Donvale vs Ringwood

Ringwood is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 45 in Donvale. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Donvale, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Donvale: a median of $1.67 million, against $1 million in Ringwood, and rent is higher there too. Donvale is closer to the city centre: 24.3 km, against 28.6 km. On these figures, Donvale tends to suit couples, while Ringwood suits people living alone 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

Donvale

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (33/100 vs 89/100)
  • has more parks and reserves (33 vs 24)
  • is already more of a family suburb (70% vs 53%)
  • But Ringwood has more schools rated above their peers (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Ringwood

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,000,000 vs $1,665,500)
  • has cheaper units ($612,500 vs $792,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Ringwood

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (40% vs 16%)
  • has cheaper rent ($381/wk vs $450/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 28.6 km)
  • Ringwood is more walkable (94/100 vs 37/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Ringwood

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (9 vs 3)
  • is more walkable (94/100 vs 37/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (24% vs 13%)
  • But Donvale carries lower crime risk (33/100 vs 89/100)

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

Investors

Ringwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (9.6% vs 2.4%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

Donvale and Ringwood 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 Ringwood
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 Ringwood
Walkability 37 / 94
Donvale — Walkability: 37/100 Ringwood — Walkability: 94/100
Safety 67 / 11
Donvale — Safety: 67/100 Ringwood — Safety: 11/100
Low fire risk 13 / 13
Donvale — Low fire risk: 13/100 Ringwood — Low fire risk: 13/100
Low flood risk 54 / 80
Donvale — Low flood risk: 54/100 Ringwood — Low flood risk: 80/100

Demographics

Ringwood has more residents (19,144 vs 12,644); Donvale has higher household incomes ($109,200 vs $86,008).

Donvale Ringwood
Population 12,644 19,144
+51% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.4% +9.6%
Median age 45 38
Median household income $109,200/yr
+21% vs other
 $86,008/yr
Median weekly rent $450/wk
+15% vs other
 $381/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Donvale Ringwood
0-4 4.2% / 6.1%
Donvale — 0-4: 4.2% Ringwood — 0-4: 6.1%
5-14 12.3% / 10.9%
Donvale — 5-14: 12.3% Ringwood — 5-14: 10.9%
15-19 6.4% / 5.0%
Donvale — 15-19: 6.4% Ringwood — 15-19: 5.0%
20-24 5.8% / 5.8%
Donvale — 20-24: 5.8% Ringwood — 20-24: 5.8%
25-34 8.4% / 16.7%
Donvale — 25-34: 8.4% Ringwood — 25-34: 16.7%
35-44 12.1% / 16.3%
Donvale — 35-44: 12.1% Ringwood — 35-44: 16.3%
45-54 14.4% / 12.4%
Donvale — 45-54: 14.4% Ringwood — 45-54: 12.4%
55-64 13.0% / 9.8%
Donvale — 55-64: 13.0% Ringwood — 55-64: 9.8%
65-74 10.7% / 8.3%
Donvale — 65-74: 10.7% Ringwood — 65-74: 8.3%
75-84 8.2% / 5.7%
Donvale — 75-84: 8.2% Ringwood — 75-84: 5.7%
85+ 4.6% / 3.2%
Donvale — 85+: 4.6% Ringwood — 85+: 3.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.7%).

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%
Ringwood 38.5% couple families
Ringwood — Couple Families: 38.5% Ringwood — Lone Person: 40.3% Ringwood — One Parent Families: 14.4% Ringwood — Group Household: 5.4% Ringwood — Other Families: 1.4%
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%
Ringwood 40.5% renting
Ringwood — Owned Outright: 26.9% Ringwood — Mortgage: 32.6% Ringwood — Renting: 40.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Donvale Ringwood
Bachelor Degree 20.8% / 17.6%
Donvale — Bachelor Degree: 20.8% Ringwood — Bachelor Degree: 17.6%
Certificate III & IV 8.2% / 10.9%
Donvale — Certificate III & IV: 8.2% Ringwood — Certificate III & IV: 10.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 9.0%
Donvale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Ringwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0%
Postgraduate Degree 7.4% / 7.7%
Donvale — Postgraduate Degree: 7.4% Ringwood — Postgraduate Degree: 7.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / 2.6%
Donvale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% Ringwood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6%

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 Ringwood
China 7.5% / 7.3%
Donvale — China: 7.5% Ringwood — China: 7.3%
Malaysia 3.1% / 2.1%
Donvale — Malaysia: 3.1% Ringwood — Malaysia: 2.1%
England 2.2% / 2.9%
Donvale — England: 2.2% Ringwood — England: 2.9%
India 1.8% / 3.2%
Donvale — India: 1.8% Ringwood — India: 3.2%
Iran 1.9% / 1.4%
Donvale — Iran: 1.9% Ringwood — Iran: 1.4%
Myanmar — / 2.8%
Donvale — Myanmar: not among its largest Ringwood — Myanmar: 2.8%

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%
Ringwood 76.0% houses
Ringwood — Houses: 76.0% Ringwood — Townhouses: 10.8% Ringwood — Flats / Apartments: 13.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Donvale Ringwood
Median house price $1,665,500 $1,000,000
Median unit price $792,500 $612,500
Median land price $1,361,000 $1,240,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 112 sales
 22 days
from 164 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Donvale Ringwood
2 bed $738K / $605K
Donvale — 2 bed: $738K (27 sales) Ringwood — 2 bed: $605K (207 sales)

27 vs 207 sales

3 bed $972K / $800K
Donvale — 3 bed: $972K (18 sales) Ringwood — 3 bed: $800K (35 sales)

18 vs 35 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 Ringwood
3 bed $1.23M / $950K
Donvale — 3 bed: $1.23M (32 sales) Ringwood — 3 bed: $950K (143 sales)

32 vs 143 sales

4 bed $1.66M / $1.23M
Donvale — 4 bed: $1.66M (73 sales) Ringwood — 4 bed: $1.23M (75 sales)

73 vs 75 sales

5 bed $1.91M / $1.29M
Donvale — 5 bed: $1.91M (43 sales) Ringwood — 5 bed: $1.29M (13 sales)

43 vs 13 sales

Zoning mix

Ringwood has more commercially zoned land (12% vs 0%).

Donvale Ringwood
Residential 78% 54%
Infrastructure and transport 6% 16%
Commercial 0% 12%
Parks and recreation 10% 11%
Industrial 0% 7%
Environmental 4% 0%
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 Ringwood
New dwellings approved 486
across Manningham
 328
across Maroondah
Approvals change year on year -2% -74%

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 Ringwood
Houses 3.2%
$955/wk on $1.55M
 3.4%
$685/wk on $1.04M
Units 4.6%
$650/wk on $730K
 4.6%
$550/wk on $624K

Ranking within VIC

Donvale Ringwood
House price Higher than 90% of VIC Higher than 71% of VIC
Income Higher than 82% of VIC Higher than 56% of VIC
Schools Higher than 3% of VIC Higher than 63% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 98% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 12% of VIC Higher than 22% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 89% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 90% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 22% of VIC Higher than 32% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 41% of VIC Higher than 37% of VIC

Liveability

Ringwood is more walkable (94 vs 37); Ringwood scores higher overall (54 vs 46).

Donvale Ringwood
Grade C B
Score 46/100 54/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Ringwood carries more crime risk (89 vs 33); Donvale carries more flood risk (46 vs 20).

Donvale Ringwood
Bushfire High
87/100
same for both
Crime Low
33/100
 High
89/100
Flood Moderate
46/100
 Low
20/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Donvale Ringwood
Inside the suburb 7 10
Rated above peers 0 3
Rated at peers 3
same for both
Rated below peers 1
same for both
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 Ringwood

  • Mullum Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Ringwood Secondary College Government · Secondary above peers
  • Yarra Valley Grammar Independent · Combined above peers
  • Aquinas College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Norwood Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Our Lady of Perpetual Help School Catholic · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Donvale Ringwood
Supermarkets 0 6
Cafes & restaurants 2 46
Parks & reserves 33 24
Childcare 9 16
GPs 3 9
Pharmacies 0 7
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 8
Fuel stations 1 6
EV chargers 0 2
Waterways 4 11

Mobility

Ringwood sits further from the CBD (28.6 km vs 24.3 km).

Donvale Ringwood
Walkability score 37/100 94/100
Distance to Melbourne 24.3 km 28.6 km
+18% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 30 min 31 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 94/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 235.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 489.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.4%
postcode 3111
 1.6%
postcode 3134
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 35
postcode 3111
 27
postcode 3134

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 Ringwood
Car (driver) 52.3% / 53.2%
Donvale — Car (driver): 52.3% Ringwood — Car (driver): 53.2%
Worked from Home 40.4% / 34.6%
Donvale — Worked from Home: 40.4% Ringwood — Worked from Home: 34.6%
Car (passenger) 3.9% / 3.4%
Donvale — Car (passenger): 3.9% Ringwood — Car (passenger): 3.4%
Train 1.5% / 5.2%
Donvale — Train: 1.5% Ringwood — Train: 5.2%
Bus 1.4% / 1.2%
Donvale — Bus: 1.4% Ringwood — Bus: 1.2%
Walked Only 0.4% / 2.1%
Donvale — Walked Only: 0.4% Ringwood — Walked Only: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (53.2%).

Setting

Donvale Ringwood
Elevation 106 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 113 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 21.0 km 23.5 km

NBN connectivity

Donvale Ringwood
Connectivity score 76/100 79/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 6%
5,073 premises
 15%
10,436 premises

Climate

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

Council rates

Donvale Ringwood
Average residential rate $2,000/yr $1,715/yr
Council Manningham Maroondah

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Donvale Ringwood
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

Ringwood

Easy Commute Gentrifying Outer Parks River Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Donvale

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

Other comparisons with Ringwood

Ringwood vs Croydon Ringwood vs Mitcham Ringwood vs Wantirna Ringwood vs Vermont Ringwood vs Ringwood East Ringwood vs Ringwood North
Full data on Donvale Full data on Ringwood
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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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