Ironbark vs Golden Square

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Ironbark, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Golden Square: a median of $609,000, against $520,000 in Ironbark, and rent is higher there too.

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

Golden Square

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (6 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 2)
  • is already more of a family suburb (50% vs 41%)

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

First-home buyers

Ironbark

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($339,200 vs $472,125)
  • has cheaper houses ($520,000 vs $609,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and 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

Golden Square

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (106 min vs 111 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (148.5 km vs 151.3 km)
  • But Ironbark is more walkable (77/100 vs 67/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Ironbark

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (77/100 vs 67/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Ironbark Golden Square
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.

Ironbark Golden Square
Walkability 77 / 67
Ironbark — Walkability: 77/100 Golden Square — Walkability: 67/100
Safety 32 / 31
Ironbark — Safety: 32/100 Golden Square — Safety: 31/100
Low fire risk 29 / 80
Ironbark — Low fire risk: 29/100 Golden Square — Low fire risk: 80/100
Low flood risk 100 / 56
Ironbark — Low flood risk: 100/100 Golden Square — Low flood risk: 56/100

Demographics

Golden Square has more residents (9,220 vs 1,163); Ironbark skews older (41 vs 39).

Ironbark Golden Square
Population 1,163 9,220
+693% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.2% +4.5%
Median age 41 39
Median household income $66,248/yr $69,888/yr
+5% vs other
Median weekly rent $275/wk $295/wk
+7% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Ironbark Golden Square
0-4 4.2% / 5.8%
Ironbark — 0-4: 4.2% Golden Square — 0-4: 5.8%
5-14 10.2% / 11.5%
Ironbark — 5-14: 10.2% Golden Square — 5-14: 11.5%
15-19 4.4% / 5.2%
Ironbark — 15-19: 4.4% Golden Square — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 8.3% / 5.8%
Ironbark — 20-24: 8.3% Golden Square — 20-24: 5.8%
25-34 15.7% / 15.2%
Ironbark — 25-34: 15.7% Golden Square — 25-34: 15.2%
35-44 12.3% / 12.6%
Ironbark — 35-44: 12.3% Golden Square — 35-44: 12.6%
45-54 12.2% / 11.3%
Ironbark — 45-54: 12.2% Golden Square — 45-54: 11.3%
55-64 13.3% / 11.7%
Ironbark — 55-64: 13.3% Golden Square — 55-64: 11.7%
65-74 10.6% / 10.4%
Ironbark — 65-74: 10.6% Golden Square — 65-74: 10.4%
75-84 5.7% / 6.9%
Ironbark — 75-84: 5.7% Golden Square — 75-84: 6.9%
85+ 4.0% / 3.5%
Ironbark — 85+: 4.0% Golden Square — 85+: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Ironbark 51.0% lone person
Ironbark — Lone Person: 51.0% Ironbark — Couple Families: 24.4% Ironbark — One Parent Families: 16.4% Ironbark — Group Household: 7.2% Ironbark — Other Families: 1.0%
Golden Square 43.6% lone person
Golden Square — Lone Person: 43.6% Golden Square — Couple Families: 30.7% Golden Square — One Parent Families: 19.1% Golden Square — Group Household: 5.1% Golden Square — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Ironbark 44.4% renting
Ironbark — Owned Outright: 26.5% Ironbark — Mortgage: 29.0% Ironbark — Renting: 44.4%
Golden Square 35.6% renting
Golden Square — Owned Outright: 31.5% Golden Square — Mortgage: 32.9% Golden Square — Renting: 35.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Ironbark Golden Square
Certificate III & IV 15.4% / 16.6%
Ironbark — Certificate III & IV: 15.4% Golden Square — Certificate III & IV: 16.6%
Bachelor Degree 13.4% / 10.3%
Ironbark — Bachelor Degree: 13.4% Golden Square — Bachelor Degree: 10.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.9% / 7.4%
Ironbark — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.9% Golden Square — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4%
Postgraduate Degree 4.5% / 2.6%
Ironbark — Postgraduate Degree: 4.5% Golden Square — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / 2.2%
Ironbark — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Golden Square — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

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.

Ironbark Golden Square
Thailand 1.5% / 0.9%
Ironbark — Thailand: 1.5% Golden Square — Thailand: 0.9%
England 1.0% / 1.4%
Ironbark — England: 1.0% Golden Square — England: 1.4%
India 0.9% / 1.2%
Ironbark — India: 0.9% Golden Square — India: 1.2%
Myanmar 1.1% / 0.7%
Ironbark — Myanmar: 1.1% Golden Square — Myanmar: 0.7%
New Zealand 0.9% / 0.7%
Ironbark — New Zealand: 0.9% Golden Square — New Zealand: 0.7%
Philippines 0.4% / 0.7%
Ironbark — Philippines: 0.4% Golden Square — Philippines: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Ironbark 86.2% houses
Ironbark — Houses: 86.2% Ironbark — Townhouses: 13.2% Ironbark — Flats / Apartments: 0.6%
Golden Square 91.4% houses
Golden Square — Houses: 91.4% Golden Square — Townhouses: 4.3% Golden Square — Flats / Apartments: 4.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Ironbark Golden Square
Median house price $520,000 $609,000
Median unit price $339,200 $472,125
Median land price — $305,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 11 sales
 25 days
from 102 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Ironbark Golden Square
2 bed $428K / $470K
Ironbark — 2 bed: $428K (16 sales) Golden Square — 2 bed: $470K (33 sales)

16 vs 33 sales

3 bed $540K / $591K
Ironbark — 3 bed: $540K (24 sales) Golden Square — 3 bed: $591K (148 sales)

24 vs 148 sales

4 bed $617K / $727K
Ironbark — 4 bed: $617K (5 sales) Golden Square — 4 bed: $727K (64 sales)

5 vs 64 sales

Zoning mix

Ironbark Golden Square
Residential 63% 64%
Parks and recreation 18% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 13% 11%
Commercial 4% 8%
Industrial 0% 7%
Other and special use 2% 4%
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

Ironbark Golden Square
New dwellings approved 885
across Greater Bendigo
same for both
Approvals change year on year +28%
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.

Ironbark Golden Square
Houses 3.6%
$490/wk on $705K
 4.1%
$530/wk on $674K
Units — 5.2%
$450/wk on $446K

Ranking within VIC

Ironbark Golden Square
House price Higher than 14% of VIC Higher than 20% of VIC
Income Higher than 27% of VIC Higher than 32% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 92% of VIC Higher than 89% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 77% of VIC Higher than 68% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 67% of VIC Higher than 36% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 79% of VIC Higher than 78% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 42% of VIC Higher than 74% of VIC
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 73% of VIC

Liveability

Ironbark is more walkable (77 vs 67).

Ironbark Golden Square
Grade C
same for both
Score 38/100 40/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Golden Square carries more flood risk (44 vs 0); Ironbark carries more bushfire risk (71 vs 20).

Ironbark Golden Square
Bushfire High
71/100
 Low
20/100
Crime Moderate
68/100
 Moderate
69/100
Flood None
0/100
 Moderate
44/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 9
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Ironbark Golden Square
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0 2
Universities within 10 km 1
Bendigo Campus, 4.1 km
 1
Bendigo Campus, 3.9 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.1%
same for both

Schools in Ironbark

  • Bendigo Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Golden Square

  • Golden Square Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Specimen Hill Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Ironbark Golden Square
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 1 2
Parks & reserves 2 10
Childcare 0 6
GPs 1
same for both
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 5
Waterways 6 3

Mobility

Ironbark sits further from the CBD (151.3 km vs 148.5 km).

Ironbark Golden Square
Walkability score 77/100 67/100
Distance to Melbourne 151.3 km
+2% vs other
 148.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 111 min 106 min
Public transport score 75/100
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 30.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 106.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 3550
 0.4%
postcode 3555
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 34
postcode 3550
 38
postcode 3555

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.

Ironbark Golden Square
Car (driver) 65.2% / 75.1%
Ironbark — Car (driver): 65.2% Golden Square — Car (driver): 75.1%
Worked from Home 19.4% / 15.1%
Ironbark — Worked from Home: 19.4% Golden Square — Worked from Home: 15.1%
Car (passenger) 6.7% / 5.5%
Ironbark — Car (passenger): 6.7% Golden Square — Car (passenger): 5.5%
Walked Only 5.4% / 1.9%
Ironbark — Walked Only: 5.4% Golden Square — Walked Only: 1.9%
Bicycle 2.3% / 0.8%
Ironbark — Bicycle: 2.3% Golden Square — Bicycle: 0.8%
Bus 1.0% / 1.3%
Ironbark — Bus: 1.0% Golden Square — Bus: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.1%).

Setting

Ironbark Golden Square
Elevation 251 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 233 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Ironbark Golden Square
Connectivity score 69/100 68/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 43%
676 premises
 42%
4,934 premises

Climate

Ironbark Golden Square
Annual rainfall 598 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.7°C
same for both

Council rates

Ironbark Golden Square
Average residential rate $1,949/yr
same for both
Council Greater Bendigo
same for both

Federal electorate

Ironbark Golden Square
Division Bendigo
same for both
Member Lisa Chesters
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Ironbark Golden Square
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Ironbark

Affordable Large Blocks Parks River

Golden Square

Large Blocks Regional Centre River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Ironbark

Ironbark vs Bendigo Ironbark vs Long Gully Ironbark vs West Bendigo

Other comparisons with Golden Square

Golden Square vs Kangaroo Flat Golden Square vs Bendigo Golden Square vs Maiden Gully Golden Square vs Quarry Hill Golden Square vs West Bendigo Golden Square vs Golden Gully
Full data on Ironbark Full data on Golden Square
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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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