Keysborough vs Dandenong South

Keysborough is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 51 in Dandenong South. In Keysborough, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. In Dandenong South, the large majority of households rent, most homes are flats or apartments, and the large majority of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Dandenong South: a median of $4.11 million, against $1 million in Keysborough, though rent is higher in Keysborough. On these figures, Keysborough tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Dandenong South suits renters, people living alone, and older residents.

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

Keysborough

ahead on 6 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 1)
  • is already more of a family suburb (79% vs 5%)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (11 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Keysborough

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,000,000 vs $4,110,000)
  • has cheaper units ($664,000 vs $2,420,000)
  • has cheaper land ($1,185,500 vs $2,420,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Dandenong South

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (80% vs 19%)
  • has cheaper rent ($245/wk vs $421/wk)
  • But Keysborough leaves renters under less rental stress (21% vs 30%)

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

Commuting to the city

Keysborough

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (66/100 vs 18/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (38.1 km vs 41.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Keysborough

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (66/100 vs 18/100)
  • has more GPs (6 vs 2)
  • carries lower crime risk (64/100 vs 100/100)
  • But Dandenong South has more units and townhouses to downsize into (76% vs 10%)

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

Investors

Keysborough

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (16.4% vs -21.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Keysborough Dandenong South
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.

Keysborough Dandenong South
Walkability 66 / 18
Keysborough — Walkability: 66/100 Dandenong South — Walkability: 18/100
Safety 36 / 0
Keysborough — Safety: 36/100 Dandenong South — Safety: 0/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Keysborough — Low fire risk: 100/100 Dandenong South — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 47 / 33
Keysborough — Low flood risk: 47/100 Dandenong South — Low flood risk: 33/100

Demographics

Keysborough has more residents (30,018 vs 125); Keysborough has higher household incomes ($103,532 vs $42,692).

Keysborough Dandenong South
Population 30,018
+100% vs other
 125
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +16.4% -21.9%
Median age 36 51
Median household income $103,532/yr
+59% vs other
 $42,692/yr
Median weekly rent $421/wk
+42% vs other
 $245/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Keysborough Dandenong South
0-4 6.2% / —
Keysborough — 0-4: 6.2% Dandenong South — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 13.4% / —
Keysborough — 5-14: 13.4% Dandenong South — 5-14: not among its largest
15-19 6.3% / —
Keysborough — 15-19: 6.3% Dandenong South — 15-19: not among its largest
20-24 6.6% / 4.0%
Keysborough — 20-24: 6.6% Dandenong South — 20-24: 4.0%
25-34 14.2% / 16.0%
Keysborough — 25-34: 14.2% Dandenong South — 25-34: 16.0%
35-44 15.7% / 8.8%
Keysborough — 35-44: 15.7% Dandenong South — 35-44: 8.8%
45-54 12.8% / 19.2%
Keysborough — 45-54: 12.8% Dandenong South — 45-54: 19.2%
55-64 10.6% / 22.4%
Keysborough — 55-64: 10.6% Dandenong South — 55-64: 22.4%
65-74 8.4% / 13.6%
Keysborough — 65-74: 8.4% Dandenong South — 65-74: 13.6%
75-84 4.3% / 8.8%
Keysborough — 75-84: 4.3% Dandenong South — 75-84: 8.8%
85+ 1.5% / —
Keysborough — 85+: 1.5% Dandenong South — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Keysborough 16.0% lone person
Keysborough — Lone Person: 16.0% Keysborough — Couple Families: 61.8% Keysborough — One Parent Families: 17.5% Keysborough — Group Household: 2.9% Keysborough — Other Families: 1.7%
Dandenong South 94.6% lone person
Dandenong South — Lone Person: 94.6% Dandenong South — Couple Families: 0.0% Dandenong South — One Parent Families: 5.4% Dandenong South — Group Household: 0.0% Dandenong South — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Keysborough 19.2% renting
Keysborough — Owned Outright: 32.7% Keysborough — Mortgage: 48.1% Keysborough — Renting: 19.2%
Dandenong South 80.0% renting
Dandenong South — Owned Outright: 20.0% Dandenong South — Mortgage: 0.0% Dandenong South — Renting: 80.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Keysborough Dandenong South
Certificate III & IV 8.3% / 20.8%
Keysborough — Certificate III & IV: 8.3% Dandenong South — Certificate III & IV: 20.8%
Bachelor Degree 14.4% / 7.2%
Keysborough — Bachelor Degree: 14.4% Dandenong South — Bachelor Degree: 7.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.4% / 3.2%
Keysborough — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4% Dandenong South — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.2%
Postgraduate Degree 5.0% / —
Keysborough — Postgraduate Degree: 5.0% Dandenong South — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / —
Keysborough — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Dandenong South — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

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

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.

Keysborough Dandenong South
India 6.6% / 2.4%
Keysborough — India: 6.6% Dandenong South — India: 2.4%
Vietnam 8.6% / —
Keysborough — Vietnam: 8.6% Dandenong South — Vietnam: not among its largest
China 5.1% / 2.4%
Keysborough — China: 5.1% Dandenong South — China: 2.4%
New Zealand 1.5% / 4.8%
Keysborough — New Zealand: 1.5% Dandenong South — New Zealand: 4.8%
England 1.1% / 4.0%
Keysborough — England: 1.1% Dandenong South — England: 4.0%
Scotland — / 4.0%
Keysborough — Scotland: not among its largest Dandenong South — Scotland: 4.0%
Sri Lanka 3.8% / —
Keysborough — Sri Lanka: 3.8% Dandenong South — Sri Lanka: not among its largest
Philippines 1.6% / —
Keysborough — Philippines: 1.6% Dandenong South — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Keysborough 89.5% houses
Keysborough — Houses: 89.5% Keysborough — Flats / Apartments: 1.1% Keysborough — Townhouses: 9.4%
Dandenong South 24.0% houses
Dandenong South — Houses: 24.0% Dandenong South — Flats / Apartments: 70.7% Dandenong South — Townhouses: 5.3%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Keysborough Dandenong South
Median house price $1,000,000 $4,110,000
Median unit price $664,000 $2,420,000
Median land price $1,185,500 $2,420,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 276 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Dandenong South has more industrially zoned land (69% vs 12%); Keysborough has more rural and farming land (26% vs 0%).

Keysborough Dandenong South
Industrial 12% 69%
Residential 37% 0%
Rural and farming 26% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 17% 15%
Commercial 3% 14%
Parks and recreation 5% 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

Keysborough Dandenong South
New dwellings approved 594
across Greater Dandenong
same for both
Approvals change year on year -34%
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.

Keysborough Dandenong South
Houses 4.4%
$750/wk on $885K
 —
Units 4.6%
$600/wk on $679K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Keysborough Dandenong South
House price Higher than 66% of VIC —
Income — Higher than 4% of VIC
Schools Higher than 76% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 89% of VIC Higher than 79% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 93% of VIC Higher than 75% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of VIC Higher than 93% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 88% of VIC —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 38% of VIC —

Liveability

Keysborough is more walkable (66 vs 18).

Keysborough Dandenong South
Grade B —
Score 63/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Dandenong South carries more crime risk (100 vs 64); Dandenong South carries more flood risk (67 vs 53).

Keysborough Dandenong South
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
64/100
 High
100/100
Flood Moderate
53/100
 Moderate
67/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 27
within 5 km
 40
within 5 km

Schools

Keysborough Dandenong South
Inside the suburb 11 0
Rated above peers 4 0
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Keysborough

  • Haileybury College - Keysborough Boys Independent · Combined above peers
  • Keysborough Gardens Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Lighthouse Christian College Independent · Combined above peers
  • Mt Hira College Independent · Combined above peers
  • Chandler Park Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Resurrection School Catholic · Primary at peers

Schools in Dandenong South

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

Amenities in the suburb

Keysborough Dandenong South
Supermarkets 8 2
Cafes & restaurants 10 28
Parks & reserves 16 1
Childcare 19 2
GPs 6 2
Pharmacies 5 1
Banks & Bank@Post 5 2
Fuel stations 5 13
EV chargers 2 0
Waterways 4 11

Mobility

Dandenong South sits further from the CBD (41.2 km vs 38.1 km).

Keysborough Dandenong South
Walkability score 66/100 18/100
Distance to Melbourne 38.1 km 41.2 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 38 min 40 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 312.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 204.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.8%
postcode 3173
 1.0%
postcode 3175
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 49
postcode 3173
 29
postcode 3175

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.

Keysborough Dandenong South
Car (driver) 68.2% / 62.9%
Keysborough — Car (driver): 68.2% Dandenong South — Car (driver): 62.9%
Worked from Home 21.6% / 14.5%
Keysborough — Worked from Home: 21.6% Dandenong South — Worked from Home: 14.5%
Car (passenger) 6.2% / 6.5%
Keysborough — Car (passenger): 6.2% Dandenong South — Car (passenger): 6.5%
Walked Only 0.6% / 11.3%
Keysborough — Walked Only: 0.6% Dandenong South — Walked Only: 11.3%
Bus 0.9% / 4.8%
Keysborough — Bus: 0.9% Dandenong South — Bus: 4.8%
Train 2.3% / —
Keysborough — Train: 2.3% Dandenong South — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.2%).

Setting

Keysborough Dandenong South
Elevation 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
same for both
Distance to the ocean 6.4 km 9.8 km

NBN connectivity

Keysborough Dandenong South
Connectivity score 96/100 86/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 89%
10,097 premises
 57%
3,965 premises

Climate

Keysborough Dandenong South
Annual rainfall 781 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Keysborough Dandenong South
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.98 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Keysborough Dandenong South
Average residential rate $2,123/yr
same for both
Council Greater Dandenong
same for both

Federal electorate

Keysborough Dandenong South
Division Isaacs
same for both
Member Mark Dreyfus
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Keysborough Dandenong South
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Keysborough

Large Blocks Multicultural Outer River

Dandenong South

Luxury Outer

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Keysborough

Keysborough vs Noble Park Keysborough vs Dandenong Keysborough vs Springvale South Keysborough vs Dingley Village Keysborough vs Aspendale Gardens Keysborough vs Waterways

Other comparisons with Dandenong South

Dandenong South vs Dandenong Dandenong South vs Hampton Park Dandenong South vs Hallam Dandenong South vs Doveton Dandenong South vs Lynbrook Dandenong South vs Lyndhurst
Full data on Keysborough Full data on Dandenong South
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