Nathalia vs Picola

Nathalia is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 57 in Picola. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Picola: a median of $810,000, against $395,000 in Nathalia, though rent is higher in Nathalia. On these figures, Nathalia 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

Nathalia

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (49/100 vs 63/100)

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

First-home buyers

Nathalia

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($395,000 vs $810,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Picola

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($150/wk vs $194/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Nathalia

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (58/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (166 min vs 182 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (232.6 km vs 253.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Nathalia

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (58/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (49/100 vs 63/100)

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

Investors

Nathalia

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (5.4% vs -0.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Nathalia Picola
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.

Nathalia Picola
Walkability 58 / 0
Nathalia — Walkability: 58/100 Picola — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 51 / 37
Nathalia — Safety: 51/100 Picola — Safety: 37/100
Low fire risk 88 / 83
Nathalia — Low fire risk: 88/100 Picola — Low fire risk: 83/100
Low flood risk 5 / 3
Nathalia — Low flood risk: 5/100 Picola — Low flood risk: 3/100

Demographics

Nathalia has more residents (1,982 vs 206); Nathalia rents higher ($194/wk vs $150/wk).

Nathalia Picola
Population 1,982
+90% vs other
 206
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.4% -0.5%
Median age 47 57
Median household income $60,788/yr
+6% vs other
 $57,408/yr
Median weekly rent $194/wk
+23% vs other
 $150/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Nathalia Picola
0-4 4.7% / 3.9%
Nathalia — 0-4: 4.7% Picola — 0-4: 3.9%
5-14 11.2% / 2.4%
Nathalia — 5-14: 11.2% Picola — 5-14: 2.4%
15-19 6.8% / 6.8%
Nathalia — 15-19: 6.8% Picola — 15-19: 6.8%
20-24 5.4% / 1.5%
Nathalia — 20-24: 5.4% Picola — 20-24: 1.5%
25-34 9.6% / 9.7%
Nathalia — 25-34: 9.6% Picola — 25-34: 9.7%
35-44 9.6% / 9.7%
Nathalia — 35-44: 9.6% Picola — 35-44: 9.7%
45-54 11.2% / 11.7%
Nathalia — 45-54: 11.2% Picola — 45-54: 11.7%
55-64 15.3% / 27.7%
Nathalia — 55-64: 15.3% Picola — 55-64: 27.7%
65-74 13.9% / 15.5%
Nathalia — 65-74: 13.9% Picola — 65-74: 15.5%
75-84 8.0% / 6.3%
Nathalia — 75-84: 8.0% Picola — 75-84: 6.3%
85+ 4.0% / 2.4%
Nathalia — 85+: 4.0% Picola — 85+: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Nathalia 49.1% lone person
Nathalia — Lone Person: 49.1% Nathalia — Couple Families: 31.0% Nathalia — One Parent Families: 14.9% Nathalia — Group Household: 3.7% Nathalia — Other Families: 1.3%
Picola 48.9% lone person
Picola — Lone Person: 48.9% Picola — Couple Families: 34.0% Picola — One Parent Families: 17.0% Picola — Group Household: 0.0% Picola — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Nathalia 19.0% renting
Nathalia — Owned Outright: 47.7% Nathalia — Mortgage: 33.3% Nathalia — Renting: 19.0%
Picola 11.5% renting
Picola — Owned Outright: 65.4% Picola — Mortgage: 23.1% Picola — Renting: 11.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Nathalia Picola
Certificate III & IV 18.1% / 18.4%
Nathalia — Certificate III & IV: 18.1% Picola — Certificate III & IV: 18.4%
Bachelor Degree 7.3% / 8.7%
Nathalia — Bachelor Degree: 7.3% Picola — Bachelor Degree: 8.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.5% / 6.3%
Nathalia — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5% Picola — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / —
Nathalia — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Picola — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest
Postgraduate Degree 1.3% / —
Nathalia — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3% Picola — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.4%).

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.

Nathalia Picola
England 1.5% / 2.4%
Nathalia — England: 1.5% Picola — England: 2.4%
Scotland 0.6% / 2.4%
Nathalia — Scotland: 0.6% Picola — Scotland: 2.4%
Philippines 0.9% / 1.5%
Nathalia — Philippines: 0.9% Picola — Philippines: 1.5%
Italy 0.3% / 1.9%
Nathalia — Italy: 0.3% Picola — Italy: 1.9%
New Zealand 0.9% / —
Nathalia — New Zealand: 0.9% Picola — New Zealand: not among its largest
South Africa 0.4% / —
Nathalia — South Africa: 0.4% Picola — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Nathalia 92.1% houses
Nathalia — Houses: 92.1% Nathalia — Townhouses: 4.6% Nathalia — Flats / Apartments: 3.3%
Picola 100.0% houses
Picola — Houses: 100.0% Picola — Townhouses: 0.0% Picola — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Nathalia Picola
Median house price $395,000 $810,000
Median unit price $315,000 —
Median land price $200,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 117 days
from 16 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Nathalia has more rural and farming land (93% vs 57%).

Nathalia Picola
Rural and farming 93% 57%
Parks and recreation 4% 42%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 0%
Residential 1% 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

Nathalia Picola
New dwellings approved 332
across Moira
same for both
Approvals change year on year -70%
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.

Nathalia Picola
Houses 4.9%
$440/wk on $470K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Nathalia Picola
House price Higher than 5% of VIC —
Income Higher than 21% of VIC Higher than 16% of VIC
Schools Higher than 9% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 87% of VIC Higher than 57% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 93% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 5% of VIC —
NBN connectivity Higher than 88% of VIC Higher than 69% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 97% of VIC —

Liveability

Nathalia is more walkable (58 vs 0).

Nathalia Picola
Grade D —
Score 27/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Picola carries more crime risk (63 vs 49).

Nathalia Picola
Bushfire Low
12/100
 Low
17/100
Crime Moderate
49/100
 Moderate
63/100
Flood High
95/100
 High
97/100
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

Nathalia Picola
Inside the suburb 5 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 3 0

Schools in Nathalia

  • St Francis' School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Nathalia Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Nathalia Secondary College Government · Secondary below peers
  • St Mary of the Angels College Catholic · Secondary below peers
  • OneSchool Global Vic - Nathalia Centre Independent · Combined

Schools in Picola

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

Amenities in the suburb

Nathalia Picola
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 8 6
Childcare 2 0
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 4 11

Mobility

Picola sits further from the CBD (253.5 km vs 232.6 km).

Nathalia Picola
Walkability score 58/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 232.6 km 253.5 km
+9% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 166 min 182 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 3638
 0.0%
postcode 3639
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 3638
 54
postcode 3639

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.

Nathalia Picola
Car (driver) 72.2% / 60.5%
Nathalia — Car (driver): 72.2% Picola — Car (driver): 60.5%
Worked from Home 13.3% / 36.0%
Nathalia — Worked from Home: 13.3% Picola — Worked from Home: 36.0%
Walked Only 7.8% / 3.5%
Nathalia — Walked Only: 7.8% Picola — Walked Only: 3.5%
Car (passenger) 3.5% / —
Nathalia — Car (passenger): 3.5% Picola — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bicycle 2.9% / —
Nathalia — Bicycle: 2.9% Picola — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.2%).

Setting

Nathalia Picola
Elevation 101 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 99 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Nathalia Picola
Connectivity score 78/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 44%
1,095 premises
 0%
122 premises

Climate

Nathalia Picola
Annual rainfall 458 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Nathalia Picola
Average residential rate $1,908/yr
same for both
Council Moira
same for both

Federal electorate

Nathalia Picola
Division Nicholls
same for both
Member Sam Birrell
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Nathalia Picola
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Nathalia

Affordable Quiet Retirees Rural

Picola

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Nathalia

Nathalia vs Waaia Nathalia vs Yalca Nathalia vs Kotupna Nathalia vs Yielima Nathalia vs Kaarimba

Other comparisons with Picola

Picola vs Barmah Picola vs Kotupna Picola vs Yielima
Full data on Nathalia Full data on Picola
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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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