Cudgewa vs Towong

Cudgewa is the younger of the two, with a median age of 54 against 60 in Towong. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Towong tends to suit older residents.

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

Towong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 40/100)

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

Cudgewa

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($130/wk vs $175/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Cudgewa

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (295 min vs 307 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (436.7 km vs 453.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Towong

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 40/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (34% vs 26%)

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

Investors

Towong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.3% vs -2.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Cudgewa Towong
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.

Cudgewa Towong
Walkability 0 / 0
Cudgewa — Walkability: 0/100 Towong — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 60 / 78
Cudgewa — Safety: 60/100 Towong — Safety: 78/100
Low fire risk 5 / 3
Cudgewa — Low fire risk: 5/100 Towong — Low fire risk: 3/100
Low flood risk 47 / 11
Cudgewa — Low flood risk: 47/100 Towong — Low flood risk: 11/100

Demographics

Cudgewa has more residents (254 vs 143); Towong rents higher ($175/wk vs $130/wk).

Cudgewa Towong
Population 254
+44% vs other
 143
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -2.7% +8.3%
Median age 54 60
Median household income $66,612/yr $67,132/yr
Median weekly rent $130/wk $175/wk
+35% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cudgewa Towong
0-4 1.2% / 2.1%
Cudgewa — 0-4: 1.2% Towong — 0-4: 2.1%
5-14 8.7% / 6.3%
Cudgewa — 5-14: 8.7% Towong — 5-14: 6.3%
15-19 7.9% / 2.8%
Cudgewa — 15-19: 7.9% Towong — 15-19: 2.8%
20-24 2.4% / —
Cudgewa — 20-24: 2.4% Towong — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 8.7% / 5.6%
Cudgewa — 25-34: 8.7% Towong — 25-34: 5.6%
35-44 7.1% / 9.8%
Cudgewa — 35-44: 7.1% Towong — 35-44: 9.8%
45-54 16.5% / 8.4%
Cudgewa — 45-54: 16.5% Towong — 45-54: 8.4%
55-64 22.8% / 20.3%
Cudgewa — 55-64: 22.8% Towong — 55-64: 20.3%
65-74 18.1% / 20.3%
Cudgewa — 65-74: 18.1% Towong — 65-74: 20.3%
75-84 6.3% / 11.2%
Cudgewa — 75-84: 6.3% Towong — 75-84: 11.2%
85+ 1.2% / 2.8%
Cudgewa — 85+: 1.2% Towong — 85+: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Cudgewa 47.3% lone person
Cudgewa — Lone Person: 47.3% Cudgewa — Couple Families: 29.1% Cudgewa — One Parent Families: 12.7% Cudgewa — Other Families: 0.0% Cudgewa — Group Household: 10.9%
Towong 46.9% lone person
Towong — Lone Person: 46.9% Towong — Couple Families: 21.9% Towong — One Parent Families: 18.8% Towong — Other Families: 12.5% Towong — Group Household: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Cudgewa 4.9% renting
Cudgewa — Owned Outright: 60.5% Cudgewa — Mortgage: 34.6% Cudgewa — Renting: 4.9%
Towong 5.5% renting
Towong — Owned Outright: 74.5% Towong — Mortgage: 20.0% Towong — Renting: 5.5%
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.

Cudgewa Towong
England 1.2% / 3.5%
Cudgewa — England: 1.2% Towong — England: 3.5%
New Zealand — / 3.5%
Cudgewa — New Zealand: not among its largest Towong — New Zealand: 3.5%
South Africa — / 2.8%
Cudgewa — South Africa: not among its largest Towong — South Africa: 2.8%
Italy — / 2.8%
Cudgewa — Italy: not among its largest Towong — Italy: 2.8%
Netherlands 2.0% / —
Cudgewa — Netherlands: 2.0% Towong — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.5%).

Qualifications

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

Cudgewa Towong
Certificate III & IV 16.5% / 23.8%
Cudgewa — Certificate III & IV: 16.5% Towong — Certificate III & IV: 23.8%
Bachelor Degree 7.5% / 7.7%
Cudgewa — Bachelor Degree: 7.5% Towong — Bachelor Degree: 7.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 7.7%
Cudgewa — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% Towong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7%
Postgraduate Degree 2.0% / 5.6%
Cudgewa — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0% Towong — Postgraduate Degree: 5.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 2.8%
Cudgewa — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Towong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cudgewa 96.6% houses
Cudgewa — Houses: 96.6% Cudgewa — Flats / Apartments: 3.4%
Towong 100.0% houses
Towong — Houses: 100.0% Towong — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Zoning mix

Towong has more rural and farming land (83% vs 67%).

Cudgewa Towong
Rural and farming 67% 83%
Parks and recreation 32% 16%
Infrastructure and transport 1%
same for both
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

Cudgewa Towong
New dwellings approved 19
across Towong
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Cudgewa Towong
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 27% of VIC Higher than 28% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 56% of VIC Higher than 26% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption —
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 16% of VIC Higher than 30% of VIC

Liveability

Cudgewa Towong
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
same for both

Risk profile

Cudgewa carries more crime risk (40 vs 22); Towong carries more flood risk (89 vs 53).

Cudgewa Towong
Bushfire High
95/100
 High
97/100
Crime Moderate
40/100
 Low
22/100
Flood Moderate
53/100
 High
89/100
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

Cudgewa Towong
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Cudgewa Towong
Parks & reserves 3
same for both
Waterways 8 0

Mobility

Towong sits further from the CBD (453.2 km vs 436.7 km).

Cudgewa Towong
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 436.7 km 453.2 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 295 min 307 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 3705
 0.0%
postcode 3707
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 80
postcode 3705
 71
postcode 3707

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.

Cudgewa Towong
Car (driver) 57.7% / 54.7%
Cudgewa — Car (driver): 57.7% Towong — Car (driver): 54.7%
Worked from Home 34.2% / 30.2%
Cudgewa — Worked from Home: 34.2% Towong — Worked from Home: 30.2%
Walked Only 4.5% / 15.1%
Cudgewa — Walked Only: 4.5% Towong — Walked Only: 15.1%
Car (passenger) 3.6% / —
Cudgewa — Car (passenger): 3.6% Towong — Car (passenger): not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (57.7%).

Setting

Cudgewa Towong
Elevation 343 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 250 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Cudgewa Towong
Connectivity score 19/100 27/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
76 premises
 0%
56 premises

Climate

Cudgewa Towong
Annual rainfall 952 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 0.6°C
same for both

Council rates

Cudgewa Towong
Average residential rate $1,875/yr
same for both
Council Towong
same for both

Federal electorate

Cudgewa Towong
Division Indi
same for both
Member Helen Haines
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Cudgewa Towong
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Cudgewa

Retirees Rural

Towong

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Cudgewa

Cudgewa vs Corryong Cudgewa vs Walwa Cudgewa vs Nariel Valley Cudgewa vs Tintaldra Cudgewa vs Colac Colac

Other comparisons with Towong

Towong vs Corryong Towong vs Thowgla Valley Towong vs Tintaldra
Full data on Cudgewa Full data on Towong
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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