Lower Norton vs Mckenzie Creek

Comparing Lower Norton and McKenzie Creek, VIC: Lower Norton carries more bushfire risk (12 vs 0); Lower Norton has more residents (236 vs 140); and Lower Norton sits further from the CBD (314.7 km vs 307.4 km).

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 6 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Lower Norton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (15% vs 21%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

McKenzie Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (307.4 km vs 314.7 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (212 min vs 217 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Lower Norton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (19% vs 12%)

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

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

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
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.

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
Walkability 0 / 0
Lower Norton — Walkability: 0/100 Mckenzie Creek — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 82 / 85
Lower Norton — Safety: 82/100 Mckenzie Creek — Safety: 85/100
Low fire risk 88 / 100
Lower Norton — Low fire risk: 88/100 Mckenzie Creek — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 29 / 32
Lower Norton — Low flood risk: 29/100 Mckenzie Creek — Low flood risk: 32/100

Demographics

Lower Norton has more residents (236 vs 140); Lower Norton has higher household incomes ($119,340 vs $85,384).

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
Population 236
+41% vs other
 140
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.2% +2.9%
Median age 45 46
Median household income $119,340/yr
+28% vs other
 $85,384/yr
Median weekly rent $248/wk $250/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
0-4 6.4% / 7.1%
Lower Norton — 0-4: 6.4% Mckenzie Creek — 0-4: 7.1%
5-14 12.3% / 12.1%
Lower Norton — 5-14: 12.3% Mckenzie Creek — 5-14: 12.1%
15-19 8.5% / 5.7%
Lower Norton — 15-19: 8.5% Mckenzie Creek — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 4.2% / 5.0%
Lower Norton — 20-24: 4.2% Mckenzie Creek — 20-24: 5.0%
25-34 6.8% / 11.4%
Lower Norton — 25-34: 6.8% Mckenzie Creek — 25-34: 11.4%
35-44 11.4% / 7.9%
Lower Norton — 35-44: 11.4% Mckenzie Creek — 35-44: 7.9%
45-54 21.2% / 16.4%
Lower Norton — 45-54: 21.2% Mckenzie Creek — 45-54: 16.4%
55-64 14.4% / 21.4%
Lower Norton — 55-64: 14.4% Mckenzie Creek — 55-64: 21.4%
65-74 14.4% / 8.6%
Lower Norton — 65-74: 14.4% Mckenzie Creek — 65-74: 8.6%
75-84 4.7% / 3.6%
Lower Norton — 75-84: 4.7% Mckenzie Creek — 75-84: 3.6%
85+ — / —
Lower Norton — 85+: not among its largest Mckenzie Creek — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Lower Norton 62.7% couple families
Lower Norton — Couple Families: 62.7% Lower Norton — Lone Person: 19.6% Lower Norton — One Parent Families: 17.6%
Mckenzie Creek 63.3% couple families
Mckenzie Creek — Couple Families: 63.3% Mckenzie Creek — Lone Person: 26.7% Mckenzie Creek — One Parent Families: 10.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Lower Norton 5.7% renting
Lower Norton — Owned Outright: 41.4% Lower Norton — Mortgage: 52.9% Lower Norton — Renting: 5.7%
Mckenzie Creek 0.0% renting
Mckenzie Creek — Owned Outright: 72.5% Mckenzie Creek — Mortgage: 27.5% Mckenzie Creek — Renting: 0.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lower Norton 100.0% houses
Lower Norton — Houses: 100.0%
Mckenzie Creek 100.0% houses
Mckenzie Creek — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Qualifications

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

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
Certificate III & IV 19.5% / 19.3%
Lower Norton — Certificate III & IV: 19.5% Mckenzie Creek — Certificate III & IV: 19.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.3% / 7.9%
Lower Norton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3% Mckenzie Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9%
Bachelor Degree 5.5% / 10.7%
Lower Norton — Bachelor Degree: 5.5% Mckenzie Creek — Bachelor Degree: 10.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 2.9%
Lower Norton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Mckenzie Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9%
Postgraduate Degree 1.7% / 2.9%
Lower Norton — Postgraduate Degree: 1.7% Mckenzie Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.5%).

Zoning mix

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
Rural and farming 95% 93%
Parks and recreation 4% 5%
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

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
New dwellings approved 94
across Horsham
same for both
Approvals change year on year +57%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 91% of VIC Higher than 55% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 10% of VIC Higher than 64% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 10% of VIC Higher than 11% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 51% of VIC Higher than 47% of VIC

Liveability

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Lower Norton carries more bushfire risk (12 vs 0).

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
Bushfire Low
12/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
18/100
 Low
15/100
Flood High
71/100
 Moderate
68/100
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

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Lower Norton

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

Schools in Mckenzie Creek

  • Horsham College-Mc Kenzie Creek Campus Government · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
Parks & reserves 1 3
Waterways 20 3

Mobility

Lower Norton sits further from the CBD (314.7 km vs 307.4 km).

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 314.7 km
+2% vs other
 307.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 217 min 212 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 3401
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 3401
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.

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
Car (driver) 79.0% / 73.9%
Lower Norton — Car (driver): 79.0% Mckenzie Creek — Car (driver): 73.9%
Worked from Home 15.2% / 18.2%
Lower Norton — Worked from Home: 15.2% Mckenzie Creek — Worked from Home: 18.2%
Walked Only 2.9% / 4.5%
Lower Norton — Walked Only: 2.9% Mckenzie Creek — Walked Only: 4.5%
Car (passenger) 2.9% / 3.4%
Lower Norton — Car (passenger): 2.9% Mckenzie Creek — Car (passenger): 3.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.0%).

Setting

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
Elevation 139 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 146 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
Connectivity score 30/100 29/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
87 premises
 0%
58 premises

Climate

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
Annual rainfall 383 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.7°C
same for both

Council rates

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
Average residential rate $2,228/yr
same for both
Council Horsham
same for both

Federal electorate

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
Division Mallee
same for both
Member Anne Webster
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Lower Norton Mckenzie Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Lower Norton

Rural

Mckenzie Creek

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Lower Norton

Lower Norton vs Haven Lower Norton vs Natimuk Lower Norton vs Quantong Lower Norton vs Vectis Lower Norton vs Wonwondah Lower Norton vs Noradjuha

Other comparisons with Mckenzie Creek

Mckenzie Creek vs Haven Mckenzie Creek vs Wonwondah Mckenzie Creek vs Bungalally
Full data on Lower Norton Full data on Mckenzie Creek
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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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