Merton vs Kanumbra

Merton is the younger of the two, with a median age of 53 against 56 in Kanumbra. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Kanumbra, about half of households are 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

Kanumbra

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (72/100 vs 88/100)

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

First-home buyers

Kanumbra

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 32%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Kanumbra

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (18% vs 5%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (11% vs 18%)
  • has cheaper rent ($120/wk vs $200/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Kanumbra

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (143.3 km vs 151.2 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (125 min vs 130 min)
  • But Merton is more walkable (23/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Kanumbra

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (36% vs 29%)
  • carries lower crime risk (72/100 vs 88/100)
  • But Merton is more walkable (23/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Merton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (13.7% vs -10.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Merton Kanumbra
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.

Merton Kanumbra
Walkability 23 / 0
Merton — Walkability: 23/100 Kanumbra — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 12 / 28
Merton — Safety: 12/100 Kanumbra — Safety: 28/100
Low fire risk 35 / 74
Merton — Low fire risk: 35/100 Kanumbra — Low fire risk: 74/100
Low flood risk 68 / 100
Merton — Low flood risk: 68/100 Kanumbra — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Merton has more residents (216 vs 53); Merton rents higher ($200/wk vs $120/wk).

Merton Kanumbra
Population 216
+75% vs other
 53
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +13.7% -10.2%
Median age 53 56
Median household income $56,732/yr $58,500/yr
+3% vs other
Median weekly rent $200/wk
+40% vs other
 $120/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Merton Kanumbra
0-4 5.1% / —
Merton — 0-4: 5.1% Kanumbra — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 8.3% / 13.2%
Merton — 5-14: 8.3% Kanumbra — 5-14: 13.2%
15-19 5.6% / —
Merton — 15-19: 5.6% Kanumbra — 15-19: not among its largest
20-24 1.4% / —
Merton — 20-24: 1.4% Kanumbra — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 5.6% / —
Merton — 25-34: 5.6% Kanumbra — 25-34: not among its largest
35-44 13.9% / 15.1%
Merton — 35-44: 13.9% Kanumbra — 35-44: 15.1%
45-54 14.4% / 13.2%
Merton — 45-54: 14.4% Kanumbra — 45-54: 13.2%
55-64 16.7% / 17.0%
Merton — 55-64: 16.7% Kanumbra — 55-64: 17.0%
65-74 21.8% / 22.6%
Merton — 65-74: 21.8% Kanumbra — 65-74: 22.6%
75-84 7.4% / 13.2%
Merton — 75-84: 7.4% Kanumbra — 75-84: 13.2%
85+ — / —
Merton — 85+: not among its largest Kanumbra — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Merton 43.6% lone person
Merton — Lone Person: 43.6% Merton — Couple Families: 38.2% Merton — One Parent Families: 12.7% Merton — Group Household: 5.5%
Kanumbra 50.0% lone person
Kanumbra — Lone Person: 50.0% Kanumbra — Couple Families: 18.8% Kanumbra — One Parent Families: 31.2% Kanumbra — Group Household: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Merton 4.8% renting
Merton — Owned Outright: 59.5% Merton — Mortgage: 35.7% Merton — Renting: 4.8%
Kanumbra 18.2% renting
Kanumbra — Owned Outright: 54.5% Kanumbra — Mortgage: 27.3% Kanumbra — Renting: 18.2%
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.

Merton Kanumbra
Scotland — / 7.5%
Merton — Scotland: not among its largest Kanumbra — Scotland: 7.5%
England 2.3% / —
Merton — England: 2.3% Kanumbra — England: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.9% / —
Merton — New Zealand: 1.9% Kanumbra — New Zealand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.5%).

Qualifications

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

Merton Kanumbra
Certificate III & IV 18.1% / 20.8%
Merton — Certificate III & IV: 18.1% Kanumbra — Certificate III & IV: 20.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 14.8% / 13.2%
Merton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 14.8% Kanumbra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 13.2%
Bachelor Degree 6.9% / 13.2%
Merton — Bachelor Degree: 6.9% Kanumbra — Bachelor Degree: 13.2%
Postgraduate Degree 3.2% / —
Merton — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2% Kanumbra — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.2% / —
Merton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2% Kanumbra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Merton 101.1% houses
Merton — Houses: 101.1%
Kanumbra 100.0% houses
Kanumbra — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Zoning mix

Merton Kanumbra
Rural and farming 97%
same for both
Infrastructure and transport 1% 2%
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

Merton Kanumbra
New dwellings approved 76
across Mansfield
 82
across Murrindindi
Approvals change year on year -50% +83%

Ranking within VIC

Merton Kanumbra
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 15% of VIC Higher than 17% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 81% of VIC Higher than 19% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 58% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 13% of VIC Higher than 4% of VIC

Liveability

Merton is more walkable (23 vs 0).

Merton Kanumbra
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Merton carries more flood risk (32 vs 0); Merton carries more bushfire risk (65 vs 26).

Merton Kanumbra
Bushfire Moderate
65/100
 Low
26/100
Crime High
88/100
 High
72/100
Flood Low
32/100
 None
0/100
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

Merton Kanumbra
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

Merton Kanumbra
Parks & reserves 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 3 0

Mobility

Merton sits further from the CBD (151.2 km vs 143.3 km).

Merton Kanumbra
Walkability score 23/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 151.2 km
+5% vs other
 143.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 130 min 125 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 3715
 0.6%
postcode 3719
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 35
postcode 3715
 62
postcode 3719

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.

Merton Kanumbra
Car (driver) 61.1% / 50.0%
Merton — Car (driver): 61.1% Kanumbra — Car (driver): 50.0%
Worked from Home 25.6% / 50.0%
Merton — Worked from Home: 25.6% Kanumbra — Worked from Home: 50.0%
Car (passenger) 6.7% / —
Merton — Car (passenger): 6.7% Kanumbra — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Walked Only 6.7% / —
Merton — Walked Only: 6.7% Kanumbra — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (61.1%).

Setting

Merton Kanumbra
Elevation 343 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 293 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Merton Kanumbra
Connectivity score 16/100 15/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster)
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
63 premises
 0%
13 premises

Climate

Merton Kanumbra
Annual rainfall 865 mm 648 mm
Summer max (Jan) 27.2°C —
Winter min (Jul) 2.0°C —

Council rates

Merton Kanumbra
Average residential rate $1,697/yr $1,973/yr
Council Mansfield Murrindindi

Federal electorate

Merton Kanumbra
Division Indi
same for both
Member Helen Haines
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Merton Kanumbra
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Merton

Retirees River Rural

Kanumbra

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Merton

Merton vs Strathbogie Merton vs Gooram Merton vs Gobur Merton vs Ancona Merton vs Terip Terip Merton vs Woodfield

Other comparisons with Kanumbra

Kanumbra vs Yarck Kanumbra vs Gobur Kanumbra vs Fawcett Kanumbra vs Woodfield
Full data on Merton Full data on Kanumbra
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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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