Main Ridge vs Red Hill

Red Hill is the younger of the two, with a median age of 50 against 56 in Main Ridge. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Main Ridge, about half of households are people living alone. In Red Hill, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Main Ridge: a median of $2.69 million, against $1.61 million in Red Hill, though rent is higher in Red Hill. On these figures, Main Ridge tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Red Hill suits couples and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Red Hill

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (4 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (70% vs 50%)

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

First-home buyers

Red Hill

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,610,000 vs $2,694,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 27%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Main Ridge

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($354/wk vs $461/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Red Hill

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (26/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (68 min vs 78 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (84.8 km vs 93.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Main Ridge has more residents already 65 and over (32% vs 23%)
  • Red Hill is more walkable (26/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, 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

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

Main Ridge Red Hill
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.

Main Ridge Red Hill
Walkability 0 / 26
Main Ridge — Walkability: 0/100 Red Hill — Walkability: 26/100
Safety 62 / 66
Main Ridge — Safety: 62/100 Red Hill — Safety: 66/100
Low fire risk 79 / 100
Main Ridge — Low fire risk: 79/100 Red Hill — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Main Ridge — Low flood risk: 100/100 Red Hill — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Red Hill has more residents (1,009 vs 453); Red Hill rents higher ($461/wk vs $354/wk).

Main Ridge Red Hill
Population 453 1,009
+123% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.9% +9.2%
Median age 56 50
Median household income $112,632/yr $121,888/yr
+8% vs other
Median weekly rent $354/wk $461/wk
+30% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Main Ridge Red Hill
0-4 2.0% / 4.2%
Main Ridge — 0-4: 2.0% Red Hill — 0-4: 4.2%
5-14 9.1% / 12.2%
Main Ridge — 5-14: 9.1% Red Hill — 5-14: 12.2%
15-19 5.7% / 6.2%
Main Ridge — 15-19: 5.7% Red Hill — 15-19: 6.2%
20-24 3.3% / 3.8%
Main Ridge — 20-24: 3.3% Red Hill — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 4.9% / 7.3%
Main Ridge — 25-34: 4.9% Red Hill — 25-34: 7.3%
35-44 7.3% / 8.6%
Main Ridge — 35-44: 7.3% Red Hill — 35-44: 8.6%
45-54 15.9% / 16.2%
Main Ridge — 45-54: 15.9% Red Hill — 45-54: 16.2%
55-64 19.9% / 18.4%
Main Ridge — 55-64: 19.9% Red Hill — 55-64: 18.4%
65-74 21.4% / 16.7%
Main Ridge — 65-74: 21.4% Red Hill — 65-74: 16.7%
75-84 8.6% / 5.2%
Main Ridge — 75-84: 8.6% Red Hill — 75-84: 5.2%
85+ 2.2% / 1.4%
Main Ridge — 85+: 2.2% Red Hill — 85+: 1.4%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Main Ridge 39.6% couple families
Main Ridge — Couple Families: 39.6% Main Ridge — Lone Person: 45.3% Main Ridge — One Parent Families: 10.4% Main Ridge — Other Families: 4.7% Main Ridge — Group Household: 0.0%
Red Hill 55.2% couple families
Red Hill — Couple Families: 55.2% Red Hill — Lone Person: 26.5% Red Hill — One Parent Families: 14.3% Red Hill — Other Families: 1.8% Red Hill — Group Household: 2.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Main Ridge 11.4% renting
Main Ridge — Owned Outright: 58.1% Main Ridge — Mortgage: 30.5% Main Ridge — Renting: 11.4%
Red Hill 14.1% renting
Red Hill — Owned Outright: 45.6% Red Hill — Mortgage: 40.3% Red Hill — Renting: 14.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Main Ridge Red Hill
Bachelor Degree 21.2% / 22.4%
Main Ridge — Bachelor Degree: 21.2% Red Hill — Bachelor Degree: 22.4%
Certificate III & IV 8.6% / 10.5%
Main Ridge — Certificate III & IV: 8.6% Red Hill — Certificate III & IV: 10.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.5% / 8.5%
Main Ridge — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5% Red Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5%
Postgraduate Degree 8.4% / 6.7%
Main Ridge — Postgraduate Degree: 8.4% Red Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 6.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / 2.3%
Main Ridge — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% Red Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.4%).

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.

Main Ridge Red Hill
England 4.2% / 4.8%
Main Ridge — England: 4.2% Red Hill — England: 4.8%
New Zealand 0.7% / 1.6%
Main Ridge — New Zealand: 0.7% Red Hill — New Zealand: 1.6%
Scotland 0.9% / 0.5%
Main Ridge — Scotland: 0.9% Red Hill — Scotland: 0.5%
Canada 0.9% / —
Main Ridge — Canada: 0.9% Red Hill — Canada: not among its largest
Germany — / 0.8%
Main Ridge — Germany: not among its largest Red Hill — Germany: 0.8%
South Africa 0.7% / —
Main Ridge — South Africa: 0.7% Red Hill — South Africa: not among its largest
Netherlands — / 0.6%
Main Ridge — Netherlands: not among its largest Red Hill — Netherlands: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Main Ridge 98.3% houses
Main Ridge — Houses: 98.3% Main Ridge — Townhouses: 0.0% Main Ridge — Flats / Apartments: 1.7%
Red Hill 98.5% houses
Red Hill — Houses: 98.5% Red Hill — Townhouses: 1.8% Red Hill — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Main Ridge Red Hill
Median house price $2,694,000 $1,610,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $2,537,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 146 days
from 6 sales

Zoning mix

Main Ridge Red Hill
Rural and farming 89% 92%
Parks and recreation 10% 4%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 3%
Residential 0% 1%
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

Main Ridge Red Hill
New dwellings approved 791
across Mornington Peninsula
same for both
Approvals change year on year +9%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Main Ridge Red Hill
House price — Higher than 86% of VIC
Income Higher than 85% of VIC Higher than 92% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 36% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 29% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 98% of VIC Higher than 100% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 60% of VIC Higher than 75% of VIC

Liveability

Red Hill is more walkable (26 vs 0).

Main Ridge Red Hill
Grade — A
Score — 75/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Main Ridge carries more bushfire risk (21 vs 0).

Main Ridge Red Hill
Bushfire Low
21/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
38/100
 Low
34/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
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

Main Ridge Red Hill
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Main Ridge

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

Schools in Red Hill

  • Red Hill Consolidated School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Main Ridge Red Hill
Cafes & restaurants 1 4
Parks & reserves 1 4
Childcare 0 3
GPs 0 1
Waterways 45 17

Mobility

Main Ridge sits further from the CBD (93.5 km vs 84.8 km).

Main Ridge Red Hill
Walkability score 0/100 26/100
Distance to Melbourne 93.5 km
+9% vs other
 84.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 78 min 68 min
Electric vehicle share 2.8%
postcode 3928
 3.4%
postcode 3937
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 3928
 52
postcode 3937

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.

Main Ridge Red Hill
Car (driver) 48.1% / 50.2%
Main Ridge — Car (driver): 48.1% Red Hill — Car (driver): 50.2%
Worked from Home 41.6% / 42.3%
Main Ridge — Worked from Home: 41.6% Red Hill — Worked from Home: 42.3%
Walked Only 8.6% / 4.0%
Main Ridge — Walked Only: 8.6% Red Hill — Walked Only: 4.0%
Car (passenger) 1.6% / 2.8%
Main Ridge — Car (passenger): 1.6% Red Hill — Car (passenger): 2.8%
Bicycle — / 0.7%
Main Ridge — Bicycle: not among its largest Red Hill — Bicycle: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (50.2%).

Setting

Main Ridge Red Hill
Elevation 186 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 177 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 7.0 km 5.4 km

NBN connectivity

Main Ridge Red Hill
Connectivity score 30/100 60/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
328 premises
 35%
598 premises

Climate

Main Ridge Red Hill
Annual rainfall 696 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 24.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Main Ridge Red Hill
Average residential rate $1,659/yr
same for both
Council Mornington Peninsula
same for both

Federal electorate

Main Ridge Red Hill
Division Flinders
same for both
Member Zoe Mckenzie
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Main Ridge Red Hill
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Main Ridge

Luxury Retirees River Rural

Red Hill

Acreage Premium Professionals Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Main Ridge

Main Ridge vs Rosebud Main Ridge vs Flinders Main Ridge vs Red Hill South Main Ridge vs Shoreham Main Ridge vs Arthurs Seat Main Ridge vs Boneo

Other comparisons with Red Hill

Red Hill vs Dromana Red Hill vs Red Hill South Red Hill vs Merricks North Red Hill vs Arthurs Seat
Full data on Main Ridge Full data on Red Hill
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.

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