Chiltern Valley vs Rutherglen

Rutherglen is the younger of the two, with a median age of 48 against 52 in Chiltern Valley. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Chiltern Valley 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

Rutherglen

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 2)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • But Chiltern Valley carries lower crime risk (36/100 vs 50/100)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

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

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Chiltern Valley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (8% vs 19%)
  • has cheaper rent ($140/wk vs $250/wk)
  • But Rutherglen has a bigger rental market to choose from (20% vs 9%)

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

Commuting to the city

Chiltern Valley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (186 min vs 193 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (288.7 km vs 296.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Chiltern Valley carries lower crime risk (36/100 vs 50/100)
  • Rutherglen has more GPs (2 vs 0)

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

Investors

Chiltern Valley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (28.3% vs 8.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
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.

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Walkability 0 / 0
Chiltern Valley — Walkability: 0/100 Rutherglen — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 64 / 50
Chiltern Valley — Safety: 64/100 Rutherglen — Safety: 50/100
Low fire risk 83 / 81
Chiltern Valley — Low fire risk: 83/100 Rutherglen — Low fire risk: 81/100
Low flood risk 100 / 55
Chiltern Valley — Low flood risk: 100/100 Rutherglen — Low flood risk: 55/100

Demographics

Rutherglen has more residents (2,579 vs 77); Rutherglen rents higher ($250/wk vs $140/wk).

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Population 77 2,579
+3249% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +28.3% +8.5%
Median age 52 48
Median household income $86,632/yr
+22% vs other
 $67,912/yr
Median weekly rent $140/wk $250/wk
+79% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
0-4 — / 4.8%
Chiltern Valley — 0-4: not among its largest Rutherglen — 0-4: 4.8%
5-14 5.2% / 11.8%
Chiltern Valley — 5-14: 5.2% Rutherglen — 5-14: 11.8%
15-19 5.2% / 5.5%
Chiltern Valley — 15-19: 5.2% Rutherglen — 15-19: 5.5%
20-24 — / 3.8%
Chiltern Valley — 20-24: not among its largest Rutherglen — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 11.7% / 9.9%
Chiltern Valley — 25-34: 11.7% Rutherglen — 25-34: 9.9%
35-44 6.5% / 10.4%
Chiltern Valley — 35-44: 6.5% Rutherglen — 35-44: 10.4%
45-54 27.3% / 12.2%
Chiltern Valley — 45-54: 27.3% Rutherglen — 45-54: 12.2%
55-64 16.9% / 14.8%
Chiltern Valley — 55-64: 16.9% Rutherglen — 55-64: 14.8%
65-74 14.3% / 15.4%
Chiltern Valley — 65-74: 14.3% Rutherglen — 65-74: 15.4%
75-84 6.5% / 8.3%
Chiltern Valley — 75-84: 6.5% Rutherglen — 75-84: 8.3%
85+ 3.9% / 3.1%
Chiltern Valley — 85+: 3.9% Rutherglen — 85+: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Chiltern Valley 47.1% lone person
Chiltern Valley — Lone Person: 47.1% Chiltern Valley — Couple Families: 52.9% Chiltern Valley — One Parent Families: 0.0% Chiltern Valley — Group Household: 0.0% Chiltern Valley — Other Families: 0.0%
Rutherglen 45.0% lone person
Rutherglen — Lone Person: 45.0% Rutherglen — Couple Families: 35.4% Rutherglen — One Parent Families: 15.8% Rutherglen — Group Household: 2.1% Rutherglen — Other Families: 1.7%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Chiltern Valley 9.4% renting
Chiltern Valley — Owned Outright: 40.6% Chiltern Valley — Mortgage: 50.0% Chiltern Valley — Renting: 9.4%
Rutherglen 19.7% renting
Rutherglen — Owned Outright: 44.5% Rutherglen — Mortgage: 35.9% Rutherglen — Renting: 19.7%
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.

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
England 7.8% / 2.5%
Chiltern Valley — England: 7.8% Rutherglen — England: 2.5%
New Zealand — / 1.4%
Chiltern Valley — New Zealand: not among its largest Rutherglen — New Zealand: 1.4%
Netherlands — / 0.6%
Chiltern Valley — Netherlands: not among its largest Rutherglen — Netherlands: 0.6%
Germany — / 0.5%
Chiltern Valley — Germany: not among its largest Rutherglen — Germany: 0.5%
Scotland — / 0.3%
Chiltern Valley — Scotland: not among its largest Rutherglen — Scotland: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.8%).

Qualifications

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

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Certificate III & IV 22.1% / 18.3%
Chiltern Valley — Certificate III & IV: 22.1% Rutherglen — Certificate III & IV: 18.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 14.3% / 7.8%
Chiltern Valley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 14.3% Rutherglen — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8%
Bachelor Degree 10.4% / 9.2%
Chiltern Valley — Bachelor Degree: 10.4% Rutherglen — Bachelor Degree: 9.2%
Postgraduate Degree 3.9% / 2.4%
Chiltern Valley — Postgraduate Degree: 3.9% Rutherglen — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 2.5%
Chiltern Valley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Rutherglen — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Chiltern Valley 100.0% houses
Chiltern Valley — Houses: 100.0% Chiltern Valley — Townhouses: 0.0% Chiltern Valley — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Rutherglen 92.5% houses
Rutherglen — Houses: 92.5% Rutherglen — Townhouses: 6.0% Rutherglen — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Median house price — $555,000
Median unit price — $320,550
Median land price — $265,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 84 days
from 32 sales

Zoning mix

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Rural and farming 87% 89%
Parks and recreation 12% 3%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 4%
Residential 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

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
New dwellings approved 120
across Indigo
same for both
Approvals change year on year +15%
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.

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Houses — 4.1%
$550/wk on $690K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
House price — Higher than 20% of VIC
Income Higher than 56% of VIC Higher than 29% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 24% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 17% of VIC Higher than 48% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 66% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 18% of VIC Higher than 49% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 54% of VIC Higher than 78% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 76% of VIC

Liveability

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Grade — D
Score — 28/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Rutherglen carries more flood risk (45 vs 0); Rutherglen carries more crime risk (50 vs 36).

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Bushfire Low
17/100
 Low
19/100
Crime Low
36/100
 Moderate
50/100
Flood None
0/100
 Moderate
45/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Inside the suburb 0 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Chiltern Valley

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

Schools in Rutherglen

  • Rutherglen Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Mary's School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Rutherglen High School Government · Secondary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 5
Parks & reserves 2 16
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 2
Waterways 1 5

Mobility

Rutherglen sits further from the CBD (296.6 km vs 288.7 km).

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 288.7 km 296.6 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 186 min 193 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 3683
 0.5%
postcode 3685
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 64
postcode 3683
 67
postcode 3685

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.

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Car (driver) 85.7% / 77.9%
Chiltern Valley — Car (driver): 85.7% Rutherglen — Car (driver): 77.9%
Worked from Home 14.3% / 12.5%
Chiltern Valley — Worked from Home: 14.3% Rutherglen — Worked from Home: 12.5%
Walked Only — / 4.8%
Chiltern Valley — Walked Only: not among its largest Rutherglen — Walked Only: 4.8%
Car (passenger) — / 4.2%
Chiltern Valley — Car (passenger): not among its largest Rutherglen — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Bicycle — / 0.7%
Chiltern Valley — Bicycle: not among its largest Rutherglen — Bicycle: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (85.7%).

Setting

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Elevation 192 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 157 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Connectivity score 30/100 67/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
35 premises
 42%
1,370 premises

Climate

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Annual rainfall 567 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 2.1°C
same for both

Council rates

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Average residential rate $1,828/yr
same for both
Council Indigo
same for both

Federal electorate

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Division Indi
same for both
Member Helen Haines
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Chiltern Valley Rutherglen
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Chiltern Valley

Rural

Rutherglen

Acreage Affordable Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Chiltern Valley

Chiltern Valley vs Chiltern Chiltern Valley vs Cornishtown Chiltern Valley vs Lilliput

Other comparisons with Rutherglen

Rutherglen vs Wahgunyah Rutherglen vs Norong Rutherglen vs Browns Plains Rutherglen vs Cornishtown Rutherglen vs Lilliput Rutherglen vs Carlyle
Full data on Chiltern Valley Full data on Rutherglen
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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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