Cherokee vs Mount Macedon

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. On these figures, Cherokee tends to suit couples, while Mount Macedon suits families with children.

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

Mount Macedon

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (21/100 vs 77/100)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • But Cherokee is already more of a family suburb (100% vs 68%)

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

First-home buyers

Cherokee

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (17% vs 23%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Cherokee

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $330/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Mount Macedon

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (17/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (56 min vs 63 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Mount Macedon

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (17/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (21/100 vs 77/100)

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

Investors

Cherokee

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (21.4% vs 8.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Cherokee Mount Macedon
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.

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Walkability 0 / 17
Cherokee — Walkability: 0/100 Mount Macedon — Walkability: 17/100
Safety 23 / 79
Cherokee — Safety: 23/100 Mount Macedon — Safety: 79/100
Low fire risk 17 / 15
Cherokee — Low fire risk: 17/100 Mount Macedon — Low fire risk: 15/100
Low flood risk 100 / 88
Cherokee — Low flood risk: 100/100 Mount Macedon — Low flood risk: 88/100

Demographics

Mount Macedon has more residents (1,450 vs 68); Cherokee has higher household incomes ($188,448 vs $137,644).

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Population 68 1,450
+2032% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +21.4% +8.6%
Median age 49 48
Median household income $188,448/yr
+27% vs other
 $137,644/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk $330/wk
+10% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cherokee Mount Macedon
0-4 — / 6.1%
Cherokee — 0-4: not among its largest Mount Macedon — 0-4: 6.1%
5-14 7.4% / 13.3%
Cherokee — 5-14: 7.4% Mount Macedon — 5-14: 13.3%
15-19 — / 5.6%
Cherokee — 15-19: not among its largest Mount Macedon — 15-19: 5.6%
20-24 — / 2.1%
Cherokee — 20-24: not among its largest Mount Macedon — 20-24: 2.1%
25-34 4.4% / 6.3%
Cherokee — 25-34: 4.4% Mount Macedon — 25-34: 6.3%
35-44 17.6% / 12.1%
Cherokee — 35-44: 17.6% Mount Macedon — 35-44: 12.1%
45-54 14.7% / 15.2%
Cherokee — 45-54: 14.7% Mount Macedon — 45-54: 15.2%
55-64 17.6% / 16.8%
Cherokee — 55-64: 17.6% Mount Macedon — 55-64: 16.8%
65-74 17.6% / 16.1%
Cherokee — 65-74: 17.6% Mount Macedon — 65-74: 16.1%
75-84 5.9% / 6.6%
Cherokee — 75-84: 5.9% Mount Macedon — 75-84: 6.6%
85+ — / 0.8%
Cherokee — 85+: not among its largest Mount Macedon — 85+: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Cherokee 100.0% couple families
Cherokee — Couple Families: 100.0% Cherokee — Lone Person: 0.0% Cherokee — One Parent Families: 0.0% Cherokee — Group Household: 0.0%
Mount Macedon 60.1% couple families
Mount Macedon — Couple Families: 60.1% Mount Macedon — Lone Person: 28.4% Mount Macedon — One Parent Families: 8.3% Mount Macedon — Group Household: 3.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Cherokee 0.0% renting
Cherokee — Owned Outright: 36.8% Cherokee — Mortgage: 63.2% Cherokee — Renting: 0.0%
Mount Macedon 7.3% renting
Mount Macedon — Owned Outright: 45.5% Mount Macedon — Mortgage: 47.2% Mount Macedon — Renting: 7.3%
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.

Cherokee Mount Macedon
England 4.4% / 6.8%
Cherokee — England: 4.4% Mount Macedon — England: 6.8%
New Zealand — / 1.7%
Cherokee — New Zealand: not among its largest Mount Macedon — New Zealand: 1.7%
Scotland — / 0.8%
Cherokee — Scotland: not among its largest Mount Macedon — Scotland: 0.8%
Netherlands — / 0.8%
Cherokee — Netherlands: not among its largest Mount Macedon — Netherlands: 0.8%
China — / 0.4%
Cherokee — China: not among its largest Mount Macedon — China: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.8%).

Qualifications

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

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Bachelor Degree 14.7% / 19.6%
Cherokee — Bachelor Degree: 14.7% Mount Macedon — Bachelor Degree: 19.6%
Postgraduate Degree 14.7% / 9.5%
Cherokee — Postgraduate Degree: 14.7% Mount Macedon — Postgraduate Degree: 9.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.9% / 9.0%
Cherokee — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.9% Mount Macedon — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0%
Certificate III & IV 4.4% / 8.6%
Cherokee — Certificate III & IV: 4.4% Mount Macedon — Certificate III & IV: 8.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 8.8% / 3.7%
Cherokee — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 8.8% Mount Macedon — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cherokee 100.0% houses
Cherokee — Houses: 100.0% Cherokee — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Cherokee — Townhouses: 0.0%
Mount Macedon 98.4% houses
Mount Macedon — Houses: 98.4% Mount Macedon — Flats / Apartments: 0.8% Mount Macedon — Townhouses: 0.8%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Median house price — $1,420,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $1,800,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 56 days
from 14 sales

Zoning mix

Cherokee has more land zoned for conservation (77% vs 48%).

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Environmental 77% 48%
Parks and recreation 23% 49%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 3%
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

Cherokee Mount Macedon
New dwellings approved 331
across Macedon Ranges
same for both
Approvals change year on year +80%
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.

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Houses — 4.8%
$1,900/wk on $2.05M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Cherokee Mount Macedon
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 99% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 5% of VIC Higher than 78% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 65% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 16% of VIC Higher than 79% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 96% of VIC

Liveability

Mount Macedon is more walkable (17 vs 0).

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Grade — B
Score — 66/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Mount Macedon carries more flood risk (12 vs 0); Cherokee carries more crime risk (77 vs 21).

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Bushfire High
83/100
 High
85/100
Crime High
77/100
 Low
21/100
Flood None
0/100
 Low
12/100
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

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Cherokee

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

Schools in Mount Macedon

  • Braemar College Independent · Combined above peers
  • Mount Macedon Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 0 6
Childcare 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Waterways 4 13

Mobility

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Walkability score 0/100 17/100
Distance to Melbourne 65.9 km
+2% vs other
 64.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 63 min 56 min
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 3434
 2.2%
postcode 3441
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 49
postcode 3434
 32
postcode 3441

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.

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Car (driver) 62.5% / 49.0%
Cherokee — Car (driver): 62.5% Mount Macedon — Car (driver): 49.0%
Worked from Home 37.5% / 43.4%
Cherokee — Worked from Home: 37.5% Mount Macedon — Worked from Home: 43.4%
Car (passenger) — / 4.5%
Cherokee — Car (passenger): not among its largest Mount Macedon — Car (passenger): 4.5%
Walked Only — / 2.5%
Cherokee — Walked Only: not among its largest Mount Macedon — Walked Only: 2.5%
Train — / 0.7%
Cherokee — Train: not among its largest Mount Macedon — Train: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.5%).

Setting

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Elevation 682 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 690 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Connectivity score 19/100 69/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
32 premises
 51%
655 premises

Climate

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Annual rainfall 778 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Average residential rate $2,065/yr
same for both
Council Macedon Ranges
same for both

Federal electorate

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Division Mcewen
same for both
Member Rob Mitchell
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Cherokee Mount Macedon
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Cherokee

River Rural

Mount Macedon

Acreage Parks Premium Professionals Quiet River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Cherokee

Cherokee vs Riddells Creek Cherokee vs Hesket Cherokee vs Kerrie

Other comparisons with Mount Macedon

Mount Macedon vs Woodend Mount Macedon vs Riddells Creek Mount Macedon vs New Gisborne Mount Macedon vs Macedon Mount Macedon vs Hesket
Full data on Cherokee Full data on Mount Macedon
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or