St Helena vs Diamond Creek

Diamond Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 46 in St Helena. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in St Helena: a median of $1.2 million, against $1.03 million in Diamond Creek, though rent is higher in Diamond Creek. St Helena is closer to the city centre: 25.7 km, against 29 km. On these figures, St Helena tends to suit older residents.

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

Diamond Creek

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (40 vs 11)
  • has more childcare (12 vs 4)

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

First-home buyers

Diamond Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,035,000 vs $1,200,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

St Helena

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($163/wk vs $430/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (7% vs 17%)

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

Commuting to the city

St Helena

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (25.7 km vs 29 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

St Helena

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (17% vs 6%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (23% vs 13%)

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

Investors

Diamond Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (6.6% vs -1.1%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

St Helena Diamond Creek
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.

St Helena Diamond Creek
Walkability 79 / 85
St Helena — Walkability: 79/100 Diamond Creek — Walkability: 85/100
Safety 50 / 56
St Helena — Safety: 50/100 Diamond Creek — Safety: 56/100
Low fire risk 100 / 35
St Helena — Low fire risk: 100/100 Diamond Creek — Low fire risk: 35/100
Low flood risk 74 / 48
St Helena — Low flood risk: 74/100 Diamond Creek — Low flood risk: 48/100

Demographics

Diamond Creek has more residents (12,503 vs 2,890); Diamond Creek rents higher ($430/wk vs $163/wk).

St Helena Diamond Creek
Population 2,890 12,503
+333% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.1% +6.6%
Median age 46 39
Median household income $117,312/yr $130,416/yr
+11% vs other
Median weekly rent $163/wk $430/wk
+164% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

St Helena Diamond Creek
0-4 4.2% / 5.9%
St Helena — 0-4: 4.2% Diamond Creek — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 13.2% / 13.4%
St Helena — 5-14: 13.2% Diamond Creek — 5-14: 13.4%
15-19 5.4% / 7.7%
St Helena — 15-19: 5.4% Diamond Creek — 15-19: 7.7%
20-24 5.6% / 6.6%
St Helena — 20-24: 5.6% Diamond Creek — 20-24: 6.6%
25-34 7.5% / 11.2%
St Helena — 25-34: 7.5% Diamond Creek — 25-34: 11.2%
35-44 12.5% / 12.9%
St Helena — 35-44: 12.5% Diamond Creek — 35-44: 12.9%
45-54 12.3% / 15.3%
St Helena — 45-54: 12.3% Diamond Creek — 45-54: 15.3%
55-64 15.9% / 13.8%
St Helena — 55-64: 15.9% Diamond Creek — 55-64: 13.8%
65-74 12.7% / 8.5%
St Helena — 65-74: 12.7% Diamond Creek — 65-74: 8.5%
75-84 6.9% / 3.6%
St Helena — 75-84: 6.9% Diamond Creek — 75-84: 3.6%
85+ 3.8% / 1.0%
St Helena — 85+: 3.8% Diamond Creek — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

St Helena 60.0% couple families
St Helena — Couple Families: 60.0% St Helena — Lone Person: 27.3% St Helena — One Parent Families: 11.5% St Helena — Group Household: 0.7% St Helena — Other Families: 0.4%
Diamond Creek 63.8% couple families
Diamond Creek — Couple Families: 63.8% Diamond Creek — Lone Person: 19.5% Diamond Creek — One Parent Families: 14.7% Diamond Creek — Group Household: 1.2% Diamond Creek — Other Families: 0.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

St Helena 13.6% renting
St Helena — Owned Outright: 43.3% St Helena — Mortgage: 43.2% St Helena — Renting: 13.6%
Diamond Creek 10.1% renting
Diamond Creek — Owned Outright: 36.0% Diamond Creek — Mortgage: 53.9% Diamond Creek — Renting: 10.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

St Helena Diamond Creek
Bachelor Degree 16.1% / 14.7%
St Helena — Bachelor Degree: 16.1% Diamond Creek — Bachelor Degree: 14.7%
Certificate III & IV 13.4% / 16.0%
St Helena — Certificate III & IV: 13.4% Diamond Creek — Certificate III & IV: 16.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.5% / 9.4%
St Helena — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5% Diamond Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4%
Postgraduate Degree 4.7% / 4.3%
St Helena — Postgraduate Degree: 4.7% Diamond Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.4% / 3.0%
St Helena — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.4% Diamond Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.1%).

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.

St Helena Diamond Creek
England 3.5% / 3.8%
St Helena — England: 3.5% Diamond Creek — England: 3.8%
Italy 1.7% / 0.7%
St Helena — Italy: 1.7% Diamond Creek — Italy: 0.7%
New Zealand 0.8% / 0.8%
St Helena — New Zealand: 0.8% Diamond Creek — New Zealand: 0.8%
India 0.8% / 0.7%
St Helena — India: 0.8% Diamond Creek — India: 0.7%
China 1.3% / —
St Helena — China: 1.3% Diamond Creek — China: not among its largest
South Africa 0.7% / 0.6%
St Helena — South Africa: 0.7% Diamond Creek — South Africa: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

St Helena 83.1% houses
St Helena — Houses: 83.1% St Helena — Townhouses: 12.6% St Helena — Flats / Apartments: 4.3%
Diamond Creek 94.3% houses
Diamond Creek — Houses: 94.3% Diamond Creek — Townhouses: 5.5% Diamond Creek — Flats / Apartments: 0.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

St Helena Diamond Creek
Median house price $1,200,000 $1,035,000
Median unit price — $700,000
Median land price — $610,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 14 days
from 12 sales
 20 days
from 138 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.

St Helena Diamond Creek
3 bed $1.06M / $895K
St Helena — 3 bed: $1.06M (19 sales) Diamond Creek — 3 bed: $895K (97 sales)

19 vs 97 sales

4 bed $1.3M / $1.21M
St Helena — 4 bed: $1.3M (35 sales) Diamond Creek — 4 bed: $1.21M (93 sales)

35 vs 93 sales

Zoning mix

Diamond Creek has more land zoned for conservation (58% vs 0%).

St Helena Diamond Creek
Residential 84% 33%
Environmental 0% 58%
Parks and recreation 8% 4%
Infrastructure and transport 6% 4%
Commercial 1%
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

St Helena Diamond Creek
New dwellings approved 722
across Banyule
 98
across Nillumbik
Approvals change year on year -75% +8%

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.

St Helena Diamond Creek
Houses 3.5%
$715/wk on $1.06M
 3.5%
$748/wk on $1.1M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

St Helena Diamond Creek
House price Higher than 72% of VIC Higher than 74% of VIC
Income Higher than 90% of VIC Higher than 94% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 12% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 93% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 51% of VIC Higher than 60% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 87% of VIC Higher than 81% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 82% of VIC Higher than 81% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 36% of VIC Higher than 37% of VIC

Liveability

St Helena scores higher overall (81 vs 51).

St Helena Diamond Creek
Grade A B
Score 81/100 51/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Diamond Creek carries more bushfire risk (65 vs 0); Diamond Creek carries more flood risk (52 vs 26).

St Helena Diamond Creek
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
65/100
Crime Moderate
50/100
 Moderate
44/100
Flood Low
26/100
 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

St Helena Diamond Creek
Inside the suburb 1 4
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 3
Rated below peers 1
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus, 6.2 km
 2
Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus, 9.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.2% 2.7%

Schools in St Helena

  • North-Eastern Montessori School Independent · Primary below peers

Schools in Diamond Creek

  • Diamond Creek East Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Diamond Creek Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Sacred Heart School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Diamond Valley College Government · Secondary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

St Helena Diamond Creek
Supermarkets 1 2
Cafes & restaurants 2 16
Parks & reserves 11 40
Childcare 4 12
GPs 3
same for both
Pharmacies 1 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 3
EV chargers 0 2
Waterways 7 18

Mobility

Diamond Creek sits further from the CBD (29 km vs 25.7 km).

St Helena Diamond Creek
Walkability score 79/100 85/100
Distance to Melbourne 25.7 km 29 km
+13% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 39 min 41 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
 90/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 33.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 154.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.4%
postcode 3088
 1.2%
postcode 3089
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 28
postcode 3088
 38
postcode 3089

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.

St Helena Diamond Creek
Car (driver) 60.1% / 61.2%
St Helena — Car (driver): 60.1% Diamond Creek — Car (driver): 61.2%
Worked from Home 33.7% / 32.2%
St Helena — Worked from Home: 33.7% Diamond Creek — Worked from Home: 32.2%
Car (passenger) 2.9% / 2.7%
St Helena — Car (passenger): 2.9% Diamond Creek — Car (passenger): 2.7%
Train 2.5% / 2.5%
St Helena — Train: 2.5% Diamond Creek — Train: 2.5%
Walked Only 0.3% / 1.1%
St Helena — Walked Only: 0.3% Diamond Creek — Walked Only: 1.1%
Bus 0.5% / 0.3%
St Helena — Bus: 0.5% Diamond Creek — Bus: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (61.2%).

Setting

St Helena Diamond Creek
Elevation 94 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 61 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 23.6 km 26.9 km

NBN connectivity

St Helena Diamond Creek
Connectivity score 74/100 73/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 15%
1,262 premises
 50%
4,923 premises

Climate

St Helena Diamond Creek
Annual rainfall 534 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

St Helena Diamond Creek
PM2.5 3.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

St Helena Diamond Creek
Average residential rate $1,787/yr $2,696/yr
Council Banyule Nillumbik

Federal electorate

St Helena Diamond Creek
Division Jagajaga Mcewen
Member Kate Thwaites Rob Mitchell
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

St Helena Diamond Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

St Helena

Outer Parks Quiet River

Diamond Creek

Large Blocks Outer Parks Transport Hub Village Feel

More comparisons

Other comparisons with St Helena

St Helena vs Greensborough St Helena vs Eltham North

Other comparisons with Diamond Creek

Diamond Creek vs Greensborough Diamond Creek vs Eltham Diamond Creek vs Eltham North Diamond Creek vs Hurstbridge Diamond Creek vs Research Diamond Creek vs Plenty
Full data on St Helena Full data on Diamond Creek
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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