Mardan vs Nerrena

Nerrena is the younger of the two, with a median age of 46 against 50 in Mardan. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Mardan, about half of households are couple families. In Nerrena, most households are couple families. On these figures, Nerrena tends to suit families with children and 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

Mardan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (39/100 vs 65/100)

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

Mardan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($277/wk vs $300/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Nerrena

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (142.9 km vs 152.9 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (116 min vs 122 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Mardan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (39/100 vs 65/100)

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

Investors

Mardan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (18.1% vs -4.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mardan Nerrena
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.

Mardan Nerrena
Walkability 0 / 0
Mardan — Walkability: 0/100 Nerrena — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 61 / 35
Mardan — Safety: 61/100 Nerrena — Safety: 35/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Mardan — Low fire risk: 100/100 Nerrena — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 100 / 52
Mardan — Low flood risk: 100/100 Nerrena — Low flood risk: 52/100

Demographics

Mardan skews older (50 vs 46).

Mardan Nerrena
Population 248
+4% vs other
 238
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +18.1% -4.0%
Median age 50 46
Median household income $85,748/yr $90,012/yr
+5% vs other
Median weekly rent $277/wk $300/wk
+8% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mardan Nerrena
0-4 4.4% / 5.9%
Mardan — 0-4: 4.4% Nerrena — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 14.5% / 18.9%
Mardan — 5-14: 14.5% Nerrena — 5-14: 18.9%
15-19 6.0% / 6.3%
Mardan — 15-19: 6.0% Nerrena — 15-19: 6.3%
20-24 5.2% / 2.5%
Mardan — 20-24: 5.2% Nerrena — 20-24: 2.5%
25-34 6.5% / 6.7%
Mardan — 25-34: 6.5% Nerrena — 25-34: 6.7%
35-44 8.5% / 8.4%
Mardan — 35-44: 8.5% Nerrena — 35-44: 8.4%
45-54 15.7% / 16.8%
Mardan — 45-54: 15.7% Nerrena — 45-54: 16.8%
55-64 20.2% / 12.6%
Mardan — 55-64: 20.2% Nerrena — 55-64: 12.6%
65-74 13.3% / 17.6%
Mardan — 65-74: 13.3% Nerrena — 65-74: 17.6%
75-84 8.5% / 6.3%
Mardan — 75-84: 8.5% Nerrena — 75-84: 6.3%
85+ — / —
Mardan — 85+: not among its largest Nerrena — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mardan 54.2% couple families
Mardan — Couple Families: 54.2% Mardan — Lone Person: 30.5% Mardan — One Parent Families: 15.3%
Nerrena 66.7% couple families
Nerrena — Couple Families: 66.7% Nerrena — Lone Person: 25.0% Nerrena — One Parent Families: 8.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mardan 14.3% renting
Mardan — Owned Outright: 47.6% Mardan — Mortgage: 38.1% Mardan — Renting: 14.3%
Nerrena 11.4% renting
Nerrena — Owned Outright: 57.0% Nerrena — Mortgage: 31.6% Nerrena — Renting: 11.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Mardan Nerrena
England 2.4% / 4.2%
Mardan — England: 2.4% Nerrena — England: 4.2%
New Zealand — / 2.1%
Mardan — New Zealand: not among its largest Nerrena — New Zealand: 2.1%
Scotland — / 2.1%
Mardan — Scotland: not among its largest Nerrena — Scotland: 2.1%
Philippines 1.2% / —
Mardan — Philippines: 1.2% Nerrena — Philippines: not among its largest
Thailand 1.2% / —
Mardan — Thailand: 1.2% Nerrena — Thailand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.2%).

Qualifications

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

Mardan Nerrena
Certificate III & IV 17.3% / 16.0%
Mardan — Certificate III & IV: 17.3% Nerrena — Certificate III & IV: 16.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.2% / 7.6%
Mardan — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.2% Nerrena — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.6%
Bachelor Degree 4.8% / 8.0%
Mardan — Bachelor Degree: 4.8% Nerrena — Bachelor Degree: 8.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.2% / 2.1%
Mardan — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2% Nerrena — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%
Postgraduate Degree 2.0% / 2.9%
Mardan — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0% Nerrena — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mardan 100.0% houses
Mardan — Houses: 100.0%
Nerrena 100.0% houses
Nerrena — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Zoning mix

Mardan Nerrena
Rural and farming 99% 98%
Parks and recreation 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

Mardan Nerrena
New dwellings approved 170
across South Gippsland
same for both
Approvals change year on year +21%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Mardan Nerrena
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 56% of VIC Higher than 60% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 23% of VIC Higher than 20% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 36% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 20% of VIC Higher than 41% of VIC

Liveability

Mardan Nerrena
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Nerrena carries more flood risk (48 vs 0); Nerrena carries more crime risk (65 vs 39).

Mardan Nerrena
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
39/100
 Moderate
65/100
Flood None
0/100
 Moderate
48/100
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

Mardan Nerrena
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Mardan Nerrena
Parks & reserves 0 1
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Mardan sits further from the CBD (152.9 km vs 142.9 km).

Mardan Nerrena
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 152.9 km
+7% vs other
 142.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 122 min 116 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 3953
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 44
postcode 3953
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.

Mardan Nerrena
Car (driver) 51.6% / 65.7%
Mardan — Car (driver): 51.6% Nerrena — Car (driver): 65.7%
Worked from Home 44.1% / 25.9%
Mardan — Worked from Home: 44.1% Nerrena — Worked from Home: 25.9%
Walked Only 4.3% / 8.3%
Mardan — Walked Only: 4.3% Nerrena — Walked Only: 8.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (65.7%).

Setting

Mardan Nerrena
Elevation 215 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 111 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 26.4 km 23.0 km

NBN connectivity

Mardan Nerrena
Connectivity score 22/100 29/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
96 premises
 0%
101 premises

Climate

Mardan Nerrena
Annual rainfall 700 mm 906 mm
Summer max (Jan) 26.7°C 24.6°C
Winter min (Jul) 4.1°C 6.9°C

Council rates

Mardan Nerrena
Average residential rate $2,282/yr
same for both
Council South Gippsland
same for both

Federal electorate

Mardan Nerrena
Division Monash
same for both
Member Mary Aldred
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mardan Nerrena
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mardan

Rural

Nerrena

Family Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mardan

Mardan vs Mirboo North Mardan vs Dumbalk Mardan vs Mirboo Mardan vs Berrys Creek Mardan vs Koorooman Mardan vs Dumbalk North

Other comparisons with Nerrena

Nerrena vs Leongatha Nerrena vs Meeniyan Nerrena vs Leongatha South Nerrena vs Dumbalk Nerrena vs Koonwarra Nerrena vs Koorooman
Full data on Mardan Full data on Nerrena
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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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