Collingwood vs Clifton Hill

Collingwood is the younger of the two, with a median age of 33 against 37 in Clifton Hill. In Collingwood, most households rent, most homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. In Clifton Hill, most households own their home. Houses cost more in Clifton Hill: a median of $1.61 million, against $1.25 million in Collingwood, and rent is higher there too. Collingwood is closer to the city centre: 3.4 km, against 5.6 km. On these figures, Collingwood tends to suit renters, young adults, and people living alone.

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

Clifton Hill

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (24% vs 6%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (46% vs 23%)
  • carries lower crime risk (81/100 vs 96/100)
  • But Collingwood has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Collingwood

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,248,500 vs $1,607,500)
  • has cheaper units ($599,500 vs $675,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Collingwood

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (66% vs 40%)
  • has cheaper rent ($425/wk vs $550/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Collingwood

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (3.4 km vs 5.6 km)
  • is more walkable (97/100 vs 89/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Collingwood

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (7 vs 3)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (94% vs 76%)
  • is more walkable (97/100 vs 89/100)
  • But Clifton Hill has more residents already 65 and over (15% vs 7%)

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

Investors

Collingwood

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • returns a higher gross yield on units (5.9% vs 4.3%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.1% vs 3.3%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Collingwood Clifton Hill
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.

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Walkability 97 / 89
Collingwood — Walkability: 97/100 Clifton Hill — Walkability: 89/100
Safety 4 / 19
Collingwood — Safety: 4/100 Clifton Hill — Safety: 19/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Collingwood — Low fire risk: 100/100 Clifton Hill — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 56 / 56
Collingwood — Low flood risk: 56/100 Clifton Hill — Low flood risk: 56/100

Demographics

Collingwood has more residents (9,179 vs 6,606); Clifton Hill rents higher ($550/wk vs $425/wk).

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Population 9,179
+28% vs other
 6,606
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.8% +4.2%
Median age 33 37
Median household income $110,760/yr $143,260/yr
+29% vs other
Median weekly rent $425/wk $550/wk
+29% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Collingwood Clifton Hill
0-4 4.1% / 5.6%
Collingwood — 0-4: 4.1% Clifton Hill — 0-4: 5.6%
5-14 5.7% / 10.4%
Collingwood — 5-14: 5.7% Clifton Hill — 5-14: 10.4%
15-19 2.3% / 3.1%
Collingwood — 15-19: 2.3% Clifton Hill — 15-19: 3.1%
20-24 6.9% / 4.7%
Collingwood — 20-24: 6.9% Clifton Hill — 20-24: 4.7%
25-34 36.5% / 21.5%
Collingwood — 25-34: 36.5% Clifton Hill — 25-34: 21.5%
35-44 19.1% / 17.2%
Collingwood — 35-44: 19.1% Clifton Hill — 35-44: 17.2%
45-54 11.2% / 12.5%
Collingwood — 45-54: 11.2% Clifton Hill — 45-54: 12.5%
55-64 7.2% / 10.6%
Collingwood — 55-64: 7.2% Clifton Hill — 55-64: 10.6%
65-74 4.3% / 9.3%
Collingwood — 65-74: 4.3% Clifton Hill — 65-74: 9.3%
75-84 2.1% / 3.9%
Collingwood — 75-84: 2.1% Clifton Hill — 75-84: 3.9%
85+ 0.7% / 1.3%
Collingwood — 85+: 0.7% Clifton Hill — 85+: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (36.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Collingwood 60.0% lone person
Collingwood — Lone Person: 60.0% Collingwood — Couple Families: 12.7% Collingwood — Group Household: 15.2% Collingwood — One Parent Families: 9.9% Collingwood — Other Families: 2.1%
Clifton Hill 39.0% lone person
Clifton Hill — Lone Person: 39.0% Clifton Hill — Couple Families: 37.0% Clifton Hill — Group Household: 13.0% Clifton Hill — One Parent Families: 9.2% Clifton Hill — Other Families: 1.8%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Collingwood 65.9% renting
Collingwood — Owned Outright: 11.0% Collingwood — Mortgage: 23.1% Collingwood — Renting: 65.9%
Clifton Hill 39.7% renting
Clifton Hill — Owned Outright: 29.6% Clifton Hill — Mortgage: 30.7% Clifton Hill — Renting: 39.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Bachelor Degree 30.8% / 29.1%
Collingwood — Bachelor Degree: 30.8% Clifton Hill — Bachelor Degree: 29.1%
Postgraduate Degree 14.4% / 18.2%
Collingwood — Postgraduate Degree: 14.4% Clifton Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 18.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.0% / 5.5%
Collingwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0% Clifton Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.5%
Certificate III & IV 6.3% / 4.6%
Collingwood — Certificate III & IV: 6.3% Clifton Hill — Certificate III & IV: 4.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.6% / 5.6%
Collingwood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.6% Clifton Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 5.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (30.8%).

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.

Collingwood Clifton Hill
England 4.3% / 4.3%
Collingwood — England: 4.3% Clifton Hill — England: 4.3%
New Zealand 3.6% / 2.5%
Collingwood — New Zealand: 3.6% Clifton Hill — New Zealand: 2.5%
Vietnam 3.1% / —
Collingwood — Vietnam: 3.1% Clifton Hill — Vietnam: not among its largest
China 1.8% / —
Collingwood — China: 1.8% Clifton Hill — China: not among its largest
Malaysia 1.1% / 0.7%
Collingwood — Malaysia: 1.1% Clifton Hill — Malaysia: 0.7%
Ireland 0.8% / 0.7%
Collingwood — Ireland: 0.8% Clifton Hill — Ireland: 0.7%
Greece — / 1.3%
Collingwood — Greece: not among its largest Clifton Hill — Greece: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Collingwood 68.6% flats / apartments
Collingwood — Flats / Apartments: 68.6% Collingwood — Townhouses: 25.6% Collingwood — Houses: 5.8%
Clifton Hill 25.5% flats / apartments
Clifton Hill — Flats / Apartments: 25.5% Clifton Hill — Townhouses: 50.8% Clifton Hill — Houses: 23.8%
Flats / Apartments Townhouses Houses

Property market

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Median house price $1,248,500 $1,607,500
Median unit price $599,500 $675,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 38 sales
 23 days
from 31 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Collingwood Clifton Hill
2 bed $1.14M / $1.28M
Collingwood — 2 bed: $1.14M (28 sales) Clifton Hill — 2 bed: $1.28M (36 sales)

28 vs 36 sales

3 bed $1.45M / $1.65M
Collingwood — 3 bed: $1.45M (26 sales) Clifton Hill — 3 bed: $1.65M (42 sales)

26 vs 42 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Collingwood Clifton Hill
1 bed $450K / $444K
Collingwood — 1 bed: $450K (104 sales) Clifton Hill — 1 bed: $444K (24 sales)

104 vs 24 sales

2 bed $670K / $755K
Collingwood — 2 bed: $670K (142 sales) Clifton Hill — 2 bed: $755K (23 sales)

142 vs 23 sales

Zoning mix

Collingwood has more commercially zoned land (42% vs 5%).

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Residential 47% 53%
Commercial 42% 5%
Parks and recreation 0% 26%
Infrastructure and transport 10% 17%
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

Collingwood Clifton Hill
New dwellings approved 1,675
across Yarra
same for both
Approvals change year on year +646%
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.

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Houses 4.1%
$997/wk on $1.26M
 3.3%
$948/wk on $1.5M
Units 5.9%
$682/wk on $605K
 4.3%
$608/wk on $735K

Ranking within VIC

Collingwood Clifton Hill
House price Higher than 75% of VIC Higher than 90% of VIC
Income Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 97% of VIC
Schools Higher than 51% of VIC Higher than 26% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 99% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 38% of VIC Higher than 33% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 94% of VIC Higher than 97% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 91% of VIC Higher than 87% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 74% of VIC Higher than 26% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 90% of VIC Higher than 22% of VIC

Liveability

Collingwood is more walkable (97 vs 89).

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Grade B
same for both
Score 65/100
same for both
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Collingwood carries more crime risk (96 vs 81).

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
96/100
 High
81/100
Flood Moderate
44/100
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 20
within 5 km
 15
within 5 km

Schools

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Inside the suburb 5 3
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 1
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Australian Catholic University-Melbourne Campus, 0.8 km
 3
Australian Catholic University-Melbourne Campus, 2.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.5% 2.3%

Schools in Collingwood

  • St Joseph's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Collingwood College Government · Combined below peers
  • Collingwood College-Collingwood Alternative School Government · Combined
  • Victorian School Of Languages Government · Combined
  • Collingwood English Language School Government · Combined · Special school

Schools in Clifton Hill

  • Clifton Hill Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Spensley Street Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • St John's School Catholic · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Supermarkets 5 1
Cafes & restaurants 77 10
Parks & reserves 10
same for both
Childcare 6 5
GPs 7 3
Pharmacies 5 0
Banks & Bank@Post 4 2
Fuel stations 2 1

Mobility

Clifton Hill sits further from the CBD (5.6 km vs 3.4 km).

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Walkability score 97/100 89/100
Distance to Melbourne 3.4 km 5.6 km
+65% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 10 min 14 min
Public transport score 80/100
Tram · Bus
 96/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 357.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 128.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.1%
postcode 3066
 2.5%
postcode 3068
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 5
postcode 3066
 16
postcode 3068

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.

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Worked from Home 54.5% / 56.2%
Collingwood — Worked from Home: 54.5% Clifton Hill — Worked from Home: 56.2%
Car (driver) 21.5% / 26.4%
Collingwood — Car (driver): 21.5% Clifton Hill — Car (driver): 26.4%
Walked Only 10.1% / 3.7%
Collingwood — Walked Only: 10.1% Clifton Hill — Walked Only: 3.7%
Bicycle 4.4% / 6.2%
Collingwood — Bicycle: 4.4% Clifton Hill — Bicycle: 6.2%
Train 2.4% / 4.1%
Collingwood — Train: 2.4% Clifton Hill — Train: 4.1%
Tram / Light Rail 4.7% / 1.1%
Collingwood — Tram / Light Rail: 4.7% Clifton Hill — Tram / Light Rail: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (56.2%).

Setting

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Elevation 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 42 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.2 km 7.8 km

NBN connectivity

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Connectivity score 81/100 77/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 31%
7,186 premises
 7%
3,270 premises

Climate

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Annual rainfall 534 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Collingwood Clifton Hill
PM2.5 7.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Average residential rate $1,937/yr
same for both
Council Yarra
same for both

Federal electorate

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Division Melbourne Cooper
Member Sarah Witty Ged Kearney
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Collingwood Clifton Hill
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Collingwood

Apartments Inner Parks Professionals Townhouses Trams Transport Hub Urban

Clifton Hill

Easy Commute Inner Parks Premium Professionals Townhouses Trains Trams Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Collingwood

Collingwood vs Richmond Collingwood vs Fitzroy North Collingwood vs Fitzroy Collingwood vs Abbotsford Collingwood vs East Melbourne

Other comparisons with Clifton Hill

Clifton Hill vs Northcote Clifton Hill vs Fitzroy North Clifton Hill vs Fitzroy Clifton Hill vs Abbotsford Clifton Hill vs Fairfield
Full data on Collingwood Full data on Clifton Hill
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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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