Monash vs Isabella Plains

Isabella Plains is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 43 in Monash. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Isabella Plains, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Monash: a median of $940,000, against $856,000 in Isabella Plains. On these figures, Monash tends to suit older residents.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Monash has more separate houses rather than flats (86% vs 75%)
  • Isabella Plains carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 38/100)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

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

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

Isabella Plains

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (61/100 vs 45/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Isabella Plains

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (25% vs 14%)
  • carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 38/100)
  • is more walkable (61/100 vs 45/100)
  • But Monash has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 14%)

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

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Monash is growing faster (3.9% vs -1.7%)
  • Isabella Plains returns a higher gross yield on houses (5.3% vs 4.3%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Monash Isabella Plains
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.

Monash Isabella Plains
Walkability 45 / 61
Monash — Walkability: 45/100 Isabella Plains — Walkability: 61/100
Safety 62 / 74
Monash — Safety: 62/100 Isabella Plains — Safety: 74/100
Low fire risk 12 / 10
Monash — Low fire risk: 12/100 Isabella Plains — Low fire risk: 10/100
Low flood risk 45 / 43
Monash — Low flood risk: 45/100 Isabella Plains — Low flood risk: 43/100

Demographics

Monash has more residents (5,644 vs 4,329); Monash skews older (43 vs 36).

Monash Isabella Plains
Population 5,644
+23% vs other
 4,329
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.9% -1.7%
Median age 43 36
Median household income $112,528/yr
+2% vs other
 $110,812/yr
Median weekly rent $450/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Monash Isabella Plains
0-4 5.8% / 7.1%
Monash — 0-4: 5.8% Isabella Plains — 0-4: 7.1%
5-14 11.7% / 13.8%
Monash — 5-14: 11.7% Isabella Plains — 5-14: 13.8%
15-19 5.1% / 5.3%
Monash — 15-19: 5.1% Isabella Plains — 15-19: 5.3%
20-24 4.7% / 5.7%
Monash — 20-24: 4.7% Isabella Plains — 20-24: 5.7%
25-34 11.2% / 15.9%
Monash — 25-34: 11.2% Isabella Plains — 25-34: 15.9%
35-44 12.6% / 13.9%
Monash — 35-44: 12.6% Isabella Plains — 35-44: 13.9%
45-54 11.3% / 11.6%
Monash — 45-54: 11.3% Isabella Plains — 45-54: 11.6%
55-64 13.9% / 13.0%
Monash — 55-64: 13.9% Isabella Plains — 55-64: 13.0%
65-74 11.4% / 7.5%
Monash — 65-74: 11.4% Isabella Plains — 65-74: 7.5%
75-84 7.2% / 4.3%
Monash — 75-84: 7.2% Isabella Plains — 75-84: 4.3%
85+ 5.0% / 1.9%
Monash — 85+: 5.0% Isabella Plains — 85+: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Monash 44.5% couple families
Monash — Couple Families: 44.5% Monash — Lone Person: 35.6% Monash — One Parent Families: 16.0% Monash — Group Household: 2.5% Monash — Other Families: 1.5%
Isabella Plains 47.3% couple families
Isabella Plains — Couple Families: 47.3% Isabella Plains — Lone Person: 30.6% Isabella Plains — One Parent Families: 17.7% Isabella Plains — Group Household: 3.0% Isabella Plains — 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.

Monash 20.6% renting
Monash — Owned Outright: 38.8% Monash — Mortgage: 40.6% Monash — Renting: 20.6%
Isabella Plains 20.2% renting
Isabella Plains — Owned Outright: 29.4% Isabella Plains — Mortgage: 50.4% Isabella Plains — Renting: 20.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Monash Isabella Plains
Bachelor Degree 15.3% / 12.8%
Monash — Bachelor Degree: 15.3% Isabella Plains — Bachelor Degree: 12.8%
Certificate III & IV 11.7% / 14.2%
Monash — Certificate III & IV: 11.7% Isabella Plains — Certificate III & IV: 14.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.8% / 8.7%
Monash — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8% Isabella Plains — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7%
Postgraduate Degree 5.5% / 4.1%
Monash — Postgraduate Degree: 5.5% Isabella Plains — Postgraduate Degree: 4.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.9% / 2.1%
Monash — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9% Isabella Plains — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.3%).

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.

Monash Isabella Plains
India 2.9% / 4.3%
Monash — India: 2.9% Isabella Plains — India: 4.3%
England 3.0% / 2.7%
Monash — England: 3.0% Isabella Plains — England: 2.7%
Philippines 0.9% / 1.8%
Monash — Philippines: 0.9% Isabella Plains — Philippines: 1.8%
Vietnam 1.0% / 1.3%
Monash — Vietnam: 1.0% Isabella Plains — Vietnam: 1.3%
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.0%
Monash — New Zealand: 1.1% Isabella Plains — New Zealand: 1.0%
Sri Lanka 1.4% / 0.7%
Monash — Sri Lanka: 1.4% Isabella Plains — Sri Lanka: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Monash 86.1% houses
Monash — Houses: 86.1% Monash — Townhouses: 12.2% Monash — Flats / Apartments: 1.7%
Isabella Plains 75.1% houses
Isabella Plains — Houses: 75.1% Isabella Plains — Townhouses: 24.4% Isabella Plains — Flats / Apartments: 0.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Monash Isabella Plains
Median house price $940,000 $856,000
Median unit price $701,100 $690,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 19 days
from 29 sales
 20 days
from 36 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.

Monash Isabella Plains
3 bed $882K / $810K
Monash — 3 bed: $882K (30 sales) Isabella Plains — 3 bed: $810K (58 sales)

30 vs 58 sales

4 bed $988K / $945K
Monash — 4 bed: $988K (18 sales) Isabella Plains — 4 bed: $945K (24 sales)

18 vs 24 sales

Development activity

Monash Isabella Plains
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.

Monash Isabella Plains
Houses 4.3%
$695/wk on $849K
 5.3%
$800/wk on $779K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within ACT

Monash Isabella Plains
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 21% of ACT Higher than 19% of ACT
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 28% of ACT Higher than 49% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 23% of ACT Higher than 3% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 53% of ACT Higher than 30% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 43% of ACT Higher than 95% of ACT

Liveability

Isabella Plains is more walkable (61 vs 45).

Monash Isabella Plains
Grade D
same for both
Score 18/100 16/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Monash carries more crime risk (38 vs 26).

Monash Isabella Plains
Bushfire High
88/100
 High
90/100
Crime Low
38/100
 Low
26/100
Flood Moderate
55/100
 Moderate
57/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Monash Isabella Plains
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Monash

  • Monash Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Isabella Plains

  • St Mary MacKillop College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Isabella Plains Early Childhood School Government · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Monash Isabella Plains
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Childcare 4 3
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Waterways 1
same for both

Mobility

Monash Isabella Plains
Walkability score 45/100 61/100
Distance to Canberra 24.4 km 25.5 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 27 min 28 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 93.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 52.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 2.1%
postcode 2904
 1.4%
postcode 2905
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2904
 47
postcode 2905

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.

Monash Isabella Plains
Car (driver) 75.4% / 79.7%
Monash — Car (driver): 75.4% Isabella Plains — Car (driver): 79.7%
Worked from Home 11.1% / 9.8%
Monash — Worked from Home: 11.1% Isabella Plains — Worked from Home: 9.8%
Car (passenger) 6.2% / 5.9%
Monash — Car (passenger): 6.2% Isabella Plains — Car (passenger): 5.9%
Bus 4.7% / 3.9%
Monash — Bus: 4.7% Isabella Plains — Bus: 3.9%
Walked Only 1.6% / 0.5%
Monash — Walked Only: 1.6% Isabella Plains — Walked Only: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.7%).

Setting

Monash Isabella Plains
Elevation 590 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 596 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Monash Isabella Plains
Connectivity score 57/100 47/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 19%
2,433 premises
 4%
1,619 premises

Climate

Monash Isabella Plains
Annual rainfall 686 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.2°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 0.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Monash Isabella Plains
PM2.5 7.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 11.9 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.32 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Monash Isabella Plains
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

Monash Isabella Plains
Division Bean
same for both
Member David Smith
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Monash Isabella Plains
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

Monash

Large Blocks Middle-Ring

Isabella Plains

Affordable Middle-Ring Quiet Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Monash

Monash vs Wanniassa Monash vs Greenway Monash vs Bonython Monash vs Gowrie Monash vs Richardson Monash vs Oxley

Other comparisons with Isabella Plains

Isabella Plains vs Gordon Isabella Plains vs Calwell Isabella Plains vs Greenway Isabella Plains vs Bonython Isabella Plains vs Gowrie Isabella Plains vs Richardson
Full data on Monash Full data on Isabella Plains
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.

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