Preston vs Bellfield

In both, most homes are detached houses. In Preston, most households own their home. In Bellfield, about half of households rent. Houses cost more in Preston: a median of $1.18 million, against $1.02 million in Bellfield. Preston is closer to the city centre: 10.4 km, against 13.2 km. On these figures, Preston tends to suit people living alone.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Preston has more schools inside the suburb (16 vs 1)
  • Bellfield has more separate houses rather than flats (74% vs 56%)

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

First-home buyers

Bellfield

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,022,500 vs $1,182,500)

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

Preston

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (10.4 km vs 13.2 km)
  • is more walkable (99/100 vs 89/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Preston

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (11 vs 2)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (44% vs 26%)
  • is more walkable (99/100 vs 89/100)
  • But Bellfield carries lower crime risk (70/100 vs 91/100)

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

Investors

Bellfield

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (11.3% vs 2.9%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Preston Bellfield
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.

Preston Bellfield
Walkability 99 / 89
Preston — Walkability: 99/100 Bellfield — Walkability: 89/100
Safety 9 / 30
Preston — Safety: 9/100 Bellfield — Safety: 30/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Preston — Low fire risk: 100/100 Bellfield — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 62 / 59
Preston — Low flood risk: 62/100 Bellfield — Low flood risk: 59/100

Demographics

Preston has more residents (33,790 vs 1,996).

Preston Bellfield
Population 33,790
+94% vs other
 1,996
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.9% +11.3%
Median age 37 36
Median household income $95,888/yr $95,940/yr
Median weekly rent $392/wk
+4% vs other
 $375/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Preston Bellfield
0-4 5.3% / 6.6%
Preston — 0-4: 5.3% Bellfield — 0-4: 6.6%
5-14 9.7% / 10.4%
Preston — 5-14: 9.7% Bellfield — 5-14: 10.4%
15-19 4.2% / 5.2%
Preston — 15-19: 4.2% Bellfield — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 6.0% / 6.1%
Preston — 20-24: 6.0% Bellfield — 20-24: 6.1%
25-34 19.8% / 19.3%
Preston — 25-34: 19.8% Bellfield — 25-34: 19.3%
35-44 17.6% / 16.6%
Preston — 35-44: 17.6% Bellfield — 35-44: 16.6%
45-54 14.0% / 11.5%
Preston — 45-54: 14.0% Bellfield — 45-54: 11.5%
55-64 10.1% / 11.1%
Preston — 55-64: 10.1% Bellfield — 55-64: 11.1%
65-74 6.8% / 8.4%
Preston — 65-74: 6.8% Bellfield — 65-74: 8.4%
75-84 4.4% / 3.5%
Preston — 75-84: 4.4% Bellfield — 75-84: 3.5%
85+ 2.2% / 1.8%
Preston — 85+: 2.2% Bellfield — 85+: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Preston 34.9% couple families
Preston — Couple Families: 34.9% Preston — Lone Person: 38.8% Preston — One Parent Families: 13.0% Preston — Group Household: 10.8% Preston — Other Families: 2.6%
Bellfield 40.7% couple families
Bellfield — Couple Families: 40.7% Bellfield — Lone Person: 30.4% Bellfield — One Parent Families: 17.6% Bellfield — Group Household: 9.0% Bellfield — Other Families: 2.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Preston 41.2% renting
Preston — Owned Outright: 27.9% Preston — Mortgage: 30.9% Preston — Renting: 41.2%
Bellfield 45.3% renting
Bellfield — Owned Outright: 22.3% Bellfield — Mortgage: 32.4% Bellfield — Renting: 45.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Preston Bellfield
Bachelor Degree 21.1% / 17.6%
Preston — Bachelor Degree: 21.1% Bellfield — Bachelor Degree: 17.6%
Certificate III & IV 8.2% / 9.1%
Preston — Certificate III & IV: 8.2% Bellfield — Certificate III & IV: 9.1%
Postgraduate Degree 8.6% / 6.9%
Preston — Postgraduate Degree: 8.6% Bellfield — Postgraduate Degree: 6.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.0% / 7.1%
Preston — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0% Bellfield — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.5% / 2.7%
Preston — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5% Bellfield — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.1%).

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.

Preston Bellfield
China 3.0% / 3.3%
Preston — China: 3.0% Bellfield — China: 3.3%
India 2.5% / 2.3%
Preston — India: 2.5% Bellfield — India: 2.3%
Greece 2.8% / 1.2%
Preston — Greece: 2.8% Bellfield — Greece: 1.2%
Vietnam 2.2% / 1.8%
Preston — Vietnam: 2.2% Bellfield — Vietnam: 1.8%
Italy 3.0% / —
Preston — Italy: 3.0% Bellfield — Italy: not among its largest
Philippines 0.9% / 2.0%
Preston — Philippines: 0.9% Bellfield — Philippines: 2.0%
Lebanon — / 2.3%
Preston — Lebanon: not among its largest Bellfield — Lebanon: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Preston 55.7% houses
Preston — Houses: 55.7% Preston — Townhouses: 24.9% Preston — Flats / Apartments: 19.4%
Bellfield 74.2% houses
Bellfield — Houses: 74.2% Bellfield — Townhouses: 24.2% Bellfield — Flats / Apartments: 1.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Preston Bellfield
Median house price $1,182,500 $1,022,500
Median unit price $490,000 —
Median land price $1,035,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 273 sales
 39 days
from 6 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.

Preston Bellfield
2 bed $1.02M / $1.01M
Preston — 2 bed: $1.02M (98 sales) Bellfield — 2 bed: $1.01M (11 sales)

98 vs 11 sales

3 bed $1.18M / $1.02M
Preston — 3 bed: $1.18M (235 sales) Bellfield — 3 bed: $1.02M (21 sales)

235 vs 21 sales

4 bed $1.36M / $1.02M
Preston — 4 bed: $1.36M (76 sales) Bellfield — 4 bed: $1.02M (9 sales)

76 vs 9 sales

Zoning mix

Preston has more industrially zoned land (12% vs 0%).

Preston Bellfield
Residential 64% 67%
Parks and recreation 4% 17%
Infrastructure and transport 12% 16%
Industrial 12% 0%
Commercial 9% 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

Preston Bellfield
New dwellings approved 1,213
across Darebin
 722
across Banyule
Approvals change year on year +0% -75%

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.

Preston Bellfield
Houses 3.4%
$720/wk on $1.1M
 3.5%
$630/wk on $948K
Units 5.7%
$550/wk on $498K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Preston Bellfield
House price Higher than 73% of VIC —
Income Higher than 66% of VIC
same for both
Schools Higher than 55% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 99% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 28% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 82% of VIC Higher than 88% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 89% of VIC Higher than 92% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 31% of VIC Higher than 34% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 87% of VIC —

Liveability

Preston is more walkable (99 vs 89).

Preston Bellfield
Grade A B
Score 68/100 67/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Preston carries more crime risk (91 vs 70).

Preston Bellfield
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
91/100
 High
70/100
Flood Low
38/100
 Moderate
41/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 9
within 5 km
 7
within 5 km

Schools

Preston Bellfield
Inside the suburb 16 1
Rated above peers 4 0
Rated at peers 6 0
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 3
Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus, 6.6 km
 3
Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus, 6.3 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.6% 3.0%

Schools in Preston

  • Newlands Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Preston High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Preston Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Preston West Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • East Preston Islamic College Independent · Combined at peers
  • Preston North East Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Bellfield

  • Waratah Special Developmental School Government · Combined · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Preston Bellfield
Supermarkets 13 0
Cafes & restaurants 107 0
Parks & reserves 28 2
Childcare 30 3
GPs 11 2
Pharmacies 9 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 14 0
Fuel stations 10 0
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Bellfield sits further from the CBD (13.2 km vs 10.4 km).

Preston Bellfield
Walkability score 99/100 89/100
Distance to Melbourne 10.4 km 13.2 km
+27% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 23 min 24 min
Public transport score 95/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 1062.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 60.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 3072
 1.5%
postcode 3081
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 21
postcode 3072
 22
postcode 3081

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.

Preston Bellfield
Car (driver) 42.1% / 55.0%
Preston — Car (driver): 42.1% Bellfield — Car (driver): 55.0%
Worked from Home 41.8% / 32.6%
Preston — Worked from Home: 41.8% Bellfield — Worked from Home: 32.6%
Train 4.4% / 2.4%
Preston — Train: 4.4% Bellfield — Train: 2.4%
Car (passenger) 2.7% / 3.0%
Preston — Car (passenger): 2.7% Bellfield — Car (passenger): 3.0%
Bus 1.6% / 3.8%
Preston — Bus: 1.6% Bellfield — Bus: 3.8%
Bicycle 2.6% / 1.5%
Preston — Bicycle: 2.6% Bellfield — Bicycle: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (55.0%).

Setting

Preston Bellfield
Elevation 78 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 65 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 12.9 km 13.2 km

NBN connectivity

Preston Bellfield
Connectivity score 79/100 83/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 17%
18,580 premises
 28%
1,016 premises

Climate

Preston Bellfield
Annual rainfall 534 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Preston Bellfield
PM2.5 7.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.82 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Preston Bellfield
Average residential rate $1,764/yr $1,787/yr
Council Darebin Banyule

Federal electorate

Preston Bellfield
Division Cooper Jagajaga
Member Ged Kearney Kate Thwaites
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Preston Bellfield
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Preston

Cafe Culture Easy Commute Gentrifying Middle-Ring Parks Professionals Townhouses Trams Transport Hub

Bellfield

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Professionals Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Preston

Preston vs Reservoir Preston vs Coburg Preston vs Thornbury Preston vs Ivanhoe Preston vs Coburg North Preston vs Heidelberg West

Other comparisons with Bellfield

Bellfield vs Thornbury Bellfield vs Ivanhoe Bellfield vs Heidelberg Heights Bellfield vs Heidelberg West
Full data on Preston Full data on Bellfield
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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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