Malvern East vs Caulfield North

In both, most households own their home. In Malvern East, about half of households are couple families. Caulfield North is closer to the city centre: 11 km, against 14.4 km. On these figures, Caulfield North tends to suit people living alone.

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

Malvern East

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (14 vs 3)
  • has more parks and reserves (17 vs 4)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 1)
  • But Caulfield North carries lower crime risk (62/100 vs 87/100)

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

First-home buyers

Malvern East

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($479,000 vs $571,250)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

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

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

Commuting to the city

Caulfield North

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (11 km vs 14.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Caulfield North

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (62/100 vs 87/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (64% vs 47%)

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

Investors

Caulfield North

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (10.7% vs 2.7%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on units (5.9% vs 4.2%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Malvern East Caulfield North
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.

Malvern East Caulfield North
Walkability 88 / 86
Malvern East — Walkability: 88/100 Caulfield North — Walkability: 86/100
Safety 13 / 38
Malvern East — Safety: 13/100 Caulfield North — Safety: 38/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Malvern East — Low fire risk: 100/100 Caulfield North — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 46 / 66
Malvern East — Low flood risk: 46/100 Caulfield North — Low flood risk: 66/100

Demographics

Malvern East has more residents (22,296 vs 16,903).

Malvern East Caulfield North
Population 22,296
+24% vs other
 16,903
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.7% +10.7%
Median age 38 37
Median household income $123,916/yr
+7% vs other
 $114,660/yr
Median weekly rent $421/wk $422/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Malvern East Caulfield North
0-4 4.6% / 5.2%
Malvern East — 0-4: 4.6% Caulfield North — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 11.3% / 10.6%
Malvern East — 5-14: 11.3% Caulfield North — 5-14: 10.6%
15-19 6.3% / 4.9%
Malvern East — 15-19: 6.3% Caulfield North — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 8.2% / 7.9%
Malvern East — 20-24: 8.2% Caulfield North — 20-24: 7.9%
25-34 14.7% / 18.1%
Malvern East — 25-34: 14.7% Caulfield North — 25-34: 18.1%
35-44 12.6% / 13.2%
Malvern East — 35-44: 12.6% Caulfield North — 35-44: 13.2%
45-54 13.8% / 11.1%
Malvern East — 45-54: 13.8% Caulfield North — 45-54: 11.1%
55-64 11.4% / 9.8%
Malvern East — 55-64: 11.4% Caulfield North — 55-64: 9.8%
65-74 8.8% / 10.6%
Malvern East — 65-74: 8.8% Caulfield North — 65-74: 10.6%
75-84 5.3% / 5.2%
Malvern East — 75-84: 5.3% Caulfield North — 75-84: 5.2%
85+ 3.0% / 3.4%
Malvern East — 85+: 3.0% Caulfield North — 85+: 3.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Malvern East 45.2% couple families
Malvern East — Couple Families: 45.2% Malvern East — Lone Person: 34.8% Malvern East — One Parent Families: 10.5% Malvern East — Group Household: 7.8% Malvern East — Other Families: 1.8%
Caulfield North 37.0% couple families
Caulfield North — Couple Families: 37.0% Caulfield North — Lone Person: 43.5% Caulfield North — One Parent Families: 9.2% Caulfield North — Group Household: 8.8% Caulfield North — Other Families: 1.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Malvern East 31.6% renting
Malvern East — Owned Outright: 36.4% Malvern East — Mortgage: 32.0% Malvern East — Renting: 31.6%
Caulfield North 41.1% renting
Caulfield North — Owned Outright: 32.3% Caulfield North — Mortgage: 26.7% Caulfield North — Renting: 41.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Malvern East Caulfield North
Bachelor Degree 26.2% / 28.2%
Malvern East — Bachelor Degree: 26.2% Caulfield North — Bachelor Degree: 28.2%
Postgraduate Degree 11.5% / 12.4%
Malvern East — Postgraduate Degree: 11.5% Caulfield North — Postgraduate Degree: 12.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.7% / 7.4%
Malvern East — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7% Caulfield North — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4%
Certificate III & IV 5.1% / 4.6%
Malvern East — Certificate III & IV: 5.1% Caulfield North — Certificate III & IV: 4.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.7% / 3.4%
Malvern East — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.7% Caulfield North — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (28.2%).

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.

Malvern East Caulfield North
China 5.2% / 4.8%
Malvern East — China: 5.2% Caulfield North — China: 4.8%
India 3.3% / 2.8%
Malvern East — India: 3.3% Caulfield North — India: 2.8%
England 2.5% / 2.7%
Malvern East — England: 2.5% Caulfield North — England: 2.7%
South Africa — / 3.8%
Malvern East — South Africa: not among its largest Caulfield North — South Africa: 3.8%
New Zealand 1.2% / 1.4%
Malvern East — New Zealand: 1.2% Caulfield North — New Zealand: 1.4%
Malaysia 1.3% / 0.8%
Malvern East — Malaysia: 1.3% Caulfield North — Malaysia: 0.8%
Greece 1.8% / —
Malvern East — Greece: 1.8% Caulfield North — Greece: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Malvern East 53.2% houses
Malvern East — Houses: 53.2% Malvern East — Flats / Apartments: 23.2% Malvern East — Townhouses: 23.5%
Caulfield North 36.2% houses
Caulfield North — Houses: 36.2% Caulfield North — Flats / Apartments: 39.6% Caulfield North — Townhouses: 24.2%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Malvern East Caulfield North
Median house price $1,947,500 $1,921,500
Median unit price $479,000 $571,250
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 164 sales
 25 days
from 57 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Malvern East Caulfield North
1 bed $336K / $392K
Malvern East — 1 bed: $336K (68 sales) Caulfield North — 1 bed: $392K (56 sales)

68 vs 56 sales

2 bed $606K / $595K
Malvern East — 2 bed: $606K (110 sales) Caulfield North — 2 bed: $595K (135 sales)

110 vs 135 sales

3 bed $859K / $950K
Malvern East — 3 bed: $859K (11 sales) Caulfield North — 3 bed: $950K (26 sales)

11 vs 26 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Malvern East Caulfield North
2 bed $1.34M / $1.28M
Malvern East — 2 bed: $1.34M (21 sales) Caulfield North — 2 bed: $1.28M (12 sales)

21 vs 12 sales

3 bed $1.73M / $1.64M
Malvern East — 3 bed: $1.73M (91 sales) Caulfield North — 3 bed: $1.64M (50 sales)

91 vs 50 sales

4 bed $2.35M / $2.15M
Malvern East — 4 bed: $2.35M (78 sales) Caulfield North — 4 bed: $2.15M (28 sales)

78 vs 28 sales

5 bed $2.79M / $3.34M
Malvern East — 5 bed: $2.79M (26 sales) Caulfield North — 5 bed: $3.34M (10 sales)

26 vs 10 sales

Zoning mix

Malvern East Caulfield North
Residential 70% 85%
Parks and recreation 12% 6%
Infrastructure and transport 12% 6%
Commercial 6% 3%
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

Malvern East Caulfield North
New dwellings approved 818
across Stonnington
 617
across Glen Eira
Approvals change year on year +67% -69%

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.

Malvern East Caulfield North
Houses 3.1%
$1,035/wk on $1.76M
 3.3%
$1,200/wk on $1.91M
Units 4.2%
$435/wk on $542K
 5.9%
$650/wk on $575K

Ranking within VIC

Malvern East Caulfield North
House price Higher than 95% of VIC Higher than 97% of VIC
Income Higher than 93% of VIC Higher than 86% of VIC
Schools Higher than 67% of VIC Higher than 45% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 8% of VIC Higher than 2% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 97% of VIC Higher than 98% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of VIC Higher than 85% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 15% of VIC Higher than 26% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 15% of VIC Higher than 90% of VIC

Liveability

Malvern East Caulfield North
Grade A
same for both
Score 74/100 77/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Malvern East carries more flood risk (54 vs 34); Malvern East carries more crime risk (87 vs 62).

Malvern East Caulfield North
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
87/100
 Moderate
62/100
Flood Moderate
54/100
 Low
34/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 8
within 5 km
 9
within 5 km

Schools

Malvern East Caulfield North
Inside the suburb 6
same for both
Rated above peers 2 1
Rated at peers 2 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Monash Caulfield, 2.1 km
same for both
Full-time students aged 15–24 5.7% 5.1%

Schools in Malvern East

  • Malvern Valley Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Mary's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Lloyd Street Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Malvern Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • De La Salle College - Holy Eucharist Campus Catholic · Combined
  • The Currajong School Independent · Combined · Special school

Schools in Caulfield North

  • Oakwood School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Caulfield Junior College Government · Primary at peers
  • Caulfield Grammar School - Shelford Campus Independent · Combined
  • Melbourne Grammar School - Grimwade Campus Independent · Combined
  • Shelford Girls' Grammar Independent · Combined
  • MacKillop Specialist School - MacKillop Education Caulfield Catholic · Combined · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Malvern East Caulfield North
Supermarkets 4 3
Cafes & restaurants 61 19
Parks & reserves 17 4
Childcare 14 3
GPs 5
same for both
Pharmacies 4 1
Banks & Bank@Post 10 3
Fuel stations 5 0
EV chargers 3 0
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Malvern East sits further from the CBD (14.4 km vs 11 km).

Malvern East Caulfield North
Walkability score 88/100 86/100
Distance to Melbourne 14.4 km
+24% vs other
 11 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 21 min 20 min
Public transport score 95/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
 82/100
Tram · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 410.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 395.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.6%
postcode 3145
 2.9%
postcode 3161
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 17
postcode 3145
 10
postcode 3161

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.

Malvern East Caulfield North
Worked from Home 47.0% / 47.0%
Malvern East — Worked from Home: 47.0% Caulfield North — Worked from Home: 47.0%
Car (driver) 40.3% / 41.0%
Malvern East — Car (driver): 40.3% Caulfield North — Car (driver): 41.0%
Train 5.6% / 4.2%
Malvern East — Train: 5.6% Caulfield North — Train: 4.2%
Walked Only 2.4% / 2.4%
Malvern East — Walked Only: 2.4% Caulfield North — Walked Only: 2.4%
Car (passenger) 2.5% / 2.2%
Malvern East — Car (passenger): 2.5% Caulfield North — Car (passenger): 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (47.0%).

Setting

Malvern East Caulfield North
Elevation 44 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
same for both
Distance to the ocean 7.2 km 3.9 km
4.2 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Malvern East Caulfield North
Connectivity score 77/100 76/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 10%
11,575 premises
 4%
7,741 premises

Climate

Malvern East Caulfield North
Annual rainfall 644 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Malvern East Caulfield North
PM2.5 7.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Malvern East Caulfield North
Average residential rate $1,647/yr $1,577/yr
Council Stonnington Glen Eira

Federal electorate

Malvern East Caulfield North
Division Chisholm Macnamara
Member Carina Garland Josh Burns
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Malvern East Caulfield North
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Malvern East

Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Premium Professionals Townhouses Trams Transport Hub

Caulfield North

Apartments Middle-Ring Parks Professionals Townhouses Trams Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Malvern East

Malvern East vs Glen Iris Malvern East vs Carnegie Malvern East vs Murrumbeena Malvern East vs Malvern Malvern East vs Chadstone Malvern East vs Oakleigh

Other comparisons with Caulfield North

Caulfield North vs St Kilda East Caulfield North vs Elsternwick Caulfield North vs Malvern Caulfield North vs Armadale Caulfield North vs Caulfield Caulfield North vs Caulfield East
Full data on Malvern East Full data on Caulfield North
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