Donvale vs Park Orchards

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 Park Orchards: a median of $1.97 million, against $1.67 million in Donvale, and rent is higher there too. Donvale is closer to the city centre: 24.3 km, against 28.4 km. On these figures, Donvale tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Park Orchards suits couples.

Donvale is a larger, more established suburb closer to the CBD at 24.3 km, while Park Orchards is a smaller, quieter community 28.4 km out. Park Orchards has a notably higher median household income of $164,060 compared to Donvale's $109,200, and significantly better liveability and walkability scores (64 and 56 versus 46 and 37). However, property prices and rental costs are higher in Park Orchards, and it carries a slightly elevated crime risk. Donvale may suit those prioritising proximity to the city and lower crime, while Park Orchards appeals to buyers seeking a more walkable, affluent setting.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Donvale has more parks and reserves (33 vs 9)
  • Park Orchards 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

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Donvale has cheaper houses ($1,665,500 vs $1,965,000)
  • Park Orchards leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 28%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Donvale

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (16% vs 3%)
  • has cheaper rent ($450/wk vs $601/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

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

  • Donvale sits closer to the CBD (24.3 km vs 28.4 km)
  • Park Orchards is more walkable (56/100 vs 37/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Donvale

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (13% vs 1%)
  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 17%)
  • But Park Orchards is more walkable (56/100 vs 37/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, 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

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

Donvale Park Orchards
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.

Donvale Park Orchards
Walkability 37 / 56
Donvale — Walkability: 37/100 Park Orchards — Walkability: 56/100
Safety 67 / 76
Donvale — Safety: 67/100 Park Orchards — Safety: 76/100
Low fire risk 13 / 12
Donvale — Low fire risk: 13/100 Park Orchards — Low fire risk: 12/100
Low flood risk 54 / 58
Donvale — Low flood risk: 54/100 Park Orchards — Low flood risk: 58/100

Demographics

Donvale has more residents (12,644 vs 3,835); Park Orchards has higher household incomes ($164,060 vs $109,200).

Donvale Park Orchards
Population 12,644
+70% vs other
 3,835
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.4% +0.3%
Median age 45
same for both
Median household income $109,200/yr $164,060/yr
+50% vs other
Median weekly rent $450/wk $601/wk
+34% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Donvale Park Orchards
0-4 4.2% / 3.0%
Donvale — 0-4: 4.2% Park Orchards — 0-4: 3.0%
5-14 12.3% / 14.4%
Donvale — 5-14: 12.3% Park Orchards — 5-14: 14.4%
15-19 6.4% / 9.9%
Donvale — 15-19: 6.4% Park Orchards — 15-19: 9.9%
20-24 5.8% / 7.7%
Donvale — 20-24: 5.8% Park Orchards — 20-24: 7.7%
25-34 8.4% / 5.5%
Donvale — 25-34: 8.4% Park Orchards — 25-34: 5.5%
35-44 12.1% / 8.7%
Donvale — 35-44: 12.1% Park Orchards — 35-44: 8.7%
45-54 14.4% / 18.5%
Donvale — 45-54: 14.4% Park Orchards — 45-54: 18.5%
55-64 13.0% / 15.3%
Donvale — 55-64: 13.0% Park Orchards — 55-64: 15.3%
65-74 10.7% / 9.9%
Donvale — 65-74: 10.7% Park Orchards — 65-74: 9.9%
75-84 8.2% / 5.5%
Donvale — 75-84: 8.2% Park Orchards — 75-84: 5.5%
85+ 4.6% / 1.6%
Donvale — 85+: 4.6% Park Orchards — 85+: 1.6%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Donvale 57.2% couple families
Donvale — Couple Families: 57.2% Donvale — Lone Person: 27.2% Donvale — One Parent Families: 13.0% Donvale — Group Household: 1.9% Donvale — Other Families: 0.7%
Park Orchards 76.8% couple families
Park Orchards — Couple Families: 76.8% Park Orchards — Lone Person: 13.4% Park Orchards — One Parent Families: 8.1% Park Orchards — Group Household: 1.0% Park Orchards — Other Families: 0.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Donvale 16.1% renting
Donvale — Owned Outright: 45.6% Donvale — Mortgage: 38.3% Donvale — Renting: 16.1%
Park Orchards 3.3% renting
Park Orchards — Owned Outright: 50.0% Park Orchards — Mortgage: 46.7% Park Orchards — Renting: 3.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Donvale Park Orchards
Bachelor Degree 20.8% / 20.2%
Donvale — Bachelor Degree: 20.8% Park Orchards — Bachelor Degree: 20.2%
Certificate III & IV 8.2% / 9.9%
Donvale — Certificate III & IV: 8.2% Park Orchards — Certificate III & IV: 9.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 8.7%
Donvale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Park Orchards — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7%
Postgraduate Degree 7.4% / 5.9%
Donvale — Postgraduate Degree: 7.4% Park Orchards — Postgraduate Degree: 5.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / 3.5%
Donvale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% Park Orchards — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.8%).

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.

Donvale Park Orchards
China 7.5% / 1.7%
Donvale — China: 7.5% Park Orchards — China: 1.7%
England 2.2% / 4.0%
Donvale — England: 2.2% Park Orchards — England: 4.0%
Malaysia 3.1% / —
Donvale — Malaysia: 3.1% Park Orchards — Malaysia: not among its largest
India 1.8% / 0.9%
Donvale — India: 1.8% Park Orchards — India: 0.9%
Italy 1.5% / 1.1%
Donvale — Italy: 1.5% Park Orchards — Italy: 1.1%
South Africa 1.1% / 1.1%
Donvale — South Africa: 1.1% Park Orchards — South Africa: 1.1%
Iran 1.9% / —
Donvale — Iran: 1.9% Park Orchards — Iran: not among its largest
New Zealand — / 1.0%
Donvale — New Zealand: not among its largest Park Orchards — New Zealand: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Donvale 86.8% houses
Donvale — Houses: 86.8% Donvale — Townhouses: 10.3% Donvale — Flats / Apartments: 3.0%
Park Orchards 99.4% houses
Park Orchards — Houses: 99.4% Park Orchards — Townhouses: 0.0% Park Orchards — Flats / Apartments: 0.6%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Donvale Park Orchards
Median house price $1,665,500 $1,965,000
Median unit price $792,500 —
Median land price $1,361,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 112 sales
 72 days
from 14 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.

Donvale Park Orchards
3 bed $1.23M / $1.8M
Donvale — 3 bed: $1.23M (32 sales) Park Orchards — 3 bed: $1.8M (8 sales)

32 vs 8 sales

4 bed $1.66M / $1.96M
Donvale — 4 bed: $1.66M (73 sales) Park Orchards — 4 bed: $1.96M (17 sales)

73 vs 17 sales

5 bed $1.91M / $2.38M
Donvale — 5 bed: $1.91M (43 sales) Park Orchards — 5 bed: $2.38M (14 sales)

43 vs 14 sales

Zoning mix

Park Orchards has more land zoned for conservation (39% vs 4%).

Donvale Park Orchards
Residential 78% 50%
Environmental 4% 39%
Parks and recreation 10% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 6% 3%
Other and special use 1% 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

Donvale Park Orchards
New dwellings approved 486
across Manningham
same for both
Approvals change year on year -2%
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.

Donvale Park Orchards
Houses 3.2%
$955/wk on $1.55M
 —
Units 4.6%
$650/wk on $730K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Donvale Park Orchards
House price Higher than 90% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC
Income Higher than 82% of VIC Higher than 99% of VIC
Schools Higher than 3% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 87% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 12% of VIC Higher than 20% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 96% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 97% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 22% of VIC —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 41% of VIC —

Liveability

Park Orchards is more walkable (56 vs 37); Park Orchards scores higher overall (64 vs 46).

Donvale Park Orchards
Grade C B
Score 46/100 64/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Donvale Park Orchards
Bushfire High
87/100
 High
88/100
Crime Low
33/100
 Low
24/100
Flood Moderate
46/100
 Moderate
42/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Donvale Park Orchards
Inside the suburb 7 2
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 3 1
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 1
Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, 9.7 km
 None

Schools in Donvale

  • Donvale Christian College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Donvale Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Our Lady of the Pines School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Whitefriars College Catholic · Secondary below peers
  • Carey Baptist Grammar School - Donvale Campus Independent · Combined
  • Heatherwood School Government · Secondary · Special school

Schools in Park Orchards

  • Park Orchards Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Anne's School Catholic · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Donvale Park Orchards
Cafes & restaurants 2
same for both
Parks & reserves 33 9
Childcare 9 4
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 1
same for both
Waterways 4 19

Mobility

Park Orchards sits further from the CBD (28.4 km vs 24.3 km).

Donvale Park Orchards
Walkability score 37/100 56/100
Distance to Melbourne 24.3 km 28.4 km
+17% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 30 min 34 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 235.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 79.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 2.4%
postcode 3111
 2.4%
postcode 3114
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 35
postcode 3111
 46
postcode 3114

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.

Donvale Park Orchards
Car (driver) 52.3% / 53.8%
Donvale — Car (driver): 52.3% Park Orchards — Car (driver): 53.8%
Worked from Home 40.4% / 40.2%
Donvale — Worked from Home: 40.4% Park Orchards — Worked from Home: 40.2%
Car (passenger) 3.9% / 3.8%
Donvale — Car (passenger): 3.9% Park Orchards — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Train 1.5% / 1.2%
Donvale — Train: 1.5% Park Orchards — Train: 1.2%
Bus 1.4% / 0.8%
Donvale — Bus: 1.4% Park Orchards — Bus: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (53.8%).

Setting

Donvale Park Orchards
Elevation 106 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 131 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 21.0 km 23.4 km

NBN connectivity

Donvale Park Orchards
Connectivity score 76/100 92/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 6%
5,073 premises
 60%
1,329 premises

Climate

Donvale Park Orchards
Annual rainfall 777 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.3°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Donvale Park Orchards
PM2.5 4.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Donvale Park Orchards
Average residential rate $2,000/yr
same for both
Council Manningham
same for both

Federal electorate

Donvale Park Orchards
Division Deakin
same for both
Member Matt Gregg
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Donvale Park Orchards
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Donvale

Large Blocks Outer Parks Premium Professionals

Park Orchards

Acreage Outer Premium Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Donvale

Donvale vs Doncaster East Donvale vs Ringwood Donvale vs Mitcham Donvale vs Nunawading Donvale vs Ringwood North Donvale vs Blackburn North

Other comparisons with Park Orchards

Park Orchards vs Ringwood North Park Orchards vs Warrandyte Park Orchards vs Warrandyte South
Full data on Donvale Full data on Park Orchards
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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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