Sunshine North vs St Albans

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Sunshine North: a median of $785,000, against $712,000 in St Albans. Sunshine North is closer to the city centre: 15.5 km, against 22.6 km.

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

St Albans

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (36 vs 8)
  • has more childcare (28 vs 9)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (8 vs 3)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Sunshine North has cheaper land ($500,000 vs $700,000)
  • St Albans has cheaper houses ($711,500 vs $785,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land 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

They split

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

  • Sunshine North sits closer to the CBD (15.5 km vs 22.6 km)
  • St Albans is more walkable (94/100 vs 62/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

St Albans

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (20 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (94/100 vs 62/100)

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

Investors

Sunshine North

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on units (4.7% vs 4.2%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Sunshine North St Albans
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.

Sunshine North St Albans
Walkability 62 / 94
Sunshine North — Walkability: 62/100 St Albans — Walkability: 94/100
Safety 18 / 20
Sunshine North — Safety: 18/100 St Albans — Safety: 20/100
Low fire risk 71 / 100
Sunshine North — Low fire risk: 71/100 St Albans — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 47 / 66
Sunshine North — Low flood risk: 47/100 St Albans — Low flood risk: 66/100

Demographics

St Albans has more residents (38,042 vs 12,047); Sunshine North has higher household incomes ($72,748 vs $62,660).

Sunshine North St Albans
Population 12,047 38,042
+216% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.0% +2.0%
Median age 37 36
Median household income $72,748/yr
+14% vs other
 $62,660/yr
Median weekly rent $341/wk
+5% vs other
 $325/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Sunshine North St Albans
0-4 5.8% / 5.6%
Sunshine North — 0-4: 5.8% St Albans — 0-4: 5.6%
5-14 10.9% / 10.7%
Sunshine North — 5-14: 10.9% St Albans — 5-14: 10.7%
15-19 5.5% / 5.3%
Sunshine North — 15-19: 5.5% St Albans — 15-19: 5.3%
20-24 7.2% / 7.6%
Sunshine North — 20-24: 7.2% St Albans — 20-24: 7.6%
25-34 17.0% / 17.8%
Sunshine North — 25-34: 17.0% St Albans — 25-34: 17.8%
35-44 12.8% / 12.9%
Sunshine North — 35-44: 12.8% St Albans — 35-44: 12.9%
45-54 12.5% / 11.3%
Sunshine North — 45-54: 12.5% St Albans — 45-54: 11.3%
55-64 12.0% / 10.9%
Sunshine North — 55-64: 12.0% St Albans — 55-64: 10.9%
65-74 8.5% / 9.6%
Sunshine North — 65-74: 8.5% St Albans — 65-74: 9.6%
75-84 5.1% / 5.8%
Sunshine North — 75-84: 5.1% St Albans — 75-84: 5.8%
85+ 2.8% / 2.4%
Sunshine North — 85+: 2.8% St Albans — 85+: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Sunshine North 42.7% couple families
Sunshine North — Couple Families: 42.7% Sunshine North — Lone Person: 26.4% Sunshine North — One Parent Families: 21.9% Sunshine North — Group Household: 6.4% Sunshine North — Other Families: 2.5%
St Albans 38.6% couple families
St Albans — Couple Families: 38.6% St Albans — Lone Person: 28.7% St Albans — One Parent Families: 23.0% St Albans — Group Household: 6.3% St Albans — Other Families: 3.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Sunshine North 30.8% renting
Sunshine North — Owned Outright: 39.3% Sunshine North — Mortgage: 29.9% Sunshine North — Renting: 30.8%
St Albans 38.0% renting
St Albans — Owned Outright: 36.3% St Albans — Mortgage: 25.7% St Albans — Renting: 38.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Sunshine North St Albans
Bachelor Degree 11.7% / 9.6%
Sunshine North — Bachelor Degree: 11.7% St Albans — Bachelor Degree: 9.6%
Certificate III & IV 8.2% / 8.3%
Sunshine North — Certificate III & IV: 8.2% St Albans — Certificate III & IV: 8.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.9% / 6.2%
Sunshine North — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.9% St Albans — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.2%
Postgraduate Degree 3.5% / 3.4%
Sunshine North — Postgraduate Degree: 3.5% St Albans — Postgraduate Degree: 3.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.0% / 0.8%
Sunshine North — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0% St Albans — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (11.7%).

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.

Sunshine North St Albans
Vietnam 27.7% / 21.5%
Sunshine North — Vietnam: 27.7% St Albans — Vietnam: 21.5%
India 2.7% / 5.8%
Sunshine North — India: 2.7% St Albans — India: 5.8%
Philippines 1.9% / 3.0%
Sunshine North — Philippines: 1.9% St Albans — Philippines: 3.0%
Pakistan 0.8% / 1.4%
Sunshine North — Pakistan: 0.8% St Albans — Pakistan: 1.4%
Myanmar 1.8% / —
Sunshine North — Myanmar: 1.8% St Albans — Myanmar: not among its largest
Italy 1.6% / —
Sunshine North — Italy: 1.6% St Albans — Italy: not among its largest
Iraq — / 1.4%
Sunshine North — Iraq: not among its largest St Albans — Iraq: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (27.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Sunshine North 82.2% houses
Sunshine North — Houses: 82.2% Sunshine North — Townhouses: 12.9% Sunshine North — Flats / Apartments: 4.9%
St Albans 74.5% houses
St Albans — Houses: 74.5% St Albans — Townhouses: 15.9% St Albans — Flats / Apartments: 9.6%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Sunshine North St Albans
Median house price $785,000 $711,500
Median unit price $498,500 $515,000
Median land price $500,000 $700,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 29 days
from 133 sales
 30 days
from 407 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.

Sunshine North St Albans
2 bed $455K / $462K
Sunshine North — 2 bed: $455K (23 sales) St Albans — 2 bed: $462K (87 sales)

23 vs 87 sales

3 bed $596K / $582K
Sunshine North — 3 bed: $596K (9 sales) St Albans — 3 bed: $582K (79 sales)

9 vs 79 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.

Sunshine North St Albans
2 bed $736K / $580K
Sunshine North — 2 bed: $736K (10 sales) St Albans — 2 bed: $580K (38 sales)

10 vs 38 sales

3 bed $759K / $708K
Sunshine North — 3 bed: $759K (118 sales) St Albans — 3 bed: $708K (409 sales)

118 vs 409 sales

4 bed $850K / $750K
Sunshine North — 4 bed: $850K (47 sales) St Albans — 4 bed: $750K (124 sales)

47 vs 124 sales

5 bed $858K / $860K
Sunshine North — 5 bed: $858K (12 sales) St Albans — 5 bed: $860K (18 sales)

12 vs 18 sales

Zoning mix

Sunshine North has more industrially zoned land (31% vs 2%).

Sunshine North St Albans
Residential 49% 78%
Industrial 31% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 13% 12%
Parks and recreation 4% 6%
Commercial 3% 2%
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

Sunshine North St Albans
New dwellings approved 670
across Brimbank
same for both
Approvals change year on year +40%
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.

Sunshine North St Albans
Houses 4.0%
$580/wk on $760K
 3.8%
$530/wk on $725K
Units 4.7%
$510/wk on $560K
 4.2%
$450/wk on $552K

Ranking within VIC

Sunshine North St Albans
House price Higher than 52% of VIC Higher than 43% of VIC
Income Higher than 38% of VIC Higher than 23% of VIC
Schools Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 87% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 88% of VIC Higher than 98% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 33% of VIC Higher than 30% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 73% of VIC Higher than 42% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 89% of VIC Higher than 85% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 67% of VIC Higher than 54% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 46% of VIC Higher than 18% of VIC

Liveability

St Albans is more walkable (94 vs 62); St Albans scores higher overall (61 vs 47).

Sunshine North St Albans
Grade C B
Score 47/100 61/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Sunshine North carries more bushfire risk (29 vs 0); Sunshine North carries more flood risk (53 vs 34).

Sunshine North St Albans
Bushfire Low
29/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
82/100
 High
80/100
Flood Moderate
53/100
 Low
34/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Moderate
50/100
 None
0/100
Industrial facilities nearby 10
within 5 km
 11
within 5 km

Schools

Sunshine North St Albans
Inside the suburb 6 15
Rated above peers 3 8
Rated at peers 0 4
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 1
Victoria University Footscray Park, 6.6 km
 1
Victoria University Footscray Park, 10.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.9% 2.8%

Schools in Sunshine North

  • Albion North Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Bernadette's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Sunshine Christian School Independent · Primary above peers
  • Sunshine North Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Sunshine College-North Sunshine Campus Government · Secondary
  • Furlong Park School For Deaf Children Government · Combined · Special school

Schools in St Albans

  • Catholic Regional College St Albans Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • Holy Eucharist School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Sacred Heart School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • St Albans East Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Albans Meadows Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Albans Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Sunshine North St Albans
Supermarkets 0 10
Cafes & restaurants 1 40
Parks & reserves 8 36
Childcare 9 28
GPs 0 20
Pharmacies 1 5
Hospitals 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 4
Fuel stations 3 5
Waterways 5
same for both

Mobility

St Albans sits further from the CBD (22.6 km vs 15.5 km).

Sunshine North St Albans
Walkability score 62/100 94/100
Distance to Melbourne 15.5 km 22.6 km
+46% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 29 min 28 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 79/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 161.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 421.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 3020
 0.5%
postcode 3021
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 28
postcode 3020
 27
postcode 3021

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.

Sunshine North St Albans
Car (driver) 66.7% / 67.4%
Sunshine North — Car (driver): 66.7% St Albans — Car (driver): 67.4%
Worked from Home 18.2% / 13.9%
Sunshine North — Worked from Home: 18.2% St Albans — Worked from Home: 13.9%
Train 4.8% / 9.5%
Sunshine North — Train: 4.8% St Albans — Train: 9.5%
Car (passenger) 6.7% / 6.8%
Sunshine North — Car (passenger): 6.7% St Albans — Car (passenger): 6.8%
Bus 1.8% / 1.0%
Sunshine North — Bus: 1.8% St Albans — Bus: 1.0%
Walked Only 1.4% / 1.1%
Sunshine North — Walked Only: 1.4% St Albans — Walked Only: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.4%).

Setting

Sunshine North St Albans
Elevation 54 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 67 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 10.5 km 13.7 km

NBN connectivity

Sunshine North St Albans
Connectivity score 79/100 76/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 21%
5,983 premises
 7%
15,710 premises

Climate

Sunshine North St Albans
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)

Sunshine North St Albans
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 18.9 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Sunshine North St Albans
Average residential rate $1,847/yr
same for both
Council Brimbank
same for both

Federal electorate

Sunshine North St Albans
Division Fraser
same for both
Member Daniel Mulino
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Sunshine North St Albans
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Sunshine North

Middle-Ring Multicultural

St Albans

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Sunshine North

Sunshine North vs Keilor East Sunshine North vs Avondale Heights Sunshine North vs Braybrook Sunshine North vs Sunshine Sunshine North vs Albion Sunshine North vs Kealba

Other comparisons with St Albans

St Albans vs Cairnlea St Albans vs Keilor Downs St Albans vs Kings Park St Albans vs Delahey St Albans vs Albanvale St Albans vs Albion
Full data on Sunshine North Full data on St Albans
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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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