Mulgrave vs Dandenong North

In both, most households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Mulgrave: a median of $1.1 million, against $790,000 in Dandenong North, and rent is higher there too. Mulgrave is closer to the city centre: 27.2 km, against 33.8 km. On these figures, Dandenong North tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

Mulgrave and Dandenong North offer quite different profiles. Mulgrave has significantly higher household incomes ($99,476 vs $74,672), stronger property values across both houses and units, and a higher liveability score of 75 compared to 60. Dandenong North is closer to the CBD at 33.8 km versus 27.2 km, and notably more walkable with a score of 85 against Mulgrave's 62, though it carries higher flood risk at 72 compared to 36. Mulgrave suits buyers prioritising affluence and stability, while Dandenong North appeals to those valuing walkability and proximity to the city centre.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

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

Dandenong North

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 10)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (7 vs 5)
  • has more childcare (17 vs 13)
  • But Mulgrave has more schools rated above their peers (4 vs 2)

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

First-home buyers

Dandenong North

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($757,500 vs $1,492,500)
  • has cheaper houses ($790,500 vs $1,103,500)
  • has cheaper units ($590,000 vs $788,800)

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

Renters

Dandenong North

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($341/wk vs $430/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

  • Mulgrave sits closer to the CBD (27.2 km vs 33.8 km)
  • Dandenong North is more walkable (85/100 vs 62/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Dandenong North

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (85/100 vs 62/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (65/100 vs 76/100)

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

Investors

Dandenong North

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on units (4.7% vs 4.2%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mulgrave Dandenong North
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.

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Walkability 62 / 85
Mulgrave — Walkability: 62/100 Dandenong North — Walkability: 85/100
Safety 24 / 35
Mulgrave — Safety: 24/100 Dandenong North — Safety: 35/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Mulgrave — Low fire risk: 100/100 Dandenong North — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 65 / 30
Mulgrave — Low flood risk: 65/100 Dandenong North — Low flood risk: 30/100

Demographics

Mulgrave has higher household incomes ($99,476 vs $74,672); Mulgrave rents higher ($430/wk vs $341/wk).

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Population 19,889 22,550
+13% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.7% +0.4%
Median age 40 38
Median household income $99,476/yr
+25% vs other
 $74,672/yr
Median weekly rent $430/wk
+21% vs other
 $341/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mulgrave Dandenong North
0-4 5.5% / 5.9%
Mulgrave — 0-4: 5.5% Dandenong North — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 12.2% / 11.6%
Mulgrave — 5-14: 12.2% Dandenong North — 5-14: 11.6%
15-19 5.3% / 5.9%
Mulgrave — 15-19: 5.3% Dandenong North — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 5.7% / 6.0%
Mulgrave — 20-24: 5.7% Dandenong North — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 13.6% / 14.9%
Mulgrave — 25-34: 13.6% Dandenong North — 25-34: 14.9%
35-44 14.6% / 13.9%
Mulgrave — 35-44: 14.6% Dandenong North — 35-44: 13.9%
45-54 13.1% / 12.2%
Mulgrave — 45-54: 13.1% Dandenong North — 45-54: 12.2%
55-64 10.4% / 11.2%
Mulgrave — 55-64: 10.4% Dandenong North — 55-64: 11.2%
65-74 9.9% / 10.0%
Mulgrave — 65-74: 9.9% Dandenong North — 65-74: 10.0%
75-84 7.1% / 6.1%
Mulgrave — 75-84: 7.1% Dandenong North — 75-84: 6.1%
85+ 2.6% / 2.4%
Mulgrave — 85+: 2.6% Dandenong North — 85+: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mulgrave 54.5% couple families
Mulgrave — Couple Families: 54.5% Mulgrave — Lone Person: 23.5% Mulgrave — One Parent Families: 15.3% Mulgrave — Group Household: 4.6% Mulgrave — Other Families: 2.1%
Dandenong North 47.7% couple families
Dandenong North — Couple Families: 47.7% Dandenong North — Lone Person: 26.9% Dandenong North — One Parent Families: 18.9% Dandenong North — Group Household: 4.7% Dandenong North — Other Families: 1.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mulgrave 23.0% renting
Mulgrave — Owned Outright: 39.1% Mulgrave — Mortgage: 37.9% Mulgrave — Renting: 23.0%
Dandenong North 28.9% renting
Dandenong North — Owned Outright: 36.1% Dandenong North — Mortgage: 35.0% Dandenong North — Renting: 28.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Bachelor Degree 17.3% / 11.0%
Mulgrave — Bachelor Degree: 17.3% Dandenong North — Bachelor Degree: 11.0%
Certificate III & IV 9.3% / 10.9%
Mulgrave — Certificate III & IV: 9.3% Dandenong North — Certificate III & IV: 10.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 7.9%
Mulgrave — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Dandenong North — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.9%
Postgraduate Degree 7.4% / 3.9%
Mulgrave — Postgraduate Degree: 7.4% Dandenong North — Postgraduate Degree: 3.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 1.2%
Mulgrave — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Dandenong North — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.3%).

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.

Mulgrave Dandenong North
India 5.2% / 6.4%
Mulgrave — India: 5.2% Dandenong North — India: 6.4%
Sri Lanka 5.0% / 6.4%
Mulgrave — Sri Lanka: 5.0% Dandenong North — Sri Lanka: 6.4%
China 6.2% / 1.8%
Mulgrave — China: 6.2% Dandenong North — China: 1.8%
Vietnam 3.0% / 2.8%
Mulgrave — Vietnam: 3.0% Dandenong North — Vietnam: 2.8%
Afghanistan — / 3.6%
Mulgrave — Afghanistan: not among its largest Dandenong North — Afghanistan: 3.6%
Malaysia 3.1% / —
Mulgrave — Malaysia: 3.1% Dandenong North — Malaysia: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mulgrave 83.0% houses
Mulgrave — Houses: 83.0% Mulgrave — Townhouses: 16.4% Mulgrave — Flats / Apartments: 0.5%
Dandenong North 85.5% houses
Dandenong North — Houses: 85.5% Dandenong North — Townhouses: 11.2% Dandenong North — Flats / Apartments: 3.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Median house price $1,103,500 $790,500
Median unit price $788,800 $590,000
Median land price $1,492,500 $757,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 276 sales
 24 days
from 234 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Mulgrave Dandenong North
2 bed $690K / $520K
Mulgrave — 2 bed: $690K (13 sales) Dandenong North — 2 bed: $520K (55 sales)

13 vs 55 sales

3 bed $823K / $660K
Mulgrave — 3 bed: $823K (20 sales) Dandenong North — 3 bed: $660K (37 sales)

20 vs 37 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.

Mulgrave Dandenong North
2 bed $750K / $675K
Mulgrave — 2 bed: $750K (7 sales) Dandenong North — 2 bed: $675K (14 sales)

7 vs 14 sales

3 bed $1.01M / $755K
Mulgrave — 3 bed: $1.01M (210 sales) Dandenong North — 3 bed: $755K (237 sales)

210 vs 237 sales

4 bed $1.2M / $888K
Mulgrave — 4 bed: $1.2M (146 sales) Dandenong North — 4 bed: $888K (111 sales)

146 vs 111 sales

5 bed $1.36M / $910K
Mulgrave — 5 bed: $1.36M (35 sales) Dandenong North — 5 bed: $910K (20 sales)

35 vs 20 sales

Zoning mix

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Residential 57% 66%
Infrastructure and transport 14% 32%
Other and special use 17% 0%
Parks and recreation 5% 2%
Industrial 3% 0%
Commercial 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

Mulgrave Dandenong North
New dwellings approved 1,233
across Monash
 594
across Greater Dandenong
Approvals change year on year -4% -34%

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.

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Houses 3.7%
$730/wk on $1.01M
 4.0%
$600/wk on $788K
Units 4.2%
$570/wk on $702K
 4.7%
$520/wk on $576K

Ranking within VIC

Mulgrave Dandenong North
House price Higher than 73% of VIC Higher than 50% of VIC
Income Higher than 72% of VIC Higher than 40% of VIC
Schools Higher than 97% of VIC Higher than 62% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 88% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 31% of VIC Higher than 38% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 100% of VIC Higher than 75% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 89% of VIC Higher than 84% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 50% of VIC Higher than 66% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 16% of VIC Higher than 45% of VIC

Liveability

Mulgrave scores higher overall (74 vs 51); Dandenong North is more walkable (85 vs 62).

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Grade A B
Score 74/100 51/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Dandenong North carries more flood risk (70 vs 35); Mulgrave carries more crime risk (76 vs 65).

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
76/100
 Moderate
65/100
Flood Low
35/100
 High
70/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 17
within 5 km
 7
within 5 km

Schools

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Inside the suburb 5 7
Rated above peers 4 2
Rated at peers 1 2
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 1
Monash Clayton, 4.1 km
 1
Monash Clayton, 8.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.3% 2.5%

Schools in Mulgrave

  • Mazenod College Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • Mulgrave Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • St John Vianney's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Wellington Secondary College Government · Secondary above peers
  • Albany Rise Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Dandenong North

  • Lyndale Greens Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Lyndale Secondary College Government · Secondary above peers
  • Rosewood Downs Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Wooranna Park Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Elizabeth's School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • SEDA College (Victoria) - Basketball - Dandenong Independent · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Supermarkets 4 1
Cafes & restaurants 18 5
Parks & reserves 10 16
Childcare 13 17
GPs 4 5
Pharmacies 5 4
Hospitals 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 5 2
Fuel stations 3 2
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 5 1

Mobility

Dandenong North sits further from the CBD (33.8 km vs 27.2 km).

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Walkability score 62/100 85/100
Distance to Melbourne 27.2 km 33.8 km
+24% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 33 min 35 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 94/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 439.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 227.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 3.7%
postcode 3170
 1.0%
postcode 3175
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 35
postcode 3170
 29
postcode 3175

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.

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Car (driver) 60.3% / 71.0%
Mulgrave — Car (driver): 60.3% Dandenong North — Car (driver): 71.0%
Worked from Home 31.0% / 18.3%
Mulgrave — Worked from Home: 31.0% Dandenong North — Worked from Home: 18.3%
Car (passenger) 3.6% / 5.6%
Mulgrave — Car (passenger): 3.6% Dandenong North — Car (passenger): 5.6%
Train 2.4% / 2.3%
Mulgrave — Train: 2.4% Dandenong North — Train: 2.3%
Bus 1.5% / 2.2%
Mulgrave — Bus: 1.5% Dandenong North — Bus: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.0%).

Setting

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Elevation 92 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 62 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 12.1 km 12.6 km

NBN connectivity

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Connectivity score 79/100 75/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 15%
8,782 premises
 1%
8,768 premises

Climate

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Annual rainfall 781 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Mulgrave Dandenong North
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.98 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Average residential rate $1,697/yr $2,123/yr
Council Monash Greater Dandenong

Federal electorate

Mulgrave Dandenong North
Division Hotham Bruce
Member Clare O'Neil Julian Hill
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Mulgrave

Multicultural Outer

Dandenong North

Easy Commute Multicultural Outer Parks Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mulgrave

Mulgrave vs Glen Waverley Mulgrave vs Rowville Mulgrave vs Springvale Mulgrave vs Wheelers Hill Mulgrave vs Clayton Mulgrave vs Noble Park North

Other comparisons with Dandenong North

Dandenong North vs Rowville Dandenong North vs Dandenong Dandenong North vs Endeavour Hills Dandenong North vs Doveton Dandenong North vs Noble Park North
Full data on Mulgrave Full data on Dandenong North
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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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