Olinda vs Silvan

Silvan 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 and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Olinda, about half of households are couple families. In Silvan, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Olinda: a median of $1.09 million, against $928,000 in Silvan, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Olinda tends to suit people living alone, while Silvan suits couples.

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

Silvan

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (45/100 vs 59/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (73% vs 64%)
  • But Olinda has more parks and reserves (32 vs 3)

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

First-home buyers

Silvan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($927,500 vs $1,089,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Silvan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $398/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Olinda

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (31/100 vs 17/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Olinda is more walkable (31/100 vs 17/100)
  • Silvan carries lower crime risk (45/100 vs 59/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Olinda and Silvan 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 Silvan
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 Silvan
Walkability 31 / 17
Olinda — Walkability: 31/100 Silvan — Walkability: 17/100
Safety 41 / 55
Olinda — Safety: 41/100 Silvan — Safety: 55/100
Low fire risk 29 / 1
Olinda — Low fire risk: 29/100 Silvan — Low fire risk: 1/100
Low flood risk 100 / 80
Olinda — Low flood risk: 100/100 Silvan — Low flood risk: 80/100

Demographics

Olinda has more residents (1,773 vs 1,323); Olinda rents higher ($398/wk vs $350/wk).

Olinda Silvan
Population 1,773
+25% vs other
 1,323
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.0% +6.2%
Median age 45 41
Median household income $103,740/yr $112,216/yr
+8% vs other
Median weekly rent $398/wk
+12% vs other
 $350/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Olinda Silvan
0-4 4.9% / 5.3%
Olinda — 0-4: 4.9% Silvan — 0-4: 5.3%
5-14 13.0% / 14.0%
Olinda — 5-14: 13.0% Silvan — 5-14: 14.0%
15-19 5.3% / 5.7%
Olinda — 15-19: 5.3% Silvan — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 4.1% / 5.6%
Olinda — 20-24: 4.1% Silvan — 20-24: 5.6%
25-34 8.7% / 11.5%
Olinda — 25-34: 8.7% Silvan — 25-34: 11.5%
35-44 12.6% / 12.5%
Olinda — 35-44: 12.6% Silvan — 35-44: 12.5%
45-54 16.9% / 14.0%
Olinda — 45-54: 16.9% Silvan — 45-54: 14.0%
55-64 14.9% / 14.2%
Olinda — 55-64: 14.9% Silvan — 55-64: 14.2%
65-74 13.8% / 9.9%
Olinda — 65-74: 13.8% Silvan — 65-74: 9.9%
75-84 4.5% / 6.2%
Olinda — 75-84: 4.5% Silvan — 75-84: 6.2%
85+ 0.8% / 1.6%
Olinda — 85+: 0.8% Silvan — 85+: 1.6%

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%
Silvan 63.3% couple families
Silvan — Couple Families: 63.3% Silvan — Lone Person: 23.2% Silvan — One Parent Families: 10.0% Silvan — Group Household: 3.5% Silvan — Other Families: 0.0%
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%
Silvan 10.9% renting
Silvan — Owned Outright: 46.1% Silvan — Mortgage: 43.0% Silvan — Renting: 10.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Olinda Silvan
Certificate III & IV 12.1% / 17.2%
Olinda — Certificate III & IV: 12.1% Silvan — Certificate III & IV: 17.2%
Bachelor Degree 17.3% / 10.2%
Olinda — Bachelor Degree: 17.3% Silvan — Bachelor Degree: 10.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 11.3% / 8.4%
Olinda — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.3% Silvan — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Postgraduate Degree 7.2% / 2.6%
Olinda — Postgraduate Degree: 7.2% Silvan — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.9% / 2.1%
Olinda — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.9% Silvan — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.3%).

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 Silvan
England 6.4% / 3.4%
Olinda — England: 6.4% Silvan — England: 3.4%
Netherlands — / 3.1%
Olinda — Netherlands: not among its largest Silvan — Netherlands: 3.1%
New Zealand 1.2% / 0.9%
Olinda — New Zealand: 1.2% Silvan — New Zealand: 0.9%
Italy — / 2.0%
Olinda — Italy: not among its largest Silvan — Italy: 2.0%
Germany 0.8% / 0.8%
Olinda — Germany: 0.8% Silvan — Germany: 0.8%
South Africa 1.0% / —
Olinda — South Africa: 1.0% Silvan — South Africa: not among its largest
China 0.5% / —
Olinda — China: 0.5% Silvan — China: not among its largest

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 — Flats / Apartments: 0.3% Olinda — Townhouses: 0.6%
Silvan 97.8% houses
Silvan — Houses: 97.8% Silvan — Flats / Apartments: 2.2% Silvan — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Olinda Silvan
Median house price $1,089,500 $927,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 36 days
from 29 sales
 10 days
from 3 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 Silvan
3 bed $860K / $855K
Olinda — 3 bed: $860K (30 sales) Silvan — 3 bed: $855K (14 sales)

30 vs 14 sales

4 bed $1.1M / $1.56M
Olinda — 4 bed: $1.1M (39 sales) Silvan — 4 bed: $1.56M (7 sales)

39 vs 7 sales

Zoning mix

Silvan has more rural and farming land (64% vs 39%).

Olinda Silvan
Rural and farming 39% 64%
Parks and recreation 57% 1%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 34%
Environmental 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

Olinda Silvan
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 Silvan
Houses 4.6%
$900/wk on $1.02M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Olinda Silvan
House price Higher than 61% of VIC —
Income Higher than 76% of VIC Higher than 85% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 83% of VIC Higher than 78% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 62% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 93% of VIC Higher than 52% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 73% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 93% of VIC —

Liveability

Olinda is more walkable (31 vs 17); Olinda scores higher overall (59 vs 45).

Olinda Silvan
Grade B C
Score 59/100 45/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Silvan carries more flood risk (20 vs 0); Silvan carries more bushfire risk (99 vs 71).

Olinda Silvan
Bushfire High
71/100
 High
99/100
Crime Moderate
59/100
 Moderate
45/100
Flood None
0/100
 Low
20/100
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 Silvan
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Olinda

  • Olinda Primary School Government · Primary

Schools in Silvan

  • Silvan Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Olinda Silvan
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 13 1
Parks & reserves 32 3
Childcare 0 1
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 0 2
Waterways 17 8

Mobility

Olinda Silvan
Walkability score 31/100 17/100
Distance to Melbourne 50.4 km 51.3 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 63 min 59 min
Public transport score 66/100
Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 19.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 40.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.9%
postcode 3788
 0.5%
postcode 3795
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 25
postcode 3788
 59
postcode 3795

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 Silvan
Car (driver) 52.5% / 63.5%
Olinda — Car (driver): 52.5% Silvan — Car (driver): 63.5%
Worked from Home 38.0% / 26.2%
Olinda — Worked from Home: 38.0% Silvan — Worked from Home: 26.2%
Walked Only 3.3% / 6.3%
Olinda — Walked Only: 3.3% Silvan — Walked Only: 6.3%
Car (passenger) 3.3% / 3.5%
Olinda — Car (passenger): 3.3% Silvan — Car (passenger): 3.5%
Train 1.4% / 0.5%
Olinda — Train: 1.4% Silvan — Train: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (63.5%).

Setting

Olinda Silvan
Elevation 493 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 259 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 31.1 km 36.0 km

NBN connectivity

Olinda Silvan
Connectivity score 91/100 43/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 61%
944 premises
 12%
515 premises

Climate

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Olinda Silvan
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

Silvan

Acreage Outer

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Olinda

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

Other comparisons with Silvan

Silvan vs Mount Evelyn Silvan vs Monbulk Silvan vs Wandin North Silvan vs Seville Silvan vs Kalorama Silvan vs Macclesfield
Full data on Olinda Full data on Silvan
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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