Elwood vs Elsternwick

In Elwood, about half of households rent, most homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. In Elsternwick, most households own their home and about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Elwood tends to suit renters and people living alone.

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

Elsternwick

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (3 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (38% vs 14%)
  • has more childcare (17 vs 8)
  • But Elwood has more parks and reserves (11 vs 3)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Elwood

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (52% vs 40%)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Downsizers and retirees

Elwood

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 2)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (86% vs 62%)
  • But Elsternwick has more residents already 65 and over (16% vs 11%)

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

  • Elwood returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.1% vs 2.4%)
  • Elsternwick is growing faster (5.2% vs -2.5%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Elwood Elsternwick
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.

Elwood Elsternwick
Walkability 96 / 92
Elwood — Walkability: 96/100 Elsternwick — Walkability: 92/100
Safety 30 / 31
Elwood — Safety: 30/100 Elsternwick — Safety: 31/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Elwood — Low fire risk: 100/100 Elsternwick — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 36 / 68
Elwood — Low flood risk: 36/100 Elsternwick — Low flood risk: 68/100

Demographics

Elwood has more residents (15,153 vs 10,887).

Elwood Elsternwick
Population 15,153
+28% vs other
 10,887
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -2.5% +5.2%
Median age 38
same for both
Median household income $108,992/yr $114,868/yr
+5% vs other
Median weekly rent $415/wk $441/wk
+6% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Elwood Elsternwick
0-4 4.6% / 5.1%
Elwood — 0-4: 4.6% Elsternwick — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 8.4% / 11.8%
Elwood — 5-14: 8.4% Elsternwick — 5-14: 11.8%
15-19 3.4% / 5.5%
Elwood — 15-19: 3.4% Elsternwick — 15-19: 5.5%
20-24 4.8% / 5.5%
Elwood — 20-24: 4.8% Elsternwick — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 21.8% / 17.0%
Elwood — 25-34: 21.8% Elsternwick — 25-34: 17.0%
35-44 18.7% / 14.1%
Elwood — 35-44: 18.7% Elsternwick — 35-44: 14.1%
45-54 15.8% / 13.5%
Elwood — 45-54: 15.8% Elsternwick — 45-54: 13.5%
55-64 11.7% / 11.2%
Elwood — 55-64: 11.7% Elsternwick — 55-64: 11.2%
65-74 6.9% / 9.1%
Elwood — 65-74: 6.9% Elsternwick — 65-74: 9.1%
75-84 2.8% / 4.8%
Elwood — 75-84: 2.8% Elsternwick — 75-84: 4.8%
85+ 1.0% / 2.4%
Elwood — 85+: 1.0% Elsternwick — 85+: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Elwood 57.8% lone person
Elwood — Lone Person: 57.8% Elwood — Couple Families: 23.4% Elwood — One Parent Families: 8.7% Elwood — Group Household: 8.7% Elwood — Other Families: 1.3%
Elsternwick 45.3% lone person
Elsternwick — Lone Person: 45.3% Elsternwick — Couple Families: 36.6% Elsternwick — One Parent Families: 10.1% Elsternwick — Group Household: 6.9% Elsternwick — Other Families: 1.2%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Elwood 52.2% renting
Elwood — Owned Outright: 21.2% Elwood — Mortgage: 26.6% Elwood — Renting: 52.2%
Elsternwick 39.6% renting
Elsternwick — Owned Outright: 31.4% Elsternwick — Mortgage: 29.0% Elsternwick — Renting: 39.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Elwood Elsternwick
Bachelor Degree 29.0% / 27.1%
Elwood — Bachelor Degree: 29.0% Elsternwick — Bachelor Degree: 27.1%
Postgraduate Degree 11.9% / 10.7%
Elwood — Postgraduate Degree: 11.9% Elsternwick — Postgraduate Degree: 10.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.8% / 7.8%
Elwood — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8% Elsternwick — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8%
Certificate III & IV 6.9% / 5.9%
Elwood — Certificate III & IV: 6.9% Elsternwick — Certificate III & IV: 5.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.0% / 4.4%
Elwood — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.0% Elsternwick — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.0%).

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.

Elwood Elsternwick
England 5.1% / 4.0%
Elwood — England: 5.1% Elsternwick — England: 4.0%
New Zealand 2.3% / 2.0%
Elwood — New Zealand: 2.3% Elsternwick — New Zealand: 2.0%
South Africa 0.9% / 1.9%
Elwood — South Africa: 0.9% Elsternwick — South Africa: 1.9%
Ireland 1.2% / 1.4%
Elwood — Ireland: 1.2% Elsternwick — Ireland: 1.4%
India 1.0% / 1.3%
Elwood — India: 1.0% Elsternwick — India: 1.3%
Italy 0.9% / 0.8%
Elwood — Italy: 0.9% Elsternwick — Italy: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Elwood 72.2% flats / apartments
Elwood — Flats / Apartments: 72.2% Elwood — Houses: 14.2% Elwood — Townhouses: 13.6%
Elsternwick 42.5% flats / apartments
Elsternwick — Flats / Apartments: 42.5% Elsternwick — Houses: 38.2% Elsternwick — Townhouses: 19.3%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Elwood Elsternwick
Median house price $2,090,000 $2,000,000
Median unit price $621,750 $621,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 23 days
from 58 sales
 25 days
from 43 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.

Elwood Elsternwick
2 bed $1.44M / $1.12M
Elwood — 2 bed: $1.44M (20 sales) Elsternwick — 2 bed: $1.12M (6 sales)

20 vs 6 sales

3 bed $2.09M / $1.79M
Elwood — 3 bed: $2.09M (53 sales) Elsternwick — 3 bed: $1.79M (46 sales)

53 vs 46 sales

4 bed $2.83M / $2.4M
Elwood — 4 bed: $2.83M (23 sales) Elsternwick — 4 bed: $2.4M (27 sales)

23 vs 27 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.

Elwood Elsternwick
1 bed $428K / $385K
Elwood — 1 bed: $428K (135 sales) Elsternwick — 1 bed: $385K (41 sales)

135 vs 41 sales

2 bed $680K / $644K
Elwood — 2 bed: $680K (287 sales) Elsternwick — 2 bed: $644K (100 sales)

287 vs 100 sales

3 bed $942K / $1.24M
Elwood — 3 bed: $942K (26 sales) Elsternwick — 3 bed: $1.24M (25 sales)

26 vs 25 sales

Zoning mix

Elwood Elsternwick
Residential 74% 87%
Parks and recreation 13% 1%
Infrastructure and transport 10% 5%
Commercial 2% 7%
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

Elwood Elsternwick
New dwellings approved 891
across Port Phillip
 617
across Glen Eira
Approvals change year on year +4175% -69%

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.

Elwood Elsternwick
Houses 3.1%
$1,325/wk on $2.19M
 2.4%
$1,000/wk on $2.2M
Units 5.1%
$635/wk on $649K
 4.8%
$642/wk on $702K

Ranking within VIC

Elwood Elsternwick
House price Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 97% of VIC
Income Higher than 81% of VIC Higher than 87% of VIC
Schools Higher than 19% of VIC Higher than 81% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 99% of VIC Higher than 97% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 3% of VIC
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 94% of VIC Higher than 97% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 85% of VIC Higher than 84% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 20% of VIC Higher than 3% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 67% of VIC Higher than 49% of VIC

Liveability

Elsternwick scores higher overall (86 vs 63).

Elwood Elsternwick
Grade B A+
Score 63/100 86/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Elwood carries more flood risk (64 vs 32).

Elwood Elsternwick
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
70/100
 Moderate
69/100
Flood Moderate
64/100
 Low
32/100
Coastal erosion Low
33/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 7
within 5 km
 8
within 5 km

Schools

Elwood Elsternwick
Inside the suburb 4 7
Rated above peers 0 3
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 3 1
Universities within 10 km 3
Monash Caulfield, 5.0 km
 3
Monash Caulfield, 3.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.2% 3.1%

Schools in Elwood

  • Yesodei HaTorah College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Elwood College Government · Secondary below peers
  • Elwood Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • St Columba's School Catholic · Primary below peers

Schools in Elsternwick

  • Adass Israel School Independent · Combined above peers
  • Sholem Aleichem College Independent · Primary above peers
  • St Joseph's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Leibler Yavneh College Independent · Combined below peers
  • Adass Israel School - Orrong Road Campus Independent · Combined
  • Sholem Aleichem College - Senior Campus Independent · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Elwood Elsternwick
Supermarkets 2
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 23 19
Parks & reserves 11 3
Childcare 8 17
GPs 4 2
Pharmacies 3 5
Banks & Bank@Post 3 4
Fuel stations 1 2
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Elwood Elsternwick
Walkability score 96/100 92/100
Distance to Melbourne 10 km 10.7 km
+7% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 22 min
same for both
Public transport score 79/100
Tram · Bus
 94/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 232.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 221.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.0%
postcode 3184
 2.6%
postcode 3185
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 8
postcode 3184
 13
postcode 3185

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.

Elwood Elsternwick
Worked from Home 51.5% / 51.5%
Elwood — Worked from Home: 51.5% Elsternwick — Worked from Home: 51.5%
Car (driver) 35.4% / 35.3%
Elwood — Car (driver): 35.4% Elsternwick — Car (driver): 35.3%
Train 3.2% / 5.6%
Elwood — Train: 3.2% Elsternwick — Train: 5.6%
Walked Only 2.9% / 3.4%
Elwood — Walked Only: 2.9% Elsternwick — Walked Only: 3.4%
Bicycle 2.6% / 1.0%
Elwood — Bicycle: 2.6% Elsternwick — Bicycle: 1.0%
Car (passenger) 1.5% / 2.0%
Elwood — Car (passenger): 1.5% Elsternwick — Car (passenger): 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (51.5%).

Setting

Elwood Elsternwick
Elevation 5 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 30 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 721 m
1.7 km to a named beach
 2.0 km
3.0 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Elwood Elsternwick
Connectivity score 76/100
same for both
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 3%
9,418 premises
 4%
5,640 premises

Climate

Elwood Elsternwick
Annual rainfall 644 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Elwood Elsternwick
PM2.5 7.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Elwood Elsternwick
Average residential rate $1,765/yr $1,577/yr
Council Port Phillip Glen Eira

Federal electorate

Elwood Elsternwick
Division Macnamara Goldstein
Member Josh Burns Tim Wilson
Party Australian Labor Party Liberal

First Home Owner Grant

Elwood Elsternwick
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Elwood

Apartments Coastal Inner Parks Professionals River Trams Urban

Elsternwick

Apartments Coastal Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Professionals Trams Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Elwood

Elwood vs Brighton Elwood vs St Kilda Elwood vs Balaclava Elwood vs Ripponlea

Other comparisons with Elsternwick

Elsternwick vs Brighton Elsternwick vs Caulfield North Elsternwick vs St Kilda East Elsternwick vs Caulfield South Elsternwick vs Caulfield Elsternwick vs Ripponlea
Full data on Elwood Full data on Elsternwick
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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