Emerald vs Dewhurst

Emerald is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 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

Emerald

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (14 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (5 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • But Dewhurst is already more of a family suburb (81% vs 72%)

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

Dewhurst

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (13% vs 19%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Emerald

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (54.7 km vs 59.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Emerald

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (40/100 vs 51/100)
  • But Dewhurst has more residents already 65 and over (33% vs 18%)

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

Investors

Emerald

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (1.9% vs -7.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Emerald Dewhurst
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.

Emerald Dewhurst
Walkability 0 / 0
Emerald — Walkability: 0/100 Dewhurst — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 60 / 49
Emerald — Safety: 60/100 Dewhurst — Safety: 49/100
Low fire risk 37 / 18
Emerald — Low fire risk: 37/100 Dewhurst — Low fire risk: 18/100
Low flood risk 84 / 100
Emerald — Low flood risk: 84/100 Dewhurst — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Emerald has more residents (5,890 vs 151); Emerald rents higher ($400/wk vs $300/wk).

Emerald Dewhurst
Population 5,890
+97% vs other
 151
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.9% -7.9%
Median age 43 50
Median household income $110,188/yr $122,148/yr
+11% vs other
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+25% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Emerald Dewhurst
0-4 5.1% / 4.0%
Emerald — 0-4: 5.1% Dewhurst — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 13.4% / 11.9%
Emerald — 5-14: 13.4% Dewhurst — 5-14: 11.9%
15-19 6.4% / 5.3%
Emerald — 15-19: 6.4% Dewhurst — 15-19: 5.3%
20-24 5.7% / 4.0%
Emerald — 20-24: 5.7% Dewhurst — 20-24: 4.0%
25-34 8.9% / 9.3%
Emerald — 25-34: 8.9% Dewhurst — 25-34: 9.3%
35-44 12.7% / 14.6%
Emerald — 35-44: 12.7% Dewhurst — 35-44: 14.6%
45-54 15.4% / 14.6%
Emerald — 45-54: 15.4% Dewhurst — 45-54: 14.6%
55-64 13.9% / 11.3%
Emerald — 55-64: 13.9% Dewhurst — 55-64: 11.3%
65-74 11.7% / 21.9%
Emerald — 65-74: 11.7% Dewhurst — 65-74: 21.9%
75-84 5.1% / 7.9%
Emerald — 75-84: 5.1% Dewhurst — 75-84: 7.9%
85+ 1.7% / 3.3%
Emerald — 85+: 1.7% Dewhurst — 85+: 3.3%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Emerald 59.0% couple families
Emerald — Couple Families: 59.0% Emerald — Lone Person: 25.2% Emerald — One Parent Families: 12.7% Emerald — Group Household: 2.3% Emerald — Other Families: 0.9%
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%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Emerald 8.5% renting
Emerald — Owned Outright: 39.5% Emerald — Mortgage: 52.0% Emerald — Renting: 8.5%
Dewhurst 8.3% renting
Dewhurst — Owned Outright: 54.2% Dewhurst — Mortgage: 37.5% Dewhurst — Renting: 8.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Emerald Dewhurst
Certificate III & IV 16.6% / 18.5%
Emerald — Certificate III & IV: 16.6% Dewhurst — Certificate III & IV: 18.5%
Bachelor Degree 13.0% / 12.6%
Emerald — Bachelor Degree: 13.0% Dewhurst — Bachelor Degree: 12.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.8% / 12.6%
Emerald — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8% Dewhurst — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 12.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.0% / 4.6%
Emerald — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.0% Dewhurst — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.6%
Postgraduate Degree 3.7% / 2.0%
Emerald — Postgraduate Degree: 3.7% Dewhurst — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0%

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.

Emerald Dewhurst
England 6.8% / 4.6%
Emerald — England: 6.8% Dewhurst — England: 4.6%
Germany 0.6% / 3.3%
Emerald — Germany: 0.6% Dewhurst — Germany: 3.3%
Ireland — / 2.6%
Emerald — Ireland: not among its largest Dewhurst — Ireland: 2.6%
New Zealand 1.2% / —
Emerald — New Zealand: 1.2% Dewhurst — New Zealand: not among its largest
Netherlands 1.0% / —
Emerald — Netherlands: 1.0% Dewhurst — Netherlands: not among its largest
Scotland 0.7% / —
Emerald — Scotland: 0.7% Dewhurst — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Emerald 98.2% houses
Emerald — Houses: 98.2% Emerald — Flats / Apartments: 0.7% Emerald — Townhouses: 1.1%
Dewhurst 93.8% houses
Dewhurst — Houses: 93.8% Dewhurst — Flats / Apartments: 6.2% Dewhurst — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Emerald Dewhurst
Median house price $930,000 —
Median unit price $920,000 —
Median land price $522,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 39 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Dewhurst has more land zoned for conservation (97% vs 19%); Emerald has more rural and farming land (13% vs 0%).

Emerald Dewhurst
Environmental 19% 97%
Infrastructure and transport 56% 2%
Rural and farming 13% 0%
Residential 9% 0%
Parks and recreation 3% 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

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

Ranking within VIC

Emerald Dewhurst
House price Higher than 61% of VIC —
Income Higher than 82% of VIC Higher than 92% of VIC
Schools Higher than 65% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 7% of VIC Higher than 64% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 69% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 79% of VIC Higher than 81% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 74% of VIC Higher than 72% of VIC

Liveability

Emerald Dewhurst
Grade B —
Score 56/100 —
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Emerald carries more flood risk (16 vs 0); Dewhurst carries more bushfire risk (82 vs 63).

Emerald Dewhurst
Bushfire Moderate
63/100
 High
82/100
Crime Moderate
40/100
 Moderate
51/100
Flood Low
16/100
 None
0/100
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

Emerald Dewhurst
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 2 0

Schools in Emerald

  • Dandenong Ranges Steiner School Independent · Primary above peers
  • Emerald Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Emerald Secondary College Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in Dewhurst

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Emerald Dewhurst
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 7 0
Parks & reserves 14 0
Childcare 5 0
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 11 2

Mobility

Dewhurst sits further from the CBD (59.8 km vs 54.7 km).

Emerald Dewhurst
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 54.7 km 59.8 km
+9% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 60 min 57 min
Electric vehicle share 1.1%
postcode 3782
 1.2%
postcode 3808
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 39
postcode 3782
 56
postcode 3808

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.

Emerald Dewhurst
Car (driver) 65.4% / 52.4%
Emerald — Car (driver): 65.4% Dewhurst — Car (driver): 52.4%
Worked from Home 27.7% / 47.6%
Emerald — Worked from Home: 27.7% Dewhurst — Worked from Home: 47.6%
Car (passenger) 4.4% / —
Emerald — Car (passenger): 4.4% Dewhurst — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Walked Only 1.5% / —
Emerald — Walked Only: 1.5% Dewhurst — Walked Only: not among its largest
Train 0.7% / —
Emerald — Train: 0.7% Dewhurst — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (65.4%).

Setting

Emerald Dewhurst
Elevation 231 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 200 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 30.1 km 26.4 km

NBN connectivity

Emerald Dewhurst
Connectivity score 57/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 23%
2,364 premises
 0%
61 premises

Climate

Emerald Dewhurst
Annual rainfall 777 mm 781 mm
Summer max (Jan) 26.9°C —
Winter min (Jul) 6.3°C —

Air quality (annual mean)

Emerald Dewhurst
PM2.5 — 6.3 µg/m³
PM10 15.5 µg/m³ 20.8 µg/m³
NO₂ — 0.98 pphm

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Emerald

Acreage Outer

Dewhurst

Outer Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Emerald

Emerald vs Cockatoo Emerald vs Monbulk Emerald vs Beaconsfield Upper Emerald vs Belgrave South Emerald vs Kallista Emerald vs Menzies Creek

Other comparisons with Dewhurst

Dewhurst vs Beaconsfield Upper Dewhurst vs Pakenham Upper Dewhurst vs Mount Burnett
Full data on Emerald Full data on Dewhurst
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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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