Eltham vs Templestowe

Eltham is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 46 in Templestowe. 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 Templestowe: a median of $1.61 million, against $1.23 million in Eltham, and rent is higher there too. Templestowe is closer to the city centre: 21.5 km, against 25.3 km. On these figures, Eltham tends to suit 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

They split

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

  • Eltham has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 3)
  • Templestowe has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Eltham

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($867,500 vs $1,650,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 29%)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,230,000 vs $1,606,000)
  • But Templestowe has cheaper units ($655,400 vs $776,500)

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

Renters

Eltham

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (18% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($440/wk vs $513/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Templestowe

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (21.5 km vs 25.3 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (31 min vs 36 min)
  • But Eltham is more walkable (81/100 vs 50/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Templestowe

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 58/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (25% vs 19%)
  • But Eltham is more walkable (81/100 vs 50/100)

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

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Eltham returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.5% vs 3.0%)
  • Templestowe returns a higher gross yield on units (4.7% vs 4.0%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Eltham Templestowe
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.

Eltham Templestowe
Walkability 81 / 50
Eltham — Walkability: 81/100 Templestowe — Walkability: 50/100
Safety 42 / 66
Eltham — Safety: 42/100 Templestowe — Safety: 66/100
Low fire risk 14 / 26
Eltham — Low fire risk: 14/100 Templestowe — Low fire risk: 26/100
Low flood risk 37 / 42
Eltham — Low flood risk: 37/100 Templestowe — Low flood risk: 42/100

Demographics

Templestowe rents higher ($513/wk vs $440/wk); Eltham has higher household incomes ($124,332 vs $112,476).

Eltham Templestowe
Population 18,847
+10% vs other
 16,966
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.9% +2.1%
Median age 43 46
Median household income $124,332/yr
+10% vs other
 $112,476/yr
Median weekly rent $440/wk $513/wk
+17% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Eltham Templestowe
0-4 5.3% / 4.2%
Eltham — 0-4: 5.3% Templestowe — 0-4: 4.2%
5-14 13.4% / 11.2%
Eltham — 5-14: 13.4% Templestowe — 5-14: 11.2%
15-19 7.0% / 5.9%
Eltham — 15-19: 7.0% Templestowe — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 5.4% / 5.5%
Eltham — 20-24: 5.4% Templestowe — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 8.0% / 9.3%
Eltham — 25-34: 8.0% Templestowe — 25-34: 9.3%
35-44 12.5% / 11.8%
Eltham — 35-44: 12.5% Templestowe — 35-44: 11.8%
45-54 15.7% / 12.4%
Eltham — 45-54: 15.7% Templestowe — 45-54: 12.4%
55-64 14.1% / 14.5%
Eltham — 55-64: 14.1% Templestowe — 55-64: 14.5%
65-74 11.8% / 12.5%
Eltham — 65-74: 11.8% Templestowe — 65-74: 12.5%
75-84 5.3% / 8.5%
Eltham — 75-84: 5.3% Templestowe — 75-84: 8.5%
85+ 1.5% / 4.1%
Eltham — 85+: 1.5% Templestowe — 85+: 4.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Eltham 59.1% couple families
Eltham — Couple Families: 59.1% Eltham — Lone Person: 24.4% Eltham — One Parent Families: 14.4% Eltham — Group Household: 1.3% Eltham — Other Families: 0.8%
Templestowe 60.1% couple families
Templestowe — Couple Families: 60.1% Templestowe — Lone Person: 23.6% Templestowe — One Parent Families: 13.4% Templestowe — Group Household: 1.8% Templestowe — Other Families: 1.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Eltham 12.2% renting
Eltham — Owned Outright: 43.1% Eltham — Mortgage: 44.8% Eltham — Renting: 12.2%
Templestowe 14.6% renting
Templestowe — Owned Outright: 48.8% Templestowe — Mortgage: 36.6% Templestowe — Renting: 14.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Eltham Templestowe
Bachelor Degree 18.9% / 21.5%
Eltham — Bachelor Degree: 18.9% Templestowe — Bachelor Degree: 21.5%
Certificate III & IV 10.7% / 7.2%
Eltham — Certificate III & IV: 10.7% Templestowe — Certificate III & IV: 7.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.0% / 8.1%
Eltham — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0% Templestowe — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 7.6% / 8.5%
Eltham — Postgraduate Degree: 7.6% Templestowe — Postgraduate Degree: 8.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.9% / 2.4%
Eltham — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.9% Templestowe — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.5%).

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.

Eltham Templestowe
China 1.2% / 10.6%
Eltham — China: 1.2% Templestowe — China: 10.6%
England 4.6% / 2.2%
Eltham — England: 4.6% Templestowe — England: 2.2%
Italy 0.7% / 2.7%
Eltham — Italy: 0.7% Templestowe — Italy: 2.7%
Iran 0.5% / 2.6%
Eltham — Iran: 0.5% Templestowe — Iran: 2.6%
Malaysia — / 2.9%
Eltham — Malaysia: not among its largest Templestowe — Malaysia: 2.9%
Greece — / 2.6%
Eltham — Greece: not among its largest Templestowe — Greece: 2.6%
New Zealand 1.2% / —
Eltham — New Zealand: 1.2% Templestowe — New Zealand: not among its largest
South Africa 0.7% / —
Eltham — South Africa: 0.7% Templestowe — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Eltham 85.9% houses
Eltham — Houses: 85.9% Eltham — Townhouses: 5.7% Eltham — Flats / Apartments: 8.4%
Templestowe 77.6% houses
Templestowe — Houses: 77.6% Templestowe — Townhouses: 18.6% Templestowe — Flats / Apartments: 3.8%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Eltham Templestowe
Median house price $1,230,000 $1,606,000
Median unit price $776,500 $655,400
Median land price $867,500 $1,650,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 23 days
from 205 sales
 26 days
from 183 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.

Eltham Templestowe
2 bed $678K / $628K
Eltham — 2 bed: $678K (28 sales) Templestowe — 2 bed: $628K (22 sales)

28 vs 22 sales

3 bed $855K / $958K
Eltham — 3 bed: $855K (36 sales) Templestowe — 3 bed: $958K (12 sales)

36 vs 12 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.

Eltham Templestowe
3 bed $1.06M / $1.25M
Eltham — 3 bed: $1.06M (108 sales) Templestowe — 3 bed: $1.25M (27 sales)

108 vs 27 sales

4 bed $1.3M / $1.55M
Eltham — 4 bed: $1.3M (158 sales) Templestowe — 4 bed: $1.55M (169 sales)

158 vs 169 sales

5 bed $1.54M / $1.8M
Eltham — 5 bed: $1.54M (40 sales) Templestowe — 5 bed: $1.8M (65 sales)

40 vs 65 sales

6 bed $1.8M / $2.38M
Eltham — 6 bed: $1.8M (5 sales) Templestowe — 6 bed: $2.38M (10 sales)

5 vs 10 sales

Zoning mix

Eltham has more land zoned for conservation (15% vs 3%).

Eltham Templestowe
Residential 59%
same for both
Parks and recreation 16% 32%
Environmental 15% 3%
Infrastructure and transport 6% 5%
Commercial 2% 0%
Industrial 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

Eltham Templestowe
New dwellings approved 98
across Nillumbik
 486
across Manningham
Approvals change year on year +8% -2%

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.

Eltham Templestowe
Houses 3.5%
$785/wk on $1.15M
 3.0%
$935/wk on $1.6M
Units 4.0%
$580/wk on $745K
 4.7%
$595/wk on $665K

Ranking within VIC

Eltham Templestowe
House price Higher than 79% of VIC Higher than 88% of VIC
Income Higher than 93% of VIC Higher than 85% of VIC
Schools Higher than 48% of VIC Higher than 92% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 93% of VIC Higher than 86% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 42% of VIC Higher than 16% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 92% of VIC Higher than 97% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 87% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 39% of VIC Higher than 15% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 11% of VIC Higher than 43% of VIC

Liveability

Eltham is more walkable (81 vs 50); Templestowe scores higher overall (67 vs 55).

Eltham Templestowe
Grade B
same for both
Score 55/100 67/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Eltham carries more crime risk (58 vs 34); Eltham carries more bushfire risk (86 vs 74).

Eltham Templestowe
Bushfire High
86/100
 High
74/100
Crime Moderate
58/100
 Low
34/100
Flood Moderate
63/100
 Moderate
58/100
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

Eltham Templestowe
Inside the suburb 5 3
Rated above peers 1 2
Rated at peers 3 0
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 2
Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus, 9.0 km
 2
Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus, 10.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.6% 3.6%

Schools in Eltham

  • Our Lady Help of Christians School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Catholic Ladies' College Ltd Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Eltham East Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Eltham High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Eltham Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Templestowe

  • Serpell Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Templestowe Park Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Charles Borromeo School Catholic · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Eltham Templestowe
Supermarkets 4 2
Cafes & restaurants 30 16
Parks & reserves 51 49
Childcare 13 10
GPs 4 5
Pharmacies 4 1
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 4 2
Fuel stations 6 2
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 24 19

Mobility

Eltham sits further from the CBD (25.3 km vs 21.5 km).

Eltham Templestowe
Walkability score 81/100 50/100
Distance to Melbourne 25.3 km
+15% vs other
 21.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 36 min 31 min
Public transport score 91/100
Rail · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 270.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 592.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.8%
postcode 3095
 2.6%
postcode 3106
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 34
postcode 3095
 34
postcode 3106

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.

Eltham Templestowe
Car (driver) 50.6% / 54.7%
Eltham — Car (driver): 50.6% Templestowe — Car (driver): 54.7%
Worked from Home 42.2% / 37.8%
Eltham — Worked from Home: 42.2% Templestowe — Worked from Home: 37.8%
Car (passenger) 3.1% / 3.5%
Eltham — Car (passenger): 3.1% Templestowe — Car (passenger): 3.5%
Bus 0.5% / 2.8%
Eltham — Bus: 0.5% Templestowe — Bus: 2.8%
Train 2.3% / 0.4%
Eltham — Train: 2.3% Templestowe — Train: 0.4%
Walked Only 1.1% / 0.6%
Eltham — Walked Only: 1.1% Templestowe — Walked Only: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (54.7%).

Setting

Eltham Templestowe
Elevation 94 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 80 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 23.1 km 19.7 km

NBN connectivity

Eltham Templestowe
Connectivity score 76/100 77/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 9%
7,841 premises
 11%
7,063 premises

Climate

Eltham Templestowe
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)

Eltham Templestowe
PM2.5 3.9 µg/m³ 4.3 µg/m³
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Eltham Templestowe
Average residential rate $2,696/yr $2,000/yr
Council Nillumbik Manningham

Federal electorate

Eltham Templestowe
Division Jagajaga Menzies
Member Kate Thwaites Gabriel Ng
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Eltham Templestowe
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Eltham

Easy Commute Large Blocks Outer Parks Professionals Transport Hub

Templestowe

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Premium Quiet Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Eltham

Eltham vs Diamond Creek Eltham vs Montmorency Eltham vs Eltham North Eltham vs Warrandyte Eltham vs Lower Plenty Eltham vs Briar Hill

Other comparisons with Templestowe

Templestowe vs Doncaster East Templestowe vs Doncaster Templestowe vs Templestowe Lower Templestowe vs Warrandyte Templestowe vs Lower Plenty
Full data on Eltham Full data on Templestowe
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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