Fawkner vs Thomastown

Fawkner is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 39 in Thomastown. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Fawkner, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Fawkner: a median of $837,000, against $760,000 in Thomastown, and rent is higher there too. Thomastown is closer to the city centre: 16.4 km, against 24.9 km. On these figures, Fawkner tends to suit families with children.

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

Thomastown

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (15 vs 9)
  • has more parks and reserves (25 vs 17)
  • But Fawkner carries lower crime risk (64/100 vs 83/100)

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

First-home buyers

Thomastown

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($760,000 vs $836,750)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

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

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

Commuting to the city

Thomastown

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (16.4 km vs 24.9 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Fawkner carries lower crime risk (64/100 vs 83/100)
  • Thomastown has more residents already 65 and over (22% vs 16%)

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

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

Fawkner Thomastown
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.

Fawkner Thomastown
Walkability 92 / 86
Fawkner — Walkability: 92/100 Thomastown — Walkability: 86/100
Safety 36 / 17
Fawkner — Safety: 36/100 Thomastown — Safety: 17/100
Low fire risk 100 / 63
Fawkner — Low fire risk: 100/100 Thomastown — Low fire risk: 63/100
Low flood risk 50 / 53
Fawkner — Low flood risk: 50/100 Thomastown — Low flood risk: 53/100

Demographics

Thomastown has more residents (20,234 vs 14,274); Fawkner has higher household incomes ($74,256 vs $63,700).

Fawkner Thomastown
Population 14,274 20,234
+42% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.6% -1.4%
Median age 35 39
Median household income $74,256/yr
+14% vs other
 $63,700/yr
Median weekly rent $376/wk
+7% vs other
 $350/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Fawkner Thomastown
0-4 7.6% / 5.5%
Fawkner — 0-4: 7.6% Thomastown — 0-4: 5.5%
5-14 13.6% / 10.1%
Fawkner — 5-14: 13.6% Thomastown — 5-14: 10.1%
15-19 5.2% / 4.9%
Fawkner — 15-19: 5.2% Thomastown — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 6.9% / 6.6%
Fawkner — 20-24: 6.9% Thomastown — 20-24: 6.6%
25-34 16.6% / 15.9%
Fawkner — 25-34: 16.6% Thomastown — 25-34: 15.9%
35-44 15.0% / 13.2%
Fawkner — 35-44: 15.0% Thomastown — 35-44: 13.2%
45-54 10.5% / 11.0%
Fawkner — 45-54: 10.5% Thomastown — 45-54: 11.0%
55-64 8.8% / 11.0%
Fawkner — 55-64: 8.8% Thomastown — 55-64: 11.0%
65-74 6.4% / 11.2%
Fawkner — 65-74: 6.4% Thomastown — 65-74: 11.2%
75-84 5.6% / 7.9%
Fawkner — 75-84: 5.6% Thomastown — 75-84: 7.9%
85+ 3.7% / 2.7%
Fawkner — 85+: 3.7% Thomastown — 85+: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Fawkner 46.3% couple families
Fawkner — Couple Families: 46.3% Fawkner — Lone Person: 30.3% Fawkner — One Parent Families: 15.9% Fawkner — Group Household: 5.6% Fawkner — Other Families: 1.9%
Thomastown 41.8% couple families
Thomastown — Couple Families: 41.8% Thomastown — Lone Person: 31.7% Thomastown — One Parent Families: 19.9% Thomastown — Group Household: 4.1% Thomastown — Other Families: 2.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Fawkner 31.9% renting
Fawkner — Owned Outright: 37.5% Fawkner — Mortgage: 30.6% Fawkner — Renting: 31.9%
Thomastown 29.7% renting
Thomastown — Owned Outright: 44.3% Thomastown — Mortgage: 26.0% Thomastown — Renting: 29.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Fawkner Thomastown
Bachelor Degree 12.9% / 9.2%
Fawkner — Bachelor Degree: 12.9% Thomastown — Bachelor Degree: 9.2%
Certificate III & IV 8.3% / 10.0%
Fawkner — Certificate III & IV: 8.3% Thomastown — Certificate III & IV: 10.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.1% / 6.4%
Fawkner — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1% Thomastown — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.4%
Postgraduate Degree 6.8% / 4.2%
Fawkner — Postgraduate Degree: 6.8% Thomastown — Postgraduate Degree: 4.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 1.0%
Fawkner — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Thomastown — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (12.9%).

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.

Fawkner Thomastown
Italy 7.4% / 5.9%
Fawkner — Italy: 7.4% Thomastown — Italy: 5.9%
India 4.5% / 6.2%
Fawkner — India: 4.5% Thomastown — India: 6.2%
Pakistan 7.9% / —
Fawkner — Pakistan: 7.9% Thomastown — Pakistan: not among its largest
Greece 1.5% / 4.1%
Fawkner — Greece: 1.5% Thomastown — Greece: 4.1%
Vietnam — / 5.2%
Fawkner — Vietnam: not among its largest Thomastown — Vietnam: 5.2%
Lebanon 2.8% / 1.8%
Fawkner — Lebanon: 2.8% Thomastown — Lebanon: 1.8%
Nepal 3.1% / 1.4%
Fawkner — Nepal: 3.1% Thomastown — Nepal: 1.4%
China — / 2.0%
Fawkner — China: not among its largest Thomastown — China: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Fawkner 83.6% houses
Fawkner — Houses: 83.6% Fawkner — Townhouses: 15.4% Fawkner — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Thomastown 84.3% houses
Thomastown — Houses: 84.3% Thomastown — Townhouses: 9.5% Thomastown — Flats / Apartments: 6.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Fawkner Thomastown
Median house price $836,750 $760,000
Median unit price $575,000 $530,000
Median land price — $794,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 156 sales
 28 days
from 309 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.

Fawkner Thomastown
2 bed $516K / $480K
Fawkner — 2 bed: $516K (32 sales) Thomastown — 2 bed: $480K (63 sales)

32 vs 63 sales

3 bed $629K / $615K
Fawkner — 3 bed: $629K (14 sales) Thomastown — 3 bed: $615K (25 sales)

14 vs 25 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.

Fawkner Thomastown
2 bed $747K / $646K
Fawkner — 2 bed: $747K (36 sales) Thomastown — 2 bed: $646K (24 sales)

36 vs 24 sales

3 bed $826K / $755K
Fawkner — 3 bed: $826K (166 sales) Thomastown — 3 bed: $755K (292 sales)

166 vs 292 sales

4 bed $922K / $856K
Fawkner — 4 bed: $922K (54 sales) Thomastown — 4 bed: $856K (56 sales)

54 vs 56 sales

5 bed $1.04M / $938K
Fawkner — 5 bed: $1.04M (8 sales) Thomastown — 5 bed: $938K (12 sales)

8 vs 12 sales

Zoning mix

Thomastown has more industrially zoned land (30% vs 3%).

Fawkner Thomastown
Residential 71% 39%
Industrial 3% 30%
Infrastructure and transport 8% 22%
Parks and recreation 15% 3%
Commercial 3%
same for both
Other and special use 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

Fawkner Thomastown
New dwellings approved 1,387
across Merri-bek
 2,632
across Whittlesea
Approvals change year on year +68% -28%

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.

Fawkner Thomastown
Houses 4.0%
$600/wk on $775K
 3.8%
$550/wk on $750K
Units 5.1%
$475/wk on $480K
 4.7%
$460/wk on $504K

Ranking within VIC

Fawkner Thomastown
House price Higher than 55% of VIC Higher than 53% of VIC
Income Higher than 40% of VIC Higher than 25% of VIC
Schools Higher than 42% of VIC Higher than 39% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 97% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 32% of VIC Higher than 22% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 65% of VIC Higher than 49% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 70% of VIC Higher than 55% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 69% of VIC Higher than 47% of VIC

Liveability

Fawkner scores higher overall (54 vs 39).

Fawkner Thomastown
Grade B C
Score 54/100 39/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Thomastown carries more bushfire risk (37 vs 0); Thomastown carries more crime risk (83 vs 64).

Fawkner Thomastown
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
37/100
Crime Moderate
64/100
 High
83/100
Flood Moderate
50/100
 Moderate
47/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
 Moderate
50/100
Industrial facilities nearby 22
within 5 km
 26
within 5 km

Schools

Fawkner Thomastown
Inside the suburb 7 8
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 3 1
Rated below peers 2 6
Universities within 10 km 3
Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus, 8.0 km
 2
Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus, 4.8 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.2% 2.4%

Schools in Fawkner

  • Darul Ulum College of Victoria Independent · Combined above peers
  • Moomba Park Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Mark's School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • St Matthew's School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Fawkner Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • John Fawkner Secondary College Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in Thomastown

  • Thomastown East Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • St John XXIII Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Lalor East Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • St Clare's School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Thomastown Meadows Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Thomastown Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Fawkner Thomastown
Supermarkets 4 3
Cafes & restaurants 8 22
Parks & reserves 17 25
Childcare 9 15
GPs 5 6
Pharmacies 3 2
Banks & Bank@Post 2
same for both
Fuel stations 3 9
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 1 10

Mobility

Fawkner sits further from the CBD (24.9 km vs 16.4 km).

Fawkner Thomastown
Walkability score 92/100 86/100
Distance to Melbourne 24.9 km
+34% vs other
 16.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 30 min 32 min
Public transport score 91/100
Rail · Bus
 93/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 159.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 377.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 3060
 0.5%
postcode 3074
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 22
postcode 3060
 28
postcode 3074

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.

Fawkner Thomastown
Car (driver) 59.3% / 68.5%
Fawkner — Car (driver): 59.3% Thomastown — Car (driver): 68.5%
Worked from Home 26.0% / 16.7%
Fawkner — Worked from Home: 26.0% Thomastown — Worked from Home: 16.7%
Train 7.2% / 6.5%
Fawkner — Train: 7.2% Thomastown — Train: 6.5%
Car (passenger) 4.0% / 5.7%
Fawkner — Car (passenger): 4.0% Thomastown — Car (passenger): 5.7%
Walked Only 1.5% / 1.2%
Fawkner — Walked Only: 1.5% Thomastown — Walked Only: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.5%).

Setting

Fawkner Thomastown
Elevation 84 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 105 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 15.5 km 18.7 km

NBN connectivity

Fawkner Thomastown
Connectivity score 91/100 89/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 55%
6,111 premises
 49%
11,579 premises

Climate

Fawkner Thomastown
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)

Fawkner Thomastown
PM2.5 3.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Fawkner Thomastown
Average residential rate $1,914/yr $1,899/yr
Council Merri-bek Whittlesea

Federal electorate

Fawkner Thomastown
Division Wills Scullin
Member Peter Khalil Andrew Giles
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Fawkner Thomastown
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Fawkner

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Transport Hub

Thomastown

Easy Commute Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks River Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Fawkner

Fawkner vs Reservoir Fawkner vs Glenroy Fawkner vs Broadmeadows Fawkner vs Coburg North Fawkner vs Hadfield Fawkner vs Campbellfield

Other comparisons with Thomastown

Thomastown vs Reservoir Thomastown vs Bundoora Thomastown vs Lalor Thomastown vs Campbellfield
Full data on Fawkner Full data on Thomastown
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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