Cottles Bridge vs Hurstbridge

Hurstbridge is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 52 in Cottles Bridge. 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 Cottles Bridge: a median of $1.46 million, against $1.01 million in Hurstbridge, though rent is higher in Hurstbridge. Hurstbridge is closer to the city centre: 34.8 km, against 39.3 km. On these figures, Cottles Bridge tends to suit older residents, while Hurstbridge suits 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

Hurstbridge

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (13 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Hurstbridge

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,012,000 vs $1,462,500)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 27%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Cottles Bridge

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (12% vs 19%)
  • has cheaper rent ($260/wk vs $420/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Hurstbridge

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (63/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (34.8 km vs 39.3 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (48 min vs 53 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Cottles Bridge has more residents already 65 and over (26% vs 16%)
  • Hurstbridge is more walkable (63/100 vs 0/100)

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

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

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
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.

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Walkability 0 / 63
Cottles Bridge — Walkability: 0/100 Hurstbridge — Walkability: 63/100
Safety 83 / 78
Cottles Bridge — Safety: 83/100 Hurstbridge — Safety: 78/100
Low fire risk 11 / 55
Cottles Bridge — Low fire risk: 11/100 Hurstbridge — Low fire risk: 55/100
Low flood risk 77 / 53
Cottles Bridge — Low flood risk: 77/100 Hurstbridge — Low flood risk: 53/100

Demographics

Hurstbridge has more residents (3,554 vs 609); Hurstbridge rents higher ($420/wk vs $260/wk).

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Population 609 3,554
+484% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.3% +3.0%
Median age 52 41
Median household income $112,840/yr $112,736/yr
Median weekly rent $260/wk $420/wk
+62% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
0-4 4.3% / 5.9%
Cottles Bridge — 0-4: 4.3% Hurstbridge — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 11.0% / 14.0%
Cottles Bridge — 5-14: 11.0% Hurstbridge — 5-14: 14.0%
15-19 5.7% / 6.4%
Cottles Bridge — 15-19: 5.7% Hurstbridge — 15-19: 6.4%
20-24 7.2% / 6.0%
Cottles Bridge — 20-24: 7.2% Hurstbridge — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 7.2% / 9.9%
Cottles Bridge — 25-34: 7.2% Hurstbridge — 25-34: 9.9%
35-44 8.0% / 12.7%
Cottles Bridge — 35-44: 8.0% Hurstbridge — 35-44: 12.7%
45-54 12.6% / 15.0%
Cottles Bridge — 45-54: 12.6% Hurstbridge — 45-54: 15.0%
55-64 20.7% / 14.8%
Cottles Bridge — 55-64: 20.7% Hurstbridge — 55-64: 14.8%
65-74 18.6% / 10.5%
Cottles Bridge — 65-74: 18.6% Hurstbridge — 65-74: 10.5%
75-84 6.1% / 4.4%
Cottles Bridge — 75-84: 6.1% Hurstbridge — 75-84: 4.4%
85+ 1.1% / 0.7%
Cottles Bridge — 85+: 1.1% Hurstbridge — 85+: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Cottles Bridge 57.7% couple families
Cottles Bridge — Couple Families: 57.7% Cottles Bridge — Lone Person: 22.6% Cottles Bridge — One Parent Families: 12.4% Cottles Bridge — Group Household: 7.3% Cottles Bridge — Other Families: 0.0%
Hurstbridge 58.4% couple families
Hurstbridge — Couple Families: 58.4% Hurstbridge — Lone Person: 23.3% Hurstbridge — One Parent Families: 16.1% Hurstbridge — Group Household: 1.7% Hurstbridge — Other Families: 0.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Cottles Bridge 11.0% renting
Cottles Bridge — Owned Outright: 49.0% Cottles Bridge — Mortgage: 40.0% Cottles Bridge — Renting: 11.0%
Hurstbridge 10.6% renting
Hurstbridge — Owned Outright: 36.2% Hurstbridge — Mortgage: 53.2% Hurstbridge — Renting: 10.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Bachelor Degree 18.4% / 15.8%
Cottles Bridge — Bachelor Degree: 18.4% Hurstbridge — Bachelor Degree: 15.8%
Certificate III & IV 13.8% / 17.8%
Cottles Bridge — Certificate III & IV: 13.8% Hurstbridge — Certificate III & IV: 17.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 12.5% / 9.0%
Cottles Bridge — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 12.5% Hurstbridge — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0%
Postgraduate Degree 7.7% / 5.0%
Cottles Bridge — Postgraduate Degree: 7.7% Hurstbridge — Postgraduate Degree: 5.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.8% / 3.5%
Cottles Bridge — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.8% Hurstbridge — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.4%).

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.

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
England 6.2% / 4.9%
Cottles Bridge — England: 6.2% Hurstbridge — England: 4.9%
New Zealand 1.5% / 1.0%
Cottles Bridge — New Zealand: 1.5% Hurstbridge — New Zealand: 1.0%
Netherlands 1.0% / 0.3%
Cottles Bridge — Netherlands: 1.0% Hurstbridge — Netherlands: 0.3%
Germany 0.5% / 0.5%
Cottles Bridge — Germany: 0.5% Hurstbridge — Germany: 0.5%
Canada 0.7% / —
Cottles Bridge — Canada: 0.7% Hurstbridge — Canada: not among its largest
Zimbabwe 0.7% / —
Cottles Bridge — Zimbabwe: 0.7% Hurstbridge — Zimbabwe: not among its largest
Italy — / 0.3%
Cottles Bridge — Italy: not among its largest Hurstbridge — Italy: 0.3%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cottles Bridge 100.0% houses
Cottles Bridge — Houses: 100.0% Cottles Bridge — Townhouses: 0.0% Cottles Bridge — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Hurstbridge 96.9% houses
Hurstbridge — Houses: 96.9% Hurstbridge — Townhouses: 2.5% Hurstbridge — Flats / Apartments: 0.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Median house price $1,462,500 $1,012,000
Median unit price — $697,000
Median land price — $457,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 44 days
from 4 sales
 22 days
from 14 sales

Zoning mix

Cottles Bridge has more land zoned for conservation (96% vs 83%).

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Environmental 96% 83%
Residential 0% 9%
Parks and recreation 3% 4%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 4%
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

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
New dwellings approved 98
across Nillumbik
same for both
Approvals change year on year +8%
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.

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Houses — 2.9%
$650/wk on $1.15M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
House price — Higher than 68% of VIC
Income Higher than 86% of VIC
same for both
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 11% of VIC Higher than 88% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 58% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 83% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 52% of VIC Higher than 75% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 10% of VIC

Liveability

Hurstbridge is more walkable (63 vs 0); Hurstbridge scores higher overall (66 vs 56).

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Grade B
same for both
Score 56/100 66/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Hurstbridge carries more flood risk (47 vs 23); Cottles Bridge carries more bushfire risk (89 vs 45).

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Bushfire High
89/100
 Moderate
45/100
Crime Low
17/100
 Low
22/100
Flood Low
23/100
 Moderate
47/100
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

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Cottles Bridge

  • Learning Co-Operative School Independent · Primary

Schools in Hurstbridge

  • Hurstbridge Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Launch Campus Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Cafes & restaurants 0 12
Parks & reserves 0 13
Childcare 0 3
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Waterways 2 17

Mobility

Cottles Bridge sits further from the CBD (39.3 km vs 34.8 km).

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Walkability score 0/100 63/100
Distance to Melbourne 39.3 km
+11% vs other
 34.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 53 min 48 min
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 3099
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 3099
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.

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Car (driver) 59.2% / 61.7%
Cottles Bridge — Car (driver): 59.2% Hurstbridge — Car (driver): 61.7%
Worked from Home 34.6% / 32.0%
Cottles Bridge — Worked from Home: 34.6% Hurstbridge — Worked from Home: 32.0%
Car (passenger) 3.8% / 2.1%
Cottles Bridge — Car (passenger): 3.8% Hurstbridge — Car (passenger): 2.1%
Walked Only 2.3% / 1.0%
Cottles Bridge — Walked Only: 2.3% Hurstbridge — Walked Only: 1.0%
Train — / 2.7%
Cottles Bridge — Train: not among its largest Hurstbridge — Train: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (61.7%).

Setting

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Elevation 139 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 76 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 35.9 km 31.6 km

NBN connectivity

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Connectivity score 30/100 62/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
219 premises
 34%
1,425 premises

Climate

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Annual rainfall 1,215 mm 777 mm
Summer max (Jan) 22.9°C 26.9°C
Winter min (Jul) 3.8°C 6.3°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
PM2.5 3.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Average residential rate $2,696/yr
same for both
Council Nillumbik
same for both

Federal electorate

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Division Mcewen
same for both
Member Rob Mitchell
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Cottles Bridge Hurstbridge
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Cottles Bridge

Acreage Outer Premium Retirees

Hurstbridge

Acreage Outer Parks River Trains Village Feel

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Cottles Bridge

Cottles Bridge vs St Andrews Cottles Bridge vs Panton Hill Cottles Bridge vs Arthurs Creek Cottles Bridge vs Nutfield

Other comparisons with Hurstbridge

Hurstbridge vs Doreen Hurstbridge vs Diamond Creek Hurstbridge vs Wattle Glen Hurstbridge vs Yarrambat Hurstbridge vs Kangaroo Ground Hurstbridge vs Panton Hill
Full data on Cottles Bridge Full data on Hurstbridge
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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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