Riddells Creek vs Bolinda

Riddells Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 51 in Bolinda. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. On these figures, Riddells Creek tends to suit families with children, while Bolinda suits share households.

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

Riddells Creek

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (12 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (5 vs 1)
  • But Bolinda has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

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

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Riddells Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (19% vs 31%)
  • has cheaper rent ($400/wk vs $550/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Bolinda

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (56.2 km vs 62.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Riddells Creek has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • Bolinda has more residents already 65 and over (22% vs 17%)

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

Investors

Riddells Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (11.2% vs -6.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Riddells Creek Bolinda
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.

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Walkability 0 / 0
Riddells Creek — Walkability: 0/100 Bolinda — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 56 / 65
Riddells Creek — Safety: 56/100 Bolinda — Safety: 65/100
Low fire risk 21 / 27
Riddells Creek — Low fire risk: 21/100 Bolinda — Low fire risk: 27/100
Low flood risk 86 / 100
Riddells Creek — Low flood risk: 86/100 Bolinda — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Riddells Creek has more residents (4,390 vs 185); Bolinda rents higher ($550/wk vs $400/wk).

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Population 4,390
+96% vs other
 185
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.2% -6.1%
Median age 42 51
Median household income $111,800/yr
+17% vs other
 $93,184/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk $550/wk
+38% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Riddells Creek Bolinda
0-4 5.1% / —
Riddells Creek — 0-4: 5.1% Bolinda — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 14.3% / 13.5%
Riddells Creek — 5-14: 14.3% Bolinda — 5-14: 13.5%
15-19 7.1% / 9.2%
Riddells Creek — 15-19: 7.1% Bolinda — 15-19: 9.2%
20-24 5.2% / 2.2%
Riddells Creek — 20-24: 5.2% Bolinda — 20-24: 2.2%
25-34 9.0% / 2.7%
Riddells Creek — 25-34: 9.0% Bolinda — 25-34: 2.7%
35-44 12.3% / 10.3%
Riddells Creek — 35-44: 12.3% Bolinda — 35-44: 10.3%
45-54 15.6% / 22.7%
Riddells Creek — 45-54: 15.6% Bolinda — 45-54: 22.7%
55-64 14.8% / 20.0%
Riddells Creek — 55-64: 14.8% Bolinda — 55-64: 20.0%
65-74 11.0% / 17.8%
Riddells Creek — 65-74: 11.0% Bolinda — 65-74: 17.8%
75-84 5.0% / 4.3%
Riddells Creek — 75-84: 5.0% Bolinda — 75-84: 4.3%
85+ 0.8% / —
Riddells Creek — 85+: 0.8% Bolinda — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Riddells Creek 59.6% couple families
Riddells Creek — Couple Families: 59.6% Riddells Creek — Lone Person: 23.1% Riddells Creek — One Parent Families: 14.4% Riddells Creek — Group Household: 2.0% Riddells Creek — Other Families: 1.0%
Bolinda 56.5% couple families
Bolinda — Couple Families: 56.5% Bolinda — Lone Person: 19.6% Bolinda — One Parent Families: 13.0% Bolinda — Group Household: 10.9% Bolinda — 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.

Riddells Creek 11.7% renting
Riddells Creek — Owned Outright: 38.8% Riddells Creek — Mortgage: 49.5% Riddells Creek — Renting: 11.7%
Bolinda 7.2% renting
Bolinda — Owned Outright: 47.8% Bolinda — Mortgage: 44.9% Bolinda — Renting: 7.2%
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.

Riddells Creek Bolinda
England 4.2% / —
Riddells Creek — England: 4.2% Bolinda — England: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.2% / 2.2%
Riddells Creek — New Zealand: 1.2% Bolinda — New Zealand: 2.2%
Italy 0.4% / 1.6%
Riddells Creek — Italy: 0.4% Bolinda — Italy: 1.6%
Scotland 0.5% / —
Riddells Creek — Scotland: 0.5% Bolinda — Scotland: not among its largest
Germany 0.5% / —
Riddells Creek — Germany: 0.5% Bolinda — Germany: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.2%).

Qualifications

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

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Certificate III & IV 18.1% / 12.4%
Riddells Creek — Certificate III & IV: 18.1% Bolinda — Certificate III & IV: 12.4%
Bachelor Degree 12.0% / 12.4%
Riddells Creek — Bachelor Degree: 12.0% Bolinda — Bachelor Degree: 12.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.2% / 8.6%
Riddells Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2% Bolinda — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6%
Postgraduate Degree 3.7% / 4.3%
Riddells Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 3.7% Bolinda — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / —
Riddells Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% Bolinda — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Riddells Creek 94.4% houses
Riddells Creek — Houses: 94.4% Riddells Creek — Townhouses: 5.3% Riddells Creek — Flats / Apartments: 0.3%
Bolinda 100.0% houses
Bolinda — Houses: 100.0% Bolinda — Townhouses: 0.0% Bolinda — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Median house price $1,064,000 —
Median unit price $590,000 —
Median land price $655,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 34 days
from 44 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Bolinda has more rural and farming land (99% vs 48%); Riddells Creek has more land zoned for conservation (26% vs 0%).

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Rural and farming 48% 99%
Environmental 26% 0%
Residential 15% 0%
Parks and recreation 8% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 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

Riddells Creek Bolinda
New dwellings approved 331
across Macedon Ranges
same for both
Approvals change year on year +80%
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.

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Houses 2.8%
$640/wk on $1.2M
 —
Units 3.6%
$470/wk on $679K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Riddells Creek Bolinda
House price Higher than 70% of VIC —
Income Higher than 85% of VIC Higher than 62% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 17% of VIC Higher than 5% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 50% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 73% of VIC —
NBN connectivity Higher than 76% of VIC Higher than 49% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 7% of VIC —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 3% of VIC —

Liveability

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Grade C —
Score 47/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Riddells Creek carries more flood risk (14 vs 0).

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Bushfire High
79/100
 High
73/100
Crime Moderate
44/100
 Low
35/100
Flood Low
14/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Riddells Creek

  • Riddells Creek Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Bolinda

  • Bolinda Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 4 0
Parks & reserves 12 0
Childcare 5 1
GPs 2 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Waterways 95 4

Mobility

Riddells Creek sits further from the CBD (62.2 km vs 56.2 km).

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 62.2 km
+10% vs other
 56.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 54 min
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 3431
 0.0%
postcode 3432
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 3431
 —

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.

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Car (driver) 63.9% / 54.3%
Riddells Creek — Car (driver): 63.9% Bolinda — Car (driver): 54.3%
Worked from Home 28.6% / 37.0%
Riddells Creek — Worked from Home: 28.6% Bolinda — Worked from Home: 37.0%
Car (passenger) 3.7% / 8.7%
Riddells Creek — Car (passenger): 3.7% Bolinda — Car (passenger): 8.7%
Train 2.7% / —
Riddells Creek — Train: 2.7% Bolinda — Train: not among its largest
Walked Only 1.2% / —
Riddells Creek — Walked Only: 1.2% Bolinda — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (63.9%).

Setting

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Elevation 397 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 367 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 48.5 km 46.4 km

NBN connectivity

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Connectivity score 63/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 42%
1,786 premises
 0%
85 premises

Climate

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Annual rainfall 778 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Average residential rate $2,065/yr
same for both
Council Macedon Ranges
same for both

Federal electorate

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Division Mcewen
same for both
Member Rob Mitchell
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Riddells Creek Bolinda
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Riddells Creek

Acreage Outer River Trains

Bolinda

Outer

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Riddells Creek

Riddells Creek vs Sunbury Riddells Creek vs Gisborne Riddells Creek vs Romsey Riddells Creek vs New Gisborne Riddells Creek vs Mount Macedon Riddells Creek vs Clarkefield

Other comparisons with Bolinda

Bolinda vs Darraweit Guim Bolinda vs Clarkefield Bolinda vs Monegeetta Bolinda vs Chintin
Full data on Riddells Creek Full data on Bolinda
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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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