Coldstream vs Christmas Hills

Coldstream is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 46 in Christmas Hills. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Coldstream, about half of households are couple families. In Christmas Hills, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Christmas Hills: a median of $1.11 million, against $870,000 in Coldstream. Christmas Hills is closer to the city centre: 44.2 km, against 49.9 km. On these figures, Coldstream tends to suit families with children and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Coldstream has more parks and reserves (11 vs 3)
  • Christmas Hills carries lower crime risk (38/100 vs 56/100)

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

First-home buyers

Coldstream

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($870,000 vs $1,115,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Christmas Hills

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (13/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (44.2 km vs 49.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Christmas Hills

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (13/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (38/100 vs 56/100)
  • But Coldstream has more GPs (2 vs 0)

Weighs 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

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

Coldstream Christmas Hills
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.

Coldstream Christmas Hills
Walkability 0 / 13
Coldstream — Walkability: 0/100 Christmas Hills — Walkability: 13/100
Safety 44 / 62
Coldstream — Safety: 44/100 Christmas Hills — Safety: 62/100
Low fire risk 2 / 12
Coldstream — Low fire risk: 2/100 Christmas Hills — Low fire risk: 12/100
Low flood risk 20 / 58
Coldstream — Low flood risk: 20/100 Christmas Hills — Low flood risk: 58/100

Demographics

Coldstream has more residents (2,199 vs 365); Christmas Hills skews older (46 vs 37).

Coldstream Christmas Hills
Population 2,199
+83% vs other
 365
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.6% +2.8%
Median age 37 46
Median household income $99,476/yr $118,820/yr
+19% vs other
Median weekly rent $371/wk
+5% vs other
 $353/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coldstream Christmas Hills
0-4 7.0% / 4.4%
Coldstream — 0-4: 7.0% Christmas Hills — 0-4: 4.4%
5-14 13.1% / 10.4%
Coldstream — 5-14: 13.1% Christmas Hills — 5-14: 10.4%
15-19 6.5% / 6.6%
Coldstream — 15-19: 6.5% Christmas Hills — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 5.2% / 6.6%
Coldstream — 20-24: 5.2% Christmas Hills — 20-24: 6.6%
25-34 14.5% / 8.2%
Coldstream — 25-34: 14.5% Christmas Hills — 25-34: 8.2%
35-44 13.1% / 13.4%
Coldstream — 35-44: 13.1% Christmas Hills — 35-44: 13.4%
45-54 11.1% / 15.9%
Coldstream — 45-54: 11.1% Christmas Hills — 45-54: 15.9%
55-64 13.3% / 23.0%
Coldstream — 55-64: 13.3% Christmas Hills — 55-64: 23.0%
65-74 10.6% / 9.9%
Coldstream — 65-74: 10.6% Christmas Hills — 65-74: 9.9%
75-84 5.0% / 4.7%
Coldstream — 75-84: 5.0% Christmas Hills — 75-84: 4.7%
85+ 1.0% / 1.1%
Coldstream — 85+: 1.0% Christmas Hills — 85+: 1.1%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Coldstream 54.2% couple families
Coldstream — Couple Families: 54.2% Coldstream — Lone Person: 24.7% Coldstream — One Parent Families: 16.9% Coldstream — Group Household: 3.0% Coldstream — Other Families: 1.1%
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%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Coldstream 13.4% renting
Coldstream — Owned Outright: 35.5% Coldstream — Mortgage: 51.1% Coldstream — Renting: 13.4%
Christmas Hills 8.9% renting
Christmas Hills — Owned Outright: 40.3% Christmas Hills — Mortgage: 50.8% Christmas Hills — Renting: 8.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Coldstream Christmas Hills
Certificate III & IV 21.4% / 15.9%
Coldstream — Certificate III & IV: 21.4% Christmas Hills — Certificate III & IV: 15.9%
Bachelor Degree 7.3% / 14.0%
Coldstream — Bachelor Degree: 7.3% Christmas Hills — Bachelor Degree: 14.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.5% / 8.8%
Coldstream — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5% Christmas Hills — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8%
Postgraduate Degree 2.0% / 6.6%
Coldstream — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0% Christmas Hills — Postgraduate Degree: 6.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 3.3%
Coldstream — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Christmas Hills — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.4%).

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.

Coldstream Christmas Hills
England 4.7% / 4.9%
Coldstream — England: 4.7% Christmas Hills — England: 4.9%
China — / 1.9%
Coldstream — China: not among its largest Christmas Hills — China: 1.9%
New Zealand 0.9% / 0.8%
Coldstream — New Zealand: 0.9% Christmas Hills — New Zealand: 0.8%
Scotland 0.8% / 0.8%
Coldstream — Scotland: 0.8% Christmas Hills — Scotland: 0.8%
Italy 0.7% / —
Coldstream — Italy: 0.7% Christmas Hills — Italy: not among its largest
Netherlands 0.7% / —
Coldstream — Netherlands: 0.7% Christmas Hills — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Coldstream 98.9% houses
Coldstream — Houses: 98.9% Coldstream — Flats / Apartments: 0.7% Coldstream — Townhouses: 0.4%
Christmas Hills 100.0% houses
Christmas Hills — Houses: 100.0% Christmas Hills — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Christmas Hills — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Coldstream Christmas Hills
Median house price $870,000 $1,115,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 17 sales
 84 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Coldstream has more rural and farming land (95% vs 0%); Christmas Hills has more land zoned for conservation (46% vs 0%).

Coldstream Christmas Hills
Rural and farming 95% 0%
Environmental 0% 46%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 36%
Parks and recreation 0% 16%
Other and special use 1% 2%
Residential 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

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

Ranking within VIC

Coldstream Christmas Hills
House price Higher than 60% of VIC —
Income Higher than 72% of VIC Higher than 91% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 6% of VIC Higher than 75% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 58% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 67% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of VIC Higher than 32% of VIC

Liveability

Christmas Hills is more walkable (13 vs 0).

Coldstream Christmas Hills
Grade D —
Score 26/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Coldstream carries more flood risk (80 vs 42); Coldstream carries more crime risk (56 vs 38).

Coldstream Christmas Hills
Bushfire High
98/100
 High
88/100
Crime Moderate
56/100
 Low
38/100
Flood High
80/100
 Moderate
42/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 6
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Coldstream Christmas Hills
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Coldstream

  • Coldstream Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Lyrebird College Independent · Combined · Special school

Schools in Christmas Hills

  • Christmas Hills Primary School Government · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Coldstream Christmas Hills
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 13 0
Parks & reserves 11 3
Childcare 2 0
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 4 10

Mobility

Coldstream sits further from the CBD (49.9 km vs 44.2 km).

Coldstream Christmas Hills
Walkability score 0/100 13/100
Distance to Melbourne 49.9 km
+11% vs other
 44.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 54 min 56 min
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 3770
 0.8%
postcode 3775
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 3770
 48
postcode 3775

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.

Coldstream Christmas Hills
Car (driver) 69.5% / 70.2%
Coldstream — Car (driver): 69.5% Christmas Hills — Car (driver): 70.2%
Worked from Home 21.9% / 24.2%
Coldstream — Worked from Home: 21.9% Christmas Hills — Worked from Home: 24.2%
Car (passenger) 4.4% / 5.6%
Coldstream — Car (passenger): 4.4% Christmas Hills — Car (passenger): 5.6%
Walked Only 2.6% / —
Coldstream — Walked Only: 2.6% Christmas Hills — Walked Only: not among its largest
Train 0.9% / —
Coldstream — Train: 0.9% Christmas Hills — Train: not among its largest

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

Setting

Coldstream Christmas Hills
Elevation 76 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 167 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 42.3 km 37.8 km

NBN connectivity

Coldstream Christmas Hills
Connectivity score 77/100 27/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 40%
962 premises
 0%
120 premises

Climate

Coldstream Christmas Hills
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)

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Coldstream

Acreage Outer

Christmas Hills

Outer Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Coldstream

Coldstream vs Lilydale Coldstream vs Chirnside Park Coldstream vs Healesville Coldstream vs Wandin North Coldstream vs Yarra Glen Coldstream vs Gruyere

Other comparisons with Christmas Hills

Christmas Hills vs Chirnside Park Christmas Hills vs Wonga Park Christmas Hills vs Yarra Glen Christmas Hills vs Kinglake Christmas Hills vs Kangaroo Ground Christmas Hills vs St Andrews
Full data on Coldstream Full data on Christmas Hills
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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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