Christmas Hills vs Steels Creek

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Steels Creek: a median of $1.61 million, against $1.11 million in Christmas Hills, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Christmas Hills tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Steels Creek 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

Steels Creek

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (23/100 vs 38/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (83% vs 67%)

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

First-home buyers

Christmas Hills

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,115,000 vs $1,610,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Christmas Hills

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (15% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($353/wk vs $509/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Christmas Hills

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (13/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (44.2 km vs 63.6 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (56 min vs 68 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Steels Creek

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (23/100 vs 38/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (21% vs 16%)
  • But Christmas Hills is more walkable (13/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Steels Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (22.7% vs 2.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Christmas Hills and Steels Creek drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
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.

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Walkability 13 / 0
Christmas Hills — Walkability: 13/100 Steels Creek — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 62 / 77
Christmas Hills — Safety: 62/100 Steels Creek — Safety: 77/100
Low fire risk 12 / 11
Christmas Hills — Low fire risk: 12/100 Steels Creek — Low fire risk: 11/100
Low flood risk 58 / 100
Christmas Hills — Low flood risk: 58/100 Steels Creek — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Steels Creek rents higher ($509/wk vs $353/wk); Christmas Hills has more residents (365 vs 276).

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Population 365
+24% vs other
 276
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.8% +22.7%
Median age 46 48
Median household income $118,820/yr
+9% vs other
 $108,316/yr
Median weekly rent $353/wk $509/wk
+44% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
0-4 4.4% / 4.0%
Christmas Hills — 0-4: 4.4% Steels Creek — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 10.4% / 11.6%
Christmas Hills — 5-14: 10.4% Steels Creek — 5-14: 11.6%
15-19 6.6% / 5.8%
Christmas Hills — 15-19: 6.6% Steels Creek — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 6.6% / 5.4%
Christmas Hills — 20-24: 6.6% Steels Creek — 20-24: 5.4%
25-34 8.2% / 7.6%
Christmas Hills — 25-34: 8.2% Steels Creek — 25-34: 7.6%
35-44 13.4% / 10.1%
Christmas Hills — 35-44: 13.4% Steels Creek — 35-44: 10.1%
45-54 15.9% / 16.3%
Christmas Hills — 45-54: 15.9% Steels Creek — 45-54: 16.3%
55-64 23.0% / 17.0%
Christmas Hills — 55-64: 23.0% Steels Creek — 55-64: 17.0%
65-74 9.9% / 11.6%
Christmas Hills — 65-74: 9.9% Steels Creek — 65-74: 11.6%
75-84 4.7% / 8.3%
Christmas Hills — 75-84: 4.7% Steels Creek — 75-84: 8.3%
85+ 1.1% / 1.4%
Christmas Hills — 85+: 1.1% Steels Creek — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Christmas Hills 61.0% couple families
Christmas Hills — Couple Families: 61.0% Christmas Hills — Lone Person: 25.6% Christmas Hills — One Parent Families: 6.1% Christmas Hills — Group Household: 3.7% Christmas Hills — Other Families: 3.7%
Steels Creek 75.0% couple families
Steels Creek — Couple Families: 75.0% Steels Creek — Lone Person: 16.7% Steels Creek — One Parent Families: 8.3% Steels Creek — Group Household: 0.0% Steels Creek — 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.

Christmas Hills 8.9% renting
Christmas Hills — Owned Outright: 40.3% Christmas Hills — Mortgage: 50.8% Christmas Hills — Renting: 8.9%
Steels Creek 3.6% renting
Steels Creek — Owned Outright: 50.0% Steels Creek — Mortgage: 46.4% Steels Creek — Renting: 3.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Certificate III & IV 15.9% / 15.6%
Christmas Hills — Certificate III & IV: 15.9% Steels Creek — Certificate III & IV: 15.6%
Bachelor Degree 14.0% / 17.0%
Christmas Hills — Bachelor Degree: 14.0% Steels Creek — Bachelor Degree: 17.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.8% / 6.5%
Christmas Hills — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8% Steels Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5%
Postgraduate Degree 6.6% / 5.1%
Christmas Hills — Postgraduate Degree: 6.6% Steels Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 5.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.3% / 3.6%
Christmas Hills — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.3% Steels Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.0%).

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.

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
England 4.9% / 6.2%
Christmas Hills — England: 4.9% Steels Creek — England: 6.2%
Germany — / 2.2%
Christmas Hills — Germany: not among its largest Steels Creek — Germany: 2.2%
Scotland 0.8% / 1.1%
Christmas Hills — Scotland: 0.8% Steels Creek — Scotland: 1.1%
China 1.9% / —
Christmas Hills — China: 1.9% Steels Creek — China: not among its largest
Ireland — / 1.1%
Christmas Hills — Ireland: not among its largest Steels Creek — Ireland: 1.1%
New Zealand 0.8% / —
Christmas Hills — New Zealand: 0.8% Steels Creek — New Zealand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Christmas Hills 100.0% houses
Christmas Hills — Houses: 100.0%
Steels Creek 103.5% houses
Steels Creek — Houses: 103.5%
Houses

Property market

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Median house price $1,115,000 $1,610,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 84 days
from 3 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Steels Creek has more rural and farming land (54% vs 0%); Christmas Hills has more land zoned for conservation (46% vs 16%).

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Rural and farming 0% 54%
Environmental 46% 16%
Infrastructure and transport 36% 0%
Parks and recreation 16% 30%
Other and special use 2% 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

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
New dwellings approved 98
across Nillumbik
 416
across Yarra Ranges
Approvals change year on year +8% -57%

Ranking within VIC

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 91% of VIC Higher than 80% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 75% of VIC Higher than 1% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 67% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 32% of VIC Higher than 38% of VIC

Liveability

Christmas Hills is more walkable (13 vs 0).

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Christmas Hills carries more flood risk (42 vs 0); Christmas Hills carries more crime risk (38 vs 23).

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Bushfire High
88/100
 High
89/100
Crime Low
38/100
 Low
23/100
Flood Moderate
42/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Christmas Hills

  • Christmas Hills Primary School Government · Primary

Schools in Steels Creek

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

Amenities in the suburb

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Parks & reserves 3
same for both
Waterways 10 8

Mobility

Steels Creek sits further from the CBD (63.6 km vs 44.2 km).

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Walkability score 13/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 44.2 km 63.6 km
+44% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 56 min 68 min
Electric vehicle share 0.8%
postcode 3775
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 48
postcode 3775
same for both

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.

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Car (driver) 70.2% / 59.0%
Christmas Hills — Car (driver): 70.2% Steels Creek — Car (driver): 59.0%
Worked from Home 24.2% / 38.1%
Christmas Hills — Worked from Home: 24.2% Steels Creek — Worked from Home: 38.1%
Car (passenger) 5.6% / 2.9%
Christmas Hills — Car (passenger): 5.6% Steels Creek — Car (passenger): 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.2%).

Setting

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Elevation 167 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 137 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 37.8 km 47.8 km

NBN connectivity

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Connectivity score 27/100 29/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
120 premises
 0%
95 premises

Climate

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Annual rainfall 1,215 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 22.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.8°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 15.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Average residential rate $2,696/yr $2,161/yr
Council Nillumbik Yarra Ranges

Federal electorate

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Division Casey
same for both
Member Aaron Violi
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Christmas Hills Steels Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Christmas Hills

Outer Quiet

Steels Creek

Outer

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Christmas Hills

Christmas Hills vs Chirnside Park Christmas Hills vs Wonga Park Christmas Hills vs Yarra Glen Christmas Hills vs Coldstream Christmas Hills vs Kinglake Christmas Hills vs Kangaroo Ground

Other comparisons with Steels Creek

Steels Creek vs Yarra Glen Steels Creek vs Kinglake Steels Creek vs Dixons Creek Steels Creek vs Castella
Full data on Christmas Hills Full data on Steels Creek
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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