Dewhurst vs Pakenham Upper

Pakenham Upper is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 50 in Dewhurst. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. On these figures, Dewhurst 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

Pakenham Upper

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (35/100 vs 51/100)

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

Pakenham Upper

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($255/wk vs $300/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Dewhurst

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (59.8 km vs 67 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (57 min vs 62 min)
  • But Pakenham Upper is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Pakenham Upper

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (35/100 vs 51/100)
  • But Dewhurst has more residents already 65 and over (33% vs 17%)

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

Investors

Pakenham Upper

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (2.0% vs -7.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
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.

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
Walkability 0 / 10
Dewhurst — Walkability: 0/100 Pakenham Upper — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 49 / 65
Dewhurst — Safety: 49/100 Pakenham Upper — Safety: 65/100
Low fire risk 18 / 1
Dewhurst — Low fire risk: 18/100 Pakenham Upper — Low fire risk: 1/100
Low flood risk 100 / 61
Dewhurst — Low flood risk: 100/100 Pakenham Upper — Low flood risk: 61/100

Demographics

Pakenham Upper has more residents (1,196 vs 151); Dewhurst rents higher ($300/wk vs $255/wk).

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
Population 151 1,196
+692% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -7.9% +2.0%
Median age 50 44
Median household income $122,148/yr $134,836/yr
+10% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+15% vs other
 $255/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
0-4 4.0% / 4.9%
Dewhurst — 0-4: 4.0% Pakenham Upper — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 11.9% / 12.8%
Dewhurst — 5-14: 11.9% Pakenham Upper — 5-14: 12.8%
15-19 5.3% / 7.2%
Dewhurst — 15-19: 5.3% Pakenham Upper — 15-19: 7.2%
20-24 4.0% / 6.1%
Dewhurst — 20-24: 4.0% Pakenham Upper — 20-24: 6.1%
25-34 9.3% / 7.2%
Dewhurst — 25-34: 9.3% Pakenham Upper — 25-34: 7.2%
35-44 14.6% / 12.2%
Dewhurst — 35-44: 14.6% Pakenham Upper — 35-44: 12.2%
45-54 14.6% / 15.2%
Dewhurst — 45-54: 14.6% Pakenham Upper — 45-54: 15.2%
55-64 11.3% / 17.9%
Dewhurst — 55-64: 11.3% Pakenham Upper — 55-64: 17.9%
65-74 21.9% / 10.8%
Dewhurst — 65-74: 21.9% Pakenham Upper — 65-74: 10.8%
75-84 7.9% / 5.0%
Dewhurst — 75-84: 7.9% Pakenham Upper — 75-84: 5.0%
85+ 3.3% / 1.2%
Dewhurst — 85+: 3.3% Pakenham Upper — 85+: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Dewhurst 64.5% couple families
Dewhurst — Couple Families: 64.5% Dewhurst — Lone Person: 19.4% Dewhurst — One Parent Families: 16.1% Dewhurst — Group Household: 0.0% Dewhurst — Other Families: 0.0%
Pakenham Upper 68.8% couple families
Pakenham Upper — Couple Families: 68.8% Pakenham Upper — Lone Person: 19.5% Pakenham Upper — One Parent Families: 7.5% Pakenham Upper — Group Household: 3.0% Pakenham Upper — Other Families: 1.1%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Dewhurst 8.3% renting
Dewhurst — Owned Outright: 54.2% Dewhurst — Mortgage: 37.5% Dewhurst — Renting: 8.3%
Pakenham Upper 3.5% renting
Pakenham Upper — Owned Outright: 44.1% Pakenham Upper — Mortgage: 52.4% Pakenham Upper — Renting: 3.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
Certificate III & IV 18.5% / 18.2%
Dewhurst — Certificate III & IV: 18.5% Pakenham Upper — Certificate III & IV: 18.2%
Bachelor Degree 12.6% / 12.3%
Dewhurst — Bachelor Degree: 12.6% Pakenham Upper — Bachelor Degree: 12.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 12.6% / 8.9%
Dewhurst — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 12.6% Pakenham Upper — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.6% / 1.5%
Dewhurst — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.6% Pakenham Upper — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%
Postgraduate Degree 2.0% / 2.8%
Dewhurst — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0% Pakenham Upper — Postgraduate Degree: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.5%).

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.

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
England 4.6% / 4.7%
Dewhurst — England: 4.6% Pakenham Upper — England: 4.7%
Germany 3.3% / 0.6%
Dewhurst — Germany: 3.3% Pakenham Upper — Germany: 0.6%
Ireland 2.6% / 0.6%
Dewhurst — Ireland: 2.6% Pakenham Upper — Ireland: 0.6%
New Zealand — / 1.3%
Dewhurst — New Zealand: not among its largest Pakenham Upper — New Zealand: 1.3%
Netherlands — / 1.2%
Dewhurst — Netherlands: not among its largest Pakenham Upper — Netherlands: 1.2%
South Africa — / 0.6%
Dewhurst — South Africa: not among its largest Pakenham Upper — South Africa: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Dewhurst 93.8% houses
Dewhurst — Houses: 93.8% Dewhurst — Flats / Apartments: 6.2%
Pakenham Upper 100.0% houses
Pakenham Upper — Houses: 100.0% Pakenham Upper — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
Median house price — $1,632,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $1,375,000

Zoning mix

Dewhurst has more land zoned for conservation (97% vs 58%); Pakenham Upper has more rural and farming land (35% vs 0%).

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
Environmental 97% 58%
Rural and farming 0% 35%
Parks and recreation 1% 6%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 1%
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

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
New dwellings approved 1,323
across Cardinia
same for both
Approvals change year on year +13%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 92% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 64% of VIC Higher than 69% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 81% of VIC Higher than 69% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 72% of VIC Higher than 39% of VIC

Liveability

Pakenham Upper is more walkable (10 vs 0).

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
Grade — C
Score — 46/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Pakenham Upper carries more flood risk (39 vs 0); Dewhurst carries more crime risk (51 vs 35).

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
Bushfire High
82/100
 High
99/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 Low
35/100
Flood None
0/100
 Low
39/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
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

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
Parks & reserves 0 6
Waterways 2 9

Mobility

Pakenham Upper sits further from the CBD (67 km vs 59.8 km).

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
Walkability score 0/100 10/100
Distance to Melbourne 59.8 km 67 km
+12% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 57 min 62 min
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 3808
 0.8%
postcode 3810
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 3808
 43
postcode 3810

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.

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
Car (driver) 52.4% / 65.7%
Dewhurst — Car (driver): 52.4% Pakenham Upper — Car (driver): 65.7%
Worked from Home 47.6% / 29.3%
Dewhurst — Worked from Home: 47.6% Pakenham Upper — Worked from Home: 29.3%
Car (passenger) — / 4.1%
Dewhurst — Car (passenger): not among its largest Pakenham Upper — Car (passenger): 4.1%
Walked Only — / 1.0%
Dewhurst — Walked Only: not among its largest Pakenham Upper — Walked Only: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (65.7%).

Setting

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
Elevation 200 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 189 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 26.4 km 24.0 km

NBN connectivity

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
Connectivity score 30/100 29/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
61 premises
 0%
399 premises

Climate

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
Annual rainfall 781 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.98 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
Average residential rate $1,880/yr
same for both
Council Cardinia
same for both

Federal electorate

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
Division La Trobe
same for both
Member Jason Wood
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Dewhurst Pakenham Upper
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Dewhurst

Outer Retirees

Pakenham Upper

Acreage Premium

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Dewhurst

Dewhurst vs Emerald Dewhurst vs Beaconsfield Upper Dewhurst vs Mount Burnett

Other comparisons with Pakenham Upper

Pakenham Upper vs Pakenham Pakenham Upper vs Beaconsfield Upper Pakenham Upper vs Gembrook Pakenham Upper vs Nar Nar Goon North Pakenham Upper vs Mount Burnett
Full data on Dewhurst Full data on Pakenham Upper
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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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