Olinda vs Monbulk

Monbulk is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 45 in Olinda. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Olinda: a median of $1.09 million, against $831,000 in Monbulk, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Monbulk 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

Monbulk

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (38/100 vs 59/100)
  • But Olinda has more parks and reserves (32 vs 5)

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

First-home buyers

Monbulk

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($831,000 vs $1,089,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Olinda

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (31/100 vs 14/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (50.4 km vs 55.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Monbulk

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (38/100 vs 59/100)
  • But Olinda is more walkable (31/100 vs 14/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Olinda Monbulk
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.

Olinda Monbulk
Walkability 31 / 14
Olinda — Walkability: 31/100 Monbulk — Walkability: 14/100
Safety 41 / 62
Olinda — Safety: 41/100 Monbulk — Safety: 62/100
Low fire risk 29 / 33
Olinda — Low fire risk: 29/100 Monbulk — Low fire risk: 33/100
Low flood risk 100 / 89
Olinda — Low flood risk: 100/100 Monbulk — Low flood risk: 89/100

Demographics

Monbulk has more residents (3,651 vs 1,773); Olinda has higher household incomes ($103,740 vs $89,544).

Olinda Monbulk
Population 1,773 3,651
+106% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.0% +2.1%
Median age 45 41
Median household income $103,740/yr
+14% vs other
 $89,544/yr
Median weekly rent $398/wk
+7% vs other
 $369/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Olinda Monbulk
0-4 4.9% / 5.1%
Olinda — 0-4: 4.9% Monbulk — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 13.0% / 14.3%
Olinda — 5-14: 13.0% Monbulk — 5-14: 14.3%
15-19 5.3% / 7.1%
Olinda — 15-19: 5.3% Monbulk — 15-19: 7.1%
20-24 4.1% / 4.9%
Olinda — 20-24: 4.1% Monbulk — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 8.7% / 10.0%
Olinda — 25-34: 8.7% Monbulk — 25-34: 10.0%
35-44 12.6% / 12.7%
Olinda — 35-44: 12.6% Monbulk — 35-44: 12.7%
45-54 16.9% / 15.9%
Olinda — 45-54: 16.9% Monbulk — 45-54: 15.9%
55-64 14.9% / 12.1%
Olinda — 55-64: 14.9% Monbulk — 55-64: 12.1%
65-74 13.8% / 11.4%
Olinda — 65-74: 13.8% Monbulk — 65-74: 11.4%
75-84 4.5% / 5.0%
Olinda — 75-84: 4.5% Monbulk — 75-84: 5.0%
85+ 0.8% / 1.7%
Olinda — 85+: 0.8% Monbulk — 85+: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Olinda 47.9% couple families
Olinda — Couple Families: 47.9% Olinda — Lone Person: 32.7% Olinda — One Parent Families: 16.1% Olinda — Group Household: 2.2% Olinda — Other Families: 1.1%
Monbulk 50.3% couple families
Monbulk — Couple Families: 50.3% Monbulk — Lone Person: 28.4% Monbulk — One Parent Families: 16.7% Monbulk — Group Household: 3.1% Monbulk — Other Families: 1.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Olinda 12.3% renting
Olinda — Owned Outright: 38.8% Olinda — Mortgage: 48.9% Olinda — Renting: 12.3%
Monbulk 14.8% renting
Monbulk — Owned Outright: 38.9% Monbulk — Mortgage: 46.3% Monbulk — Renting: 14.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Olinda Monbulk
Certificate III & IV 12.1% / 18.1%
Olinda — Certificate III & IV: 12.1% Monbulk — Certificate III & IV: 18.1%
Bachelor Degree 17.3% / 11.1%
Olinda — Bachelor Degree: 17.3% Monbulk — Bachelor Degree: 11.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 11.3% / 9.2%
Olinda — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.3% Monbulk — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2%
Postgraduate Degree 7.2% / 3.3%
Olinda — Postgraduate Degree: 7.2% Monbulk — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.9% / 2.1%
Olinda — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.9% Monbulk — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.1%).

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.

Olinda Monbulk
England 6.4% / 5.8%
Olinda — England: 6.4% Monbulk — England: 5.8%
New Zealand 1.2% / 1.2%
Olinda — New Zealand: 1.2% Monbulk — New Zealand: 1.2%
Netherlands — / 2.3%
Olinda — Netherlands: not among its largest Monbulk — Netherlands: 2.3%
Germany 0.8% / 0.7%
Olinda — Germany: 0.8% Monbulk — Germany: 0.7%
South Africa 1.0% / 0.3%
Olinda — South Africa: 1.0% Monbulk — South Africa: 0.3%
China 0.5% / 0.4%
Olinda — China: 0.5% Monbulk — China: 0.4%
Italy — / 0.5%
Olinda — Italy: not among its largest Monbulk — Italy: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Olinda 99.1% houses
Olinda — Houses: 99.1% Olinda — Townhouses: 0.6% Olinda — Flats / Apartments: 0.3%
Monbulk 95.9% houses
Monbulk — Houses: 95.9% Monbulk — Townhouses: 3.0% Monbulk — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Olinda Monbulk
Median house price $1,089,500 $831,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $600,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 36 days
from 29 sales
 18 days
from 23 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Olinda Monbulk
2 bed $860K / $868K
Olinda — 2 bed: $860K (7 sales) Monbulk — 2 bed: $868K (10 sales)

7 vs 10 sales

3 bed $860K / $775K
Olinda — 3 bed: $860K (30 sales) Monbulk — 3 bed: $775K (59 sales)

30 vs 59 sales

4 bed $1.1M / $1.03M
Olinda — 4 bed: $1.1M (39 sales) Monbulk — 4 bed: $1.03M (18 sales)

39 vs 18 sales

5 bed $1.39M / $1.32M
Olinda — 5 bed: $1.39M (13 sales) Monbulk — 5 bed: $1.32M (7 sales)

13 vs 7 sales

Zoning mix

Monbulk has more rural and farming land (79% vs 39%).

Olinda Monbulk
Rural and farming 39% 79%
Parks and recreation 57% 8%
Residential 0% 8%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 3%
Environmental 1% 0%
Industrial 0% 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

Olinda Monbulk
New dwellings approved 416
across Yarra Ranges
same for both
Approvals change year on year -57%
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.

Olinda Monbulk
Houses 4.6%
$900/wk on $1.02M
 4.3%
$670/wk on $802K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Olinda Monbulk
House price Higher than 61% of VIC Higher than 44% of VIC
Income Higher than 76% of VIC Higher than 59% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 57% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 83% of VIC Higher than 77% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 62% of VIC Higher than 66% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 93% of VIC Higher than 71% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 75% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 93% of VIC Higher than 86% of VIC

Liveability

Olinda is more walkable (31 vs 14); Olinda scores higher overall (59 vs 54).

Olinda Monbulk
Grade B
same for both
Score 59/100 54/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Monbulk carries more flood risk (11 vs 0); Olinda carries more crime risk (59 vs 38).

Olinda Monbulk
Bushfire High
71/100
 Moderate
67/100
Crime Moderate
59/100
 Low
38/100
Flood None
0/100
 Low
11/100
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

Olinda Monbulk
Inside the suburb 1 4
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Olinda

  • Olinda Primary School Government · Primary

Schools in Monbulk

  • St Paul's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Monbulk College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Monbulk Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Cire Community School - Monbulk Campus Independent · Combined · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Olinda Monbulk
Supermarkets 1 2
Cafes & restaurants 13 2
Parks & reserves 32 5
Childcare 0 3
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Police stations 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 1 2
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 17 7

Mobility

Monbulk sits further from the CBD (55.8 km vs 50.4 km).

Olinda Monbulk
Walkability score 31/100 14/100
Distance to Melbourne 50.4 km 55.8 km
+11% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 63 min
same for both
Public transport score 66/100
Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 19.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 31.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.9%
postcode 3788
 0.9%
postcode 3793
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 25
postcode 3788
 39
postcode 3793

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.

Olinda Monbulk
Car (driver) 52.5% / 66.4%
Olinda — Car (driver): 52.5% Monbulk — Car (driver): 66.4%
Worked from Home 38.0% / 25.0%
Olinda — Worked from Home: 38.0% Monbulk — Worked from Home: 25.0%
Walked Only 3.3% / 3.9%
Olinda — Walked Only: 3.3% Monbulk — Walked Only: 3.9%
Car (passenger) 3.3% / 3.2%
Olinda — Car (passenger): 3.3% Monbulk — Car (passenger): 3.2%
Train 1.4% / 0.9%
Olinda — Train: 1.4% Monbulk — Train: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (66.4%).

Setting

Olinda Monbulk
Elevation 493 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 263 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 31.1 km 33.4 km

NBN connectivity

Olinda Monbulk
Connectivity score 91/100 62/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 61%
944 premises
 34%
1,599 premises

Climate

Olinda Monbulk
Annual rainfall 777 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.3°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Olinda Monbulk
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 15.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Olinda Monbulk
Average residential rate $2,161/yr
same for both
Council Yarra Ranges
same for both

Federal electorate

Olinda Monbulk
Division Casey
same for both
Member Aaron Violi
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Olinda Monbulk
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Olinda

Acreage Outer Parks Quiet River

Monbulk

Acreage Outer River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Olinda

Olinda vs Kallista Olinda vs Silvan Olinda vs Kalorama Olinda vs Mount Dandenong Olinda vs The Patch Olinda vs Sassafras

Other comparisons with Monbulk

Monbulk vs Emerald Monbulk vs Kallista Monbulk vs Silvan Monbulk vs The Patch Monbulk vs Macclesfield
Full data on Olinda Full data on Monbulk
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.

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