Kinglake vs Castella

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. Houses cost more in Castella: a median of $1.29 million, against $768,000 in Kinglake, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Kinglake tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

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

  • Kinglake has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • Castella is already more of a family suburb (71% vs 61%)

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

First-home buyers

Kinglake

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($768,500 vs $1,287,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Kinglake

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $420/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Kinglake

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (30/100 vs 10/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (60 km vs 72.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Kinglake

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (30/100 vs 10/100)

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

Investors

Kinglake

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.2% vs -4.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Kinglake Castella
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.

Kinglake Castella
Walkability 30 / 10
Kinglake — Walkability: 30/100 Castella — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 43 / 52
Kinglake — Safety: 43/100 Castella — Safety: 52/100
Low fire risk 4 / 1
Kinglake — Low fire risk: 4/100 Castella — Low fire risk: 1/100
Low flood risk 88 / 100
Kinglake — Low flood risk: 88/100 Castella — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Kinglake has more residents (1,662 vs 257); Castella rents higher ($420/wk vs $300/wk).

Kinglake Castella
Population 1,662
+85% vs other
 257
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.2% -4.1%
Median age 43 44
Median household income $90,324/yr $102,856/yr
+14% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk $420/wk
+40% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kinglake Castella
0-4 4.9% / 5.8%
Kinglake — 0-4: 4.9% Castella — 0-4: 5.8%
5-14 12.5% / 10.1%
Kinglake — 5-14: 12.5% Castella — 5-14: 10.1%
15-19 6.3% / 10.1%
Kinglake — 15-19: 6.3% Castella — 15-19: 10.1%
20-24 5.1% / 5.4%
Kinglake — 20-24: 5.1% Castella — 20-24: 5.4%
25-34 11.1% / 7.8%
Kinglake — 25-34: 11.1% Castella — 25-34: 7.8%
35-44 13.5% / 14.8%
Kinglake — 35-44: 13.5% Castella — 35-44: 14.8%
45-54 17.5% / 18.3%
Kinglake — 45-54: 17.5% Castella — 45-54: 18.3%
55-64 15.6% / 18.3%
Kinglake — 55-64: 15.6% Castella — 55-64: 18.3%
65-74 9.7% / 8.9%
Kinglake — 65-74: 9.7% Castella — 65-74: 8.9%
75-84 3.2% / —
Kinglake — 75-84: 3.2% Castella — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ 0.5% / —
Kinglake — 85+: 0.5% Castella — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Kinglake 47.4% couple families
Kinglake — Couple Families: 47.4% Kinglake — Lone Person: 34.3% Kinglake — One Parent Families: 13.6% Kinglake — Group Household: 3.8% Kinglake — Other Families: 1.0%
Castella 51.5% couple families
Castella — Couple Families: 51.5% Castella — Lone Person: 28.8% Castella — One Parent Families: 19.7% Castella — Group Household: 0.0% Castella — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Kinglake 5.3% renting
Kinglake — Owned Outright: 35.4% Kinglake — Mortgage: 59.3% Kinglake — Renting: 5.3%
Castella 4.4% renting
Castella — Owned Outright: 38.9% Castella — Mortgage: 56.7% Castella — Renting: 4.4%
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.

Kinglake Castella
England 2.9% / 3.9%
Kinglake — England: 2.9% Castella — England: 3.9%
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.6%
Kinglake — New Zealand: 1.1% Castella — New Zealand: 1.6%
South Africa 0.4% / —
Kinglake — South Africa: 0.4% Castella — South Africa: not among its largest
Italy 0.4% / —
Kinglake — Italy: 0.4% Castella — Italy: not among its largest
Canada 0.4% / —
Kinglake — Canada: 0.4% Castella — Canada: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.9%).

Qualifications

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

Kinglake Castella
Certificate III & IV 22.2% / 23.3%
Kinglake — Certificate III & IV: 22.2% Castella — Certificate III & IV: 23.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.9% / 8.2%
Kinglake — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.9% Castella — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Bachelor Degree 8.3% / 7.8%
Kinglake — Bachelor Degree: 8.3% Castella — Bachelor Degree: 7.8%
Postgraduate Degree 2.1% / 3.9%
Kinglake — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1% Castella — Postgraduate Degree: 3.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 3.5%
Kinglake — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Castella — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Kinglake 98.8% houses
Kinglake — Houses: 98.8% Kinglake — Townhouses: 0.8% Kinglake — Flats / Apartments: 0.3%
Castella 100.0% houses
Castella — Houses: 100.0% Castella — Townhouses: 0.0% Castella — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Kinglake Castella
Median house price $768,500 $1,287,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $685,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 58 days
from 30 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Castella has more rural and farming land (71% vs 20%).

Kinglake Castella
Parks and recreation 75% 18%
Rural and farming 20% 71%
Residential 2% 8%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 2%
Environmental 2% 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

Kinglake Castella
New dwellings approved 82
across Murrindindi
same for both
Approvals change year on year +83%
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.

Kinglake Castella
Houses 3.1%
$550/wk on $925K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Kinglake Castella
House price Higher than 45% of VIC —
Income Higher than 60% of VIC Higher than 75% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 82% of VIC Higher than 73% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 67% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 36% of VIC Higher than 68% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 82% of VIC Higher than 13% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 17% of VIC —

Liveability

Kinglake is more walkable (30 vs 10).

Kinglake Castella
Grade C —
Score 38/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Kinglake carries more flood risk (12 vs 0).

Kinglake Castella
Bushfire High
96/100
 High
99/100
Crime Moderate
57/100
 Moderate
48/100
Flood Low
12/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Kinglake Castella
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Kinglake

  • Kinglake Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Castella

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

Amenities in the suburb

Kinglake Castella
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 2 3
Childcare 1 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Waterways 34 1

Mobility

Castella sits further from the CBD (72.4 km vs 60 km).

Kinglake Castella
Walkability score 30/100 10/100
Distance to Melbourne 60 km 72.4 km
+21% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 77 min 73 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 3763
 0.8%
postcode 3777
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 61
postcode 3763
 42
postcode 3777

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.

Kinglake Castella
Car (driver) 72.8% / 64.7%
Kinglake — Car (driver): 72.8% Castella — Car (driver): 64.7%
Worked from Home 22.4% / 27.7%
Kinglake — Worked from Home: 22.4% Castella — Worked from Home: 27.7%
Car (passenger) 3.3% / 7.6%
Kinglake — Car (passenger): 3.3% Castella — Car (passenger): 7.6%
Train 0.6% / —
Kinglake — Train: 0.6% Castella — Train: not among its largest
Bus 0.6% / —
Kinglake — Bus: 0.6% Castella — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.8%).

Setting

Kinglake Castella
Elevation 557 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 368 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Kinglake Castella
Connectivity score 73/100 16/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 55%
783 premises
 0%
48 premises

Climate

Kinglake Castella
Annual rainfall 1,215 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 22.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.8°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Kinglake Castella
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 15.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Kinglake Castella
Average residential rate $1,973/yr
same for both
Council Murrindindi
same for both

Federal electorate

Kinglake Castella
Division Indi
same for both
Member Helen Haines
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Kinglake Castella
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Kinglake

Outer

Castella

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Kinglake

Kinglake vs Kinglake West Kinglake vs St Andrews Kinglake vs Glenburn Kinglake vs Kinglake Central Kinglake vs Toolangi Kinglake vs Christmas Hills

Other comparisons with Castella

Castella vs Toolangi Castella vs Dixons Creek Castella vs Steels Creek
Full data on Kinglake Full data on Castella
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.

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