Shady Creek vs Willow Grove

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Shady Creek, most households are couple families. In Willow Grove, about half of households are couple families.

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

Willow Grove

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (4 vs 1)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 90%)
  • But Shady Creek carries lower crime risk (25/100 vs 42/100)

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

Shady Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($200/wk vs $243/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Shady Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (116.3 km vs 126.9 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (96 min vs 103 min)
  • But Willow Grove is more walkable (13/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Shady Creek carries lower crime risk (25/100 vs 42/100)
  • Willow Grove is more walkable (13/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Willow Grove

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (10.8% vs 3.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Shady Creek Willow Grove
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.

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Walkability 0 / 13
Shady Creek — Walkability: 0/100 Willow Grove — Walkability: 13/100
Safety 75 / 58
Shady Creek — Safety: 75/100 Willow Grove — Safety: 58/100
Low fire risk 3 / 3
Shady Creek — Low fire risk: 3/100 Willow Grove — Low fire risk: 3/100
Low flood risk 53 / 48
Shady Creek — Low flood risk: 53/100 Willow Grove — Low flood risk: 48/100

Demographics

Willow Grove has more residents (654 vs 186); Willow Grove rents higher ($243/wk vs $200/wk).

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Population 186 654
+252% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.3% +10.8%
Median age 42
same for both
Median household income $109,200/yr
+14% vs other
 $93,652/yr
Median weekly rent $200/wk $243/wk
+22% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Shady Creek Willow Grove
0-4 4.3% / 7.2%
Shady Creek — 0-4: 4.3% Willow Grove — 0-4: 7.2%
5-14 17.7% / 14.8%
Shady Creek — 5-14: 17.7% Willow Grove — 5-14: 14.8%
15-19 3.2% / 5.8%
Shady Creek — 15-19: 3.2% Willow Grove — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 4.3% / 4.1%
Shady Creek — 20-24: 4.3% Willow Grove — 20-24: 4.1%
25-34 11.3% / 9.2%
Shady Creek — 25-34: 11.3% Willow Grove — 25-34: 9.2%
35-44 12.4% / 11.5%
Shady Creek — 35-44: 12.4% Willow Grove — 35-44: 11.5%
45-54 12.4% / 14.5%
Shady Creek — 45-54: 12.4% Willow Grove — 45-54: 14.5%
55-64 16.7% / 14.5%
Shady Creek — 55-64: 16.7% Willow Grove — 55-64: 14.5%
65-74 14.5% / 12.1%
Shady Creek — 65-74: 14.5% Willow Grove — 65-74: 12.1%
75-84 1.6% / 5.7%
Shady Creek — 75-84: 1.6% Willow Grove — 75-84: 5.7%
85+ — / 0.6%
Shady Creek — 85+: not among its largest Willow Grove — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Shady Creek 62.9% couple families
Shady Creek — Couple Families: 62.9% Shady Creek — Lone Person: 22.9% Shady Creek — One Parent Families: 14.3% Shady Creek — Group Household: 0.0% Shady Creek — Other Families: 0.0%
Willow Grove 53.3% couple families
Willow Grove — Couple Families: 53.3% Willow Grove — Lone Person: 29.6% Willow Grove — One Parent Families: 13.2% Willow Grove — Group Household: 2.0% Willow Grove — Other Families: 2.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Shady Creek 4.9% renting
Shady Creek — Owned Outright: 45.9% Shady Creek — Mortgage: 49.2% Shady Creek — Renting: 4.9%
Willow Grove 11.9% renting
Willow Grove — Owned Outright: 48.4% Willow Grove — Mortgage: 39.7% Willow Grove — Renting: 11.9%
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.

Shady Creek Willow Grove
England 3.2% / 2.1%
Shady Creek — England: 3.2% Willow Grove — England: 2.1%
New Zealand — / 1.2%
Shady Creek — New Zealand: not among its largest Willow Grove — New Zealand: 1.2%
Netherlands — / 0.8%
Shady Creek — Netherlands: not among its largest Willow Grove — Netherlands: 0.8%
Indonesia — / 0.6%
Shady Creek — Indonesia: not among its largest Willow Grove — Indonesia: 0.6%
Ireland — / 0.6%
Shady Creek — Ireland: not among its largest Willow Grove — Ireland: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.2%).

Qualifications

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

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Certificate III & IV 21.0% / 18.7%
Shady Creek — Certificate III & IV: 21.0% Willow Grove — Certificate III & IV: 18.7%
Bachelor Degree 8.6% / 9.2%
Shady Creek — Bachelor Degree: 8.6% Willow Grove — Bachelor Degree: 9.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 7.0%
Shady Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% Willow Grove — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 1.5%
Shady Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Willow Grove — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%
Postgraduate Degree — / 2.0%
Shady Creek — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Willow Grove — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Shady Creek 89.9% houses
Shady Creek — Houses: 89.9% Shady Creek — Flats / Apartments: 10.1%
Willow Grove 100.0% houses
Willow Grove — Houses: 100.0% Willow Grove — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Median house price — $627,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 30 days
from 4 sales

Zoning mix

Shady Creek has more rural and farming land (93% vs 68%).

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Rural and farming 93% 68%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 23%
Parks and recreation 2% 8%
Other and special use 5% 0%
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

Shady Creek Willow Grove
New dwellings approved 619
across Baw Baw
same for both
Approvals change year on year +49%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Shady Creek Willow Grove
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 82% of VIC Higher than 63% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 53% of VIC Higher than 74% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 57% of VIC Higher than 21% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 26% of VIC Higher than 50% of VIC

Liveability

Willow Grove is more walkable (13 vs 0).

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Grade — D
Score — 30/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Willow Grove carries more crime risk (42 vs 25).

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Bushfire High
97/100
same for both
Crime Low
25/100
 Moderate
42/100
Flood Moderate
47/100
 Moderate
52/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Shady Creek

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

Schools in Willow Grove

  • Willow Grove Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 1 4
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 1
Waterways 10 75

Mobility

Willow Grove sits further from the CBD (126.9 km vs 116.3 km).

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Walkability score 0/100 13/100
Distance to Melbourne 116.3 km 126.9 km
+9% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 96 min 103 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 3821
 0.3%
postcode 3825
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 55
postcode 3821
 38
postcode 3825

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.

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Car (driver) 52.8% / 70.3%
Shady Creek — Car (driver): 52.8% Willow Grove — Car (driver): 70.3%
Worked from Home 31.5% / 23.6%
Shady Creek — Worked from Home: 31.5% Willow Grove — Worked from Home: 23.6%
Walked Only 15.7% / 3.1%
Shady Creek — Walked Only: 15.7% Willow Grove — Walked Only: 3.1%
Car (passenger) — / 3.1%
Shady Creek — Car (passenger): not among its largest Willow Grove — Car (passenger): 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.3%).

Setting

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Elevation 100 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 164 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Connectivity score 25/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
59 premises
 0%
264 premises

Climate

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Annual rainfall 1,090 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.7°C
same for both

Council rates

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Average residential rate $2,138/yr
same for both
Council Baw Baw
same for both

Federal electorate

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Division Monash
same for both
Member Mary Aldred
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Shady Creek Willow Grove
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Shady Creek

Family River Rural

Willow Grove

Family Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Shady Creek

Shady Creek vs Trafalgar Shady Creek vs Yarragon Shady Creek vs Darnum Shady Creek vs Nilma North Shady Creek vs Neerim East Shady Creek vs Buln Buln East

Other comparisons with Willow Grove

Willow Grove vs Trafalgar Willow Grove vs Tanjil South Willow Grove vs Neerim East Willow Grove vs Hill End Willow Grove vs Westbury
Full data on Shady Creek Full data on Willow Grove
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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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