Great Western vs Armstrong

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Great Western, about half of households are people living alone. In Armstrong, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Armstrong: a median of $820,000, against $500,000 in Great Western, though rent is higher in Great Western. On these figures, Great Western tends to suit older residents and buyers on a tighter budget, while Armstrong suits 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

Great Western

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (13 vs 5)
  • is already more of a family suburb (45% vs 35%)

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

First-home buyers

Great Western

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($500,000 vs $820,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Armstrong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($175/wk vs $200/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Armstrong

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (215 km vs 219.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Great Western has more residents already 65 and over (30% vs 16%)
  • Armstrong is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)

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

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

Great Western Armstrong
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.

Great Western Armstrong
Walkability 0 / 10
Great Western — Walkability: 0/100 Armstrong — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 13 / 16
Great Western — Safety: 13/100 Armstrong — Safety: 16/100
Low fire risk 42 / 52
Great Western — Low fire risk: 42/100 Armstrong — Low fire risk: 52/100
Low flood risk 49 / 100
Great Western — Low flood risk: 49/100 Armstrong — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Great Western has more residents (425 vs 90); Great Western has higher household incomes ($76,648 vs $60,632).

Great Western Armstrong
Population 425
+79% vs other
 90
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.2% +2.3%
Median age 52 53
Median household income $76,648/yr
+21% vs other
 $60,632/yr
Median weekly rent $200/wk
+12% vs other
 $175/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Great Western Armstrong
0-4 2.4% / —
Great Western — 0-4: 2.4% Armstrong — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 10.6% / 10.0%
Great Western — 5-14: 10.6% Armstrong — 5-14: 10.0%
15-19 5.2% / 8.9%
Great Western — 15-19: 5.2% Armstrong — 15-19: 8.9%
20-24 2.6% / 7.8%
Great Western — 20-24: 2.6% Armstrong — 20-24: 7.8%
25-34 5.6% / 4.4%
Great Western — 25-34: 5.6% Armstrong — 25-34: 4.4%
35-44 10.4% / 11.1%
Great Western — 35-44: 10.4% Armstrong — 35-44: 11.1%
45-54 16.5% / 14.4%
Great Western — 45-54: 16.5% Armstrong — 45-54: 14.4%
55-64 16.5% / 27.8%
Great Western — 55-64: 16.5% Armstrong — 55-64: 27.8%
65-74 20.2% / 11.1%
Great Western — 65-74: 20.2% Armstrong — 65-74: 11.1%
75-84 9.2% / 4.4%
Great Western — 75-84: 9.2% Armstrong — 75-84: 4.4%
85+ 0.7% / —
Great Western — 85+: 0.7% Armstrong — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Great Western 50.0% lone person
Great Western — Lone Person: 50.0% Great Western — Couple Families: 34.7% Great Western — One Parent Families: 10.5% Great Western — Other Families: 4.8%
Armstrong 64.7% lone person
Armstrong — Lone Person: 64.7% Armstrong — Couple Families: 35.3% Armstrong — One Parent Families: 0.0% Armstrong — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Great Western 10.4% renting
Great Western — Owned Outright: 53.0% Great Western — Mortgage: 36.6% Great Western — Renting: 10.4%
Armstrong 0.0% renting
Armstrong — Owned Outright: 35.5% Armstrong — Mortgage: 64.5% Armstrong — Renting: 0.0%
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.

Great Western Armstrong
England 2.1% / 4.4%
Great Western — England: 2.1% Armstrong — England: 4.4%
Germany 1.6% / —
Great Western — Germany: 1.6% Armstrong — Germany: not among its largest
Philippines 1.2% / —
Great Western — Philippines: 1.2% Armstrong — Philippines: not among its largest
Scotland 1.2% / —
Great Western — Scotland: 1.2% Armstrong — Scotland: not among its largest
India 0.9% / —
Great Western — India: 0.9% Armstrong — India: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.4%).

Qualifications

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

Great Western Armstrong
Certificate III & IV 21.6% / 21.1%
Great Western — Certificate III & IV: 21.6% Armstrong — Certificate III & IV: 21.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.2% / 21.1%
Great Western — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2% Armstrong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 21.1%
Bachelor Degree 8.5% / 4.4%
Great Western — Bachelor Degree: 8.5% Armstrong — Bachelor Degree: 4.4%
Postgraduate Degree 3.1% / 3.3%
Great Western — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1% Armstrong — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / —
Great Western — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Armstrong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Great Western 100.0% houses
Great Western — Houses: 100.0%
Armstrong 105.7% houses
Armstrong — Houses: 105.7%
Houses

Property market

Great Western Armstrong
Median house price $500,000 $820,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $445,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 137 days
from 3 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Armstrong has more rural and farming land (97% vs 86%).

Great Western Armstrong
Rural and farming 86% 97%
Parks and recreation 8% 0%
Environmental 4% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 3%
Residential 1% 0%
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

Great Western Armstrong
New dwellings approved 28
across Northern Grampians
 56
across Ararat
Approvals change year on year -62% +80%

Ranking within VIC

Great Western Armstrong
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 44% of VIC Higher than 21% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 11% of VIC Higher than 73% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption — Higher than 20% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 52% of VIC Higher than 37% of VIC

Liveability

Armstrong is more walkable (10 vs 0).

Great Western Armstrong
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Great Western carries more flood risk (51 vs 0); Great Western carries more bushfire risk (58 vs 48).

Great Western Armstrong
Bushfire Moderate
58/100
 Moderate
48/100
Crime High
87/100
 High
84/100
Flood Moderate
51/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Great Western Armstrong
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Great Western

  • Great Western Primary School Government · Primary

Schools in Armstrong

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Great Western Armstrong
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 13 5
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 22 1

Mobility

Great Western sits further from the CBD (219.3 km vs 215 km).

Great Western Armstrong
Walkability score 0/100 10/100
Distance to Melbourne 219.3 km
+2% vs other
 215 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 150 min 147 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 3374
 0.3%
postcode 3377
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 53
postcode 3374
 38
postcode 3377

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.

Great Western Armstrong
Car (driver) 70.2% / 89.7%
Great Western — Car (driver): 70.2% Armstrong — Car (driver): 89.7%
Worked from Home 20.5% / 10.3%
Great Western — Worked from Home: 20.5% Armstrong — Worked from Home: 10.3%
Walked Only 5.3% / —
Great Western — Walked Only: 5.3% Armstrong — Walked Only: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 4.1% / —
Great Western — Car (passenger): 4.1% Armstrong — Car (passenger): not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (89.7%).

Setting

Great Western Armstrong
Elevation 262 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 302 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Great Western Armstrong
Connectivity score 30/100 28/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
223 premises
 0%
39 premises

Climate

Great Western Armstrong
Annual rainfall 554 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 4.0°C
same for both

Council rates

Great Western Armstrong
Average residential rate $1,730/yr $2,002/yr
Council Northern Grampians Ararat

Federal electorate

Great Western Armstrong
Division Mallee Wannon
Member Anne Webster Dan Tehan
Party The Nationals Liberal

First Home Owner Grant

Great Western Armstrong
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Great Western

Affordable Retirees Rural

Armstrong

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Great Western

Great Western vs Ararat Great Western vs Stawell Great Western vs Black Range Great Western vs Concongella Great Western vs Rhymney

Other comparisons with Armstrong

Armstrong vs Ararat
Full data on Great Western Full data on Armstrong
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or