Lima South vs Samaria

Lima South is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 54 in Samaria. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Lima South, about half of households are couple families. In Samaria, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Lima South tends to suit families with children, while Samaria suits 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

Samaria

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (66/100 vs 83/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 90%)
  • But Lima South is already more of a family suburb (68% vs 54%)

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

Samaria

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (18% vs 8%)
  • has cheaper rent ($163/wk vs $300/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Samaria

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (40% vs 21%)
  • carries lower crime risk (66/100 vs 83/100)

Weighs 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 0.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Lima South and Samaria 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 South Samaria
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 South Samaria
Walkability 0 / 0
Lima South — Walkability: 0/100 Samaria — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 17 / 34
Lima South — Safety: 17/100 Samaria — Safety: 34/100
Low fire risk 100 / 2
Lima South — Low fire risk: 100/100 Samaria — Low fire risk: 2/100
Low flood risk 79 / 100
Lima South — Low flood risk: 79/100 Samaria — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Lima South has more residents (142 vs 57); Lima South rents higher ($300/wk vs $163/wk).

Lima South Samaria
Population 142
+60% vs other
 57
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +43.4% +0.0%
Median age 47 54
Median household income $83,408/yr
+30% vs other
 $58,500/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+46% vs other
 $163/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lima South Samaria
0-4 8.5% / —
Lima South — 0-4: 8.5% Samaria — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 12.7% / 5.3%
Lima South — 5-14: 12.7% Samaria — 5-14: 5.3%
15-19 5.6% / —
Lima South — 15-19: 5.6% Samaria — 15-19: not among its largest
20-24 — / —
Lima South — 20-24: not among its largest Samaria — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 4.9% / 10.5%
Lima South — 25-34: 4.9% Samaria — 25-34: 10.5%
35-44 14.8% / 8.8%
Lima South — 35-44: 14.8% Samaria — 35-44: 8.8%
45-54 7.7% / 15.8%
Lima South — 45-54: 7.7% Samaria — 45-54: 15.8%
55-64 21.1% / 15.8%
Lima South — 55-64: 21.1% Samaria — 55-64: 15.8%
65-74 18.3% / 26.3%
Lima South — 65-74: 18.3% Samaria — 65-74: 26.3%
75-84 2.8% / 14.0%
Lima South — 75-84: 2.8% Samaria — 75-84: 14.0%
85+ — / —
Lima South — 85+: not among its largest Samaria — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

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%
Samaria 53.8% couple families
Samaria — Couple Families: 53.8% Samaria — Lone Person: 46.2% Samaria — One Parent Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Lima South 7.7% renting
Lima South — Owned Outright: 53.8% Lima South — Mortgage: 38.5% Lima South — Renting: 7.7%
Samaria 18.2% renting
Samaria — Owned Outright: 63.6% Samaria — Mortgage: 18.2% Samaria — Renting: 18.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lima South 90.0% houses
Lima South — Houses: 90.0% Lima South — Flats / Apartments: 10.0%
Samaria 100.0% houses
Samaria — Houses: 100.0% Samaria — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Lima South Samaria
Certificate III & IV 18.3% / 17.5%
Lima South — Certificate III & IV: 18.3% Samaria — Certificate III & IV: 17.5%
Bachelor Degree 10.6% / 5.3%
Lima South — Bachelor Degree: 10.6% Samaria — Bachelor Degree: 5.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.2% / 5.3%
Lima South — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2% Samaria — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.3%
Postgraduate Degree 4.2% / 7.0%
Lima South — Postgraduate Degree: 4.2% Samaria — Postgraduate Degree: 7.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / —
Lima South — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Samaria — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

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

Zoning mix

Samaria has more rural and farming land (68% vs 50%).

Lima South Samaria
Rural and farming 50% 68%
Parks and recreation 48% 31%
Infrastructure and transport 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 South Samaria
New dwellings approved 235
across Benalla
same for both
Approvals change year on year +65%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Lima South Samaria
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 51% of VIC Higher than 17% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 24% of VIC Higher than 10% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 50% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 17% of VIC Higher than 2% of VIC

Liveability

Lima South Samaria
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Samaria carries more bushfire risk (98 vs 0); Lima South carries more flood risk (21 vs 0).

Lima South Samaria
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
98/100
Crime High
83/100
 Moderate
66/100
Flood Low
21/100
 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

Lima South Samaria
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 South Samaria
Waterways 7 0

Mobility

Lima South Samaria
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 235.9 km 236.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 157 min 158 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 South Samaria
Car (driver) 67.2% / 56.7%
Lima South — Car (driver): 67.2% Samaria — Car (driver): 56.7%
Worked from Home 25.0% / 43.3%
Lima South — Worked from Home: 25.0% Samaria — Worked from Home: 43.3%
Car (passenger) 7.8% / —
Lima South — Car (passenger): 7.8% Samaria — Car (passenger): not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.2%).

Setting

Lima South Samaria
Elevation 239 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 334 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

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

Climate

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Lima South

Rural

Samaria

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Lima South

Lima South vs Swanpool Lima South vs Lima East Lima South vs Barjarg Lima South vs Bridge Creek

Other comparisons with Samaria

Samaria vs Tatong Samaria vs Swanpool Samaria vs Bridge Creek Samaria vs Moorngag
Full data on Lima South Full data on Samaria
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