Loch vs Bena

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Bena, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Loch: a median of $891,000, against $780,000 in Bena, and rent is higher there too.

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

Bena

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 59/100)

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

First-home buyers

Bena

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($780,000 vs $891,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Bena

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($285/wk vs $325/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Loch

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (13/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (105.2 km vs 118.7 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (83 min vs 93 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Loch is more walkable (13/100 vs 0/100)
  • Bena carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 59/100)

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

Investors

Loch

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (10.8% vs 3.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Loch Bena
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.

Loch Bena
Walkability 13 / 0
Loch — Walkability: 13/100 Bena — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 41 / 78
Loch — Safety: 41/100 Bena — Safety: 78/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Loch — Low fire risk: 100/100 Bena — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 63 / 83
Loch — Low flood risk: 63/100 Bena — Low flood risk: 83/100

Demographics

Loch has more residents (707 vs 303); Loch rents higher ($325/wk vs $285/wk).

Loch Bena
Population 707
+57% vs other
 303
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +10.8% +3.1%
Median age 50 51
Median household income $79,352/yr $87,724/yr
+11% vs other
Median weekly rent $325/wk
+12% vs other
 $285/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Loch Bena
0-4 5.4% / 5.9%
Loch — 0-4: 5.4% Bena — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 11.2% / 8.6%
Loch — 5-14: 11.2% Bena — 5-14: 8.6%
15-19 3.7% / 3.6%
Loch — 15-19: 3.7% Bena — 15-19: 3.6%
20-24 2.1% / 2.0%
Loch — 20-24: 2.1% Bena — 20-24: 2.0%
25-34 10.7% / 12.2%
Loch — 25-34: 10.7% Bena — 25-34: 12.2%
35-44 9.5% / 8.6%
Loch — 35-44: 9.5% Bena — 35-44: 8.6%
45-54 13.0% / 12.2%
Loch — 45-54: 13.0% Bena — 45-54: 12.2%
55-64 19.4% / 23.4%
Loch — 55-64: 19.4% Bena — 55-64: 23.4%
65-74 17.1% / 14.9%
Loch — 65-74: 17.1% Bena — 65-74: 14.9%
75-84 5.7% / 4.3%
Loch — 75-84: 5.7% Bena — 75-84: 4.3%
85+ 0.6% / 3.0%
Loch — 85+: 0.6% Bena — 85+: 3.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Loch 43.9% couple families
Loch — Couple Families: 43.9% Loch — Lone Person: 37.6% Loch — One Parent Families: 12.7% Loch — Group Household: 5.7%
Bena 50.0% couple families
Bena — Couple Families: 50.0% Bena — Lone Person: 35.9% Bena — One Parent Families: 14.1% Bena — 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.

Loch 9.4% renting
Loch — Owned Outright: 47.5% Loch — Mortgage: 43.1% Loch — Renting: 9.4%
Bena 14.7% renting
Bena — Owned Outright: 45.7% Bena — Mortgage: 39.7% Bena — Renting: 14.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Loch Bena
Certificate III & IV 19.0% / 20.1%
Loch — Certificate III & IV: 19.0% Bena — Certificate III & IV: 20.1%
Bachelor Degree 8.1% / 9.9%
Loch — Bachelor Degree: 8.1% Bena — Bachelor Degree: 9.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.6% / 7.3%
Loch — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.6% Bena — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.7% / 2.6%
Loch — Postgraduate Degree: 2.7% Bena — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 1.3%
Loch — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Bena — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.1%).

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.

Loch Bena
England 5.8% / 4.0%
Loch — England: 5.8% Bena — England: 4.0%
New Zealand 1.8% / 1.0%
Loch — New Zealand: 1.8% Bena — New Zealand: 1.0%
Netherlands 0.4% / 1.7%
Loch — Netherlands: 0.4% Bena — Netherlands: 1.7%
Scotland 1.0% / 1.0%
Loch — Scotland: 1.0% Bena — Scotland: 1.0%
Sri Lanka 0.8% / —
Loch — Sri Lanka: 0.8% Bena — Sri Lanka: not among its largest
Taiwan 0.6% / —
Loch — Taiwan: 0.6% Bena — Taiwan: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Loch 95.9% houses
Loch — Houses: 95.9% Loch — Flats / Apartments: 4.1%
Bena 100.0% houses
Bena — Houses: 100.0% Bena — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Loch Bena
Median house price $891,000 $780,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 70 days
from 6 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Loch Bena
Rural and farming 95% 98%
Parks and recreation 2% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 1%
same for both
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

Loch Bena
New dwellings approved 170
across South Gippsland
same for both
Approvals change year on year +21%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Loch Bena
House price —
same for both
Income — Higher than 57% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 75% of VIC Higher than 1% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 74% of VIC —
NBN connectivity Higher than 61% of VIC Higher than 38% of VIC

Liveability

Loch is more walkable (13 vs 0).

Loch Bena
Grade B —
Score 56/100 —
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
same for both

Risk profile

Loch carries more crime risk (59 vs 22); Loch carries more flood risk (37 vs 17).

Loch Bena
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
59/100
 Low
22/100
Flood Low
37/100
 Low
17/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Loch Bena
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Loch

  • Loch Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Bena

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

Amenities in the suburb

Loch Bena
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 2 0
Childcare 2 0
Police stations 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 3 7

Mobility

Bena sits further from the CBD (118.7 km vs 105.2 km).

Loch Bena
Walkability score 13/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 105.2 km 118.7 km
+13% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 83 min 93 min
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 3945
 0.0%
postcode 3946
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 60
postcode 3945
 52
postcode 3946

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.

Loch Bena
Car (driver) 63.8% / 60.6%
Loch — Car (driver): 63.8% Bena — Car (driver): 60.6%
Worked from Home 29.2% / 35.4%
Loch — Worked from Home: 29.2% Bena — Worked from Home: 35.4%
Walked Only 2.6% / 3.9%
Loch — Walked Only: 2.6% Bena — Walked Only: 3.9%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / —
Loch — Car (passenger): 4.5% Bena — Car (passenger): not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (63.8%).

Setting

Loch Bena
Elevation 140 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 199 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 12.7 km 17.9 km

NBN connectivity

Loch Bena
Connectivity score 30/100 29/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
355 premises
 0%
159 premises

Climate

Loch Bena
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

Loch Bena
Average residential rate $2,282/yr
same for both
Council South Gippsland
same for both

Federal electorate

Loch Bena
Division Monash
same for both
Member Mary Aldred
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Loch Bena
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Loch

Rural

Bena

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Loch

Loch vs Korumburra Loch vs Lang Lang Loch vs Nyora Loch vs Poowong Loch vs Krowera Loch vs Woodleigh

Other comparisons with Bena

Bena vs Korumburra Bena vs Kongwak Bena vs Jumbunna Bena vs Krowera Bena vs Jeetho
Full data on Loch Full data on Bena
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