Great Western vs Black Range

Black Range is the younger of the two, with a median age of 48 against 52 in Great Western. 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 Black Range, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Great Western tends to suit people living alone, while Black Range suits couples.

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

  • Great Western has more parks and reserves (13 vs 7)
  • Black Range carries lower crime risk (45/100 vs 87/100)

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

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

Great Western

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (150 min vs 185 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (219.3 km vs 244.3 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 22%)
  • Black Range carries lower crime risk (45/100 vs 87/100)

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

Investors

Black Range

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (45.0% vs 6.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Great Western and Black Range 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 Black Range
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 Black Range
Walkability 0 / 0
Great Western — Walkability: 0/100 Black Range — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 13 / 55
Great Western — Safety: 13/100 Black Range — Safety: 55/100
Low fire risk 42 / 39
Great Western — Low fire risk: 42/100 Black Range — Low fire risk: 39/100
Low flood risk 49 / 78
Great Western — Low flood risk: 49/100 Black Range — Low flood risk: 78/100

Demographics

Great Western has more residents (425 vs 274); Great Western skews older (52 vs 48).

Great Western Black Range
Population 425
+36% vs other
 274
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.2% +45.0%
Median age 52 48
Median household income $76,648/yr $79,612/yr
+4% vs other
Median weekly rent $200/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Great Western Black Range
0-4 2.4% / 2.2%
Great Western — 0-4: 2.4% Black Range — 0-4: 2.2%
5-14 10.6% / 11.7%
Great Western — 5-14: 10.6% Black Range — 5-14: 11.7%
15-19 5.2% / 6.6%
Great Western — 15-19: 5.2% Black Range — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 2.6% / 5.1%
Great Western — 20-24: 2.6% Black Range — 20-24: 5.1%
25-34 5.6% / 16.1%
Great Western — 25-34: 5.6% Black Range — 25-34: 16.1%
35-44 10.4% / 6.6%
Great Western — 35-44: 10.4% Black Range — 35-44: 6.6%
45-54 16.5% / 10.6%
Great Western — 45-54: 16.5% Black Range — 45-54: 10.6%
55-64 16.5% / 21.9%
Great Western — 55-64: 16.5% Black Range — 55-64: 21.9%
65-74 20.2% / 16.1%
Great Western — 65-74: 20.2% Black Range — 65-74: 16.1%
75-84 9.2% / 6.2%
Great Western — 75-84: 9.2% Black Range — 75-84: 6.2%
85+ 0.7% / —
Great Western — 85+: 0.7% Black Range — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.9%).

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%
Black Range 33.3% lone person
Black Range — Lone Person: 33.3% Black Range — Couple Families: 48.5% Black Range — One Parent Families: 18.2% Black Range — 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%
Black Range 14.7% renting
Black Range — Owned Outright: 47.1% Black Range — Mortgage: 38.2% Black Range — Renting: 14.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Great Western Black Range
Certificate III & IV 21.6% / 12.0%
Great Western — Certificate III & IV: 21.6% Black Range — Certificate III & IV: 12.0%
Bachelor Degree 8.5% / 10.9%
Great Western — Bachelor Degree: 8.5% Black Range — Bachelor Degree: 10.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.2% / 6.6%
Great Western — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2% Black Range — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6%
Postgraduate Degree 3.1% / 1.5%
Great Western — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1% Black Range — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 2.2%
Great Western — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Black Range — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%

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

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 Black Range
England 2.1% / 1.1%
Great Western — England: 2.1% Black Range — England: 1.1%
Germany 1.6% / —
Great Western — Germany: 1.6% Black Range — Germany: not among its largest
Philippines 1.2% / —
Great Western — Philippines: 1.2% Black Range — Philippines: not among its largest
Scotland 1.2% / —
Great Western — Scotland: 1.2% Black Range — Scotland: not among its largest
New Zealand — / 1.1%
Great Western — New Zealand: not among its largest Black Range — New Zealand: 1.1%
India 0.9% / —
Great Western — India: 0.9% Black Range — India: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Great Western 100.0% houses
Great Western — Houses: 100.0% Great Western — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Black Range 84.7% houses
Black Range — Houses: 84.7% Black Range — Flats / Apartments: 15.3%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

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

Zoning mix

Black Range has more land zoned for conservation (61% vs 4%); Great Western has more rural and farming land (86% vs 32%).

Great Western Black Range
Rural and farming 86% 32%
Environmental 4% 61%
Parks and recreation 8% 6%
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 Black Range
New dwellings approved 28
across Northern Grampians
same for both
Approvals change year on year -62%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Great Western Black Range
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 44% of VIC Higher than 47% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 11% of VIC Higher than 60% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption — Higher than 23% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 52% of VIC Higher than 47% of VIC

Liveability

Great Western Black Range
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

Great Western carries more flood risk (51 vs 22); Great Western carries more crime risk (87 vs 45).

Great Western Black Range
Bushfire Moderate
58/100
 Moderate
61/100
Crime High
87/100
 Moderate
45/100
Flood Moderate
51/100
 Low
22/100
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 Black Range
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 Black Range

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

Amenities in the suburb

Great Western Black Range
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 13 7
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 22 2

Mobility

Black Range sits further from the CBD (244.3 km vs 219.3 km).

Great Western Black Range
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 219.3 km 244.3 km
+11% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 150 min 185 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 3374
 0.3%
postcode 3381
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 53
postcode 3374
 44
postcode 3381

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 Black Range
Car (driver) 70.2% / 80.5%
Great Western — Car (driver): 70.2% Black Range — Car (driver): 80.5%
Worked from Home 20.5% / 11.0%
Great Western — Worked from Home: 20.5% Black Range — Worked from Home: 11.0%
Car (passenger) 4.1% / 8.5%
Great Western — Car (passenger): 4.1% Black Range — Car (passenger): 8.5%
Walked Only 5.3% / —
Great Western — Walked Only: 5.3% Black Range — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.5%).

Setting

Great Western Black Range
Elevation 262 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 418 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Great Western Black Range
Connectivity score 30/100 29/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
223 premises
 0%
85 premises

Climate

Great Western Black Range
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 Black Range
Average residential rate $1,730/yr
same for both
Council Northern Grampians
same for both

Federal electorate

Great Western Black Range
Division Mallee
same for both
Member Anne Webster
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Great Western Black Range
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

Black Range

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Great Western

Great Western vs Ararat Great Western vs Stawell Great Western vs Concongella Great Western vs Armstrong Great Western vs Rhymney

Other comparisons with Black Range

Black Range vs Stawell Black Range vs Pomonal Black Range vs Bellellen Black Range vs Rhymney
Full data on Great Western Full data on Black Range
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