Reservoir vs Bundoora

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. Reservoir is closer to the city centre: 13 km, against 17.2 km. On these figures, Reservoir 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

Bundoora

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (75 vs 58)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (76% vs 63%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (59% vs 50%)
  • But Reservoir has more schools inside the suburb (17 vs 7)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Reservoir has cheaper land ($815,000 vs $980,000)
  • Bundoora has cheaper units ($432,750 vs $588,750)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land 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

Reservoir

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (13 km vs 17.2 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (27 min vs 33 min)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Reservoir

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (37% vs 24%)
  • has more GPs (14 vs 11)

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

Investors

Bundoora

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on units (5.3% vs 4.5%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Reservoir Bundoora
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.

Reservoir Bundoora
Walkability 95 / 95
Reservoir — Walkability: 95/100 Bundoora — Walkability: 95/100
Safety 22 / 23
Reservoir — Safety: 22/100 Bundoora — Safety: 23/100
Low fire risk 100 / 44
Reservoir — Low fire risk: 100/100 Bundoora — Low fire risk: 44/100
Low flood risk 57 / 58
Reservoir — Low flood risk: 57/100 Bundoora — Low flood risk: 58/100

Demographics

Reservoir has more residents (51,096 vs 28,068).

Reservoir Bundoora
Population 51,096
+45% vs other
 28,068
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.2% -2.0%
Median age 38
same for both
Median household income $80,132/yr $86,736/yr
+8% vs other
Median weekly rent $360/wk $381/wk
+6% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Reservoir Bundoora
0-4 6.1% / 4.8%
Reservoir — 0-4: 6.1% Bundoora — 0-4: 4.8%
5-14 9.5% / 9.6%
Reservoir — 5-14: 9.5% Bundoora — 5-14: 9.6%
15-19 4.1% / 6.2%
Reservoir — 15-19: 4.1% Bundoora — 15-19: 6.2%
20-24 6.1% / 9.7%
Reservoir — 20-24: 6.1% Bundoora — 20-24: 9.7%
25-34 18.5% / 15.7%
Reservoir — 25-34: 18.5% Bundoora — 25-34: 15.7%
35-44 15.7% / 12.1%
Reservoir — 35-44: 15.7% Bundoora — 35-44: 12.1%
45-54 12.6% / 12.9%
Reservoir — 45-54: 12.6% Bundoora — 45-54: 12.9%
55-64 10.1% / 11.3%
Reservoir — 55-64: 10.1% Bundoora — 55-64: 11.3%
65-74 7.8% / 9.0%
Reservoir — 65-74: 7.8% Bundoora — 65-74: 9.0%
75-84 6.0% / 6.1%
Reservoir — 75-84: 6.0% Bundoora — 75-84: 6.1%
85+ 3.4% / 2.6%
Reservoir — 85+: 3.4% Bundoora — 85+: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Reservoir 35.6% couple families
Reservoir — Couple Families: 35.6% Reservoir — Lone Person: 40.2% Reservoir — One Parent Families: 14.9% Reservoir — Group Household: 6.9% Reservoir — Other Families: 2.4%
Bundoora 44.2% couple families
Bundoora — Couple Families: 44.2% Bundoora — Lone Person: 30.3% Bundoora — One Parent Families: 15.1% Bundoora — Group Household: 8.3% Bundoora — Other Families: 2.1%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Reservoir 37.8% renting
Reservoir — Owned Outright: 32.1% Reservoir — Mortgage: 30.1% Reservoir — Renting: 37.8%
Bundoora 28.6% renting
Bundoora — Owned Outright: 37.9% Bundoora — Mortgage: 33.5% Bundoora — Renting: 28.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Reservoir Bundoora
Bachelor Degree 15.5% / 15.6%
Reservoir — Bachelor Degree: 15.5% Bundoora — Bachelor Degree: 15.6%
Certificate III & IV 10.1% / 10.2%
Reservoir — Certificate III & IV: 10.1% Bundoora — Certificate III & IV: 10.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 8.2%
Reservoir — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% Bundoora — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 6.6% / 6.9%
Reservoir — Postgraduate Degree: 6.6% Bundoora — Postgraduate Degree: 6.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 2.0%
Reservoir — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Bundoora — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.6%).

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.

Reservoir Bundoora
China 3.1% / 7.6%
Reservoir — China: 3.1% Bundoora — China: 7.6%
Italy 5.5% / 2.2%
Reservoir — Italy: 5.5% Bundoora — Italy: 2.2%
India 3.7% / 4.0%
Reservoir — India: 3.7% Bundoora — India: 4.0%
Greece 2.4% / 2.0%
Reservoir — Greece: 2.4% Bundoora — Greece: 2.0%
Vietnam 2.0% / 1.4%
Reservoir — Vietnam: 2.0% Bundoora — Vietnam: 1.4%
Sri Lanka — / 2.2%
Reservoir — Sri Lanka: not among its largest Bundoora — Sri Lanka: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Reservoir 63.2% houses
Reservoir — Houses: 63.2% Reservoir — Townhouses: 32.5% Reservoir — Flats / Apartments: 4.3%
Bundoora 76.1% houses
Bundoora — Houses: 76.1% Bundoora — Townhouses: 14.8% Bundoora — Flats / Apartments: 9.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Reservoir Bundoora
Median house price $920,000 $875,000
Median unit price $588,750 $432,750
Median land price $815,000 $980,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 455 sales
 24 days
from 316 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

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

Reservoir Bundoora
1 bed $430K / $340K
Reservoir — 1 bed: $430K (83 sales) Bundoora — 1 bed: $340K (58 sales)

83 vs 58 sales

2 bed $588K / $450K
Reservoir — 2 bed: $588K (287 sales) Bundoora — 2 bed: $450K (132 sales)

287 vs 132 sales

3 bed $750K / $640K
Reservoir — 3 bed: $750K (85 sales) Bundoora — 3 bed: $640K (15 sales)

85 vs 15 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.

Reservoir Bundoora
2 bed $812K / $535K
Reservoir — 2 bed: $812K (142 sales) Bundoora — 2 bed: $535K (23 sales)

142 vs 23 sales

3 bed $900K / $850K
Reservoir — 3 bed: $900K (468 sales) Bundoora — 3 bed: $850K (314 sales)

468 vs 314 sales

4 bed $1.11M / $1M
Reservoir — 4 bed: $1.11M (153 sales) Bundoora — 4 bed: $1M (136 sales)

153 vs 136 sales

5 bed $1.34M / $1.02M
Reservoir — 5 bed: $1.34M (23 sales) Bundoora — 5 bed: $1.02M (28 sales)

23 vs 28 sales

Zoning mix

Reservoir Bundoora
Residential 74% 43%
Infrastructure and transport 10% 23%
Parks and recreation 9% 23%
Other and special use 0% 7%
Industrial 6% 3%
Commercial 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

Reservoir Bundoora
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.

Reservoir Bundoora
Houses 3.9%
$650/wk on $865K
 3.8%
$600/wk on $820K
Units 4.5%
$500/wk on $575K
 5.3%
$460/wk on $450K

Ranking within VIC

Reservoir Bundoora
House price Higher than 67% of VIC Higher than 63% of VIC
Income Higher than 47% of VIC Higher than 57% of VIC
Schools Higher than 53% of VIC Higher than 62% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 98% of VIC
same for both
Affordability Higher than 26% of VIC Higher than 39% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 74% of VIC Higher than 79% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 62% of VIC Higher than 54% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 33% of VIC Higher than 76% of VIC

Liveability

Reservoir Bundoora
Grade B
same for both
Score 61/100 57/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Bundoora carries more bushfire risk (56 vs 0).

Reservoir Bundoora
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
56/100
Crime High
78/100
 High
77/100
Flood Moderate
43/100
 Moderate
42/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 19
within 5 km
 8
within 5 km

Schools

Reservoir Bundoora
Inside the suburb 17 7
Rated above peers 4 2
Rated at peers 4 3
Rated below peers 3 1
Universities within 10 km 3
Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus, 4.9 km
 2
Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus, 0.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.3% 5.4%

Schools in Reservoir

  • Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment Independent · Primary above peers
  • Reservoir High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Reservoir Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Reservoir West Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Holy Name School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Reservoir East Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Bundoora

  • Northside Christian College Independent · Combined above peers
  • St Damian's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Bundoora Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Norris Bank Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Parade College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Bundoora Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Reservoir Bundoora
Supermarkets 10 8
Cafes & restaurants 35 46
Parks & reserves 58 75
Childcare 30 17
GPs 14 11
Pharmacies 9 6
Hospitals 0 2
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 5 3
Fuel stations 8 2
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 15 7

Mobility

Bundoora sits further from the CBD (17.2 km vs 13 km).

Reservoir Bundoora
Walkability score 95/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 13 km 17.2 km
+32% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 27 min 33 min
Public transport score 94/100
Rail · Tram · Bus
 80/100
Tram · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 997.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 638.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 3073
 1.0%
postcode 3083
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 20
postcode 3073
 27
postcode 3083

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.

Reservoir Bundoora
Car (driver) 53.7% / 62.1%
Reservoir — Car (driver): 53.7% Bundoora — Car (driver): 62.1%
Worked from Home 32.5% / 26.0%
Reservoir — Worked from Home: 32.5% Bundoora — Worked from Home: 26.0%
Train 6.0% / 2.7%
Reservoir — Train: 6.0% Bundoora — Train: 2.7%
Car (passenger) 3.5% / 4.6%
Reservoir — Car (passenger): 3.5% Bundoora — Car (passenger): 4.6%
Bus 1.4% / 1.6%
Reservoir — Bus: 1.4% Bundoora — Bus: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.1%).

Setting

Reservoir Bundoora
Elevation 95 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 102 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 15.8 km 19.3 km

NBN connectivity

Reservoir Bundoora
Connectivity score 76/100 90/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 9%
26,272 premises
 56%
12,524 premises

Climate

Reservoir Bundoora
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)

Reservoir Bundoora
PM2.5 3.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Reservoir Bundoora
Average residential rate $1,764/yr $1,787/yr
Council Darebin Banyule

Federal electorate

Reservoir Bundoora
Division Cooper Jagajaga
Member Ged Kearney Kate Thwaites
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Reservoir Bundoora
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Reservoir

Easy Commute Gentrifying Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Townhouses Trams Transport Hub

Bundoora

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Trams Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Reservoir

Reservoir vs Preston Reservoir vs Thomastown Reservoir vs Fawkner Reservoir vs Coburg North Reservoir vs Heidelberg West Reservoir vs Campbellfield

Other comparisons with Bundoora

Bundoora vs Mill Park Bundoora vs Lalor Bundoora vs Greensborough Bundoora vs Thomastown Bundoora vs Macleod Bundoora vs Watsonia
Full data on Reservoir Full data on Bundoora
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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