Mount Dandenong vs Sassafras

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. On these figures, Mount Dandenong tends to suit 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

Sassafras

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

Mount Dandenong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (1.6% vs -8.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Mount Dandenong and Sassafras 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 Dandenong Sassafras
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 Dandenong Sassafras
Walkability 40 / 45
Mount Dandenong — Walkability: 40/100 Sassafras — Walkability: 45/100
Safety 64 / 69
Mount Dandenong — Safety: 64/100 Sassafras — Safety: 69/100
Low fire risk 23 / 17
Mount Dandenong — Low fire risk: 23/100 Sassafras — Low fire risk: 17/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Mount Dandenong — Low flood risk: 100/100 Sassafras — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Mount Dandenong has more residents (1,271 vs 970); Sassafras skews older (47 vs 45).

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
Population 1,271
+24% vs other
 970
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.6% -8.6%
Median age 45 47
Median household income $106,860/yr $111,644/yr
+4% vs other
Median weekly rent $415/wk
+1% vs other
 $410/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
0-4 4.4% / 3.4%
Mount Dandenong — 0-4: 4.4% Sassafras — 0-4: 3.4%
5-14 12.7% / 11.3%
Mount Dandenong — 5-14: 12.7% Sassafras — 5-14: 11.3%
15-19 5.1% / 7.7%
Mount Dandenong — 15-19: 5.1% Sassafras — 15-19: 7.7%
20-24 5.2% / 4.3%
Mount Dandenong — 20-24: 5.2% Sassafras — 20-24: 4.3%
25-34 8.9% / 8.9%
Mount Dandenong — 25-34: 8.9% Sassafras — 25-34: 8.9%
35-44 12.7% / 10.8%
Mount Dandenong — 35-44: 12.7% Sassafras — 35-44: 10.8%
45-54 13.5% / 16.6%
Mount Dandenong — 45-54: 13.5% Sassafras — 45-54: 16.6%
55-64 14.6% / 16.6%
Mount Dandenong — 55-64: 14.6% Sassafras — 55-64: 16.6%
65-74 13.1% / 13.9%
Mount Dandenong — 65-74: 13.1% Sassafras — 65-74: 13.9%
75-84 6.8% / 4.4%
Mount Dandenong — 75-84: 6.8% Sassafras — 75-84: 4.4%
85+ 2.0% / 0.9%
Mount Dandenong — 85+: 2.0% Sassafras — 85+: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mount Dandenong 49.4% couple families
Mount Dandenong — Couple Families: 49.4% Mount Dandenong — Lone Person: 31.9% Mount Dandenong — One Parent Families: 14.2% Mount Dandenong — Group Household: 4.5% Mount Dandenong — Other Families: 0.0%
Sassafras 52.2% couple families
Sassafras — Couple Families: 52.2% Sassafras — Lone Person: 23.7% Sassafras — One Parent Families: 18.8% Sassafras — Group Household: 3.7% Sassafras — Other Families: 1.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mount Dandenong 9.2% renting
Mount Dandenong — Owned Outright: 40.8% Mount Dandenong — Mortgage: 50.0% Mount Dandenong — Renting: 9.2%
Sassafras 9.6% renting
Sassafras — Owned Outright: 41.3% Sassafras — Mortgage: 49.2% Sassafras — Renting: 9.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
Bachelor Degree 16.2% / 18.1%
Mount Dandenong — Bachelor Degree: 16.2% Sassafras — Bachelor Degree: 18.1%
Certificate III & IV 13.7% / 11.5%
Mount Dandenong — Certificate III & IV: 13.7% Sassafras — Certificate III & IV: 11.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.6% / 9.7%
Mount Dandenong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.6% Sassafras — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7%
Postgraduate Degree 6.1% / 7.0%
Mount Dandenong — Postgraduate Degree: 6.1% Sassafras — Postgraduate Degree: 7.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 5.2% / 4.1%
Mount Dandenong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 5.2% Sassafras — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.1%).

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 Dandenong Sassafras
England 7.6% / 7.3%
Mount Dandenong — England: 7.6% Sassafras — England: 7.3%
Netherlands 1.3% / 0.4%
Mount Dandenong — Netherlands: 1.3% Sassafras — Netherlands: 0.4%
Germany 0.9% / 0.8%
Mount Dandenong — Germany: 0.9% Sassafras — Germany: 0.8%
South Africa 0.8% / 0.9%
Mount Dandenong — South Africa: 0.8% Sassafras — South Africa: 0.9%
New Zealand — / 1.1%
Mount Dandenong — New Zealand: not among its largest Sassafras — New Zealand: 1.1%
China — / 0.8%
Mount Dandenong — China: not among its largest Sassafras — China: 0.8%
Canada 0.6% / —
Mount Dandenong — Canada: 0.6% Sassafras — Canada: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mount Dandenong 98.3% houses
Mount Dandenong — Houses: 98.3% Mount Dandenong — Townhouses: 1.7% Mount Dandenong — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Sassafras 98.6% houses
Sassafras — Houses: 98.6% Sassafras — Townhouses: 0.0% Sassafras — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
Median house price $1,007,500 $957,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 50 days
from 9 sales
 32 days
from 4 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 Dandenong Sassafras
3 bed $932K / $942K
Mount Dandenong — 3 bed: $932K (18 sales) Sassafras — 3 bed: $942K (16 sales)

18 vs 16 sales

4 bed $1.19M / $1.08M
Mount Dandenong — 4 bed: $1.19M (21 sales) Sassafras — 4 bed: $1.08M (6 sales)

21 vs 6 sales

Zoning mix

Sassafras has more rural and farming land (44% vs 33%).

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
Parks and recreation 64% 47%
Rural and farming 33% 44%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 7%
Other and special use 0% 2%
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 Dandenong Sassafras
New dwellings approved 416
across Yarra Ranges
same for both
Approvals change year on year -57%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
House price Higher than 77% of VIC Higher than 65% of VIC
Income Higher than 79% of VIC Higher than 84% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 85% of VIC
same for both
Affordability Higher than 31% of VIC Higher than 63% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 91% of VIC Higher than 94% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 97% of VIC Higher than 88% of VIC

Liveability

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
Grade B
same for both
Score 67/100
same for both
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
Bushfire High
77/100
 High
83/100
Crime Low
36/100
 Low
31/100
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 8
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Mount Dandenong

  • Mount Dandenong Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Sassafras

  • Sherbrooke Community School Government · Combined above peers
  • Sassafras Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
Cafes & restaurants 2 7
Parks & reserves 4 6
Childcare 2
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Waterways 3 11

Mobility

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
Walkability score 40/100 45/100
Distance to Melbourne 47.4 km
+4% vs other
 45.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 55 min 52 min
Public transport score 77/100
Bus
 75/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 40.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 28.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.6%
postcode 3767
 2.0%
postcode 3787
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 19
postcode 3767
 24
postcode 3787

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 Dandenong Sassafras
Car (driver) 59.4% / 53.8%
Mount Dandenong — Car (driver): 59.4% Sassafras — Car (driver): 53.8%
Worked from Home 35.1% / 38.2%
Mount Dandenong — Worked from Home: 35.1% Sassafras — Worked from Home: 38.2%
Car (passenger) 2.9% / 3.7%
Mount Dandenong — Car (passenger): 2.9% Sassafras — Car (passenger): 3.7%
Train 0.7% / 3.0%
Mount Dandenong — Train: 0.7% Sassafras — Train: 3.0%
Walked Only 1.1% / 1.4%
Mount Dandenong — Walked Only: 1.1% Sassafras — Walked Only: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (59.4%).

Setting

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
Elevation 586 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 468 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 30.2 km 28.1 km

NBN connectivity

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
Connectivity score 94/100 78/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 70%
583 premises
 50%
502 premises

Climate

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
Annual rainfall 777 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.3°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 15.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
Average residential rate $2,161/yr
same for both
Council Yarra Ranges
same for both

Federal electorate

Mount Dandenong Sassafras
Division Casey
same for both
Member Aaron Violi
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Mount Dandenong

Acreage Outer Professionals Quiet

Sassafras

Acreage Outer River Village Feel

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mount Dandenong

Mount Dandenong vs Montrose Mount Dandenong vs The Basin Mount Dandenong vs Olinda Mount Dandenong vs Kalorama

Other comparisons with Sassafras

Sassafras vs The Basin Sassafras vs Olinda Sassafras vs Ferny Creek Sassafras vs Sherbrooke Sassafras vs Tremont
Full data on Mount Dandenong Full data on Sassafras
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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