Magpie vs Buninyong

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

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

Buninyong

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (45/100 vs 71/100)
  • But Magpie is already more of a family suburb (78% vs 65%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

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

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Magpie

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($270/wk vs $305/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Buninyong

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (40/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (88 min vs 97 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (116.8 km vs 123.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Buninyong

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (40/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (45/100 vs 71/100)

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

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

Magpie Buninyong
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.

Magpie Buninyong
Walkability 0 / 40
Magpie — Walkability: 0/100 Buninyong — Walkability: 40/100
Safety 29 / 55
Magpie — Safety: 29/100 Buninyong — Safety: 55/100
Low fire risk 84 / 20
Magpie — Low fire risk: 84/100 Buninyong — Low fire risk: 20/100
Low flood risk 90 / 100
Magpie — Low flood risk: 90/100 Buninyong — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Buninyong has more residents (3,797 vs 368); Magpie has higher household incomes ($109,044 vs $90,740).

Magpie Buninyong
Population 368 3,797
+932% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.8% +2.2%
Median age 48 45
Median household income $109,044/yr
+17% vs other
 $90,740/yr
Median weekly rent $270/wk $305/wk
+13% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Magpie Buninyong
0-4 3.3% / 4.5%
Magpie — 0-4: 3.3% Buninyong — 0-4: 4.5%
5-14 10.9% / 17.0%
Magpie — 5-14: 10.9% Buninyong — 5-14: 17.0%
15-19 10.1% / 6.2%
Magpie — 15-19: 10.1% Buninyong — 15-19: 6.2%
20-24 4.1% / 3.2%
Magpie — 20-24: 4.1% Buninyong — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 7.3% / 6.0%
Magpie — 25-34: 7.3% Buninyong — 25-34: 6.0%
35-44 7.1% / 12.1%
Magpie — 35-44: 7.1% Buninyong — 35-44: 12.1%
45-54 14.4% / 15.3%
Magpie — 45-54: 14.4% Buninyong — 45-54: 15.3%
55-64 19.0% / 14.0%
Magpie — 55-64: 19.0% Buninyong — 55-64: 14.0%
65-74 16.0% / 14.1%
Magpie — 65-74: 16.0% Buninyong — 65-74: 14.1%
75-84 6.2% / 5.5%
Magpie — 75-84: 6.2% Buninyong — 75-84: 5.5%
85+ — / 1.5%
Magpie — 85+: not among its largest Buninyong — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Magpie 69.5% couple families
Magpie — Couple Families: 69.5% Magpie — Lone Person: 22.0% Magpie — One Parent Families: 8.5% Magpie — Group Household: 0.0% Magpie — Other Families: 0.0%
Buninyong 51.0% couple families
Buninyong — Couple Families: 51.0% Buninyong — Lone Person: 32.2% Buninyong — One Parent Families: 13.6% Buninyong — Group Household: 2.4% Buninyong — Other Families: 0.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Magpie 5.8% renting
Magpie — Owned Outright: 57.5% Magpie — Mortgage: 36.7% Magpie — Renting: 5.8%
Buninyong 13.4% renting
Buninyong — Owned Outright: 47.8% Buninyong — Mortgage: 38.8% Buninyong — Renting: 13.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Magpie Buninyong
Certificate III & IV 19.3% / 13.0%
Magpie — Certificate III & IV: 19.3% Buninyong — Certificate III & IV: 13.0%
Bachelor Degree 6.2% / 16.1%
Magpie — Bachelor Degree: 6.2% Buninyong — Bachelor Degree: 16.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 8.7%
Magpie — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Buninyong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7%
Postgraduate Degree 4.6% / 5.3%
Magpie — Postgraduate Degree: 4.6% Buninyong — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 4.4%
Magpie — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Buninyong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.3%).

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.

Magpie Buninyong
England 1.4% / 4.5%
Magpie — England: 1.4% Buninyong — England: 4.5%
Singapore 1.1% / —
Magpie — Singapore: 1.1% Buninyong — Singapore: not among its largest
India 0.8% / 0.2%
Magpie — India: 0.8% Buninyong — India: 0.2%
New Zealand — / 0.8%
Magpie — New Zealand: not among its largest Buninyong — New Zealand: 0.8%
Scotland — / 0.5%
Magpie — Scotland: not among its largest Buninyong — Scotland: 0.5%
Germany — / 0.4%
Magpie — Germany: not among its largest Buninyong — Germany: 0.4%
Netherlands — / 0.3%
Magpie — Netherlands: not among its largest Buninyong — Netherlands: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Magpie 100.0% houses
Magpie — Houses: 100.0% Magpie — Townhouses: 0.0% Magpie — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Buninyong 96.6% houses
Buninyong — Houses: 96.6% Buninyong — Townhouses: 2.0% Buninyong — Flats / Apartments: 1.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Magpie Buninyong
Median house price $800,000 $750,000
Median unit price — $410,000
Median land price — $400,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 44 days
from 58 sales

Zoning mix

Magpie has more rural and farming land (88% vs 68%).

Magpie Buninyong
Rural and farming 88% 68%
Residential 0% 10%
Environmental 0% 10%
Parks and recreation 4% 8%
Industrial 4% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 2%
Other and special use 0% 2%
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

Magpie Buninyong
New dwellings approved 1,451
across Ballarat
same for both
Approvals change year on year +42%
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.

Magpie Buninyong
Houses — 2.8%
$460/wk on $862K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Magpie Buninyong
House price — Higher than 38% of VIC
Income Higher than 81% of VIC Higher than 60% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 59% of VIC Higher than 84% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 76% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 39% of VIC Higher than 78% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 7% of VIC

Liveability

Buninyong is more walkable (40 vs 0).

Magpie Buninyong
Grade — B
Score — 55/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Magpie carries more flood risk (10 vs 0); Buninyong carries more bushfire risk (80 vs 16).

Magpie Buninyong
Bushfire Low
16/100
 High
80/100
Crime High
71/100
 Moderate
45/100
Flood Low
10/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Magpie Buninyong
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 1
Federation University Ballarat, 7.7 km
 None

Schools in Magpie

  • Magpie Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Buninyong

  • Buninyong Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Magpie Buninyong
Supermarkets 0 1
Parks & reserves 0 16
Childcare 1 3
GPs 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Waterways 1 27

Mobility

Magpie sits further from the CBD (123.1 km vs 116.8 km).

Magpie Buninyong
Walkability score 0/100 40/100
Distance to Melbourne 123.1 km
+5% vs other
 116.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 97 min 88 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 3352
 1.0%
postcode 3357
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 3352
 48
postcode 3357

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.

Magpie Buninyong
Car (driver) 74.2% / 69.0%
Magpie — Car (driver): 74.2% Buninyong — Car (driver): 69.0%
Worked from Home 16.6% / 24.1%
Magpie — Worked from Home: 16.6% Buninyong — Worked from Home: 24.1%
Car (passenger) 9.2% / 4.2%
Magpie — Car (passenger): 9.2% Buninyong — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Walked Only — / 1.3%
Magpie — Walked Only: not among its largest Buninyong — Walked Only: 1.3%
Bus — / 0.9%
Magpie — Bus: not among its largest Buninyong — Bus: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.2%).

Setting

Magpie Buninyong
Elevation 410 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 489 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Magpie Buninyong
Connectivity score 30/100 90/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
123 premises
 85%
1,658 premises

Climate

Magpie Buninyong
Annual rainfall 605 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Magpie Buninyong
Average residential rate $2,086/yr
same for both
Council Ballarat
same for both

Federal electorate

Magpie Buninyong
Division Ballarat
same for both
Member Catherine King
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Magpie Buninyong
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Magpie

Acreage

Buninyong

Acreage Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Magpie

Magpie vs Sebastopol Magpie vs Mount Clear Magpie vs Mount Helen Magpie vs Cambrian Hill Magpie vs Scotchmans Lead

Other comparisons with Buninyong

Buninyong vs Mount Helen Buninyong vs Durham Lead Buninyong vs Yendon Buninyong vs Navigators Buninyong vs Scotsburn Buninyong vs Scotchmans Lead
Full data on Magpie Full data on Buninyong
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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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