $122,980/yr
+28% vs other
 $88,816/yr
Median weekly rent $496/wk
+39% vs other
 $301/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Caulfield South Gardenvale
0-4 5.6% / 6.1%
Caulfield South — 0-4: 5.6% Gardenvale — 0-4: 6.1%
5-14 12.6% / 10.8%
Caulfield South — 5-14: 12.6% Gardenvale — 5-14: 10.8%
15-19 5.6% / 5.4%
Caulfield South — 15-19: 5.6% Gardenvale — 15-19: 5.4%
20-24 5.2% / 3.5%
Caulfield South — 20-24: 5.2% Gardenvale — 20-24: 3.5%
25-34 11.7% / 15.7%
Caulfield South — 25-34: 11.7% Gardenvale — 25-34: 15.7%
35-44 14.0% / 17.7%
Caulfield South — 35-44: 14.0% Gardenvale — 35-44: 17.7%
45-54 14.0% / 14.3%
Caulfield South — 45-54: 14.0% Gardenvale — 45-54: 14.3%
55-64 11.8% / 10.7%
Caulfield South — 55-64: 11.8% Gardenvale — 55-64: 10.7%
65-74 11.1% / 9.3%
Caulfield South — 65-74: 11.1% Gardenvale — 65-74: 9.3%
75-84 5.5% / 4.4%
Caulfield South — 75-84: 5.5% Gardenvale — 75-84: 4.4%
85+ 2.9% / 1.0%
Caulfield South — 85+: 2.9% Gardenvale — 85+: 1.0%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Caulfield South 32.6% lone person
Caulfield South — Lone Person: 32.6% Caulfield South — Couple Families: 50.5% Caulfield South — One Parent Families: 11.1% Caulfield South — Group Household: 4.6% Caulfield South — Other Families: 1.2%
Gardenvale 54.7% lone person
Gardenvale — Lone Person: 54.7% Gardenvale — Couple Families: 32.3% Gardenvale — One Parent Families: 7.7% Gardenvale — Group Household: 3.2% Gardenvale — 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.

Caulfield South 26.5% renting
Caulfield South — Owned Outright: 37.4% Caulfield South — Mortgage: 36.0% Caulfield South — Renting: 26.5%
Gardenvale 47.2% renting
Gardenvale — Owned Outright: 27.7% Gardenvale — Mortgage: 25.1% Gardenvale — Renting: 47.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Bachelor Degree 25.8% / 25.2%
Caulfield South — Bachelor Degree: 25.8% Gardenvale — Bachelor Degree: 25.2%
Postgraduate Degree 9.5% / 11.2%
Caulfield South — Postgraduate Degree: 9.5% Gardenvale — Postgraduate Degree: 11.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.0% / 7.9%
Caulfield South — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0% Gardenvale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9%
Certificate III & IV 6.0% / 7.4%
Caulfield South — Certificate III & IV: 6.0% Gardenvale — Certificate III & IV: 7.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.5% / 4.0%
Caulfield South — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5% Gardenvale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.8%).

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.

Caulfield South Gardenvale
South Africa 5.7% / 1.6%
Caulfield South — South Africa: 5.7% Gardenvale — South Africa: 1.6%
England 3.0% / 4.3%
Caulfield South — England: 3.0% Gardenvale — England: 4.3%
China 2.4% / 2.1%
Caulfield South — China: 2.4% Gardenvale — China: 2.1%
New Zealand 1.7% / 1.6%
Caulfield South — New Zealand: 1.7% Gardenvale — New Zealand: 1.6%
India 1.6% / 1.0%
Caulfield South — India: 1.6% Gardenvale — India: 1.0%
Philippines — / 1.2%
Caulfield South — Philippines: not among its largest Gardenvale — Philippines: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Caulfield South 54.6% houses
Caulfield South — Houses: 54.6% Caulfield South — Flats / Apartments: 13.9% Caulfield South — Townhouses: 31.5%
Gardenvale 36.5% houses
Gardenvale — Houses: 36.5% Gardenvale — Flats / Apartments: 44.0% Gardenvale — Townhouses: 19.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Median house price $1,750,000 $1,812,500
Median unit price $676,000 $465,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 21 days
from 72 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.

Caulfield South Gardenvale
2 bed $1.25M / $1.51M
Caulfield South — 2 bed: $1.25M (19 sales) Gardenvale — 2 bed: $1.51M (5 sales)

19 vs 5 sales

3 bed $1.68M / $1.69M
Caulfield South — 3 bed: $1.68M (59 sales) Gardenvale — 3 bed: $1.69M (7 sales)

59 vs 7 sales

4 bed $2.13M / $2.2M
Caulfield South — 4 bed: $2.13M (52 sales) Gardenvale — 4 bed: $2.2M (7 sales)

52 vs 7 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.

Caulfield South Gardenvale
1 bed $345K / $300K
Caulfield South — 1 bed: $345K (9 sales) Gardenvale — 1 bed: $300K (20 sales)

9 vs 20 sales

2 bed $615K / $585K
Caulfield South — 2 bed: $615K (36 sales) Gardenvale — 2 bed: $585K (20 sales)

36 vs 20 sales

3 bed $1.15M / $1.2M
Caulfield South — 3 bed: $1.15M (17 sales) Gardenvale — 3 bed: $1.2M (5 sales)

17 vs 5 sales

Zoning mix

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Residential 86% 78%
Commercial 3% 11%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 10%
Parks and recreation 4% 1%
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

Caulfield South Gardenvale
New dwellings approved 617
across Glen Eira
same for both
Approvals change year on year -69%
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.

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Houses 3.4%
$1,150/wk on $1.74M
 —
Units 5.0%
$685/wk on $718K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Caulfield South Gardenvale
House price Higher than 95% of VIC Higher than 98% of VIC
Income Higher than 92% of VIC Higher than 59% of VIC
Schools Higher than 48% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 94% of VIC Higher than 97% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 6% of VIC Higher than 1% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 99% of VIC Higher than 97% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 85% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 33% of VIC —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 59% of VIC —

Liveability

Gardenvale is more walkable (92 vs 83).

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Grade A
same for both
Score 78/100
same for both
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Gardenvale carries more crime risk (67 vs 47); Gardenvale carries more flood risk (56 vs 44).

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
47/100
 Moderate
67/100
Flood Moderate
44/100
 Moderate
56/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 7
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Inside the suburb 5 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 3
Monash Caulfield, 2.1 km
 3
Monash Caulfield, 3.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.5% 2.6%

Schools in Caulfield South

  • Caulfield Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Caulfield South Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Melbourne Montessori College - Caulfield South Campus Independent · Combined below peers
  • Japanese School of Melbourne Independent · Secondary
  • Mount Scopus Memorial College - Fink Karp Ivany Campus Independent · Combined

Schools in Gardenvale

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

Amenities in the suburb

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 11 0
Parks & reserves 2 1
Childcare 10 0
GPs 2 0
Hospitals 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 1
same for both

Mobility

Caulfield South sits further from the CBD (14 km vs 11.7 km).

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Walkability score 83/100 92/100
Distance to Melbourne 14 km
+16% vs other
 11.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 26 min 21 min
Public transport score 81/100
Tram · Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 207.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 54.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 3.1%
postcode 3162
 2.6%
postcode 3185
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 18
postcode 3162
 13
postcode 3185

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.

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Worked from Home 47.1% / 46.6%
Caulfield South — Worked from Home: 47.1% Gardenvale — Worked from Home: 46.6%
Car (driver) 43.4% / 38.1%
Caulfield South — Car (driver): 43.4% Gardenvale — Car (driver): 38.1%
Train 3.4% / 7.7%
Caulfield South — Train: 3.4% Gardenvale — Train: 7.7%
Walked Only 1.5% / 2.8%
Caulfield South — Walked Only: 1.5% Gardenvale — Walked Only: 2.8%
Car (passenger) 2.3% / 1.8%
Caulfield South — Car (passenger): 2.3% Gardenvale — Car (passenger): 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (47.1%).

Setting

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Elevation 26 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 17 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.4 km
3.8 km to a named beach
 2.1 km
2.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Connectivity score 76/100
same for both
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 4%
5,633 premises
 2%
636 premises

Climate

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Annual rainfall 644 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Caulfield South Gardenvale
PM2.5 7.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Average residential rate $1,577/yr
same for both
Council Glen Eira
same for both

Federal electorate

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Division Goldstein
same for both
Member Tim Wilson
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Caulfield South Gardenvale
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Caulfield South

Middle-Ring Premium Professionals Townhouses Trams Transport Hub Urban

Gardenvale

Affordable Apartments Coastal Middle-Ring Professionals Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Caulfield South

Caulfield South vs Brighton East Caulfield South vs Elsternwick Caulfield South vs Ormond Caulfield South vs Caulfield Caulfield South vs Glen Huntly

Other comparisons with Gardenvale

Gardenvale vs Brighton Gardenvale vs Brighton East Gardenvale vs Elsternwick
Full data on Caulfield South Full data on Gardenvale
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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