Narre Warren East vs Harkaway

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Narre Warren East: a median of $1.75 million, against $1.32 million in Harkaway, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Harkaway tends to suit families with children 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

Harkaway

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (4 vs 1)
  • carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 59/100)

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

First-home buyers

Harkaway

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (19% vs 25%)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,322,500 vs $1,750,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Harkaway

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (13% vs 22%)
  • has cheaper rent ($375/wk vs $565/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Narre Warren East

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (43.5 km vs 46.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Harkaway

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 59/100)

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

Investors

Harkaway

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (19.1% vs 3.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Narre Warren East and Harkaway drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Narre Warren East Harkaway
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.

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Walkability 20 / 13
Narre Warren East — Walkability: 20/100 Harkaway — Walkability: 13/100
Safety 41 / 66
Narre Warren East — Safety: 41/100 Harkaway — Safety: 66/100
Low fire risk 21 / 23
Narre Warren East — Low fire risk: 21/100 Harkaway — Low fire risk: 23/100
Low flood risk 51 / 65
Narre Warren East — Low flood risk: 51/100 Harkaway — Low flood risk: 65/100

Demographics

Harkaway has more residents (1,011 vs 434); Narre Warren East rents higher ($565/wk vs $375/wk).

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Population 434 1,011
+133% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.6% +19.1%
Median age 42 40
Median household income $132,600/yr $145,860/yr
+10% vs other
Median weekly rent $565/wk
+34% vs other
 $375/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Narre Warren East Harkaway
0-4 2.3% / 4.6%
Narre Warren East — 0-4: 2.3% Harkaway — 0-4: 4.6%
5-14 13.1% / 16.7%
Narre Warren East — 5-14: 13.1% Harkaway — 5-14: 16.7%
15-19 6.7% / 7.9%
Narre Warren East — 15-19: 6.7% Harkaway — 15-19: 7.9%
20-24 8.5% / 7.4%
Narre Warren East — 20-24: 8.5% Harkaway — 20-24: 7.4%
25-34 11.5% / 7.3%
Narre Warren East — 25-34: 11.5% Harkaway — 25-34: 7.3%
35-44 12.4% / 11.9%
Narre Warren East — 35-44: 12.4% Harkaway — 35-44: 11.9%
45-54 14.7% / 16.0%
Narre Warren East — 45-54: 14.7% Harkaway — 45-54: 16.0%
55-64 16.1% / 13.7%
Narre Warren East — 55-64: 16.1% Harkaway — 55-64: 13.7%
65-74 9.0% / 9.2%
Narre Warren East — 65-74: 9.0% Harkaway — 65-74: 9.2%
75-84 3.9% / 4.7%
Narre Warren East — 75-84: 3.9% Harkaway — 75-84: 4.7%
85+ 1.6% / 1.0%
Narre Warren East — 85+: 1.6% Harkaway — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Narre Warren East 71.9% couple families
Narre Warren East — Couple Families: 71.9% Narre Warren East — Lone Person: 15.6% Narre Warren East — One Parent Families: 12.5% Narre Warren East — Group Household: 0.0%
Harkaway 72.4% couple families
Harkaway — Couple Families: 72.4% Harkaway — Lone Person: 13.1% Harkaway — One Parent Families: 13.1% Harkaway — Group Household: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Narre Warren East 8.1% renting
Narre Warren East — Owned Outright: 50.8% Narre Warren East — Mortgage: 41.1% Narre Warren East — Renting: 8.1%
Harkaway 6.3% renting
Harkaway — Owned Outright: 47.9% Harkaway — Mortgage: 45.8% Harkaway — Renting: 6.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Certificate III & IV 17.7% / 13.6%
Narre Warren East — Certificate III & IV: 17.7% Harkaway — Certificate III & IV: 13.6%
Bachelor Degree 15.2% / 15.0%
Narre Warren East — Bachelor Degree: 15.2% Harkaway — Bachelor Degree: 15.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 8.7%
Narre Warren East — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Harkaway — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.5% / 2.4%
Narre Warren East — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5% Harkaway — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4%
Postgraduate Degree 1.2% / 4.2%
Narre Warren East — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2% Harkaway — Postgraduate Degree: 4.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.7%).

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.

Narre Warren East Harkaway
England 2.1% / 3.6%
Narre Warren East — England: 2.1% Harkaway — England: 3.6%
China 3.0% / 0.7%
Narre Warren East — China: 3.0% Harkaway — China: 0.7%
South Africa 0.9% / 0.9%
Narre Warren East — South Africa: 0.9% Harkaway — South Africa: 0.9%
India 0.9% / 0.7%
Narre Warren East — India: 0.9% Harkaway — India: 0.7%
Italy 1.4% / —
Narre Warren East — Italy: 1.4% Harkaway — Italy: not among its largest
Canada 1.4% / —
Narre Warren East — Canada: 1.4% Harkaway — Canada: not among its largest
Afghanistan — / 0.9%
Narre Warren East — Afghanistan: not among its largest Harkaway — Afghanistan: 0.9%
Singapore — / 0.8%
Narre Warren East — Singapore: not among its largest Harkaway — Singapore: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Narre Warren East 98.5% houses
Narre Warren East — Houses: 98.5% Narre Warren East — Flats / Apartments: 1.5%
Harkaway 100.3% houses
Harkaway — Houses: 100.3% Harkaway — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Median house price $1,750,000 $1,322,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 70 days
from 4 sales

Zoning mix

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Rural and farming 86% 93%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 2%
Environmental 5% 0%
Residential 0% 4%
Parks and recreation 3% 1%
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

Narre Warren East Harkaway
New dwellings approved 416
across Yarra Ranges
 3,412
across Casey
Approvals change year on year -57% -15%

Ranking within VIC

Narre Warren East Harkaway
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 95% of VIC Higher than 98% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 79% of VIC Higher than 75% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 86% of VIC Higher than 92% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 56% of VIC Higher than 72% of VIC

Liveability

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Grade — B
Score — 56/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Narre Warren East carries more crime risk (59 vs 34); Narre Warren East carries more flood risk (49 vs 35).

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Bushfire High
79/100
 High
77/100
Crime Moderate
59/100
 Low
34/100
Flood Moderate
49/100
 Low
35/100
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

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 1
Federation University Berwick, 8.6 km
 1
Federation University Berwick, 5.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.5% 2.9%

Schools in Narre Warren East

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Harkaway

  • Harkaway Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Parks & reserves 1 4
Childcare 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Waterways 4 6

Mobility

Harkaway sits further from the CBD (46.9 km vs 43.5 km).

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Walkability score 20/100 13/100
Distance to Melbourne 43.5 km 46.9 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 46 min 50 min
Electric vehicle share 1.4%
postcode 3804
 1.8%
postcode 3806
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 61
postcode 3804
 50
postcode 3806

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.

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Car (driver) 65.4% / 63.5%
Narre Warren East — Car (driver): 65.4% Harkaway — Car (driver): 63.5%
Worked from Home 29.3% / 29.3%
Narre Warren East — Worked from Home: 29.3% Harkaway — Worked from Home: 29.3%
Car (passenger) 3.8% / 4.7%
Narre Warren East — Car (passenger): 3.8% Harkaway — Car (passenger): 4.7%
Walked Only 1.4% / 0.6%
Narre Warren East — Walked Only: 1.4% Harkaway — Walked Only: 0.6%
Train — / 1.1%
Narre Warren East — Train: not among its largest Harkaway — Train: 1.1%
Bus — / 0.9%
Narre Warren East — Bus: not among its largest Harkaway — Bus: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (65.4%).

Setting

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Elevation 128 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 199 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 23.7 km 22.6 km

NBN connectivity

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Connectivity score 30/100 34/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
153 premises
 7%
269 premises

Climate

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Annual rainfall 781 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Narre Warren East Harkaway
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

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Average residential rate $2,161/yr $1,767/yr
Council Yarra Ranges Casey

Federal electorate

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Division Casey Bruce
Member Aaron Violi Julian Hill
Party Liberal Australian Labor Party

First Home Owner Grant

Narre Warren East Harkaway
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Narre Warren East

Acreage Outer

Harkaway

Acreage Outer Premium

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Narre Warren East

Narre Warren East vs Narre Warren North Narre Warren East vs Lysterfield Narre Warren East vs Emerald Narre Warren East vs Beaconsfield Upper Narre Warren East vs Belgrave South

Other comparisons with Harkaway

Harkaway vs Berwick Harkaway vs Narre Warren North Harkaway vs Beaconsfield Upper Harkaway vs Guys Hill
Full data on Narre Warren East Full data on Harkaway
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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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