Sandringham vs Cheltenham

Cheltenham is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 47 in Sandringham. In both, most households own their home. In Cheltenham, most homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Sandringham: a median of $2.19 million, against $1.25 million in Cheltenham, and rent is higher there too. Sandringham is closer to the city centre: 18.8 km, against 20.9 km. On these figures, Cheltenham tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Cheltenham

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (28 vs 13)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (20 vs 12)
  • But Sandringham carries lower crime risk (54/100 vs 80/100)

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

First-home buyers

Cheltenham

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,252,500 vs $2,195,000)

Weighs house prices, unit 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

Sandringham

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (18.8 km vs 20.9 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Sandringham

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (54/100 vs 80/100)
  • has more GPs (8 vs 6)

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

Investors

Cheltenham

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.5% vs 2.5%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Sandringham Cheltenham
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.

Sandringham Cheltenham
Walkability 89 / 94
Sandringham — Walkability: 89/100 Cheltenham — Walkability: 94/100
Safety 46 / 20
Sandringham — Safety: 46/100 Cheltenham — Safety: 20/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Sandringham — Low fire risk: 100/100 Cheltenham — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 75 / 70
Sandringham — Low flood risk: 75/100 Cheltenham — Low flood risk: 70/100

Demographics

Cheltenham has more residents (23,992 vs 10,926); Sandringham has higher household incomes ($120,276 vs $99,788).

Sandringham Cheltenham
Population 10,926 23,992
+120% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.7% +7.6%
Median age 47 40
Median household income $120,276/yr
+17% vs other
 $99,788/yr
Median weekly rent $460/wk
+7% vs other
 $430/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Sandringham Cheltenham
0-4 4.0% / 5.9%
Sandringham — 0-4: 4.0% Cheltenham — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 11.9% / 12.1%
Sandringham — 5-14: 11.9% Cheltenham — 5-14: 12.1%
15-19 6.4% / 5.3%
Sandringham — 15-19: 6.4% Cheltenham — 15-19: 5.3%
20-24 4.7% / 4.9%
Sandringham — 20-24: 4.7% Cheltenham — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 7.6% / 12.6%
Sandringham — 25-34: 7.6% Cheltenham — 25-34: 12.6%
35-44 11.9% / 15.6%
Sandringham — 35-44: 11.9% Cheltenham — 35-44: 15.6%
45-54 16.0% / 14.1%
Sandringham — 45-54: 16.0% Cheltenham — 45-54: 14.1%
55-64 14.5% / 10.8%
Sandringham — 55-64: 14.5% Cheltenham — 55-64: 10.8%
65-74 11.6% / 8.6%
Sandringham — 65-74: 11.6% Cheltenham — 65-74: 8.6%
75-84 7.0% / 6.1%
Sandringham — 75-84: 7.0% Cheltenham — 75-84: 6.1%
85+ 4.5% / 4.0%
Sandringham — 85+: 4.5% Cheltenham — 85+: 4.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Sandringham 44.4% couple families
Sandringham — Couple Families: 44.4% Sandringham — Lone Person: 41.5% Sandringham — One Parent Families: 11.0% Sandringham — Group Household: 2.4% Sandringham — Other Families: 0.6%
Cheltenham 43.0% couple families
Cheltenham — Couple Families: 43.0% Cheltenham — Lone Person: 37.8% Cheltenham — One Parent Families: 14.3% Cheltenham — Group Household: 3.4% Cheltenham — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Sandringham 26.0% renting
Sandringham — Owned Outright: 40.7% Sandringham — Mortgage: 33.2% Sandringham — Renting: 26.0%
Cheltenham 27.9% renting
Cheltenham — Owned Outright: 33.8% Cheltenham — Mortgage: 38.3% Cheltenham — Renting: 27.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Sandringham Cheltenham
Bachelor Degree 23.4% / 18.8%
Sandringham — Bachelor Degree: 23.4% Cheltenham — Bachelor Degree: 18.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.2% / 9.0%
Sandringham — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2% Cheltenham — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0%
Certificate III & IV 6.5% / 9.8%
Sandringham — Certificate III & IV: 6.5% Cheltenham — Certificate III & IV: 9.8%
Postgraduate Degree 9.2% / 6.9%
Sandringham — Postgraduate Degree: 9.2% Cheltenham — Postgraduate Degree: 6.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.0% / 2.7%
Sandringham — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.0% Cheltenham — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.4%).

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.

Sandringham Cheltenham
England 7.2% / 4.0%
Sandringham — England: 7.2% Cheltenham — England: 4.0%
China 1.3% / 3.1%
Sandringham — China: 1.3% Cheltenham — China: 3.1%
New Zealand 1.9% / 1.6%
Sandringham — New Zealand: 1.9% Cheltenham — New Zealand: 1.6%
India 0.7% / 2.7%
Sandringham — India: 0.7% Cheltenham — India: 2.7%
South Africa 1.4% / 1.0%
Sandringham — South Africa: 1.4% Cheltenham — South Africa: 1.0%
Greece — / 2.0%
Sandringham — Greece: not among its largest Cheltenham — Greece: 2.0%
Scotland 1.0% / 0.7%
Sandringham — Scotland: 1.0% Cheltenham — Scotland: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Sandringham 50.0% houses
Sandringham — Houses: 50.0% Sandringham — Flats / Apartments: 27.6% Sandringham — Townhouses: 22.4%
Cheltenham 58.5% houses
Cheltenham — Houses: 58.5% Cheltenham — Flats / Apartments: 18.8% Cheltenham — Townhouses: 22.7%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Sandringham Cheltenham
Median house price $2,195,000 $1,252,500
Median unit price $650,000 $677,500
Median land price — $942,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 59 sales
 22 days
from 155 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.

Sandringham Cheltenham
1 bed $370K / $365K
Sandringham — 1 bed: $370K (38 sales) Cheltenham — 1 bed: $365K (37 sales)

38 vs 37 sales

2 bed $664K / $668K
Sandringham — 2 bed: $664K (74 sales) Cheltenham — 2 bed: $668K (184 sales)

74 vs 184 sales

3 bed $1.33M / $895K
Sandringham — 3 bed: $1.33M (25 sales) Cheltenham — 3 bed: $895K (48 sales)

25 vs 48 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.

Sandringham Cheltenham
2 bed $1.59M / $1.05M
Sandringham — 2 bed: $1.59M (13 sales) Cheltenham — 2 bed: $1.05M (23 sales)

13 vs 23 sales

3 bed $1.85M / $1.2M
Sandringham — 3 bed: $1.85M (31 sales) Cheltenham — 3 bed: $1.2M (120 sales)

31 vs 120 sales

4 bed $2.31M / $1.35M
Sandringham — 4 bed: $2.31M (44 sales) Cheltenham — 4 bed: $1.35M (93 sales)

44 vs 93 sales

5 bed $2.9M / $1.68M
Sandringham — 5 bed: $2.9M (20 sales) Cheltenham — 5 bed: $1.68M (25 sales)

20 vs 25 sales

Zoning mix

Cheltenham has more commercially zoned land (19% vs 4%); Cheltenham has more industrially zoned land (10% vs 0%).

Sandringham Cheltenham
Residential 71% 51%
Commercial 4% 19%
Parks and recreation 16% 11%
Industrial 0% 10%
Infrastructure and transport 9%
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

Sandringham Cheltenham
New dwellings approved 473
across Bayside (Vic.)
 465
across Kingston (Vic.)
Approvals change year on year -47% -36%

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.

Sandringham Cheltenham
Houses 2.5%
$1,000/wk on $2.1M
 3.5%
$800/wk on $1.2M
Units 5.0%
$665/wk on $688K
 5.0%
$600/wk on $630K

Ranking within VIC

Sandringham Cheltenham
House price Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 86% of VIC
Income Higher than 91% of VIC Higher than 72% of VIC
Schools Higher than 51% of VIC Higher than 72% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 98% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 5% of VIC Higher than 14% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 97% of VIC Higher than 88% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 90% of VIC Higher than 86% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 4% of VIC Higher than 34% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 63% of VIC Higher than 58% of VIC

Liveability

Sandringham Cheltenham
Grade A
same for both
Score 80/100 76/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Cheltenham carries more crime risk (80 vs 54).

Sandringham Cheltenham
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
54/100
 High
80/100
Flood Low
25/100
 Low
30/100
Coastal erosion Moderate
64/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 5
within 5 km
 15
within 5 km

Schools

Sandringham Cheltenham
Inside the suburb 5 6
Rated above peers 1 2
Rated at peers 3
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 1
Monash Caulfield, 8.4 km
 2
Monash Clayton, 8.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.4% 2.2%

Schools in Sandringham

  • Sacred Heart School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Sandringham College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Sandringham East Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Sandringham Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Firbank Grammar School - Sandringham Campus Independent · Combined

Schools in Cheltenham

  • Cheltenham East Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Cheltenham Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Cheltenham Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Kingston Heath Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Our Lady of the Assumption School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Le Page Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Sandringham Cheltenham
Supermarkets 2 8
Cafes & restaurants 24 56
Parks & reserves 13 28
Childcare 12 20
GPs 8 6
Pharmacies 2 8
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 2 9
Fuel stations 2 4
EV chargers 2 3
Beaches 1 0

Mobility

Cheltenham sits further from the CBD (20.9 km vs 18.8 km).

Sandringham Cheltenham
Walkability score 89/100 94/100
Distance to Melbourne 18.8 km 20.9 km
+11% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 30 min 32 min
Public transport score 93/100
Rail · Bus
 94/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 164.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 428.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.5%
postcode 3191
 1.5%
postcode 3192
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 22
postcode 3191
 23
postcode 3192

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.

Sandringham Cheltenham
Worked from Home 50.6% / 40.1%
Sandringham — Worked from Home: 50.6% Cheltenham — Worked from Home: 40.1%
Car (driver) 39.3% / 49.2%
Sandringham — Car (driver): 39.3% Cheltenham — Car (driver): 49.2%
Train 3.7% / 3.3%
Sandringham — Train: 3.7% Cheltenham — Train: 3.3%
Car (passenger) 2.2% / 3.2%
Sandringham — Car (passenger): 2.2% Cheltenham — Car (passenger): 3.2%
Walked Only 2.7% / 2.4%
Sandringham — Walked Only: 2.7% Cheltenham — Walked Only: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (50.6%).

Setting

Sandringham Cheltenham
Elevation 35 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 45 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 782 m
952 m to a named beach
 2.7 km
2.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Sandringham Cheltenham
Connectivity score 79/100 76/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 17%
5,622 premises
 9%
13,274 premises

Climate

Sandringham Cheltenham
Annual rainfall 644 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Sandringham Cheltenham
PM2.5 7.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Sandringham Cheltenham
Average residential rate $2,086/yr $1,940/yr
Council Bayside (Vic.) Kingston (Vic.)

Federal electorate

Sandringham Cheltenham
Division Goldstein Isaacs
Member Tim Wilson Mark Dreyfus
Party Liberal Australian Labor Party

First Home Owner Grant

Sandringham Cheltenham
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Sandringham

Beach Coastal Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Premium Professionals Townhouses Transport Hub Village Feel

Cheltenham

Coastal Easy Commute Gentrifying Middle-Ring Parks Premium Townhouses Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Sandringham

Sandringham vs Hampton Sandringham vs Highett Sandringham vs Black Rock

Other comparisons with Cheltenham

Cheltenham vs Beaumaris Cheltenham vs Mentone Cheltenham vs Highett Cheltenham vs Black Rock Cheltenham vs Moorabbin Cheltenham vs Heatherton
Full data on Sandringham Full data on Cheltenham
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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