Mount Clear vs Sebastopol

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Sebastopol, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Mount Clear: a median of $575,000, against $488,000 in Sebastopol, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Sebastopol tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

  • Mount Clear has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • Sebastopol has more childcare (12 vs 2)

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

First-home buyers

Sebastopol

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($294,500 vs $358,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($488,000 vs $575,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Sebastopol

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (42% vs 32%)
  • has cheaper rent ($270/wk vs $310/wk)
  • But Mount Clear leaves renters under less rental stress (21% vs 27%)

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

Commuting to the city

Sebastopol

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (82/100 vs 69/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Sebastopol

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 1)
  • is more walkable (82/100 vs 69/100)
  • But Mount Clear carries lower crime risk (59/100 vs 87/100)

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

  • Mount Clear is growing faster (8.3% vs 1.6%)
  • Sebastopol returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.2% vs 3.4%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mount Clear Sebastopol
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.

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Walkability 69 / 82
Mount Clear — Walkability: 69/100 Sebastopol — Walkability: 82/100
Safety 41 / 13
Mount Clear — Safety: 41/100 Sebastopol — Safety: 13/100
Low fire risk 65 / 100
Mount Clear — Low fire risk: 65/100 Sebastopol — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Mount Clear — Low flood risk: 100/100 Sebastopol — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Sebastopol has more residents (10,194 vs 3,671); Mount Clear has higher household incomes ($76,024 vs $52,676).

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Population 3,671 10,194
+178% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.3% +1.6%
Median age 37 39
Median household income $76,024/yr
+31% vs other
 $52,676/yr
Median weekly rent $310/wk
+13% vs other
 $270/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mount Clear Sebastopol
0-4 5.9% / 5.6%
Mount Clear — 0-4: 5.9% Sebastopol — 0-4: 5.6%
5-14 14.4% / 11.3%
Mount Clear — 5-14: 14.4% Sebastopol — 5-14: 11.3%
15-19 6.3% / 5.2%
Mount Clear — 15-19: 6.3% Sebastopol — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 6.6% / 7.1%
Mount Clear — 20-24: 6.6% Sebastopol — 20-24: 7.1%
25-34 13.7% / 15.1%
Mount Clear — 25-34: 13.7% Sebastopol — 25-34: 15.1%
35-44 14.0% / 11.4%
Mount Clear — 35-44: 14.0% Sebastopol — 35-44: 11.4%
45-54 10.6% / 10.8%
Mount Clear — 45-54: 10.6% Sebastopol — 45-54: 10.8%
55-64 9.9% / 11.7%
Mount Clear — 55-64: 9.9% Sebastopol — 55-64: 11.7%
65-74 9.8% / 11.4%
Mount Clear — 65-74: 9.8% Sebastopol — 65-74: 11.4%
75-84 6.3% / 7.3%
Mount Clear — 75-84: 6.3% Sebastopol — 75-84: 7.3%
85+ 2.6% / 3.0%
Mount Clear — 85+: 2.6% Sebastopol — 85+: 3.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mount Clear 39.0% lone person
Mount Clear — Lone Person: 39.0% Mount Clear — Couple Families: 38.7% Mount Clear — One Parent Families: 15.9% Mount Clear — Group Household: 5.8% Mount Clear — Other Families: 0.7%
Sebastopol 49.0% lone person
Sebastopol — Lone Person: 49.0% Sebastopol — Couple Families: 22.6% Sebastopol — One Parent Families: 21.9% Sebastopol — Group Household: 5.1% Sebastopol — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mount Clear 31.7% renting
Mount Clear — Owned Outright: 32.0% Mount Clear — Mortgage: 36.3% Mount Clear — Renting: 31.7%
Sebastopol 42.0% renting
Sebastopol — Owned Outright: 29.7% Sebastopol — Mortgage: 28.4% Sebastopol — Renting: 42.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Certificate III & IV 13.3% / 17.0%
Mount Clear — Certificate III & IV: 13.3% Sebastopol — Certificate III & IV: 17.0%
Bachelor Degree 12.5% / 6.6%
Mount Clear — Bachelor Degree: 12.5% Sebastopol — Bachelor Degree: 6.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.0% / 6.2%
Mount Clear — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0% Sebastopol — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.2%
Postgraduate Degree 4.8% / 1.5%
Mount Clear — Postgraduate Degree: 4.8% Sebastopol — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / 1.2%
Mount Clear — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% Sebastopol — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.0%).

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.

Mount Clear Sebastopol
England 2.0% / 1.8%
Mount Clear — England: 2.0% Sebastopol — England: 1.8%
India 1.7% / 1.3%
Mount Clear — India: 1.7% Sebastopol — India: 1.3%
New Zealand 1.1% / 0.9%
Mount Clear — New Zealand: 1.1% Sebastopol — New Zealand: 0.9%
China 1.3% / 0.3%
Mount Clear — China: 1.3% Sebastopol — China: 0.3%
Philippines 0.4% / 0.7%
Mount Clear — Philippines: 0.4% Sebastopol — Philippines: 0.7%
Netherlands — / 0.8%
Mount Clear — Netherlands: not among its largest Sebastopol — Netherlands: 0.8%
Pakistan 0.5% / —
Mount Clear — Pakistan: 0.5% Sebastopol — Pakistan: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mount Clear 75.1% houses
Mount Clear — Houses: 75.1% Mount Clear — Townhouses: 13.6% Mount Clear — Flats / Apartments: 11.3%
Sebastopol 72.8% houses
Sebastopol — Houses: 72.8% Sebastopol — Townhouses: 27.0% Sebastopol — Flats / Apartments: 0.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Median house price $575,000 $488,000
Median unit price $385,000 $390,000
Median land price $358,000 $294,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 63 sales
 27 days
from 106 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.

Mount Clear Sebastopol
2 bed $415K / $395K
Mount Clear — 2 bed: $415K (7 sales) Sebastopol — 2 bed: $395K (38 sales)

7 vs 38 sales

3 bed $535K / $480K
Mount Clear — 3 bed: $535K (71 sales) Sebastopol — 3 bed: $480K (217 sales)

71 vs 217 sales

4 bed $675K / $560K
Mount Clear — 4 bed: $675K (65 sales) Sebastopol — 4 bed: $560K (67 sales)

65 vs 67 sales

Zoning mix

Mount Clear has more rural and farming land (26% vs 3%).

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Residential 20% 73%
Parks and recreation 34% 11%
Rural and farming 26% 3%
Infrastructure and transport 15% 8%
Industrial 0% 3%
Environmental 3% 0%
Commercial 0% 2%
Other and special use 2% 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

Mount Clear Sebastopol
New dwellings approved 1,451
across Ballarat
same for both
Approvals change year on year +42%
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.

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Houses 3.4%
$450/wk on $682K
 4.2%
$440/wk on $550K
Units — 5.1%
$390/wk on $400K

Ranking within VIC

Mount Clear Sebastopol
House price Higher than 18% of VIC Higher than 12% of VIC
Income Higher than 43% of VIC Higher than 11% of VIC
Schools Higher than 65% of VIC Higher than 25% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 90% of VIC Higher than 94% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 79% of VIC Higher than 52% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 72% of VIC Higher than 34% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 99% of VIC Higher than 79% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 33% of VIC Higher than 77% of VIC
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 66% of VIC

Liveability

Mount Clear scores higher overall (60 vs 41); Sebastopol is more walkable (82 vs 69).

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Grade B C
Score 60/100 41/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Mount Clear carries more bushfire risk (35 vs 0); Sebastopol carries more crime risk (87 vs 59).

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Bushfire Low
35/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
59/100
 High
87/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
 8
within 5 km

Schools

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Inside the suburb 3 6
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 2
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Federation University Ballarat, 5.0 km
 1
Federation University Ballarat, 4.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.1% 1.1%

Schools in Mount Clear

  • Mount Clear Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Damascus College Catholic · Secondary below peers
  • Mount Clear College Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in Sebastopol

  • Ballarat Christian College Independent · Combined at peers
  • St James' School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Phoenix P-12 Community College Government · Combined below peers
  • Sebastopol Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Phoenix P-12 Community College-Redan Campus Government · Combined
  • Berry Street School - Ballarat Campus Independent · Secondary · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Supermarkets 1 4
Cafes & restaurants 1 2
Parks & reserves 6 9
Childcare 2 12
GPs 1 4
Pharmacies 1 2
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 0 4
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 5
same for both

Mobility

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Walkability score 69/100 82/100
Distance to Melbourne 118.2 km 119.8 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 90 min 93 min
Public transport score 76/100
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 38.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 58.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 3350
 0.4%
postcode 3356
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 30
postcode 3350
 31
postcode 3356

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.

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Car (driver) 71.3% / 79.7%
Mount Clear — Car (driver): 71.3% Sebastopol — Car (driver): 79.7%
Worked from Home 21.4% / 10.2%
Mount Clear — Worked from Home: 21.4% Sebastopol — Worked from Home: 10.2%
Car (passenger) 3.9% / 6.6%
Mount Clear — Car (passenger): 3.9% Sebastopol — Car (passenger): 6.6%
Walked Only 1.4% / 1.7%
Mount Clear — Walked Only: 1.4% Sebastopol — Walked Only: 1.7%
Bus 0.9% / 1.1%
Mount Clear — Bus: 0.9% Sebastopol — Bus: 1.1%

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

Setting

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Elevation 445 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 421 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Connectivity score 99/100 69/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 99%
1,635 premises
 45%
5,983 premises

Climate

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Annual rainfall 605 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Average residential rate $2,086/yr
same for both
Council Ballarat
same for both

Federal electorate

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Division Ballarat
same for both
Member Catherine King
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mount Clear Sebastopol
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mount Clear

Affordable Parks Quiet River

Sebastopol

Affordable Parks Regional Centre Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mount Clear

Mount Clear vs Canadian Mount Clear vs Mount Helen Mount Clear vs Mount Pleasant Mount Clear vs Magpie Mount Clear vs Navigators

Other comparisons with Sebastopol

Sebastopol vs Delacombe Sebastopol vs Redan Sebastopol vs Mount Pleasant Sebastopol vs Bonshaw Sebastopol vs Magpie Sebastopol vs Cambrian Hill
Full data on Mount Clear Full data on Sebastopol
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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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