Ferntree Gully vs Rowville

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Ferntree Gully, about half of households are couple families. In Rowville, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Rowville: a median of $1.11 million, against $933,000 in Ferntree Gully, and rent is higher there too. Rowville is closer to the city centre: 31.7 km, against 38.1 km. On these figures, Ferntree Gully tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Rowville suits couples.

Rowville is closer to the CBD (31.7 km versus 38.1 km) and commands higher median household income ($114,660 versus $92,040), reflecting its stronger socio-economic profile (decile 9 versus 7). It also scores better on liveability (63 versus 56) and has lower crime and bushfire risk. Ferntree Gully offers better walkability (91 versus 87) and slightly higher house rental yields, though Rowville's unit yields are notably stronger at 7.6 percent. Rowville suits buyers prioritising proximity to the city and established affluence; Ferntree Gully appeals to those valuing walkability and lower property prices, though it carries higher environmental risks.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

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

  • Ferntree Gully has more schools inside the suburb (11 vs 7)
  • Rowville carries lower crime risk (52/100 vs 64/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Ferntree Gully has cheaper houses ($933,000 vs $1,115,000)
  • Rowville has cheaper land ($946,327 vs $1,340,000)

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

Renters

Ferntree Gully

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($386/wk vs $441/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Rowville

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (31.7 km vs 38.1 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (34 min vs 40 min)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Rowville

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (12 vs 6)
  • carries lower crime risk (52/100 vs 64/100)

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

Investors

Rowville

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on units (7.5% vs 4.4%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Ferntree Gully Rowville
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.

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Walkability 91 / 87
Ferntree Gully — Walkability: 91/100 Rowville — Walkability: 87/100
Safety 36 / 48
Ferntree Gully — Safety: 36/100 Rowville — Safety: 48/100
Low fire risk 29 / 47
Ferntree Gully — Low fire risk: 29/100 Rowville — Low fire risk: 47/100
Low flood risk 54 / 31
Ferntree Gully — Low flood risk: 54/100 Rowville — Low flood risk: 31/100

Demographics

Rowville has higher household incomes ($114,660 vs $92,040); Rowville rents higher ($441/wk vs $386/wk).

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Population 27,398 33,571
+23% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.7% -0.3%
Median age 40 41
Median household income $92,040/yr $114,660/yr
+25% vs other
Median weekly rent $386/wk $441/wk
+14% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Ferntree Gully Rowville
0-4 5.9% / 4.7%
Ferntree Gully — 0-4: 5.9% Rowville — 0-4: 4.7%
5-14 11.6% / 12.0%
Ferntree Gully — 5-14: 11.6% Rowville — 5-14: 12.0%
15-19 5.8% / 6.6%
Ferntree Gully — 15-19: 5.8% Rowville — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 5.5% / 7.0%
Ferntree Gully — 20-24: 5.5% Rowville — 20-24: 7.0%
25-34 13.3% / 11.3%
Ferntree Gully — 25-34: 13.3% Rowville — 25-34: 11.3%
35-44 14.7% / 12.4%
Ferntree Gully — 35-44: 14.7% Rowville — 35-44: 12.4%
45-54 13.6% / 14.9%
Ferntree Gully — 45-54: 13.6% Rowville — 45-54: 14.9%
55-64 12.1% / 15.3%
Ferntree Gully — 55-64: 12.1% Rowville — 55-64: 15.3%
65-74 9.8% / 9.2%
Ferntree Gully — 65-74: 9.8% Rowville — 65-74: 9.2%
75-84 5.7% / 4.9%
Ferntree Gully — 75-84: 5.7% Rowville — 75-84: 4.9%
85+ 1.9% / 1.7%
Ferntree Gully — 85+: 1.9% Rowville — 85+: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Ferntree Gully 45.7% couple families
Ferntree Gully — Couple Families: 45.7% Ferntree Gully — Lone Person: 31.7% Ferntree Gully — One Parent Families: 17.5% Ferntree Gully — Group Household: 3.6% Ferntree Gully — Other Families: 1.5%
Rowville 62.3% couple families
Rowville — Couple Families: 62.3% Rowville — Lone Person: 20.2% Rowville — One Parent Families: 14.0% Rowville — Group Household: 2.2% Rowville — Other Families: 1.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Ferntree Gully 21.7% renting
Ferntree Gully — Owned Outright: 34.5% Ferntree Gully — Mortgage: 43.7% Ferntree Gully — Renting: 21.7%
Rowville 15.7% renting
Rowville — Owned Outright: 37.5% Rowville — Mortgage: 46.8% Rowville — Renting: 15.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Ferntree Gully Rowville
China 2.7% / 4.8%
Ferntree Gully — China: 2.7% Rowville — China: 4.8%
England 3.8% / 2.7%
Ferntree Gully — England: 3.8% Rowville — England: 2.7%
India 2.3% / 3.2%
Ferntree Gully — India: 2.3% Rowville — India: 3.2%
Sri Lanka 1.5% / 3.5%
Ferntree Gully — Sri Lanka: 1.5% Rowville — Sri Lanka: 3.5%
Malaysia 1.3% / 2.4%
Ferntree Gully — Malaysia: 1.3% Rowville — Malaysia: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.8%).

Qualifications

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

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Bachelor Degree 13.2% / 16.2%
Ferntree Gully — Bachelor Degree: 13.2% Rowville — Bachelor Degree: 16.2%
Certificate III & IV 15.5% / 12.2%
Ferntree Gully — Certificate III & IV: 15.5% Rowville — Certificate III & IV: 12.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 9.5%
Ferntree Gully — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% Rowville — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5%
Postgraduate Degree 4.3% / 5.7%
Ferntree Gully — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3% Rowville — Postgraduate Degree: 5.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.0% / 1.9%
Ferntree Gully — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0% Rowville — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Ferntree Gully 88.0% houses
Ferntree Gully — Houses: 88.0% Ferntree Gully — Townhouses: 9.8% Ferntree Gully — Flats / Apartments: 2.2%
Rowville 91.8% houses
Rowville — Houses: 91.8% Rowville — Townhouses: 7.2% Rowville — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Median house price $933,000 $1,115,000
Median unit price $685,000 $645,000
Median land price $1,340,000 $946,327
Typical days to sell (houses) 23 days
from 287 sales
 24 days
from 350 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.

Ferntree Gully Rowville
2 bed $622K / $480K
Ferntree Gully — 2 bed: $622K (71 sales) Rowville — 2 bed: $480K (22 sales)

71 vs 22 sales

3 bed $737K / $830K
Ferntree Gully — 3 bed: $737K (67 sales) Rowville — 3 bed: $830K (15 sales)

67 vs 15 sales

4 bed $845K / $1.01M
Ferntree Gully — 4 bed: $845K (6 sales) Rowville — 4 bed: $1.01M (5 sales)

6 vs 5 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.

Ferntree Gully Rowville
2 bed $769K / $632K
Ferntree Gully — 2 bed: $769K (23 sales) Rowville — 2 bed: $632K (9 sales)

23 vs 9 sales

3 bed $880K / $960K
Ferntree Gully — 3 bed: $880K (244 sales) Rowville — 3 bed: $960K (195 sales)

244 vs 195 sales

4 bed $1.03M / $1.21M
Ferntree Gully — 4 bed: $1.03M (151 sales) Rowville — 4 bed: $1.21M (250 sales)

151 vs 250 sales

5 bed $1.17M / $1.35M
Ferntree Gully — 5 bed: $1.17M (23 sales) Rowville — 5 bed: $1.35M (60 sales)

23 vs 60 sales

6 bed $1.18M / $1.58M
Ferntree Gully — 6 bed: $1.18M (6 sales) Rowville — 6 bed: $1.58M (5 sales)

6 vs 5 sales

Zoning mix

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Residential 72% 52%
Other and special use 4% 16%
Infrastructure and transport 11% 15%
Parks and recreation 5% 7%
Industrial 3% 4%
Commercial 4% 3%
Rural and farming 1%
same for both
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

Ferntree Gully Rowville
New dwellings approved 577
across Knox
same for both
Approvals change year on year -14%
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.

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Houses 3.8%
$660/wk on $892K
 3.6%
$720/wk on $1.05M
Units 4.4%
$572/wk on $682K
 7.5%
$685/wk on $472K

Ranking within VIC

Ferntree Gully Rowville
House price Higher than 64% of VIC Higher than 77% of VIC
Income Higher than 61% of VIC Higher than 87% of VIC
Schools Higher than 77% of VIC Higher than 81% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 97% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 42% of VIC Higher than 39% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 81% of VIC Higher than 89% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 88% of VIC Higher than 93% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 58% of VIC Higher than 40% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 25% of VIC Higher than 99% of VIC

Liveability

Rowville scores higher overall (63 vs 55).

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Grade B
same for both
Score 55/100 63/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Rowville carries more flood risk (69 vs 46); Ferntree Gully carries more bushfire risk (71 vs 53).

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Bushfire High
71/100
 Moderate
53/100
Crime Moderate
64/100
 Moderate
52/100
Flood Moderate
46/100
 Moderate
69/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 7
within 5 km
 9
within 5 km

Schools

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Inside the suburb 11 7
Rated above peers 4 3
Rated at peers 4 3
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km None 1
Monash Clayton, 10.0 km

Schools in Ferntree Gully

  • Fairhills High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Heritage College Knox Independent · Combined above peers
  • Kent Park Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Mountain Gate Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Fairhills Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • St John the Baptist School Catholic · Primary at peers

Schools in Rowville

  • Karoo Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Park Ridge Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Rowville Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Heany Park Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Rowville Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Simon's School Catholic · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Supermarkets 8 5
Cafes & restaurants 35 18
Parks & reserves 27 22
Childcare 23 22
GPs 6 12
Pharmacies 4 6
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 3
same for both
Fuel stations 6 5
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 22 9

Mobility

Ferntree Gully sits further from the CBD (38.1 km vs 31.7 km).

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Walkability score 91/100 87/100
Distance to Melbourne 38.1 km
+17% vs other
 31.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 40 min 34 min
Public transport score 93/100
Rail · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 462.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 372.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 3156
 1.6%
postcode 3178
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 37
postcode 3156
 47
postcode 3178

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.

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Car (driver) 64.8% / 64.1%
Ferntree Gully — Car (driver): 64.8% Rowville — Car (driver): 64.1%
Worked from Home 26.6% / 29.3%
Ferntree Gully — Worked from Home: 26.6% Rowville — Worked from Home: 29.3%
Car (passenger) 4.0% / 4.0%
Ferntree Gully — Car (passenger): 4.0% Rowville — Car (passenger): 4.0%
Train 2.4% / 1.4%
Ferntree Gully — Train: 2.4% Rowville — Train: 1.4%
Bus 0.9% / 0.7%
Ferntree Gully — Bus: 0.9% Rowville — Bus: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (64.8%).

Setting

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Elevation 108 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 86 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 22.1 km 16.8 km

NBN connectivity

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Connectivity score 77/100 86/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 11%
12,673 premises
 40%
13,198 premises

Climate

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Annual rainfall 777 mm 781 mm
Summer max (Jan) 26.9°C —
Winter min (Jul) 6.3°C —

Air quality (annual mean)

Ferntree Gully Rowville
PM2.5 — 6.3 µg/m³
PM10 15.5 µg/m³ 20.8 µg/m³
NO₂ — 0.98 pphm

Council rates

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Average residential rate $1,732/yr
same for both
Council Knox
same for both

Federal electorate

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Division Aston
same for both
Member Mary Doyle
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Ferntree Gully Rowville
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Ferntree Gully

Easy Commute Outer Parks Transport Hub

Rowville

Large Blocks Outer

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Ferntree Gully

Ferntree Gully vs Boronia Ferntree Gully vs Knoxfield Ferntree Gully vs Lysterfield Ferntree Gully vs Upper Ferntree Gully Ferntree Gully vs Tremont

Other comparisons with Rowville

Rowville vs Endeavour Hills Rowville vs Dandenong North Rowville vs Wheelers Hill Rowville vs Mulgrave Rowville vs Knoxfield Rowville vs Lysterfield
Full data on Ferntree Gully Full data on Rowville
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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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