Scarsdale vs Smythesdale

Comparing Scarsdale and Smythesdale, VIC: Smythesdale is more walkable (47 vs 13); Smythesdale carries more crime risk (55 vs 35); and Smythesdale has more residents (1,189 vs 855).

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

  • Scarsdale carries lower crime risk (35/100 vs 55/100)
  • Smythesdale has more parks and reserves (13 vs 3)

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

First-home buyers

Scarsdale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper land ($277,500 vs $722,500)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Scarsdale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($240/wk vs $300/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Smythesdale

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (47/100 vs 13/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (106 min vs 111 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (134.2 km vs 139.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Scarsdale carries lower crime risk (35/100 vs 55/100)
  • Smythesdale is more walkable (47/100 vs 13/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

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

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Scarsdale Smythesdale
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.

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Walkability 13 / 47
Scarsdale — Walkability: 13/100 Smythesdale — Walkability: 47/100
Safety 65 / 45
Scarsdale — Safety: 65/100 Smythesdale — Safety: 45/100
Low fire risk 27 / 25
Scarsdale — Low fire risk: 27/100 Smythesdale — Low fire risk: 25/100
Low flood risk 67 / 57
Scarsdale — Low flood risk: 67/100 Smythesdale — Low flood risk: 57/100

Demographics

Smythesdale has more residents (1,189 vs 855); Smythesdale rents higher ($300/wk vs $240/wk).

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Population 855 1,189
+39% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +14.9% +15.2%
Median age 39
same for both
Median household income $80,496/yr $86,112/yr
+7% vs other
Median weekly rent $240/wk $300/wk
+25% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Scarsdale Smythesdale
0-4 5.6% / 6.2%
Scarsdale — 0-4: 5.6% Smythesdale — 0-4: 6.2%
5-14 15.6% / 14.8%
Scarsdale — 5-14: 15.6% Smythesdale — 5-14: 14.8%
15-19 6.4% / 6.1%
Scarsdale — 15-19: 6.4% Smythesdale — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 5.5% / 6.8%
Scarsdale — 20-24: 5.5% Smythesdale — 20-24: 6.8%
25-34 11.3% / 9.8%
Scarsdale — 25-34: 11.3% Smythesdale — 25-34: 9.8%
35-44 13.5% / 12.5%
Scarsdale — 35-44: 13.5% Smythesdale — 35-44: 12.5%
45-54 15.6% / 14.7%
Scarsdale — 45-54: 15.6% Smythesdale — 45-54: 14.7%
55-64 13.2% / 13.1%
Scarsdale — 55-64: 13.2% Smythesdale — 55-64: 13.1%
65-74 11.1% / 11.2%
Scarsdale — 65-74: 11.1% Smythesdale — 65-74: 11.2%
75-84 2.7% / 4.0%
Scarsdale — 75-84: 2.7% Smythesdale — 75-84: 4.0%
85+ 0.6% / 0.5%
Scarsdale — 85+: 0.6% Smythesdale — 85+: 0.5%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Scarsdale 48.2% couple families
Scarsdale — Couple Families: 48.2% Scarsdale — Lone Person: 25.7% Scarsdale — One Parent Families: 22.5% Scarsdale — Group Household: 3.7% Scarsdale — Other Families: 0.0%
Smythesdale 53.8% couple families
Smythesdale — Couple Families: 53.8% Smythesdale — Lone Person: 28.3% Smythesdale — One Parent Families: 14.3% Smythesdale — Group Household: 2.2% Smythesdale — 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.

Scarsdale 5.2% renting
Scarsdale — Owned Outright: 37.9% Scarsdale — Mortgage: 56.9% Scarsdale — Renting: 5.2%
Smythesdale 4.6% renting
Smythesdale — Owned Outright: 42.2% Smythesdale — Mortgage: 53.2% Smythesdale — Renting: 4.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Certificate III & IV 19.1% / 22.9%
Scarsdale — Certificate III & IV: 19.1% Smythesdale — Certificate III & IV: 22.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.1% / 8.1%
Scarsdale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1% Smythesdale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Bachelor Degree 7.1% / 5.8%
Scarsdale — Bachelor Degree: 7.1% Smythesdale — Bachelor Degree: 5.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 2.3%
Scarsdale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Smythesdale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.3% / 1.0%
Scarsdale — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3% Smythesdale — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.9%).

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.

Scarsdale Smythesdale
England 3.5% / 2.8%
Scarsdale — England: 3.5% Smythesdale — England: 2.8%
New Zealand 1.6% / 0.4%
Scarsdale — New Zealand: 1.6% Smythesdale — New Zealand: 0.4%
Netherlands 0.5% / 0.7%
Scarsdale — Netherlands: 0.5% Smythesdale — Netherlands: 0.7%
Philippines 0.5% / 0.3%
Scarsdale — Philippines: 0.5% Smythesdale — Philippines: 0.3%
China — / 0.6%
Scarsdale — China: not among its largest Smythesdale — China: 0.6%
Scotland — / 0.6%
Scarsdale — Scotland: not among its largest Smythesdale — Scotland: 0.6%
Germany 0.5% / —
Scarsdale — Germany: 0.5% Smythesdale — Germany: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Scarsdale 100.4% houses
Scarsdale — Houses: 100.4% Scarsdale — Townhouses: 0.0%
Smythesdale 98.3% houses
Smythesdale — Houses: 98.3% Smythesdale — Townhouses: 1.7%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Median house price $625,000 $622,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $277,500 $722,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 30 days
from 8 sales
 29 days
from 9 sales

Zoning mix

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Rural and farming 46% 48%
Parks and recreation 46% 41%
Residential 8% 4%
Other and special use 0% 4%
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

Scarsdale Smythesdale
New dwellings approved 186
across Golden Plains
same for both
Approvals change year on year +10%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Scarsdale Smythesdale
House price — Higher than 50% of VIC
Income Higher than 48% of VIC Higher than 56% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 74% of VIC Higher than 85% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 55% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 39% of VIC Higher than 40% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 33% of VIC Higher than 66% of VIC

Liveability

Smythesdale is more walkable (47 vs 13).

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Grade C D
Score 31/100 30/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Smythesdale carries more crime risk (55 vs 35); Smythesdale carries more flood risk (43 vs 33).

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Bushfire High
73/100
 High
75/100
Crime Low
35/100
 Moderate
55/100
Flood Low
33/100
 Moderate
43/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Scarsdale

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Smythesdale

  • Woady Yaloak Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 3 13
Childcare 1 0
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 68 14

Mobility

Scarsdale sits further from the CBD (139.2 km vs 134.2 km).

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Walkability score 13/100 47/100
Distance to Melbourne 139.2 km
+4% vs other
 134.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 111 min 106 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 3351
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 3351
same for both

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.

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Car (driver) 76.8% / 77.2%
Scarsdale — Car (driver): 76.8% Smythesdale — Car (driver): 77.2%
Worked from Home 15.8% / 15.6%
Scarsdale — Worked from Home: 15.8% Smythesdale — Worked from Home: 15.6%
Car (passenger) 6.1% / 5.3%
Scarsdale — Car (passenger): 6.1% Smythesdale — Car (passenger): 5.3%
Bus 1.3% / —
Scarsdale — Bus: 1.3% Smythesdale — Bus: not among its largest
Walked Only — / 1.2%
Scarsdale — Walked Only: not among its largest Smythesdale — Walked Only: 1.2%
Tram / Light Rail — / 0.6%
Scarsdale — Tram / Light Rail: not among its largest Smythesdale — Tram / Light Rail: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.2%).

Setting

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Elevation 385 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 363 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Connectivity score 28/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
304 premises
 0%
424 premises

Climate

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Annual rainfall 605 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Average residential rate $2,052/yr
same for both
Council Golden Plains
same for both

Federal electorate

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Division Ballarat
same for both
Member Catherine King
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Scarsdale Smythesdale
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Scarsdale

Rural

Smythesdale

Acreage Affordable Parks Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Scarsdale

Scarsdale vs Ross Creek Scarsdale vs Snake Valley Scarsdale vs Linton Scarsdale vs Enfield Scarsdale vs Napoleons Scarsdale vs Newtown

Other comparisons with Smythesdale

Smythesdale vs Smythes Creek Smythesdale vs Haddon Smythesdale vs Ross Creek Smythesdale vs Snake Valley Smythesdale vs Nintingbool Smythesdale vs Hillcrest
Full data on Scarsdale Full data on Smythesdale
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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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