Leongatha vs Ruby

Leongatha is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 48 in Ruby. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Leongatha, about half of households are people living alone. In Ruby, most households are couple families. On these figures, Leongatha tends to suit people living alone, while Ruby 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

Leongatha

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (8 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (7 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (4 vs 0)
  • But Ruby carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 82/100)

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

First-home buyers

Ruby

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (17% vs 28%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Leongatha

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (23% vs 8%)
  • has cheaper rent ($270/wk vs $320/wk)
  • But Ruby leaves renters under less rental stress (15% vs 23%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Leongatha is more walkable (69/100 vs 0/100)
  • Ruby sits closer to the CBD (130.6 km vs 134 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Leongatha

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (69/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (28% vs 21%)
  • But Ruby carries lower crime risk (18/100 vs 82/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Leongatha Ruby
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.

Leongatha Ruby
Walkability 69 / 0
Leongatha — Walkability: 69/100 Ruby — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 18 / 82
Leongatha — Safety: 18/100 Ruby — Safety: 82/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Leongatha — Low fire risk: 100/100 Ruby — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 30 / 86
Leongatha — Low flood risk: 30/100 Ruby — Low flood risk: 86/100

Demographics

Leongatha has more residents (5,869 vs 187); Ruby has higher household incomes ($111,228 vs $61,516).

Leongatha Ruby
Population 5,869
+97% vs other
 187
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.8% -0.5%
Median age 45 48
Median household income $61,516/yr $111,228/yr
+81% vs other
Median weekly rent $270/wk $320/wk
+19% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Leongatha Ruby
0-4 5.1% / 1.6%
Leongatha — 0-4: 5.1% Ruby — 0-4: 1.6%
5-14 13.2% / 16.0%
Leongatha — 5-14: 13.2% Ruby — 5-14: 16.0%
15-19 6.0% / 8.0%
Leongatha — 15-19: 6.0% Ruby — 15-19: 8.0%
20-24 4.0% / 2.7%
Leongatha — 20-24: 4.0% Ruby — 20-24: 2.7%
25-34 9.5% / 5.3%
Leongatha — 25-34: 9.5% Ruby — 25-34: 5.3%
35-44 11.6% / 10.7%
Leongatha — 35-44: 11.6% Ruby — 35-44: 10.7%
45-54 10.2% / 20.3%
Leongatha — 45-54: 10.2% Ruby — 45-54: 20.3%
55-64 12.8% / 15.0%
Leongatha — 55-64: 12.8% Ruby — 55-64: 15.0%
65-74 14.4% / 11.8%
Leongatha — 65-74: 14.4% Ruby — 65-74: 11.8%
75-84 9.5% / 5.9%
Leongatha — 75-84: 9.5% Ruby — 75-84: 5.9%
85+ 3.7% / 3.2%
Leongatha — 85+: 3.7% Ruby — 85+: 3.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Leongatha 33.2% couple families
Leongatha — Couple Families: 33.2% Leongatha — Lone Person: 46.6% Leongatha — One Parent Families: 16.2% Leongatha — Group Household: 2.8% Leongatha — Other Families: 1.3%
Ruby 62.5% couple families
Ruby — Couple Families: 62.5% Ruby — Lone Person: 12.5% Ruby — One Parent Families: 25.0% Ruby — Group Household: 0.0% Ruby — 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.

Leongatha 23.4% renting
Leongatha — Owned Outright: 45.6% Leongatha — Mortgage: 30.9% Leongatha — Renting: 23.4%
Ruby 8.3% renting
Ruby — Owned Outright: 58.3% Ruby — Mortgage: 33.3% Ruby — Renting: 8.3%
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.

Leongatha Ruby
England 2.6% / 2.1%
Leongatha — England: 2.6% Ruby — England: 2.1%
Netherlands 1.1% / —
Leongatha — Netherlands: 1.1% Ruby — Netherlands: not among its largest
India 1.0% / —
Leongatha — India: 1.0% Ruby — India: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.0% / —
Leongatha — New Zealand: 1.0% Ruby — New Zealand: not among its largest
Philippines 0.6% / —
Leongatha — Philippines: 0.6% Ruby — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.6%).

Qualifications

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

Leongatha Ruby
Certificate III & IV 16.5% / 14.4%
Leongatha — Certificate III & IV: 16.5% Ruby — Certificate III & IV: 14.4%
Bachelor Degree 8.8% / 10.2%
Leongatha — Bachelor Degree: 8.8% Ruby — Bachelor Degree: 10.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 9.1%
Leongatha — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% Ruby — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 2.1%
Leongatha — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Ruby — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%
Postgraduate Degree 1.7% / 1.6%
Leongatha — Postgraduate Degree: 1.7% Ruby — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Leongatha 94.9% houses
Leongatha — Houses: 94.9% Leongatha — Townhouses: 2.9% Leongatha — Flats / Apartments: 2.2%
Ruby 100.0% houses
Ruby — Houses: 100.0% Ruby — Townhouses: 0.0% Ruby — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Leongatha Ruby
Median house price $561,250 —
Median unit price $425,000 —
Median land price $385,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 66 days
from 72 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Ruby has more rural and farming land (95% vs 78%).

Leongatha Ruby
Rural and farming 78% 95%
Residential 12% 0%
Parks and recreation 4% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 3%
same for both
Industrial 3% 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

Leongatha Ruby
New dwellings approved 170
across South Gippsland
same for both
Approvals change year on year +21%
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.

Leongatha Ruby
Houses 3.8%
$470/wk on $649K
 —
Units 5.3%
$450/wk on $438K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Leongatha Ruby
House price Higher than 16% of VIC —
Income Higher than 22% of VIC Higher than 84% of VIC
Schools Higher than 16% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 90% of VIC Higher than 24% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 61% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 36% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 77% of VIC Higher than 56% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 52% of VIC —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 77% of VIC —

Liveability

Leongatha is more walkable (69 vs 0).

Leongatha Ruby
Grade C —
Score 31/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Leongatha carries more flood risk (70 vs 14); Leongatha carries more crime risk (82 vs 18).

Leongatha Ruby
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
82/100
 Low
18/100
Flood High
70/100
 Low
14/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Leongatha Ruby
Inside the suburb 7 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 3 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Leongatha

  • Leongatha Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Leongatha Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Mary MacKillop Catholic Regional College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • St Laurence O'Toole School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Chairo Christian School - Leongatha Campus Independent · Combined
  • ECG Secondary College - Leongatha Campus Independent · Secondary · Special school

Schools in Ruby

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

Amenities in the suburb

Leongatha Ruby
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 9 0
Parks & reserves 4 0
Childcare 8 0
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 5 0
Fuel stations 4 0
EV chargers 2 0
Waterways 6 2

Mobility

Leongatha sits further from the CBD (134 km vs 130.6 km).

Leongatha Ruby
Walkability score 69/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 134 km
+3% vs other
 130.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 104 min 103 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 3953
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 44
postcode 3953
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.

Leongatha Ruby
Car (driver) 76.0% / 67.1%
Leongatha — Car (driver): 76.0% Ruby — Car (driver): 67.1%
Worked from Home 11.5% / 28.0%
Leongatha — Worked from Home: 11.5% Ruby — Worked from Home: 28.0%
Walked Only 6.1% / 4.9%
Leongatha — Walked Only: 6.1% Ruby — Walked Only: 4.9%
Car (passenger) 5.5% / —
Leongatha — Car (passenger): 5.5% Ruby — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bicycle 0.8% / —
Leongatha — Bicycle: 0.8% Ruby — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.0%).

Setting

Leongatha Ruby
Elevation 84 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 193 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 21.8 km 24.6 km

NBN connectivity

Leongatha Ruby
Connectivity score 66/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 40%
3,436 premises
 0%
78 premises

Climate

Leongatha Ruby
Annual rainfall 906 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 24.6°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.9°C
same for both

Council rates

Leongatha Ruby
Average residential rate $2,282/yr
same for both
Council South Gippsland
same for both

Federal electorate

Leongatha Ruby
Division Monash
same for both
Member Mary Aldred
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Leongatha Ruby
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Leongatha

Acreage Affordable Retirees

Ruby

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Leongatha

Leongatha vs Leongatha South Leongatha vs Nerrena Leongatha vs Leongatha North Leongatha vs Kardella South Leongatha vs Koorooman Leongatha vs Korumburra South

Other comparisons with Ruby

Ruby vs Kardella Ruby vs Leongatha North Ruby vs Kardella South Ruby vs Fairbank
Full data on Leongatha Full data on Ruby
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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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