Hesket vs Woodend

Woodend is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 53 in Hesket. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Hesket tends to suit share households, while Woodend 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Hesket carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 45/100)
  • Woodend has more parks and reserves (5 vs 0)

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

Hesket

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (6% vs 19%)
  • has cheaper rent ($200/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Woodend

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (63/100 vs 13/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (69.3 km vs 77.7 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Woodend

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (63/100 vs 13/100)
  • But Hesket carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 45/100)

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

Investors

Woodend

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (15.9% vs 6.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Hesket Woodend
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.

Hesket Woodend
Walkability 13 / 63
Hesket — Walkability: 13/100 Woodend — Walkability: 63/100
Safety 82 / 55
Hesket — Safety: 82/100 Woodend — Safety: 55/100
Low fire risk 23 / 21
Hesket — Low fire risk: 23/100 Woodend — Low fire risk: 21/100
Low flood risk 100 / 75
Hesket — Low flood risk: 100/100 Woodend — Low flood risk: 75/100

Demographics

Woodend has more residents (6,732 vs 178); Woodend rents higher ($400/wk vs $200/wk).

Hesket Woodend
Population 178 6,732
+3682% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.0% +15.9%
Median age 53 45
Median household income $160,316/yr
+32% vs other
 $109,408/yr
Median weekly rent $200/wk $400/wk
+100% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Hesket Woodend
0-4 3.9% / 4.9%
Hesket — 0-4: 3.9% Woodend — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 11.8% / 14.4%
Hesket — 5-14: 11.8% Woodend — 5-14: 14.4%
15-19 3.4% / 6.4%
Hesket — 15-19: 3.4% Woodend — 15-19: 6.4%
20-24 2.8% / 3.3%
Hesket — 20-24: 2.8% Woodend — 20-24: 3.3%
25-34 5.6% / 6.9%
Hesket — 25-34: 5.6% Woodend — 25-34: 6.9%
35-44 10.1% / 12.7%
Hesket — 35-44: 10.1% Woodend — 35-44: 12.7%
45-54 18.5% / 16.2%
Hesket — 45-54: 18.5% Woodend — 45-54: 16.2%
55-64 20.8% / 13.2%
Hesket — 55-64: 20.8% Woodend — 55-64: 13.2%
65-74 19.1% / 12.9%
Hesket — 65-74: 19.1% Woodend — 65-74: 12.9%
75-84 6.2% / 6.8%
Hesket — 75-84: 6.2% Woodend — 75-84: 6.8%
85+ — / 2.2%
Hesket — 85+: not among its largest Woodend — 85+: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Hesket 50.0% couple families
Hesket — Couple Families: 50.0% Hesket — One Parent Families: 26.5% Hesket — Lone Person: 8.8% Hesket — Group Household: 14.7% Hesket — Other Families: 0.0%
Woodend 50.2% couple families
Woodend — Couple Families: 50.2% Woodend — One Parent Families: 16.3% Woodend — Lone Person: 30.4% Woodend — Group Household: 2.3% Woodend — Other Families: 0.8%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Hesket 15.3% renting
Hesket — Owned Outright: 50.8% Hesket — Mortgage: 33.9% Hesket — Renting: 15.3%
Woodend 15.9% renting
Woodend — Owned Outright: 41.9% Woodend — Mortgage: 42.1% Woodend — Renting: 15.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Hesket Woodend
Bachelor Degree 23.0% / 17.1%
Hesket — Bachelor Degree: 23.0% Woodend — Bachelor Degree: 17.1%
Certificate III & IV 8.4% / 11.1%
Hesket — Certificate III & IV: 8.4% Woodend — Certificate III & IV: 11.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.0% / 8.2%
Hesket — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0% Woodend — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 7.3% / 7.4%
Hesket — Postgraduate Degree: 7.3% Woodend — Postgraduate Degree: 7.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 4.1%
Hesket — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Woodend — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.0%).

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.

Hesket Woodend
England 3.4% / 6.0%
Hesket — England: 3.4% Woodend — England: 6.0%
Singapore 3.4% / —
Hesket — Singapore: 3.4% Woodend — Singapore: not among its largest
Canada 2.2% / —
Hesket — Canada: 2.2% Woodend — Canada: not among its largest
New Zealand — / 1.2%
Hesket — New Zealand: not among its largest Woodend — New Zealand: 1.2%
Germany — / 0.8%
Hesket — Germany: not among its largest Woodend — Germany: 0.8%
Scotland — / 0.7%
Hesket — Scotland: not among its largest Woodend — Scotland: 0.7%
Netherlands — / 0.7%
Hesket — Netherlands: not among its largest Woodend — Netherlands: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Hesket 100.0% houses
Hesket — Houses: 100.0% Hesket — Townhouses: 0.0% Hesket — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Woodend 90.7% houses
Woodend — Houses: 90.7% Woodend — Townhouses: 8.9% Woodend — Flats / Apartments: 0.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Hesket Woodend
Median house price — $997,500
Median unit price — $730,000
Median land price — $737,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 54 days
from 95 sales

Zoning mix

Hesket has more land zoned for conservation (93% vs 68%); Woodend has more rural and farming land (12% vs 0%).

Hesket Woodend
Environmental 93% 68%
Rural and farming 0% 12%
Parks and recreation 6% 9%
Residential 0% 6%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 5%
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

Hesket Woodend
New dwellings approved 331
across Macedon Ranges
same for both
Approvals change year on year +80%
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.

Hesket Woodend
Houses — 3.2%
$765/wk on $1.25M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Hesket Woodend
House price — Higher than 64% of VIC
Income Higher than 99% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 11% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 75% of VIC Higher than 88% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 62% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 90% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 56% of VIC Higher than 76% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 21% of VIC

Liveability

Woodend is more walkable (63 vs 13).

Hesket Woodend
Grade — C
Score — 46/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Woodend carries more flood risk (25 vs 0); Woodend carries more crime risk (45 vs 18).

Hesket Woodend
Bushfire High
77/100
 High
79/100
Crime Low
18/100
 Moderate
45/100
Flood None
0/100
 Low
25/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Hesket Woodend
Inside the suburb 1 3
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Hesket

  • Hesket Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Woodend

  • Woodend Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Ambrose's School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Braemar College - Woodend Campus Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Hesket Woodend
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 0 5
Childcare 1 4
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 0 7

Mobility

Hesket sits further from the CBD (77.7 km vs 69.3 km).

Hesket Woodend
Walkability score 13/100 63/100
Distance to Melbourne 77.7 km
+11% vs other
 69.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 60 min 56 min
Electric vehicle share 1.6%
postcode 3442
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 58
postcode 3442
same for both

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.

Hesket Woodend
Car (driver) 44.0% / 49.8%
Hesket — Car (driver): 44.0% Woodend — Car (driver): 49.8%
Worked from Home 45.3% / 40.8%
Hesket — Worked from Home: 45.3% Woodend — Worked from Home: 40.8%
Walked Only 10.7% / 2.4%
Hesket — Walked Only: 10.7% Woodend — Walked Only: 2.4%
Car (passenger) — / 3.8%
Hesket — Car (passenger): not among its largest Woodend — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Train — / 2.5%
Hesket — Train: not among its largest Woodend — Train: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (49.8%).

Setting

Hesket Woodend
Elevation 675 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 568 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Hesket Woodend
Connectivity score 30/100 65/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
85 premises
 44%
3,120 premises

Climate

Hesket Woodend
Annual rainfall 778 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Hesket Woodend
Average residential rate $2,065/yr
same for both
Council Macedon Ranges
same for both

Federal electorate

Hesket Woodend
Division Mcewen
same for both
Member Rob Mitchell
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Hesket Woodend
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Hesket

Professionals Retirees Rural

Woodend

Acreage Professionals Trains

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Hesket

Hesket vs Romsey Hesket vs Mount Macedon Hesket vs Newham Hesket vs Kerrie Hesket vs Rochford Hesket vs Cherokee

Other comparisons with Woodend

Woodend vs Macedon Woodend vs Mount Macedon Woodend vs Bullengarook Woodend vs Tylden Woodend vs Newham Woodend vs Carlsruhe
Full data on Hesket Full data on Woodend
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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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