Melba vs Evatt

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Evatt is closer to the city centre: 12.4 km, against 15 km.

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

Evatt

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (25/100 vs 48/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (97% vs 80%)

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

Melba

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($400/wk vs $466/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Evatt

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (67/100 vs 53/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (12.4 km vs 15 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Evatt

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (25/100 vs 48/100)
  • is more walkable (67/100 vs 53/100)
  • But Melba has more units and townhouses to downsize into (20% vs 3%)

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

Investors

Melba

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (5.0% vs 4.3%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Melba Evatt
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.

Melba Evatt
Walkability 53 / 67
Melba — Walkability: 53/100 Evatt — Walkability: 67/100
Safety 52 / 75
Melba — Safety: 52/100 Evatt — Safety: 75/100
Low fire risk 67 / 71
Melba — Low fire risk: 67/100 Evatt — Low fire risk: 71/100
Low flood risk 49 / 52
Melba — Low flood risk: 49/100 Evatt — Low flood risk: 52/100

Demographics

Evatt has more residents (5,531 vs 3,383); Evatt rents higher ($466/wk vs $400/wk).

Melba Evatt
Population 3,383 5,531
+63% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.5% +3.8%
Median age 38 37
Median household income $120,952/yr $126,256/yr
+4% vs other
Median weekly rent $400/wk $466/wk
+16% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Melba Evatt
0-4 7.1% / 6.2%
Melba — 0-4: 7.1% Evatt — 0-4: 6.2%
5-14 15.0% / 14.2%
Melba — 5-14: 15.0% Evatt — 5-14: 14.2%
15-19 5.5% / 6.1%
Melba — 15-19: 5.5% Evatt — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 5.5% / 5.7%
Melba — 20-24: 5.5% Evatt — 20-24: 5.7%
25-34 11.3% / 14.0%
Melba — 25-34: 11.3% Evatt — 25-34: 14.0%
35-44 14.8% / 14.4%
Melba — 35-44: 14.8% Evatt — 35-44: 14.4%
45-54 13.5% / 13.7%
Melba — 45-54: 13.5% Evatt — 45-54: 13.7%
55-64 10.2% / 10.8%
Melba — 55-64: 10.2% Evatt — 55-64: 10.8%
65-74 9.6% / 10.4%
Melba — 65-74: 9.6% Evatt — 65-74: 10.4%
75-84 6.4% / 3.4%
Melba — 75-84: 6.4% Evatt — 75-84: 3.4%
85+ 1.0% / 0.9%
Melba — 85+: 1.0% Evatt — 85+: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Melba 50.9% couple families
Melba — Couple Families: 50.9% Melba — Lone Person: 28.9% Melba — One Parent Families: 15.5% Melba — Group Household: 3.7% Melba — Other Families: 1.0%
Evatt 52.4% couple families
Evatt — Couple Families: 52.4% Evatt — Lone Person: 24.0% Evatt — One Parent Families: 17.3% Evatt — Group Household: 4.6% Evatt — Other Families: 1.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Melba 20.9% renting
Melba — Owned Outright: 35.1% Melba — Mortgage: 44.0% Melba — Renting: 20.9%
Evatt 22.2% renting
Evatt — Owned Outright: 33.5% Evatt — Mortgage: 44.3% Evatt — Renting: 22.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Melba Evatt
Bachelor Degree 17.3% / 16.5%
Melba — Bachelor Degree: 17.3% Evatt — Bachelor Degree: 16.5%
Certificate III & IV 10.7% / 12.0%
Melba — Certificate III & IV: 10.7% Evatt — Certificate III & IV: 12.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 7.9%
Melba — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Evatt — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9%
Postgraduate Degree 8.6% / 7.2%
Melba — Postgraduate Degree: 8.6% Evatt — Postgraduate Degree: 7.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.3% / 3.8%
Melba — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.3% Evatt — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.8%

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

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.

Melba Evatt
England 3.0% / 2.2%
Melba — England: 3.0% Evatt — England: 2.2%
China 1.7% / 1.4%
Melba — China: 1.7% Evatt — China: 1.4%
India 1.3% / 1.5%
Melba — India: 1.3% Evatt — India: 1.5%
New Zealand 1.3% / 1.0%
Melba — New Zealand: 1.3% Evatt — New Zealand: 1.0%
Germany 0.8% / 0.7%
Melba — Germany: 0.8% Evatt — Germany: 0.7%
Vietnam — / 0.9%
Melba — Vietnam: not among its largest Evatt — Vietnam: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Melba 80.2% houses
Melba — Houses: 80.2% Melba — Townhouses: 17.5% Melba — Flats / Apartments: 2.3%
Evatt 96.7% houses
Evatt — Houses: 96.7% Evatt — Townhouses: 2.1% Evatt — Flats / Apartments: 1.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Melba Evatt
Median house price $930,000 $858,000
Median unit price $599,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 46 sales
 24 days
from 54 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.

Melba Evatt
3 bed $865K / $851K
Melba — 3 bed: $865K (29 sales) Evatt — 3 bed: $851K (53 sales)

29 vs 53 sales

4 bed $995K / $1M
Melba — 4 bed: $995K (35 sales) Evatt — 4 bed: $1M (21 sales)

35 vs 21 sales

Development activity

Melba Evatt
New dwellings approved 3,750
across Unincorporated ACT
same for both
Approvals change year on year -48%
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.

Melba Evatt
Houses 5.0%
$780/wk on $818K
 4.3%
$700/wk on $842K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within ACT

Melba Evatt
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 43% of ACT Higher than 55% of ACT
Schools Higher than 27% of ACT Higher than 77% of ACT
Walkability Higher than 36% of ACT Higher than 58% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 18% of ACT Higher than 33% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 31% of ACT Higher than 24% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 87% of ACT Higher than 51% of ACT

Liveability

Evatt scores higher overall (60 vs 33); Evatt is more walkable (67 vs 53).

Melba Evatt
Grade D B
Score 33/100 60/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Melba carries more crime risk (48 vs 25).

Melba Evatt
Bushfire Low
33/100
 Low
29/100
Crime Moderate
48/100
 Low
25/100
Flood Moderate
51/100
 Moderate
48/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Melba Evatt
Inside the suburb 3
same for both
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 2 1
Universities within 10 km 2
UC - Canberra, Bruce, 5.2 km
 2
UC - Canberra, Bruce, 4.3 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.7% 2.4%

Schools in Melba

  • Melba Copland Secondary School Copland Campus Years 10 - 12 Government · Secondary below peers
  • Mount Rogers Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Melba Copland Secondary School Copland Campus Years 7 - 9 Government · Secondary

Schools in Evatt

  • St Monica's Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Miles Franklin Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Evatt Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Melba Evatt
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 2
same for both
Childcare 3 5
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 0 4

Mobility

Melba sits further from the CBD (15 km vs 12.4 km).

Melba Evatt
Walkability score 53/100 67/100
Distance to Canberra 15 km
+17% vs other
 12.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 22 min 20 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 77.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 94.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.1%
postcode 2615
 2.7%
postcode 2617
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 40
postcode 2615
 29
postcode 2617

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.

Melba Evatt
Car (driver) 73.5% / 74.3%
Melba — Car (driver): 73.5% Evatt — Car (driver): 74.3%
Worked from Home 14.9% / 12.8%
Melba — Worked from Home: 14.9% Evatt — Worked from Home: 12.8%
Car (passenger) 5.4% / 5.3%
Melba — Car (passenger): 5.4% Evatt — Car (passenger): 5.3%
Bus 4.5% / 4.8%
Melba — Bus: 4.5% Evatt — Bus: 4.8%
Bicycle 1.2% / 1.9%
Melba — Bicycle: 1.2% Evatt — Bicycle: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.3%).

Setting

Melba Evatt
Elevation 588 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 599 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Melba Evatt
Connectivity score 47/100 46/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 4%
1,323 premises
 2%
2,129 premises

Climate

Melba Evatt
Annual rainfall 622 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 0.8°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Melba Evatt
PM2.5 6.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 11.0 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.41 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Melba Evatt
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

Melba Evatt
Division Fenner
same for both
Member Andrew Leigh
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Melba Evatt
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

Melba

Family Middle-Ring Professionals Quiet

Evatt

Affordable Middle-Ring Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Melba

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Other comparisons with Evatt

Evatt vs Belconnen Evatt vs Belconnen Evatt vs Florey Evatt vs McKellar Evatt vs Spence
Full data on Melba Full data on Evatt
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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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