Fumina South vs Neerim East

Neerim East is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 53 in Fumina South. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Neerim East, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Neerim East tends to suit 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

Fumina South

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (75% vs 51%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 90%)
  • But Neerim East carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 22/100)

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

First-home buyers

Neerim East

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (32% vs 39%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Neerim East

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 34%)
  • has cheaper rent ($166/wk vs $230/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Neerim East

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (124.1 km vs 156.8 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (110 min vs 120 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Fumina South has more residents already 65 and over (26% vs 20%)
  • Neerim East carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 22/100)

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

Investors

Neerim East

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (2.1% vs -3.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Fumina South Neerim East
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.

Fumina South Neerim East
Walkability 0 / 0
Fumina South — Walkability: 0/100 Neerim East — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 78 / 88
Fumina South — Safety: 78/100 Neerim East — Safety: 88/100
Low fire risk 2 / 3
Fumina South — Low fire risk: 2/100 Neerim East — Low fire risk: 3/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Fumina South — Low flood risk: 100/100 Neerim East — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Neerim East has more residents (196 vs 65); Neerim East has higher household incomes ($82,316 vs $35,724).

Fumina South Neerim East
Population 65 196
+202% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.0% +2.1%
Median age 53 47
Median household income $35,724/yr $82,316/yr
+130% vs other
Median weekly rent $230/wk
+28% vs other
 $166/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Fumina South Neerim East
0-4 4.6% / 6.6%
Fumina South — 0-4: 4.6% Neerim East — 0-4: 6.6%
5-14 10.8% / 11.2%
Fumina South — 5-14: 10.8% Neerim East — 5-14: 11.2%
15-19 6.2% / 8.7%
Fumina South — 15-19: 6.2% Neerim East — 15-19: 8.7%
20-24 4.6% / 5.1%
Fumina South — 20-24: 4.6% Neerim East — 20-24: 5.1%
25-34 13.8% / 5.6%
Fumina South — 25-34: 13.8% Neerim East — 25-34: 5.6%
35-44 4.6% / 13.8%
Fumina South — 35-44: 4.6% Neerim East — 35-44: 13.8%
45-54 16.9% / 16.8%
Fumina South — 45-54: 16.9% Neerim East — 45-54: 16.8%
55-64 18.5% / 15.8%
Fumina South — 55-64: 18.5% Neerim East — 55-64: 15.8%
65-74 — / 18.4%
Fumina South — 65-74: not among its largest Neerim East — 65-74: 18.4%
75-84 18.5% / 2.0%
Fumina South — 75-84: 18.5% Neerim East — 75-84: 2.0%
85+ 7.7% / —
Fumina South — 85+: 7.7% Neerim East — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Fumina South 33.3% couple families
Fumina South — Couple Families: 33.3% Fumina South — Lone Person: 25.0% Fumina South — One Parent Families: 41.7%
Neerim East 40.5% couple families
Neerim East — Couple Families: 40.5% Neerim East — Lone Person: 48.6% Neerim East — One Parent Families: 10.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Fumina South 0.0% renting
Fumina South — Owned Outright: 52.9% Fumina South — Mortgage: 47.1% Fumina South — Renting: 0.0%
Neerim East 10.3% renting
Neerim East — Owned Outright: 43.1% Neerim East — Mortgage: 46.6% Neerim East — Renting: 10.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Fumina South 100.0% houses
Fumina South — Houses: 100.0% Fumina South — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Neerim East 89.9% houses
Neerim East — Houses: 89.9% Neerim East — Flats / Apartments: 10.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Fumina South Neerim East
Certificate III & IV 10.8% / 18.9%
Fumina South — Certificate III & IV: 10.8% Neerim East — Certificate III & IV: 18.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.2% / 8.2%
Fumina South — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2% Neerim East — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Bachelor Degree 4.6% / 6.6%
Fumina South — Bachelor Degree: 4.6% Neerim East — Bachelor Degree: 6.6%
Postgraduate Degree — / 3.6%
Fumina South — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Neerim East — Postgraduate Degree: 3.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.9%).

Property market

Fumina South Neerim East
Median house price — $840,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Fumina South Neerim East
Parks and recreation 70% 64%
Rural and farming 29% 36%
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

Fumina South Neerim East
New dwellings approved 619
across Baw Baw
same for both
Approvals change year on year +49%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Fumina South Neerim East
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 1% of VIC Higher than 50% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 24% of VIC Higher than 14% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 21% of VIC Higher than 58% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 20% of VIC Higher than 30% of VIC

Liveability

Fumina South Neerim East
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Fumina South carries more crime risk (22 vs 12).

Fumina South Neerim East
Bushfire High
98/100
 High
97/100
Crime Low
22/100
 Low
12/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
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

Fumina South Neerim East
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Fumina South Neerim East
Parks & reserves 1 3
Waterways 63 137

Mobility

Fumina South sits further from the CBD (156.8 km vs 124.1 km).

Fumina South Neerim East
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 156.8 km
+21% vs other
 124.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 120 min 110 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 3825
 0.6%
postcode 3831
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 38
postcode 3825
 60
postcode 3831

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.

Fumina South Neerim East
Car (driver) 61.9% / 61.5%
Fumina South — Car (driver): 61.9% Neerim East — Car (driver): 61.5%
Worked from Home 38.1% / 28.2%
Fumina South — Worked from Home: 38.1% Neerim East — Worked from Home: 28.2%
Car (passenger) — / 5.1%
Fumina South — Car (passenger): not among its largest Neerim East — Car (passenger): 5.1%
Walked Only — / 5.1%
Fumina South — Walked Only: not among its largest Neerim East — Walked Only: 5.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (61.9%).

Setting

Fumina South Neerim East
Elevation 359 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 284 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Fumina South Neerim East
Connectivity score 22/100 27/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
25 premises
 0%
79 premises

Climate

Fumina South Neerim East
Annual rainfall 1,090 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.7°C
same for both

Council rates

Fumina South Neerim East
Average residential rate $2,138/yr
same for both
Council Baw Baw
same for both

Federal electorate

Fumina South Neerim East
Division Monash
same for both
Member Mary Aldred
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Fumina South Neerim East
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Fumina South

Retirees Rural

Neerim East

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Fumina South

Fumina South vs Hill End

Other comparisons with Neerim East

Neerim East vs Neerim South Neerim East vs Willow Grove Neerim East vs Neerim Neerim East vs Shady Creek Neerim East vs Buln Buln East Neerim East vs Hill End
Full data on Fumina South Full data on Neerim East
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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