Neerim East vs Neerim South

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Neerim East, about half of households are people living alone. In Neerim South, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Neerim East: a median of $840,000, against $658,000 in Neerim South, though rent is higher in Neerim South. On these figures, Neerim East tends to suit people living alone, while Neerim South suits 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

Neerim South

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (60% vs 51%)
  • But Neerim East carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 48/100)

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

First-home buyers

Neerim South

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($657,500 vs $840,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (26% vs 32%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Neerim East

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 19%)
  • has cheaper rent ($166/wk vs $260/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Neerim South

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (91 min vs 110 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (113.4 km vs 124.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Neerim East carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 48/100)
  • Neerim South has more residents already 65 and over (26% vs 20%)

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

Investors

Neerim South

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (22.5% vs 2.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Neerim East Neerim South
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.

Neerim East Neerim South
Walkability 0 / 4
Neerim East — Walkability: 0/100 Neerim South — Walkability: 4/100
Safety 88 / 52
Neerim East — Safety: 88/100 Neerim South — Safety: 52/100
Low fire risk 3 / 3
Neerim East — Low fire risk: 3/100 Neerim South — Low fire risk: 3/100
Low flood risk 100 / 77
Neerim East — Low flood risk: 100/100 Neerim South — Low flood risk: 77/100

Demographics

Neerim South has more residents (1,599 vs 196); Neerim South rents higher ($260/wk vs $166/wk).

Neerim East Neerim South
Population 196 1,599
+716% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.1% +22.5%
Median age 47
same for both
Median household income $82,316/yr
+14% vs other
 $70,668/yr
Median weekly rent $166/wk $260/wk
+57% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Neerim East Neerim South
0-4 6.6% / 5.2%
Neerim East — 0-4: 6.6% Neerim South — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 11.2% / 12.8%
Neerim East — 5-14: 11.2% Neerim South — 5-14: 12.8%
15-19 8.7% / 5.3%
Neerim East — 15-19: 8.7% Neerim South — 15-19: 5.3%
20-24 5.1% / 4.5%
Neerim East — 20-24: 5.1% Neerim South — 20-24: 4.5%
25-34 5.6% / 10.2%
Neerim East — 25-34: 5.6% Neerim South — 25-34: 10.2%
35-44 13.8% / 9.7%
Neerim East — 35-44: 13.8% Neerim South — 35-44: 9.7%
45-54 16.8% / 10.8%
Neerim East — 45-54: 16.8% Neerim South — 45-54: 10.8%
55-64 15.8% / 15.0%
Neerim East — 55-64: 15.8% Neerim South — 55-64: 15.0%
65-74 18.4% / 14.9%
Neerim East — 65-74: 18.4% Neerim South — 65-74: 14.9%
75-84 2.0% / 8.1%
Neerim East — 75-84: 2.0% Neerim South — 75-84: 8.1%
85+ — / 3.3%
Neerim East — 85+: not among its largest Neerim South — 85+: 3.3%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Neerim East 40.5% couple families
Neerim East — Couple Families: 40.5% Neerim East — Lone Person: 48.6% Neerim East — One Parent Families: 10.8% Neerim East — Group Household: 0.0% Neerim East — Other Families: 0.0%
Neerim South 47.4% couple families
Neerim South — Couple Families: 47.4% Neerim South — Lone Person: 36.4% Neerim South — One Parent Families: 12.1% Neerim South — Group Household: 3.0% Neerim South — Other Families: 1.1%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Neerim East 10.3% renting
Neerim East — Owned Outright: 43.1% Neerim East — Mortgage: 46.6% Neerim East — Renting: 10.3%
Neerim South 11.9% renting
Neerim South — Owned Outright: 48.5% Neerim South — Mortgage: 39.6% Neerim South — Renting: 11.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Neerim East Neerim South
England 2.0% / 3.7%
Neerim East — England: 2.0% Neerim South — England: 3.7%
New Zealand — / 0.9%
Neerim East — New Zealand: not among its largest Neerim South — New Zealand: 0.9%
Germany — / 0.9%
Neerim East — Germany: not among its largest Neerim South — Germany: 0.9%
Scotland — / 0.7%
Neerim East — Scotland: not among its largest Neerim South — Scotland: 0.7%
Netherlands — / 0.5%
Neerim East — Netherlands: not among its largest Neerim South — Netherlands: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.7%).

Qualifications

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

Neerim East Neerim South
Certificate III & IV 18.9% / 18.8%
Neerim East — Certificate III & IV: 18.9% Neerim South — Certificate III & IV: 18.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 9.4%
Neerim East — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Neerim South — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4%
Bachelor Degree 6.6% / 8.6%
Neerim East — Bachelor Degree: 6.6% Neerim South — Bachelor Degree: 8.6%
Postgraduate Degree 3.6% / 1.9%
Neerim East — Postgraduate Degree: 3.6% Neerim South — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 2.2%
Neerim East — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Neerim South — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Neerim East 89.9% houses
Neerim East — Houses: 89.9% Neerim East — Flats / Apartments: 10.1% Neerim East — Townhouses: 0.0%
Neerim South 95.9% houses
Neerim South — Houses: 95.9% Neerim South — Flats / Apartments: 2.3% Neerim South — Townhouses: 1.8%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Neerim East Neerim South
Median house price $840,000 $657,500
Median unit price — $405,000
Median land price — $457,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 78 days
from 20 sales

Zoning mix

Neerim South has more rural and farming land (62% vs 36%).

Neerim East Neerim South
Parks and recreation 64% 30%
Rural and farming 36% 62%
Residential 0% 5%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 3%
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

Neerim East Neerim South
New dwellings approved 619
across Baw Baw
same for both
Approvals change year on year +49%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Neerim East Neerim South
House price — Higher than 35% of VIC
Income Higher than 50% of VIC Higher than 33% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 14% of VIC Higher than 66% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 49% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 58% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 30% of VIC Higher than 65% of VIC

Liveability

Neerim East Neerim South
Grade — D
Score — 29/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Neerim South carries more flood risk (23 vs 0); Neerim South carries more crime risk (48 vs 12).

Neerim East Neerim South
Bushfire High
97/100
same for both
Crime Low
12/100
 Moderate
48/100
Flood None
0/100
 Low
23/100
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

Neerim East Neerim South
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Neerim East

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

Schools in Neerim South

  • Neerim South Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Neerim District Secondary College Government · Secondary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Neerim East Neerim South
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 3 1
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 137 178

Mobility

Neerim East sits further from the CBD (124.1 km vs 113.4 km).

Neerim East Neerim South
Walkability score 0/100 4/100
Distance to Melbourne 124.1 km
+9% vs other
 113.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 110 min 91 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 3831
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 60
postcode 3831
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.

Neerim East Neerim South
Car (driver) 61.5% / 69.9%
Neerim East — Car (driver): 61.5% Neerim South — Car (driver): 69.9%
Worked from Home 28.2% / 20.8%
Neerim East — Worked from Home: 28.2% Neerim South — Worked from Home: 20.8%
Walked Only 5.1% / 4.1%
Neerim East — Walked Only: 5.1% Neerim South — Walked Only: 4.1%
Car (passenger) 5.1% / 3.7%
Neerim East — Car (passenger): 5.1% Neerim South — Car (passenger): 3.7%
Train — / 1.5%
Neerim East — Train: not among its largest Neerim South — Train: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (69.9%).

Setting

Neerim East Neerim South
Elevation 284 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 228 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Neerim East Neerim South
Connectivity score 27/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
79 premises
 0%
664 premises

Climate

Neerim East Neerim South
Annual rainfall 1,090 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.7°C
same for both

Council rates

Neerim East Neerim South
Average residential rate $2,138/yr
same for both
Council Baw Baw
same for both

Federal electorate

Neerim East Neerim South
Division Monash
same for both
Member Mary Aldred
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Neerim East Neerim South
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Neerim East

Rural

Neerim South

Acreage Retirees River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Neerim East

Neerim East vs Willow Grove Neerim East vs Neerim Neerim East vs Shady Creek Neerim East vs Buln Buln East Neerim East vs Hill End Neerim East vs Fumina South

Other comparisons with Neerim South

Neerim South vs Jindivick Neerim South vs Neerim Neerim South vs Rokeby Neerim South vs Buln Buln East Neerim South vs Crossover
Full data on Neerim East Full data on Neerim South
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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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