Darley vs Pentland Hills

Darley is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 49 in Pentland Hills. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Darley, about half of households are couple families. In Pentland Hills, most households are couple families. On these figures, Darley tends to suit families with children.

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

Darley

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (8 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Darley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (20% vs 26%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Darley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($320/wk vs $350/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Darley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (20/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (60.8 km vs 63.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Darley

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (20/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (57/100 vs 95/100)

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

Investors

Darley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (9.8% vs -14.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Darley and Pentland 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.

Darley Pentland 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.

Darley Pentland Hills
Walkability 20 / 0
Darley — Walkability: 20/100 Pentland Hills — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 43 / 5
Darley — Safety: 43/100 Pentland Hills — Safety: 5/100
Low fire risk 18 / 83
Darley — Low fire risk: 18/100 Pentland Hills — Low fire risk: 83/100
Low flood risk 53 / 64
Darley — Low flood risk: 53/100 Pentland Hills — Low flood risk: 64/100

Demographics

Darley has more residents (9,190 vs 158); Pentland Hills skews older (49 vs 37).

Darley Pentland Hills
Population 9,190
+98% vs other
 158
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.8% -14.6%
Median age 37 49
Median household income $101,452/yr $101,816/yr
Median weekly rent $320/wk $350/wk
+9% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Darley Pentland Hills
0-4 6.3% / 3.2%
Darley — 0-4: 6.3% Pentland Hills — 0-4: 3.2%
5-14 14.8% / 8.9%
Darley — 5-14: 14.8% Pentland Hills — 5-14: 8.9%
15-19 6.5% / 7.6%
Darley — 15-19: 6.5% Pentland Hills — 15-19: 7.6%
20-24 5.9% / 7.0%
Darley — 20-24: 5.9% Pentland Hills — 20-24: 7.0%
25-34 13.2% / 10.1%
Darley — 25-34: 13.2% Pentland Hills — 25-34: 10.1%
35-44 13.7% / 5.7%
Darley — 35-44: 13.7% Pentland Hills — 35-44: 5.7%
45-54 13.7% / 25.9%
Darley — 45-54: 13.7% Pentland Hills — 45-54: 25.9%
55-64 12.2% / 20.3%
Darley — 55-64: 12.2% Pentland Hills — 55-64: 20.3%
65-74 8.7% / 5.1%
Darley — 65-74: 8.7% Pentland Hills — 65-74: 5.1%
75-84 3.3% / 8.2%
Darley — 75-84: 3.3% Pentland Hills — 75-84: 8.2%
85+ 1.5% / —
Darley — 85+: 1.5% Pentland Hills — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Darley 53.8% couple families
Darley — Couple Families: 53.8% Darley — Lone Person: 24.7% Darley — One Parent Families: 17.9% Darley — Group Household: 2.4% Darley — Other Families: 1.3%
Pentland Hills 59.0% couple families
Pentland Hills — Couple Families: 59.0% Pentland Hills — Lone Person: 20.5% Pentland Hills — One Parent Families: 20.5% Pentland Hills — Group Household: 0.0% Pentland Hills — 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.

Darley 17.3% renting
Darley — Owned Outright: 28.8% Darley — Mortgage: 53.9% Darley — Renting: 17.3%
Pentland Hills 0.0% renting
Pentland Hills — Owned Outright: 67.4% Pentland Hills — Mortgage: 32.6% Pentland Hills — Renting: 0.0%
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.

Darley Pentland Hills
England 3.3% / 2.5%
Darley — England: 3.3% Pentland Hills — England: 2.5%
Netherlands 0.4% / 3.2%
Darley — Netherlands: 0.4% Pentland Hills — Netherlands: 3.2%
India 1.7% / —
Darley — India: 1.7% Pentland Hills — India: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.3% / —
Darley — New Zealand: 1.3% Pentland Hills — New Zealand: not among its largest
Scotland 0.6% / —
Darley — Scotland: 0.6% Pentland Hills — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

Qualifications

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

Darley Pentland Hills
Certificate III & IV 18.2% / 16.5%
Darley — Certificate III & IV: 18.2% Pentland Hills — Certificate III & IV: 16.5%
Bachelor Degree 8.6% / 7.6%
Darley — Bachelor Degree: 8.6% Pentland Hills — Bachelor Degree: 7.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 7.0%
Darley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Pentland Hills — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 5.7%
Darley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Pentland Hills — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 5.7%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / 4.4%
Darley — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% Pentland Hills — Postgraduate Degree: 4.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Darley 92.9% houses
Darley — Houses: 92.9% Darley — Townhouses: 6.7% Darley — Flats / Apartments: 0.4%
Pentland Hills 100.0% houses
Pentland Hills — Houses: 100.0% Pentland Hills — Townhouses: 0.0% Pentland Hills — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Darley Pentland Hills
Median house price $650,000 —
Median unit price $430,000 —
Median land price $501,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 37 days
from 153 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Pentland Hills has more rural and farming land (81% vs 48%).

Darley Pentland Hills
Rural and farming 48% 81%
Residential 22% 5%
Other and special use 15% 0%
Parks and recreation 8% 10%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 4%
Environmental 3% 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

Darley Pentland Hills
New dwellings approved 338
across Moorabool
same for both
Approvals change year on year +4%
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.

Darley Pentland Hills
Houses 3.6%
$520/wk on $754K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Darley Pentland Hills
House price Higher than 32% of VIC —
Income Higher than 74% of VIC
same for both
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 79% of VIC Higher than 15% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 89% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 64% of VIC Higher than 41% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of VIC Higher than 94% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 41% of VIC —

Liveability

Darley is more walkable (20 vs 0).

Darley Pentland Hills
Grade C —
Score 31/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Darley carries more bushfire risk (82 vs 17); Pentland Hills carries more crime risk (95 vs 57).

Darley Pentland Hills
Bushfire High
82/100
 Low
17/100
Crime Moderate
57/100
 High
95/100
Flood Moderate
47/100
 Low
36/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Darley Pentland Hills
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Darley

  • Pentland Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Darley Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Pentland Hills

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

Amenities in the suburb

Darley Pentland Hills
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 5 0
Childcare 8 0
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Beaches 0 2
Waterways 3 5

Mobility

Pentland Hills sits further from the CBD (63.3 km vs 60.8 km).

Darley Pentland Hills
Walkability score 20/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 60.8 km 63.3 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 52 min 51 min
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 3340
 0.4%
postcode 3341
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 42
postcode 3340
 55
postcode 3341

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.

Darley Pentland Hills
Car (driver) 71.4% / 72.6%
Darley — Car (driver): 71.4% Pentland Hills — Car (driver): 72.6%
Worked from Home 20.2% / 20.5%
Darley — Worked from Home: 20.2% Pentland Hills — Worked from Home: 20.5%
Car (passenger) 5.1% / 6.8%
Darley — Car (passenger): 5.1% Pentland Hills — Car (passenger): 6.8%
Train 2.1% / —
Darley — Train: 2.1% Pentland Hills — Train: not among its largest
Walked Only 0.8% / —
Darley — Walked Only: 0.8% Pentland Hills — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.6%).

Setting

Darley Pentland Hills
Elevation 157 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 331 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 43.3 km 43.1 km
2.2 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Darley Pentland Hills
Connectivity score 98/100 87/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 97%
3,821 premises
 82%
276 premises

Climate

Darley Pentland Hills
Annual rainfall 778 mm 578 mm
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Darley Pentland Hills
PM2.5 4.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Darley Pentland Hills
Average residential rate $1,979/yr
same for both
Council Moorabool
same for both

Federal electorate

Darley Pentland Hills
Division Hawke
same for both
Member Sam Rae
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Darley

Quiet Regional Centre River

Pentland Hills

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Darley

Darley vs Bacchus Marsh Darley vs Coimadai Darley vs Merrimu Darley vs Myrniong

Other comparisons with Pentland Hills

Pentland Hills vs Bacchus Marsh Pentland Hills vs Maddingley Pentland Hills vs Myrniong Pentland Hills vs Ingliston
Full data on Darley Full data on Pentland 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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