Mount Macedon vs Woodend

Woodend is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 48 in Mount Macedon. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Mount Macedon, most households are couple families. In Woodend, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Mount Macedon: a median of $1.42 million, against $998,000 in Woodend, though rent is higher in Woodend. On these figures, Woodend tends to suit 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

Mount Macedon

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (21/100 vs 45/100)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • But Woodend has more childcare (4 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Woodend

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($737,500 vs $1,800,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($997,500 vs $1,420,500)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Mount Macedon

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (12% vs 19%)
  • has cheaper rent ($330/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Mount Macedon sits closer to the CBD (64.5 km vs 69.3 km)
  • Woodend is more walkable (63/100 vs 17/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Woodend

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (63/100 vs 17/100)
  • But Mount Macedon carries lower crime risk (21/100 vs 45/100)

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 Macedon returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.8% vs 3.2%)
  • Woodend is growing faster (15.9% vs 8.6%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Mount Macedon and Woodend 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 Macedon Woodend
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 Macedon Woodend
Walkability 17 / 63
Mount Macedon — Walkability: 17/100 Woodend — Walkability: 63/100
Safety 79 / 55
Mount Macedon — Safety: 79/100 Woodend — Safety: 55/100
Low fire risk 15 / 21
Mount Macedon — Low fire risk: 15/100 Woodend — Low fire risk: 21/100
Low flood risk 88 / 75
Mount Macedon — Low flood risk: 88/100 Woodend — Low flood risk: 75/100

Demographics

Woodend has more residents (6,732 vs 1,450); Mount Macedon has higher household incomes ($137,644 vs $109,408).

Mount Macedon Woodend
Population 1,450 6,732
+364% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.6% +15.9%
Median age 48 45
Median household income $137,644/yr
+21% vs other
 $109,408/yr
Median weekly rent $330/wk $400/wk
+21% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mount Macedon Woodend
0-4 6.1% / 4.9%
Mount Macedon — 0-4: 6.1% Woodend — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 13.3% / 14.4%
Mount Macedon — 5-14: 13.3% Woodend — 5-14: 14.4%
15-19 5.6% / 6.4%
Mount Macedon — 15-19: 5.6% Woodend — 15-19: 6.4%
20-24 2.1% / 3.3%
Mount Macedon — 20-24: 2.1% Woodend — 20-24: 3.3%
25-34 6.3% / 6.9%
Mount Macedon — 25-34: 6.3% Woodend — 25-34: 6.9%
35-44 12.1% / 12.7%
Mount Macedon — 35-44: 12.1% Woodend — 35-44: 12.7%
45-54 15.2% / 16.2%
Mount Macedon — 45-54: 15.2% Woodend — 45-54: 16.2%
55-64 16.8% / 13.2%
Mount Macedon — 55-64: 16.8% Woodend — 55-64: 13.2%
65-74 16.1% / 12.9%
Mount Macedon — 65-74: 16.1% Woodend — 65-74: 12.9%
75-84 6.6% / 6.8%
Mount Macedon — 75-84: 6.6% Woodend — 75-84: 6.8%
85+ 0.8% / 2.2%
Mount Macedon — 85+: 0.8% Woodend — 85+: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mount Macedon 60.1% couple families
Mount Macedon — Couple Families: 60.1% Mount Macedon — Lone Person: 28.4% Mount Macedon — One Parent Families: 8.3% Mount Macedon — Group Household: 3.2% Mount Macedon — Other Families: 0.0%
Woodend 50.2% couple families
Woodend — Couple Families: 50.2% Woodend — Lone Person: 30.4% Woodend — One Parent Families: 16.3% Woodend — Group Household: 2.3% Woodend — Other Families: 0.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mount Macedon 7.3% renting
Mount Macedon — Owned Outright: 45.5% Mount Macedon — Mortgage: 47.2% Mount Macedon — Renting: 7.3%
Woodend 15.9% renting
Woodend — Owned Outright: 41.9% Woodend — Mortgage: 42.1% Woodend — Renting: 15.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mount Macedon Woodend
Bachelor Degree 19.6% / 17.1%
Mount Macedon — Bachelor Degree: 19.6% Woodend — Bachelor Degree: 17.1%
Certificate III & IV 8.6% / 11.1%
Mount Macedon — Certificate III & IV: 8.6% Woodend — Certificate III & IV: 11.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.0% / 8.2%
Mount Macedon — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0% Woodend — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 9.5% / 7.4%
Mount Macedon — Postgraduate Degree: 9.5% Woodend — Postgraduate Degree: 7.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.7% / 4.1%
Mount Macedon — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.7% Woodend — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.6%).

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 Macedon Woodend
England 6.8% / 6.0%
Mount Macedon — England: 6.8% Woodend — England: 6.0%
New Zealand 1.7% / 1.2%
Mount Macedon — New Zealand: 1.7% Woodend — New Zealand: 1.2%
Scotland 0.8% / 0.7%
Mount Macedon — Scotland: 0.8% Woodend — Scotland: 0.7%
Netherlands 0.8% / 0.7%
Mount Macedon — Netherlands: 0.8% Woodend — Netherlands: 0.7%
Germany 0.4% / 0.8%
Mount Macedon — Germany: 0.4% Woodend — Germany: 0.8%
China 0.4% / —
Mount Macedon — China: 0.4% Woodend — China: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mount Macedon 98.4% houses
Mount Macedon — Houses: 98.4% Mount Macedon — Townhouses: 0.8% Mount Macedon — Flats / Apartments: 0.8%
Woodend 90.7% houses
Woodend — Houses: 90.7% Woodend — Townhouses: 8.9% Woodend — Flats / Apartments: 0.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mount Macedon Woodend
Median house price $1,420,500 $997,500
Median unit price — $730,000
Median land price $1,800,000 $737,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 56 days
from 14 sales
 54 days
from 95 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 Macedon Woodend
3 bed $1.27M / $840K
Mount Macedon — 3 bed: $1.27M (7 sales) Woodend — 3 bed: $840K (71 sales)

7 vs 71 sales

4 bed $1.33M / $1.15M
Mount Macedon — 4 bed: $1.33M (12 sales) Woodend — 4 bed: $1.15M (61 sales)

12 vs 61 sales

Zoning mix

Woodend has more land zoned for conservation (68% vs 48%); Woodend has more rural and farming land (12% vs 0%).

Mount Macedon Woodend
Environmental 48% 68%
Parks and recreation 49% 9%
Rural and farming 0% 12%
Residential 0% 6%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 5%
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 Macedon Woodend
New dwellings approved 331
across Macedon Ranges
same for both
Approvals change year on year +80%
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 Macedon Woodend
Houses 4.8%
$1,900/wk on $2.05M
 3.2%
$765/wk on $1.25M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Mount Macedon Woodend
House price — Higher than 64% of VIC
Income Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 11% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 78% of VIC Higher than 88% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 62% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 90% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 79% of VIC Higher than 76% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 21% of VIC

Liveability

Woodend is more walkable (63 vs 17); Mount Macedon scores higher overall (66 vs 46).

Mount Macedon Woodend
Grade B C
Score 66/100 46/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Woodend carries more crime risk (45 vs 21); Woodend carries more flood risk (25 vs 12).

Mount Macedon Woodend
Bushfire High
85/100
 High
79/100
Crime Low
21/100
 Moderate
45/100
Flood Low
12/100
 Low
25/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Mount Macedon Woodend
Inside the suburb 2 3
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Mount Macedon

  • Braemar College Independent · Combined above peers
  • Mount Macedon Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Woodend

  • Woodend Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Ambrose's School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Braemar College - Woodend Campus Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Mount Macedon Woodend
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 2
same for both
Parks & reserves 6 5
Childcare 1 4
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 0 1
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 13 7

Mobility

Woodend sits further from the CBD (69.3 km vs 64.5 km).

Mount Macedon Woodend
Walkability score 17/100 63/100
Distance to Melbourne 64.5 km 69.3 km
+7% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 56 min
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.2%
postcode 3441
 1.6%
postcode 3442
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 32
postcode 3441
 58
postcode 3442

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 Macedon Woodend
Car (driver) 49.0% / 49.8%
Mount Macedon — Car (driver): 49.0% Woodend — Car (driver): 49.8%
Worked from Home 43.4% / 40.8%
Mount Macedon — Worked from Home: 43.4% Woodend — Worked from Home: 40.8%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 3.8%
Mount Macedon — Car (passenger): 4.5% Woodend — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Walked Only 2.5% / 2.4%
Mount Macedon — Walked Only: 2.5% Woodend — Walked Only: 2.4%
Train 0.7% / 2.5%
Mount Macedon — Train: 0.7% Woodend — Train: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (49.8%).

Setting

Mount Macedon Woodend
Elevation 690 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 568 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Mount Macedon Woodend
Connectivity score 69/100 65/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 51%
655 premises
 44%
3,120 premises

Climate

Mount Macedon Woodend
Annual rainfall 778 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Mount Macedon Woodend
Average residential rate $2,065/yr
same for both
Council Macedon Ranges
same for both

Federal electorate

Mount Macedon Woodend
Division Mcewen
same for both
Member Rob Mitchell
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Mount Macedon

Acreage Parks Premium Professionals Quiet River

Woodend

Acreage Professionals Trains

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mount Macedon

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Other comparisons with Woodend

Woodend vs Macedon Woodend vs Bullengarook Woodend vs Tylden Woodend vs Newham Woodend vs Carlsruhe Woodend vs Woodend North
Full data on Mount Macedon Full data on Woodend
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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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