Chiltern vs Indigo Valley

Indigo Valley is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 50 in Chiltern. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Chiltern, about half of households are people living alone. In Indigo Valley, most households are couple families. On these figures, Chiltern tends to suit people living alone, while Indigo Valley 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

Indigo Valley

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (13/100 vs 45/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (59% vs 49%)
  • But Chiltern has more childcare (4 vs 0)

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

Indigo Valley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (12% vs 20%)
  • has cheaper rent ($235/wk vs $260/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Chiltern

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (186 min vs 198 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (293.2 km vs 309.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Chiltern has more residents already 65 and over (26% vs 20%)
  • Indigo Valley carries lower crime risk (13/100 vs 45/100)

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

Investors

Indigo Valley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (5.2% vs -1.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Chiltern and Indigo Valley 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 Indigo Valley
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 Indigo Valley
Walkability 0 / 0
Chiltern — Walkability: 0/100 Indigo Valley — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 55 / 87
Chiltern — Safety: 55/100 Indigo Valley — Safety: 87/100
Low fire risk 34 / 29
Chiltern — Low fire risk: 34/100 Indigo Valley — Low fire risk: 29/100
Low flood risk 76 / 100
Chiltern — Low flood risk: 76/100 Indigo Valley — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Chiltern has more residents (1,580 vs 346); Indigo Valley has higher household incomes ($97,500 vs $67,860).

Chiltern Indigo Valley
Population 1,580
+78% vs other
 346
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.6% +5.2%
Median age 50 47
Median household income $67,860/yr $97,500/yr
+44% vs other
Median weekly rent $260/wk
+10% vs other
 $235/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Chiltern Indigo Valley
0-4 4.3% / 4.6%
Chiltern — 0-4: 4.3% Indigo Valley — 0-4: 4.6%
5-14 10.7% / 12.1%
Chiltern — 5-14: 10.7% Indigo Valley — 5-14: 12.1%
15-19 6.5% / 8.1%
Chiltern — 15-19: 6.5% Indigo Valley — 15-19: 8.1%
20-24 3.9% / 2.9%
Chiltern — 20-24: 3.9% Indigo Valley — 20-24: 2.9%
25-34 8.2% / 7.5%
Chiltern — 25-34: 8.2% Indigo Valley — 25-34: 7.5%
35-44 9.1% / 9.8%
Chiltern — 35-44: 9.1% Indigo Valley — 35-44: 9.8%
45-54 15.0% / 14.7%
Chiltern — 45-54: 15.0% Indigo Valley — 45-54: 14.7%
55-64 17.5% / 20.2%
Chiltern — 55-64: 17.5% Indigo Valley — 55-64: 20.2%
65-74 14.9% / 11.8%
Chiltern — 65-74: 14.9% Indigo Valley — 65-74: 11.8%
75-84 9.1% / 5.8%
Chiltern — 75-84: 9.1% Indigo Valley — 75-84: 5.8%
85+ 1.5% / 2.3%
Chiltern — 85+: 1.5% Indigo Valley — 85+: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Chiltern 35.6% couple families
Chiltern — Couple Families: 35.6% Chiltern — Lone Person: 45.0% Chiltern — One Parent Families: 13.1% Chiltern — Group Household: 4.4% Chiltern — Other Families: 2.0%
Indigo Valley 55.1% couple families
Indigo Valley — Couple Families: 55.1% Indigo Valley — Lone Person: 33.3% Indigo Valley — One Parent Families: 4.3% Indigo Valley — Group Household: 7.2% Indigo Valley — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Chiltern 11.8% renting
Chiltern — Owned Outright: 45.7% Chiltern — Mortgage: 42.5% Chiltern — Renting: 11.8%
Indigo Valley 8.0% renting
Indigo Valley — Owned Outright: 51.8% Indigo Valley — Mortgage: 40.2% Indigo Valley — Renting: 8.0%
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 Indigo Valley
England 4.1% / 2.0%
Chiltern — England: 4.1% Indigo Valley — England: 2.0%
Germany 0.9% / 0.9%
Chiltern — Germany: 0.9% Indigo Valley — Germany: 0.9%
New Zealand 0.9% / —
Chiltern — New Zealand: 0.9% Indigo Valley — New Zealand: not among its largest
Scotland 0.5% / —
Chiltern — Scotland: 0.5% Indigo Valley — Scotland: not among its largest
France 0.3% / —
Chiltern — France: 0.3% Indigo Valley — France: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.1%).

Qualifications

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

Chiltern Indigo Valley
Certificate III & IV 19.6% / 16.8%
Chiltern — Certificate III & IV: 19.6% Indigo Valley — Certificate III & IV: 16.8%
Bachelor Degree 8.5% / 11.8%
Chiltern — Bachelor Degree: 8.5% Indigo Valley — Bachelor Degree: 11.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 8.1%
Chiltern — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% Indigo Valley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / 4.3%
Chiltern — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% Indigo Valley — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.6% / 2.3%
Chiltern — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6% Indigo Valley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Chiltern 92.9% houses
Chiltern — Houses: 92.9% Chiltern — Townhouses: 2.1% Chiltern — Flats / Apartments: 5.0%
Indigo Valley 96.8% houses
Indigo Valley — Houses: 96.8% Indigo Valley — Townhouses: 3.2% Indigo Valley — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Chiltern Indigo Valley
Median house price $586,500 —
Median unit price $275,000 —
Median land price $510,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 40 days
from 5 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Indigo Valley has more rural and farming land (81% vs 53%).

Chiltern Indigo Valley
Rural and farming 53% 81%
Parks and recreation 45% 19%
Infrastructure and transport 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

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

Ranking within VIC

Chiltern Indigo Valley
House price Higher than 18% of VIC —
Income Higher than 29% of VIC Higher than 68% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 63% of VIC Higher than 19% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 69% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 18% of VIC Higher than 65% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 30% of VIC

Liveability

Chiltern Indigo Valley
Grade D —
Score 26/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Chiltern carries more flood risk (24 vs 0); Chiltern carries more crime risk (45 vs 13).

Chiltern Indigo Valley
Bushfire Moderate
66/100
 High
71/100
Crime Moderate
45/100
 Low
13/100
Flood Low
24/100
 None
0/100
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

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

Schools in Chiltern

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

Schools in Indigo Valley

  • Middle Indigo Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Chiltern Indigo Valley
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 8 6
Childcare 4 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 19 12

Mobility

Indigo Valley sits further from the CBD (309.1 km vs 293.2 km).

Chiltern Indigo Valley
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 293.2 km 309.1 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 186 min 198 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 3683
 0.7%
postcode 3688
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 64
postcode 3683
 82
postcode 3688

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 Indigo Valley
Car (driver) 76.5% / 72.9%
Chiltern — Car (driver): 76.5% Indigo Valley — Car (driver): 72.9%
Worked from Home 15.4% / 19.9%
Chiltern — Worked from Home: 15.4% Indigo Valley — Worked from Home: 19.9%
Walked Only 5.0% / 3.0%
Chiltern — Walked Only: 5.0% Indigo Valley — Walked Only: 3.0%
Car (passenger) 3.2% / 4.2%
Chiltern — Car (passenger): 3.2% Indigo Valley — Car (passenger): 4.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.5%).

Setting

Chiltern Indigo Valley
Elevation 221 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 264 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Chiltern Indigo Valley
Connectivity score 75/100 27/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 45%
767 premises
 0%
112 premises

Climate

Chiltern Indigo Valley
Annual rainfall 567 mm 700 mm
Summer max (Jan) 31.7°C —
Winter min (Jul) 2.1°C —

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Chiltern

Affordable Retirees Rural

Indigo Valley

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Chiltern

Chiltern vs Beechworth Chiltern vs Barnawartha Chiltern vs Eldorado Chiltern vs Springhurst Chiltern vs Wooragee Chiltern vs Byawatha

Other comparisons with Indigo Valley

Indigo Valley vs West Wodonga Indigo Valley vs Yackandandah Indigo Valley vs Leneva Indigo Valley vs Barnawartha Indigo Valley vs Wooragee Indigo Valley vs Huon Creek
Full data on Chiltern Full data on Indigo Valley
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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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