Rutherglen vs Wahgunyah

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Rutherglen, about half of households are 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

  • Rutherglen has more parks and reserves (16 vs 3)
  • Wahgunyah 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 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Wahgunyah

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($230/wk vs $250/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

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

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Wahgunyah

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (35/100 vs 50/100)

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

Investors

Rutherglen

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.5% vs -3.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
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.

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Walkability 0 / 4
Rutherglen — Walkability: 0/100 Wahgunyah — Walkability: 4/100
Safety 50 / 65
Rutherglen — Safety: 50/100 Wahgunyah — Safety: 65/100
Low fire risk 81 / 81
Rutherglen — Low fire risk: 81/100 Wahgunyah — Low fire risk: 81/100
Low flood risk 55 / 14
Rutherglen — Low flood risk: 55/100 Wahgunyah — Low flood risk: 14/100

Demographics

Rutherglen has more residents (2,579 vs 1,061).

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Population 2,579
+59% vs other
 1,061
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.5% -3.4%
Median age 48 49
Median household income $67,912/yr
+2% vs other
 $66,560/yr
Median weekly rent $250/wk
+8% vs other
 $230/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
0-4 4.8% / 4.6%
Rutherglen — 0-4: 4.8% Wahgunyah — 0-4: 4.6%
5-14 11.8% / 11.9%
Rutherglen — 5-14: 11.8% Wahgunyah — 5-14: 11.9%
15-19 5.5% / 5.1%
Rutherglen — 15-19: 5.5% Wahgunyah — 15-19: 5.1%
20-24 3.8% / 4.2%
Rutherglen — 20-24: 3.8% Wahgunyah — 20-24: 4.2%
25-34 9.9% / 8.9%
Rutherglen — 25-34: 9.9% Wahgunyah — 25-34: 8.9%
35-44 10.4% / 10.7%
Rutherglen — 35-44: 10.4% Wahgunyah — 35-44: 10.7%
45-54 12.2% / 14.4%
Rutherglen — 45-54: 12.2% Wahgunyah — 45-54: 14.4%
55-64 14.8% / 13.9%
Rutherglen — 55-64: 14.8% Wahgunyah — 55-64: 13.9%
65-74 15.4% / 17.2%
Rutherglen — 65-74: 15.4% Wahgunyah — 65-74: 17.2%
75-84 8.3% / 7.9%
Rutherglen — 75-84: 8.3% Wahgunyah — 75-84: 7.9%
85+ 3.1% / 2.1%
Rutherglen — 85+: 3.1% Wahgunyah — 85+: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Rutherglen 45.0% lone person
Rutherglen — Lone Person: 45.0% Rutherglen — Couple Families: 35.4% Rutherglen — One Parent Families: 15.8% Rutherglen — Group Household: 2.1% Rutherglen — Other Families: 1.7%
Wahgunyah 41.2% lone person
Wahgunyah — Lone Person: 41.2% Wahgunyah — Couple Families: 39.4% Wahgunyah — One Parent Families: 14.1% Wahgunyah — Group Household: 2.8% Wahgunyah — Other Families: 2.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Rutherglen 19.7% renting
Rutherglen — Owned Outright: 44.5% Rutherglen — Mortgage: 35.9% Rutherglen — Renting: 19.7%
Wahgunyah 16.3% renting
Wahgunyah — Owned Outright: 45.9% Wahgunyah — Mortgage: 37.8% Wahgunyah — Renting: 16.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Certificate III & IV 18.3% / 20.3%
Rutherglen — Certificate III & IV: 18.3% Wahgunyah — Certificate III & IV: 20.3%
Bachelor Degree 9.2% / 6.6%
Rutherglen — Bachelor Degree: 9.2% Wahgunyah — Bachelor Degree: 6.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 6.9%
Rutherglen — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% Wahgunyah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / 1.3%
Rutherglen — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% Wahgunyah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.4% / 0.5%
Rutherglen — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4% Wahgunyah — Postgraduate Degree: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.3%).

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.

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
England 2.5% / 2.9%
Rutherglen — England: 2.5% Wahgunyah — England: 2.9%
New Zealand 1.4% / 0.8%
Rutherglen — New Zealand: 1.4% Wahgunyah — New Zealand: 0.8%
Netherlands 0.6% / 0.6%
Rutherglen — Netherlands: 0.6% Wahgunyah — Netherlands: 0.6%
Germany 0.5% / —
Rutherglen — Germany: 0.5% Wahgunyah — Germany: not among its largest
India 0.1% / 0.3%
Rutherglen — India: 0.1% Wahgunyah — India: 0.3%
Scotland 0.3% / —
Rutherglen — Scotland: 0.3% Wahgunyah — Scotland: not among its largest
China — / 0.3%
Rutherglen — China: not among its largest Wahgunyah — China: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Rutherglen 92.5% houses
Rutherglen — Houses: 92.5% Rutherglen — Townhouses: 6.0% Rutherglen — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Wahgunyah 89.1% houses
Wahgunyah — Houses: 89.1% Wahgunyah — Townhouses: 9.7% Wahgunyah — Flats / Apartments: 1.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Median house price $555,000 $560,000
Median unit price $320,550 —
Median land price $265,000 $290,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 84 days
from 32 sales
 53 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.

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
3 bed $550K / $540K
Rutherglen — 3 bed: $550K (49 sales) Wahgunyah — 3 bed: $540K (15 sales)

49 vs 15 sales

4 bed $650K / $683K
Rutherglen — 4 bed: $650K (14 sales) Wahgunyah — 4 bed: $683K (6 sales)

14 vs 6 sales

Zoning mix

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Rural and farming 89% 85%
Parks and recreation 3% 8%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 2%
Residential 3%
same for both
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

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
New dwellings approved 120
across Indigo
same for both
Approvals change year on year +15%
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.

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Houses 4.1%
$550/wk on $690K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
House price Higher than 20% of VIC Higher than 16% of VIC
Income Higher than 29% of VIC Higher than 27% of VIC
Schools Higher than 24% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 48% of VIC Higher than 66% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 66% of VIC Higher than 72% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 49% of VIC Higher than 18% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of VIC Higher than 80% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 76% of VIC —

Liveability

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Grade D
same for both
Score 28/100 27/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
same for both

Risk profile

Wahgunyah carries more flood risk (86 vs 45); Rutherglen carries more crime risk (50 vs 35).

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Bushfire Low
19/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
50/100
 Low
35/100
Flood Moderate
45/100
 High
86/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Inside the suburb 3 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Rutherglen

  • Rutherglen Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Mary's School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Rutherglen High School Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in Wahgunyah

  • Wahgunyah Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 5 4
Parks & reserves 16 3
Childcare 2 1
GPs 2 1
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 1
Fuel stations 2 1
Waterways 5 1

Mobility

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Walkability score 0/100 4/100
Distance to Melbourne 296.6 km 297.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 193 min 192 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 3685
 0.3%
postcode 3687
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 67
postcode 3685
 65
postcode 3687

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.

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Car (driver) 77.9% / 84.9%
Rutherglen — Car (driver): 77.9% Wahgunyah — Car (driver): 84.9%
Worked from Home 12.5% / 8.3%
Rutherglen — Worked from Home: 12.5% Wahgunyah — Worked from Home: 8.3%
Car (passenger) 4.2% / 4.5%
Rutherglen — Car (passenger): 4.2% Wahgunyah — Car (passenger): 4.5%
Walked Only 4.8% / 1.5%
Rutherglen — Walked Only: 4.8% Wahgunyah — Walked Only: 1.5%
Bicycle 0.7% / 0.8%
Rutherglen — Bicycle: 0.7% Wahgunyah — Bicycle: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (84.9%).

Setting

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Elevation 157 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 143 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Connectivity score 67/100 70/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 42%
1,370 premises
 48%
563 premises

Climate

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Annual rainfall 567 mm 540 mm
Summer max (Jan) 31.7°C 32.0°C
Winter min (Jul) 2.1°C 3.4°C

Council rates

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Average residential rate $1,828/yr
same for both
Council Indigo
same for both

Federal electorate

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Division Indi
same for both
Member Helen Haines
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Rutherglen Wahgunyah
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Rutherglen

Acreage Affordable Retirees

Wahgunyah

Acreage Affordable Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Rutherglen

Rutherglen vs Norong Rutherglen vs Browns Plains Rutherglen vs Cornishtown Rutherglen vs Lilliput Rutherglen vs Carlyle Rutherglen vs Chiltern Valley

Other comparisons with Wahgunyah

Wahgunyah vs Carlyle
Full data on Rutherglen Full data on Wahgunyah
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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