Essendon vs Niddrie

In both, most households own their home. In Niddrie, most homes are detached houses and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Essendon: a median of $1.75 million, against $1.27 million in Niddrie, though rent is higher in Niddrie. Essendon is closer to the city centre: 10.7 km, against 15.3 km. On these figures, Essendon tends to suit people living alone, while Niddrie suits 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

  • Essendon has more childcare (18 vs 2)
  • Niddrie has more separate houses rather than flats (65% vs 47%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Essendon has cheaper units ($495,000 vs $680,500)
  • Niddrie has cheaper houses ($1,270,000 vs $1,755,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Essendon

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (36% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($380/wk vs $432/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Essendon

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (10.7 km vs 15.3 km)
  • is more walkable (97/100 vs 85/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Essendon

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (8 vs 5)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (53% vs 35%)
  • is more walkable (97/100 vs 85/100)
  • But Niddrie carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 65/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

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

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Essendon Niddrie
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.

Essendon Niddrie
Walkability 97 / 85
Essendon — Walkability: 97/100 Niddrie — Walkability: 85/100
Safety 35 / 49
Essendon — Safety: 35/100 Niddrie — Safety: 49/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Essendon — Low fire risk: 100/100 Niddrie — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 70 / 62
Essendon — Low flood risk: 70/100 Niddrie — Low flood risk: 62/100

Demographics

Essendon has more residents (21,240 vs 5,901); Niddrie rents higher ($432/wk vs $380/wk).

Essendon Niddrie
Population 21,240
+72% vs other
 5,901
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.1% +7.7%
Median age 39 40
Median household income $110,864/yr $115,076/yr
+4% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk $432/wk
+14% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Essendon Niddrie
0-4 4.1% / 5.6%
Essendon — 0-4: 4.1% Niddrie — 0-4: 5.6%
5-14 10.9% / 12.4%
Essendon — 5-14: 10.9% Niddrie — 5-14: 12.4%
15-19 5.8% / 6.2%
Essendon — 15-19: 5.8% Niddrie — 15-19: 6.2%
20-24 7.5% / 6.3%
Essendon — 20-24: 7.5% Niddrie — 20-24: 6.3%
25-34 15.5% / 12.0%
Essendon — 25-34: 15.5% Niddrie — 25-34: 12.0%
35-44 13.8% / 14.4%
Essendon — 35-44: 13.8% Niddrie — 35-44: 14.4%
45-54 14.3% / 15.5%
Essendon — 45-54: 14.3% Niddrie — 45-54: 15.5%
55-64 12.4% / 12.3%
Essendon — 55-64: 12.4% Niddrie — 55-64: 12.3%
65-74 8.8% / 8.2%
Essendon — 65-74: 8.8% Niddrie — 65-74: 8.2%
75-84 4.5% / 4.3%
Essendon — 75-84: 4.5% Niddrie — 75-84: 4.3%
85+ 2.5% / 2.8%
Essendon — 85+: 2.5% Niddrie — 85+: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Essendon 40.9% couple families
Essendon — Couple Families: 40.9% Essendon — Lone Person: 42.2% Essendon — One Parent Families: 10.1% Essendon — Group Household: 5.3% Essendon — Other Families: 1.5%
Niddrie 47.9% couple families
Niddrie — Couple Families: 47.9% Niddrie — Lone Person: 31.5% Niddrie — One Parent Families: 15.0% Niddrie — Group Household: 3.5% Niddrie — Other Families: 2.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Essendon 36.5% renting
Essendon — Owned Outright: 33.2% Essendon — Mortgage: 30.4% Essendon — Renting: 36.5%
Niddrie 23.5% renting
Niddrie — Owned Outright: 38.1% Niddrie — Mortgage: 38.3% Niddrie — Renting: 23.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Essendon Niddrie
Bachelor Degree 22.9% / 17.0%
Essendon — Bachelor Degree: 22.9% Niddrie — Bachelor Degree: 17.0%
Certificate III & IV 8.1% / 11.5%
Essendon — Certificate III & IV: 8.1% Niddrie — Certificate III & IV: 11.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.8% / 8.4%
Essendon — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8% Niddrie — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Postgraduate Degree 8.5% / 5.5%
Essendon — Postgraduate Degree: 8.5% Niddrie — Postgraduate Degree: 5.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.8% / 2.7%
Essendon — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.8% Niddrie — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.9%).

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.

Essendon Niddrie
Italy 2.4% / 2.4%
Essendon — Italy: 2.4% Niddrie — Italy: 2.4%
India 3.0% / 1.7%
Essendon — India: 3.0% Niddrie — India: 1.7%
England 1.8% / 2.0%
Essendon — England: 1.8% Niddrie — England: 2.0%
China 1.3% / 1.1%
Essendon — China: 1.3% Niddrie — China: 1.1%
New Zealand 1.3% / 0.7%
Essendon — New Zealand: 1.3% Niddrie — New Zealand: 0.7%
Vietnam 1.1% / 0.8%
Essendon — Vietnam: 1.1% Niddrie — Vietnam: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Essendon 47.2% houses
Essendon — Houses: 47.2% Essendon — Townhouses: 19.6% Essendon — Flats / Apartments: 33.2%
Niddrie 65.2% houses
Niddrie — Houses: 65.2% Niddrie — Townhouses: 31.3% Niddrie — Flats / Apartments: 3.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Essendon Niddrie
Median house price $1,755,000 $1,270,000
Median unit price $495,000 $680,500
Median land price $1,615,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 185 sales
 25 days
from 38 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.

Essendon Niddrie
2 bed $545K / $535K
Essendon — 2 bed: $545K (220 sales) Niddrie — 2 bed: $535K (12 sales)

220 vs 12 sales

3 bed $835K / $778K
Essendon — 3 bed: $835K (24 sales) Niddrie — 3 bed: $778K (14 sales)

24 vs 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.

Essendon Niddrie
2 bed $1.03M / $1.16M
Essendon — 2 bed: $1.03M (34 sales) Niddrie — 2 bed: $1.16M (13 sales)

34 vs 13 sales

3 bed $1.51M / $1.2M
Essendon — 3 bed: $1.51M (100 sales) Niddrie — 3 bed: $1.2M (52 sales)

100 vs 52 sales

4 bed $2M / $1.42M
Essendon — 4 bed: $2M (118 sales) Niddrie — 4 bed: $1.42M (48 sales)

118 vs 48 sales

5 bed $2.6M / $1.52M
Essendon — 5 bed: $2.6M (27 sales) Niddrie — 5 bed: $1.52M (5 sales)

27 vs 5 sales

Zoning mix

Essendon Niddrie
Residential 79% 82%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 8%
Parks and recreation 7% 3%
Commercial 5%
same for both
Industrial 0% 2%
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

Essendon Niddrie
New dwellings approved 702
across Moonee Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year +82%
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.

Essendon Niddrie
Houses 2.7%
$835/wk on $1.6M
 3.0%
$725/wk on $1.25M
Units 5.3%
$550/wk on $538K
 5.2%
$590/wk on $592K

Ranking within VIC

Essendon Niddrie
House price Higher than 92% of VIC Higher than 80% of VIC
Income Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 87% of VIC
Schools Higher than 43% of VIC Higher than 73% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 99% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 11% of VIC Higher than 32% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 91% of VIC Higher than 75% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 91% of VIC Higher than 93% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 6% of VIC Higher than 14% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 76% of VIC Higher than 70% of VIC

Liveability

Essendon is more walkable (97 vs 85).

Essendon Niddrie
Grade A
same for both
Score 76/100 79/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Essendon carries more crime risk (65 vs 51).

Essendon Niddrie
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
65/100
 Moderate
51/100
Flood Low
30/100
 Low
38/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Essendon Niddrie
Inside the suburb 7 3
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 4 0
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 3
The University of Melbourne, 5.4 km
 2
Victoria University Footscray Park, 6.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.7% 2.9%

Schools in Essendon

  • St Therese's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Buckley Park College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Essendon Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School Independent · Combined at peers
  • St Columba's College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Essendon Keilor College-Senior Campus Government · Secondary

Schools in Niddrie

  • Rosehill Secondary College Government · Secondary above peers
  • St John Bosco's School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Niddrie Autistic School Government · Primary · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Essendon Niddrie
Supermarkets 4 0
Cafes & restaurants 22 1
Parks & reserves 14 5
Childcare 18 2
GPs 8 5
Pharmacies 5 3
Banks & Bank@Post 2 3
Fuel stations 3 1
Waterways 3 0

Mobility

Niddrie sits further from the CBD (15.3 km vs 10.7 km).

Essendon Niddrie
Walkability score 97/100 85/100
Distance to Melbourne 10.7 km 15.3 km
+43% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 20 min 22 min
Public transport score 95/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
 94/100
Tram · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 623.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 128.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.7%
postcode 3040
 0.9%
postcode 3042
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 16
postcode 3040
 21
postcode 3042

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.

Essendon Niddrie
Car (driver) 46.0% / 54.4%
Essendon — Car (driver): 46.0% Niddrie — Car (driver): 54.4%
Worked from Home 40.6% / 35.9%
Essendon — Worked from Home: 40.6% Niddrie — Worked from Home: 35.9%
Train 5.1% / 2.6%
Essendon — Train: 5.1% Niddrie — Train: 2.6%
Car (passenger) 3.0% / 4.0%
Essendon — Car (passenger): 3.0% Niddrie — Car (passenger): 4.0%
Walked Only 1.9% / 1.4%
Essendon — Walked Only: 1.9% Niddrie — Walked Only: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (54.4%).

Setting

Essendon Niddrie
Elevation 53 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 50 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 10.0 km 11.5 km

NBN connectivity

Essendon Niddrie
Connectivity score 81/100 84/100
Most common technology Fibre to the curb
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 23%
11,330 premises
 30%
2,936 premises

Climate

Essendon Niddrie
Annual rainfall 534 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Essendon Niddrie
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 18.9 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Essendon Niddrie
Average residential rate $2,027/yr
same for both
Council Moonee Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Essendon Niddrie
Division Maribyrnong
same for both
Member Jo Briskey
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Essendon Niddrie
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Essendon

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

Niddrie

Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Premium River Townhouses Trams Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Essendon

Essendon vs Moonee Ponds Essendon vs Brunswick West Essendon vs Pascoe Vale South Essendon vs Strathmore Essendon vs Aberfeldie Essendon vs Essendon North

Other comparisons with Niddrie

Niddrie vs Keilor East Niddrie vs Airport West Niddrie vs Essendon North Niddrie vs Essendon West
Full data on Essendon Full data on Niddrie
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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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