Nariel Valley vs Thowgla Valley

Nariel Valley is the younger of the two, with a median age of 52 against 57 in Thowgla Valley. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. On these figures, Nariel Valley tends to suit people living alone, while Thowgla Valley suits 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

Nariel Valley

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (114% vs 100%)
  • But Thowgla Valley is already more of a family suburb (79% vs 60%)

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

First-home buyers

Nariel Valley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (1% vs 21%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Thowgla Valley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($130/wk vs $165/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Thowgla Valley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (317 min vs 398 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (454.7 km vs 496.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Thowgla Valley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (36% vs 25%)

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

Investors

Nariel Valley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (-3.3% vs -14.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
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.

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
Walkability 0 / 0
Nariel Valley — Walkability: 0/100 Thowgla Valley — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 82 / 79
Nariel Valley — Safety: 82/100 Thowgla Valley — Safety: 79/100
Low fire risk 10 / 3
Nariel Valley — Low fire risk: 10/100 Thowgla Valley — Low fire risk: 3/100
Low flood risk 68 / 45
Nariel Valley — Low flood risk: 68/100 Thowgla Valley — Low flood risk: 45/100

Demographics

Nariel Valley rents higher ($165/wk vs $130/wk); Nariel Valley has higher household incomes ($81,224 vs $71,500).

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
Population 87
+20% vs other
 70
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.3% -14.6%
Median age 52 57
Median household income $81,224/yr
+12% vs other
 $71,500/yr
Median weekly rent $165/wk
+21% vs other
 $130/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
0-4 6.9% / —
Nariel Valley — 0-4: 6.9% Thowgla Valley — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 9.2% / 12.9%
Nariel Valley — 5-14: 9.2% Thowgla Valley — 5-14: 12.9%
15-19 9.2% / 4.3%
Nariel Valley — 15-19: 9.2% Thowgla Valley — 15-19: 4.3%
20-24 8.0% / 8.6%
Nariel Valley — 20-24: 8.0% Thowgla Valley — 20-24: 8.6%
25-34 — / 8.6%
Nariel Valley — 25-34: not among its largest Thowgla Valley — 25-34: 8.6%
35-44 6.9% / 5.7%
Nariel Valley — 35-44: 6.9% Thowgla Valley — 35-44: 5.7%
45-54 23.0% / 8.6%
Nariel Valley — 45-54: 23.0% Thowgla Valley — 45-54: 8.6%
55-64 16.1% / 18.6%
Nariel Valley — 55-64: 16.1% Thowgla Valley — 55-64: 18.6%
65-74 12.6% / 28.6%
Nariel Valley — 65-74: 12.6% Thowgla Valley — 65-74: 28.6%
75-84 9.2% / 7.1%
Nariel Valley — 75-84: 9.2% Thowgla Valley — 75-84: 7.1%
85+ 3.4% / —
Nariel Valley — 85+: 3.4% Thowgla Valley — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (28.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Nariel Valley 60.0% couple families
Nariel Valley — Couple Families: 60.0% Nariel Valley — Lone Person: 40.0% Nariel Valley — One Parent Families: 0.0%
Thowgla Valley 57.9% couple families
Thowgla Valley — Couple Families: 57.9% Thowgla Valley — Lone Person: 21.1% Thowgla Valley — One Parent Families: 21.1%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Nariel Valley 16.0% renting
Nariel Valley — Owned Outright: 68.0% Nariel Valley — Mortgage: 16.0% Nariel Valley — Renting: 16.0%
Thowgla Valley 0.0% renting
Thowgla Valley — Owned Outright: 100.0% Thowgla Valley — Mortgage: 0.0% Thowgla Valley — Renting: 0.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Nariel Valley 114.3% houses
Nariel Valley — Houses: 114.3%
Thowgla Valley 100.0% houses
Thowgla Valley — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Qualifications

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

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
Certificate III & IV 25.3% / 27.1%
Nariel Valley — Certificate III & IV: 25.3% Thowgla Valley — Certificate III & IV: 27.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.7% / 8.6%
Nariel Valley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7% Thowgla Valley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6%
Bachelor Degree 5.7% / 5.7%
Nariel Valley — Bachelor Degree: 5.7% Thowgla Valley — Bachelor Degree: 5.7%
Postgraduate Degree 3.4% / —
Nariel Valley — Postgraduate Degree: 3.4% Thowgla Valley — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.4% / —
Nariel Valley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.4% Thowgla Valley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.1%).

Zoning mix

Thowgla Valley has more rural and farming land (46% vs 6%).

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
Parks and recreation 94% 54%
Rural and farming 6% 46%
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

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
New dwellings approved 19
across Towong
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 49% of VIC Higher than 34% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 25% of VIC Higher than 17% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption —
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 14% of VIC Higher than 20% of VIC

Liveability

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
same for both

Risk profile

Thowgla Valley carries more flood risk (55 vs 32).

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
Bushfire High
90/100
 High
97/100
Crime Low
18/100
 Low
21/100
Flood Low
32/100
 Moderate
55/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
Parks & reserves 6 0
Waterways 35 2

Mobility

Nariel Valley sits further from the CBD (496.1 km vs 454.7 km).

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 496.1 km
+8% vs other
 454.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 398 min 317 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 3707
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 71
postcode 3707
same for both

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.

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
Car (driver) 67.4% / 66.7%
Nariel Valley — Car (driver): 67.4% Thowgla Valley — Car (driver): 66.7%
Worked from Home 32.6% / 33.3%
Nariel Valley — Worked from Home: 32.6% Thowgla Valley — Worked from Home: 33.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.4%).

Setting

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
Elevation 868 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 414 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
Connectivity score 17/100 22/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster)
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
49 premises
 0%
36 premises

Climate

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
Annual rainfall 947 mm 1,406 mm
Summer max (Jan) 29.0°C 16.1°C
Winter min (Jul) 2.9°C -4.1°C

Council rates

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
Average residential rate $1,875/yr
same for both
Council Towong
same for both

Federal electorate

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
Division Indi
same for both
Member Helen Haines
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Nariel Valley Thowgla Valley
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Nariel Valley

Retirees Rural

Thowgla Valley

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Nariel Valley

Nariel Valley vs Cudgewa Nariel Valley vs Benambra Nariel Valley vs Dartmouth Nariel Valley vs Biggara Nariel Valley vs Colac Colac

Other comparisons with Thowgla Valley

Thowgla Valley vs Corryong Thowgla Valley vs Towong Thowgla Valley vs Biggara Thowgla Valley vs Colac Colac
Full data on Nariel Valley Full data on Thowgla Valley
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or