Gnarwarre vs Buckley

Buckley is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 43 in Gnarwarre. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families.

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

Buckley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more parks and reserves (4 vs 1)

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

Buckley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($360/wk vs $390/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Gnarwarre

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (94.7 km vs 106.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Gnarwarre

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (20% vs 14%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Gnarwarre Buckley
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.

Gnarwarre Buckley
Walkability 0 / 0
Gnarwarre — Walkability: 0/100 Buckley — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 71 / 63
Gnarwarre — Safety: 71/100 Buckley — Safety: 63/100
Low fire risk 100 / 74
Gnarwarre — Low fire risk: 100/100 Buckley — Low fire risk: 74/100
Low flood risk 57 / 35
Gnarwarre — Low flood risk: 57/100 Buckley — Low flood risk: 35/100

Demographics

Gnarwarre has more residents (297 vs 228); Gnarwarre skews older (43 vs 40).

Gnarwarre Buckley
Population 297
+23% vs other
 228
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.2% +8.1%
Median age 43 40
Median household income $113,724/yr $112,632/yr
Median weekly rent $390/wk
+8% vs other
 $360/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Gnarwarre Buckley
0-4 4.4% / 8.8%
Gnarwarre — 0-4: 4.4% Buckley — 0-4: 8.8%
5-14 15.5% / 10.1%
Gnarwarre — 5-14: 15.5% Buckley — 5-14: 10.1%
15-19 7.1% / 7.5%
Gnarwarre — 15-19: 7.1% Buckley — 15-19: 7.5%
20-24 4.7% / 3.5%
Gnarwarre — 20-24: 4.7% Buckley — 20-24: 3.5%
25-34 4.7% / 12.7%
Gnarwarre — 25-34: 4.7% Buckley — 25-34: 12.7%
35-44 13.1% / 12.7%
Gnarwarre — 35-44: 13.1% Buckley — 35-44: 12.7%
45-54 16.2% / 17.1%
Gnarwarre — 45-54: 16.2% Buckley — 45-54: 17.1%
55-64 12.5% / 16.2%
Gnarwarre — 55-64: 12.5% Buckley — 55-64: 16.2%
65-74 15.5% / 5.7%
Gnarwarre — 65-74: 15.5% Buckley — 65-74: 5.7%
75-84 2.4% / 5.7%
Gnarwarre — 75-84: 2.4% Buckley — 75-84: 5.7%
85+ 1.7% / 2.2%
Gnarwarre — 85+: 1.7% Buckley — 85+: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Gnarwarre 57.8% couple families
Gnarwarre — Couple Families: 57.8% Gnarwarre — One Parent Families: 25.0% Gnarwarre — Lone Person: 12.5% Gnarwarre — Group Household: 4.7%
Buckley 66.7% couple families
Buckley — Couple Families: 66.7% Buckley — One Parent Families: 9.3% Buckley — Lone Person: 18.5% Buckley — Group Household: 5.6%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Gnarwarre 7.3% renting
Gnarwarre — Owned Outright: 52.4% Gnarwarre — Mortgage: 40.2% Gnarwarre — Renting: 7.3%
Buckley 14.9% renting
Buckley — Owned Outright: 44.6% Buckley — Mortgage: 40.5% Buckley — Renting: 14.9%
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.

Gnarwarre Buckley
England 3.0% / 2.2%
Gnarwarre — England: 3.0% Buckley — England: 2.2%
Ireland — / 1.8%
Gnarwarre — Ireland: not among its largest Buckley — Ireland: 1.8%
New Zealand 1.7% / —
Gnarwarre — New Zealand: 1.7% Buckley — New Zealand: not among its largest
Germany 1.0% / —
Gnarwarre — Germany: 1.0% Buckley — Germany: not among its largest

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

Qualifications

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

Gnarwarre Buckley
Certificate III & IV 16.8% / 19.3%
Gnarwarre — Certificate III & IV: 16.8% Buckley — Certificate III & IV: 19.3%
Bachelor Degree 11.4% / 10.5%
Gnarwarre — Bachelor Degree: 11.4% Buckley — Bachelor Degree: 10.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.8% / 4.4%
Gnarwarre — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.8% Buckley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.4%
Postgraduate Degree 6.1% / 4.8%
Gnarwarre — Postgraduate Degree: 6.1% Buckley — Postgraduate Degree: 4.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 1.8%
Gnarwarre — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Buckley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Gnarwarre 100.0% houses
Gnarwarre — Houses: 100.0% Gnarwarre — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Buckley 93.4% houses
Buckley — Houses: 93.4% Buckley — Flats / Apartments: 6.6%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Zoning mix

Gnarwarre Buckley
Rural and farming 100% 90%
Parks and recreation 0% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 1%
Environmental 0% 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

Gnarwarre Buckley
New dwellings approved 300
across Surf Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year +57%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Gnarwarre Buckley
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 86% of VIC Higher than 85% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 10% of VIC Higher than 21% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 74% of VIC Higher than 90% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 51% of VIC Higher than 55% of VIC

Liveability

Gnarwarre Buckley
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Buckley carries more bushfire risk (26 vs 0); Buckley carries more flood risk (65 vs 43).

Gnarwarre Buckley
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
26/100
Crime Low
29/100
 Low
37/100
Flood Moderate
43/100
 Moderate
65/100
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

Gnarwarre Buckley
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

Gnarwarre Buckley
Parks & reserves 1 4
Childcare 1 0
Waterways 1
same for both

Mobility

Buckley sits further from the CBD (106.2 km vs 94.7 km).

Gnarwarre Buckley
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 94.7 km 106.2 km
+12% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 79 min 77 min
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 3221
 1.6%
postcode 3240
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings —
postcode 3221
 62
postcode 3240

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.

Gnarwarre Buckley
Car (driver) 71.2% / 65.2%
Gnarwarre — Car (driver): 71.2% Buckley — Car (driver): 65.2%
Worked from Home 23.2% / 25.0%
Gnarwarre — Worked from Home: 23.2% Buckley — Worked from Home: 25.0%
Car (passenger) 3.2% / 5.4%
Gnarwarre — Car (passenger): 3.2% Buckley — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Walked Only 2.4% / 4.5%
Gnarwarre — Walked Only: 2.4% Buckley — Walked Only: 4.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.2%).

Setting

Gnarwarre Buckley
Elevation 131 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 121 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 18.7 km 23.2 km

NBN connectivity

Gnarwarre Buckley
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
110 premises
 0%
93 premises

Climate

Gnarwarre Buckley
Annual rainfall 502 mm 599 mm
Summer max (Jan) 25.8°C 23.2°C
Winter min (Jul) 5.3°C 7.6°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Gnarwarre Buckley
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Gnarwarre Buckley
Average residential rate $2,314/yr
same for both
Council Surf Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Gnarwarre Buckley
Division Wannon
same for both
Member Dan Tehan
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Gnarwarre Buckley
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Gnarwarre

Rural

Buckley

Rural Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Gnarwarre

Gnarwarre vs Inverleigh Gnarwarre vs Mount Moriac Gnarwarre vs Barrabool Gnarwarre vs Murgheboluc Gnarwarre vs Stonehaven

Other comparisons with Buckley

Buckley vs Winchelsea Buckley vs Inverleigh Buckley vs Modewarre Buckley vs Mount Moriac Buckley vs Wurdiboluc
Full data on Gnarwarre Full data on Buckley
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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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