Mansfield vs Howes Creek

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Mansfield, about half of households are people living alone. In Howes Creek, most households are couple families. On these figures, Mansfield tends to suit older residents, while Howes Creek suits couples.

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

Mansfield

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (18 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (6 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (6 vs 0)
  • But Howes Creek carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 40/100)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Howes Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($238/wk vs $331/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Mansfield

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (62/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (157 min vs 172 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (188.2 km vs 202.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Mansfield

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (62/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (26% vs 10%)
  • But Howes Creek carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 40/100)

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

Investors

Mansfield

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (15.8% vs -4.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Mansfield and Howes 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.

Mansfield Howes 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.

Mansfield Howes Creek
Walkability 62 / 0
Mansfield — Walkability: 62/100 Howes Creek — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 60 / 78
Mansfield — Safety: 60/100 Howes Creek — Safety: 78/100
Low fire risk 66 / 59
Mansfield — Low fire risk: 66/100 Howes Creek — Low fire risk: 59/100
Low flood risk 40 / 8
Mansfield — Low flood risk: 40/100 Howes Creek — Low flood risk: 8/100

Demographics

Mansfield has more residents (5,541 vs 67); Mansfield rents higher ($331/wk vs $238/wk).

Mansfield Howes Creek
Population 5,541
+99% vs other
 67
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +15.8% -4.3%
Median age 47 46
Median household income $70,512/yr $71,500/yr
+1% vs other
Median weekly rent $331/wk
+28% vs other
 $238/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mansfield Howes Creek
0-4 4.5% / —
Mansfield — 0-4: 4.5% Howes Creek — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 13.5% / 20.9%
Mansfield — 5-14: 13.5% Howes Creek — 5-14: 20.9%
15-19 4.4% / 4.5%
Mansfield — 15-19: 4.4% Howes Creek — 15-19: 4.5%
20-24 3.2% / 7.5%
Mansfield — 20-24: 3.2% Howes Creek — 20-24: 7.5%
25-34 9.7% / —
Mansfield — 25-34: 9.7% Howes Creek — 25-34: not among its largest
35-44 12.2% / 10.4%
Mansfield — 35-44: 12.2% Howes Creek — 35-44: 10.4%
45-54 11.6% / 19.4%
Mansfield — 45-54: 11.6% Howes Creek — 45-54: 19.4%
55-64 15.1% / 16.4%
Mansfield — 55-64: 15.1% Howes Creek — 55-64: 16.4%
65-74 14.2% / 10.4%
Mansfield — 65-74: 14.2% Howes Creek — 65-74: 10.4%
75-84 8.5% / —
Mansfield — 75-84: 8.5% Howes Creek — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ 3.3% / —
Mansfield — 85+: 3.3% Howes Creek — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mansfield 36.1% couple families
Mansfield — Couple Families: 36.1% Mansfield — Lone Person: 45.2% Mansfield — One Parent Families: 14.5% Mansfield — Group Household: 3.1% Mansfield — Other Families: 1.1%
Howes Creek 57.9% couple families
Howes Creek — Couple Families: 57.9% Howes Creek — Lone Person: 42.1% Howes Creek — One Parent Families: 0.0% Howes Creek — Group Household: 0.0% Howes Creek — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mansfield 22.3% renting
Mansfield — Owned Outright: 45.1% Mansfield — Mortgage: 32.6% Mansfield — Renting: 22.3%
Howes Creek 22.7% renting
Howes Creek — Owned Outright: 36.4% Howes Creek — Mortgage: 40.9% Howes Creek — Renting: 22.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mansfield Howes Creek
Certificate III & IV 18.5% / 22.4%
Mansfield — Certificate III & IV: 18.5% Howes Creek — Certificate III & IV: 22.4%
Bachelor Degree 10.2% / 14.9%
Mansfield — Bachelor Degree: 10.2% Howes Creek — Bachelor Degree: 14.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.9% / 6.0%
Mansfield — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9% Howes Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / —
Mansfield — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% Howes Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest
Postgraduate Degree 2.1% / —
Mansfield — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1% Howes Creek — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

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.

Mansfield Howes Creek
South Africa — / 4.5%
Mansfield — South Africa: not among its largest Howes Creek — South Africa: 4.5%
England 3.2% / —
Mansfield — England: 3.2% Howes Creek — England: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.1% / —
Mansfield — New Zealand: 1.1% Howes Creek — New Zealand: not among its largest
Germany 0.8% / —
Mansfield — Germany: 0.8% Howes Creek — Germany: not among its largest
Scotland 0.4% / —
Mansfield — Scotland: 0.4% Howes Creek — Scotland: not among its largest
Netherlands 0.3% / —
Mansfield — Netherlands: 0.3% Howes Creek — Netherlands: not among its largest

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mansfield 92.9% houses
Mansfield — Houses: 92.9% Mansfield — Townhouses: 5.5% Mansfield — Flats / Apartments: 1.6%
Howes Creek 100.0% houses
Howes Creek — Houses: 100.0% Howes Creek — Townhouses: 0.0% Howes Creek — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mansfield Howes Creek
Median house price $750,000 —
Median unit price $540,000 —
Median land price $387,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 96 days
from 52 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Mansfield has more rural and farming land (88% vs 62%).

Mansfield Howes Creek
Rural and farming 88% 62%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 34%
Parks and recreation 2% 4%
Residential 3% 0%
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

Mansfield Howes Creek
New dwellings approved 76
across Mansfield
same for both
Approvals change year on year -50%
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.

Mansfield Howes Creek
Houses 3.1%
$580/wk on $965K
 —
Units 5.1%
$565/wk on $575K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Mansfield Howes Creek
House price Higher than 43% of VIC —
Income Higher than 32% of VIC Higher than 35% of VIC
Schools Higher than 9% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 88% of VIC Higher than 32% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 41% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 41% of VIC Higher than 59% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of VIC Higher than 59% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 18% of VIC —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 68% of VIC —

Liveability

Mansfield is more walkable (62 vs 0).

Mansfield Howes Creek
Grade C —
Score 36/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Mansfield carries more crime risk (40 vs 22); Howes Creek carries more flood risk (92 vs 60).

Mansfield Howes Creek
Bushfire Low
34/100
 Moderate
41/100
Crime Moderate
40/100
 Low
22/100
Flood Moderate
60/100
 High
92/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Mansfield Howes Creek
Inside the suburb 6 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 3 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Mansfield

  • Mansfield Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Mansfield Rudolf Steiner School Independent · Combined at peers
  • Mansfield Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Mary's School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Mansfield Autism Statewide Services Independent · Combined · Special school
  • Mansfield Autism Statewide Services - Mansfield Farm Campus Independent · Combined · Special school

Schools in Howes Creek

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

Amenities in the suburb

Mansfield Howes Creek
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 17 0
Parks & reserves 18 0
Childcare 6 0
GPs 4 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 5 0
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 2 0
Waterways 22 1

Mobility

Howes Creek sits further from the CBD (202.1 km vs 188.2 km).

Mansfield Howes Creek
Walkability score 62/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 188.2 km 202.1 km
+7% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 157 min 172 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 3722
 0.6%
postcode 3723
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 58
postcode 3722
 33
postcode 3723

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.

Mansfield Howes Creek
Car (driver) 71.3% / 54.8%
Mansfield — Car (driver): 71.3% Howes Creek — Car (driver): 54.8%
Worked from Home 14.8% / 45.2%
Mansfield — Worked from Home: 14.8% Howes Creek — Worked from Home: 45.2%
Walked Only 7.2% / —
Mansfield — Walked Only: 7.2% Howes Creek — Walked Only: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 5.0% / —
Mansfield — Car (passenger): 5.0% Howes Creek — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bicycle 1.1% / —
Mansfield — Bicycle: 1.1% Howes Creek — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.3%).

Setting

Mansfield Howes Creek
Elevation 328 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 284 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Mansfield Howes Creek
Connectivity score 68/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 37%
3,363 premises
 0%
36 premises

Climate

Mansfield Howes Creek
Annual rainfall 810 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.3°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 4.1°C
same for both

Council rates

Mansfield Howes Creek
Average residential rate $1,697/yr
same for both
Council Mansfield
same for both

Federal electorate

Mansfield Howes Creek
Division Indi
same for both
Member Helen Haines
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mansfield Howes Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mansfield

Acreage Parks Retirees

Howes Creek

Rural

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Other comparisons with Howes Creek

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Full data on Mansfield Full data on Howes 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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