Lima East vs Lima South

Lima South is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 53 in Lima East. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Lima East, about half of households are people living alone. In Lima South, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Lima East tends to suit people living alone, while Lima South 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

They split

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

  • Lima East carries lower crime risk (42/100 vs 83/100)
  • Lima South is already more of a family suburb (68% vs 44%)

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

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Lima East has cheaper rent ($275/wk vs $300/wk)
  • Lima South leaves renters under less rental stress (19% vs 26%)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Lima East

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (232.8 km vs 235.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Lima East

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (42/100 vs 83/100)

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

Investors

Lima South

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (43.4% vs 9.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Lima East and Lima 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.

Lima East Lima 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.

Lima East Lima South
Walkability 0 / 0
Lima East — Walkability: 0/100 Lima South — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 58 / 17
Lima East — Safety: 58/100 Lima South — Safety: 17/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Lima East — Low fire risk: 100/100 Lima South — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 100 / 79
Lima East — Low flood risk: 100/100 Lima South — Low flood risk: 79/100

Demographics

Lima South has higher household incomes ($83,408 vs $55,588); Lima East skews older (53 vs 47).

Lima East Lima South
Population 165
+14% vs other
 142
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.3% +43.4%
Median age 53 47
Median household income $55,588/yr $83,408/yr
+50% vs other
Median weekly rent $275/wk $300/wk
+9% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lima East Lima South
0-4 3.0% / 8.5%
Lima East — 0-4: 3.0% Lima South — 0-4: 8.5%
5-14 15.2% / 12.7%
Lima East — 5-14: 15.2% Lima South — 5-14: 12.7%
15-19 4.2% / 5.6%
Lima East — 15-19: 4.2% Lima South — 15-19: 5.6%
20-24 1.8% / —
Lima East — 20-24: 1.8% Lima South — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 3.6% / 4.9%
Lima East — 25-34: 3.6% Lima South — 25-34: 4.9%
35-44 10.3% / 14.8%
Lima East — 35-44: 10.3% Lima South — 35-44: 14.8%
45-54 13.3% / 7.7%
Lima East — 45-54: 13.3% Lima South — 45-54: 7.7%
55-64 23.0% / 21.1%
Lima East — 55-64: 23.0% Lima South — 55-64: 21.1%
65-74 15.2% / 18.3%
Lima East — 65-74: 15.2% Lima South — 65-74: 18.3%
75-84 9.1% / 2.8%
Lima East — 75-84: 9.1% Lima South — 75-84: 2.8%
85+ — / —
Lima East — 85+: not among its largest Lima South — 85+: not among its largest

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Lima East 33.3% couple families
Lima East — Couple Families: 33.3% Lima East — Lone Person: 45.8% Lima East — One Parent Families: 10.4% Lima East — Group Household: 10.4%
Lima South 52.9% couple families
Lima South — Couple Families: 52.9% Lima South — Lone Person: 32.4% Lima South — One Parent Families: 14.7% Lima South — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Lima East 0.0% renting
Lima East — Owned Outright: 58.0% Lima East — Mortgage: 42.0% Lima East — Renting: 0.0%
Lima South 7.7% renting
Lima South — Owned Outright: 53.8% Lima South — Mortgage: 38.5% Lima South — Renting: 7.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lima East 98.6% houses
Lima East — Houses: 98.6% Lima East — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Lima South 90.0% houses
Lima South — Houses: 90.0% Lima South — Flats / Apartments: 10.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Lima East Lima South
Certificate III & IV 20.6% / 18.3%
Lima East — Certificate III & IV: 20.6% Lima South — Certificate III & IV: 18.3%
Bachelor Degree 12.1% / 10.6%
Lima East — Bachelor Degree: 12.1% Lima South — Bachelor Degree: 10.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 11.5% / 9.2%
Lima East — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.5% Lima South — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2%
Postgraduate Degree 2.4% / 4.2%
Lima East — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4% Lima South — Postgraduate Degree: 4.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 2.8%
Lima East — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Lima South — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.6%).

Zoning mix

Lima East Lima South
Parks and recreation 51% 48%
Rural and farming 47% 50%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 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

Lima East Lima South
New dwellings approved 235
across Benalla
same for both
Approvals change year on year +65%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Lima East Lima South
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 14% of VIC Higher than 51% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 23% of VIC Higher than 24% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 50% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 5% of VIC Higher than 17% of VIC

Liveability

Lima East Lima South
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
same for both

Risk profile

Lima South carries more flood risk (21 vs 0); Lima South carries more crime risk (83 vs 42).

Lima East Lima South
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
42/100
 High
83/100
Flood None
0/100
 Low
21/100
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

Lima East Lima South
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Lima East Lima South
Parks & reserves 1 0
Waterways 3 7

Mobility

Lima South sits further from the CBD (235.9 km vs 232.8 km).

Lima East Lima South
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 232.8 km 235.9 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 159 min 157 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 3673
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 3673
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.

Lima East Lima South
Car (driver) 92.5% / 67.2%
Lima East — Car (driver): 92.5% Lima South — Car (driver): 67.2%
Worked from Home 7.5% / 25.0%
Lima East — Worked from Home: 7.5% Lima South — Worked from Home: 25.0%
Car (passenger) — / 7.8%
Lima East — Car (passenger): not among its largest Lima South — Car (passenger): 7.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (92.5%).

Setting

Lima East Lima South
Elevation 330 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 239 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Lima East Lima South
Connectivity score 15/100 20/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster)
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
37 premises
 0%
33 premises

Climate

Lima East Lima South
Annual rainfall 865 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.2°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 2.0°C
same for both

Council rates

Lima East Lima South
Average residential rate $2,119/yr
same for both
Council Benalla
same for both

Federal electorate

Lima East Lima South
Division Indi
same for both
Member Helen Haines
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Lima East

Rural

Lima South

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Lima East

Lima East vs Swanpool Lima East vs Lima

Other comparisons with Lima South

Lima South vs Swanpool Lima South vs Barjarg Lima South vs Bridge Creek Lima South vs Samaria
Full data on Lima East Full data on Lima South
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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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