Nicholson vs Johnsonville

Nicholson is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 58 in Johnsonville. In both, the large majority of households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Nicholson, about half of households are couple families. In Johnsonville, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Nicholson: a median of $710,000, against $608,000 in Johnsonville, though rent is higher in Johnsonville. On these figures, Nicholson tends to suit couples, while Johnsonville suits people living alone and 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

Nicholson

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (60% vs 37%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (93% vs 75%)

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

First-home buyers

Johnsonville

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($607,500 vs $710,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Nicholson

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (22% vs 32%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $325/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Nicholson

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (22/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (294.8 km vs 298 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Johnsonville

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (25% vs 7%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (38% vs 25%)
  • But Nicholson is more walkable (22/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Nicholson

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (20.7% vs -0.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Nicholson Johnsonville
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.

Nicholson Johnsonville
Walkability 22 / 0
Nicholson — Walkability: 22/100 Johnsonville — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 40 / 47
Nicholson — Safety: 40/100 Johnsonville — Safety: 47/100
Low fire risk 6 / 4
Nicholson — Low fire risk: 6/100 Johnsonville — Low fire risk: 4/100
Low flood risk 33 / 35
Nicholson — Low flood risk: 33/100 Johnsonville — Low flood risk: 35/100

Demographics

Nicholson has more residents (1,322 vs 326); Nicholson has higher household incomes ($72,280 vs $52,364).

Nicholson Johnsonville
Population 1,322
+75% vs other
 326
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +20.7% -0.3%
Median age 47 58
Median household income $72,280/yr
+28% vs other
 $52,364/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk $325/wk
+8% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Nicholson Johnsonville
0-4 5.2% / 3.1%
Nicholson — 0-4: 5.2% Johnsonville — 0-4: 3.1%
5-14 12.6% / 6.1%
Nicholson — 5-14: 12.6% Johnsonville — 5-14: 6.1%
15-19 5.5% / 6.1%
Nicholson — 15-19: 5.5% Johnsonville — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 4.2% / 3.7%
Nicholson — 20-24: 4.2% Johnsonville — 20-24: 3.7%
25-34 10.2% / 6.1%
Nicholson — 25-34: 10.2% Johnsonville — 25-34: 6.1%
35-44 9.1% / 8.3%
Nicholson — 35-44: 9.1% Johnsonville — 35-44: 8.3%
45-54 11.8% / 12.6%
Nicholson — 45-54: 11.8% Johnsonville — 45-54: 12.6%
55-64 16.0% / 14.4%
Nicholson — 55-64: 16.0% Johnsonville — 55-64: 14.4%
65-74 15.8% / 23.0%
Nicholson — 65-74: 15.8% Johnsonville — 65-74: 23.0%
75-84 7.8% / 14.4%
Nicholson — 75-84: 7.8% Johnsonville — 75-84: 14.4%
85+ 1.8% / 0.9%
Nicholson — 85+: 1.8% Johnsonville — 85+: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Nicholson 35.7% lone person
Nicholson — Lone Person: 35.7% Nicholson — Couple Families: 45.8% Nicholson — One Parent Families: 14.4% Nicholson — Group Household: 3.1% Nicholson — Other Families: 0.9%
Johnsonville 50.7% lone person
Johnsonville — Lone Person: 50.7% Johnsonville — Couple Families: 31.0% Johnsonville — One Parent Families: 5.6% Johnsonville — Group Household: 8.5% Johnsonville — Other Families: 4.2%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Nicholson 7.7% renting
Nicholson — Owned Outright: 51.8% Nicholson — Mortgage: 40.5% Nicholson — Renting: 7.7%
Johnsonville 2.2% renting
Johnsonville — Owned Outright: 66.2% Johnsonville — Mortgage: 31.7% Johnsonville — Renting: 2.2%
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.

Nicholson Johnsonville
England 4.0% / 2.8%
Nicholson — England: 4.0% Johnsonville — England: 2.8%
New Zealand 0.9% / 1.2%
Nicholson — New Zealand: 0.9% Johnsonville — New Zealand: 1.2%
Scotland 0.5% / 0.9%
Nicholson — Scotland: 0.5% Johnsonville — Scotland: 0.9%
Philippines 0.5% / —
Nicholson — Philippines: 0.5% Johnsonville — Philippines: not among its largest
Germany 0.5% / —
Nicholson — Germany: 0.5% Johnsonville — Germany: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.0%).

Qualifications

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

Nicholson Johnsonville
Certificate III & IV 21.6% / 20.9%
Nicholson — Certificate III & IV: 21.6% Johnsonville — Certificate III & IV: 20.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 6.1%
Nicholson — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Johnsonville — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1%
Bachelor Degree 7.7% / 4.3%
Nicholson — Bachelor Degree: 7.7% Johnsonville — Bachelor Degree: 4.3%
Postgraduate Degree 1.4% / 0.9%
Nicholson — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4% Johnsonville — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / —
Nicholson — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Johnsonville — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Nicholson 93.1% houses
Nicholson — Houses: 93.1% Nicholson — Flats / Apartments: 6.9%
Johnsonville 74.6% houses
Johnsonville — Houses: 74.6% Johnsonville — Flats / Apartments: 25.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Nicholson Johnsonville
Median house price $710,000 $607,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $380,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 104 days
from 16 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Nicholson Johnsonville
Rural and farming 86% 85%
Parks and recreation 10% 7%
Residential 4% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 1%
same for both
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

Nicholson Johnsonville
New dwellings approved 386
across East Gippsland
same for both
Approvals change year on year +50%
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.

Nicholson Johnsonville
Houses 3.9%
$600/wk on $799K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Nicholson Johnsonville
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 37% of VIC —
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 80% of VIC Higher than 14% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption —
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 55% of VIC Higher than 53% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 61% of VIC —

Liveability

Nicholson is more walkable (22 vs 0).

Nicholson Johnsonville
Grade D —
Score 18/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Nicholson Johnsonville
Bushfire High
94/100
 High
96/100
Crime Moderate
60/100
 Moderate
53/100
Flood Moderate
67/100
 Moderate
65/100
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

Nicholson Johnsonville
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Nicholson

  • Nicholson Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Johnsonville

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

Amenities in the suburb

Nicholson Johnsonville
Parks & reserves 3 1
Childcare 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1
same for both
Waterways 7 3

Mobility

Johnsonville sits further from the CBD (298 km vs 294.8 km).

Nicholson Johnsonville
Walkability score 22/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 294.8 km 298 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 221 min 219 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 3882
 0.0%
postcode 3902
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 62
postcode 3882
 50
postcode 3902

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.

Nicholson Johnsonville
Car (driver) 79.4% / 77.9%
Nicholson — Car (driver): 79.4% Johnsonville — Car (driver): 77.9%
Worked from Home 13.2% / 9.5%
Nicholson — Worked from Home: 13.2% Johnsonville — Worked from Home: 9.5%
Car (passenger) 4.6% / 5.3%
Nicholson — Car (passenger): 4.6% Johnsonville — Car (passenger): 5.3%
Walked Only 2.0% / 7.4%
Nicholson — Walked Only: 2.0% Johnsonville — Walked Only: 7.4%
Bus 0.7% / —
Nicholson — Bus: 0.7% Johnsonville — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.4%).

Setting

Nicholson Johnsonville
Elevation 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 35 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 15.6 km 12.5 km

NBN connectivity

Nicholson Johnsonville
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
613 premises
 0%
158 premises

Climate

Nicholson Johnsonville
Annual rainfall 620 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 4.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Nicholson Johnsonville
Average residential rate $1,807/yr
same for both
Council East Gippsland
same for both

Federal electorate

Nicholson Johnsonville
Division Gippsland
same for both
Member Darren Chester
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Nicholson Johnsonville
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Nicholson

Retirees Rural

Johnsonville

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Nicholson

Nicholson vs Metung Nicholson vs Lucknow Nicholson vs East Bairnsdale Nicholson vs Eagle Point Nicholson vs Sarsfield Nicholson vs Tambo Upper

Other comparisons with Johnsonville

Johnsonville vs Metung Johnsonville vs Swan Reach Johnsonville vs Tambo Upper Johnsonville vs Bumberrah
Full data on Nicholson Full data on Johnsonville
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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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