Sunshine vs Ardeer

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Sunshine: a median of $835,000, against $700,000 in Ardeer. Sunshine is closer to the city centre: 13.1 km, against 23.3 km. On these figures, Ardeer 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

Sunshine

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (14 vs 3)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (7 vs 2)
  • has more childcare (11 vs 4)
  • But Ardeer has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Sunshine has cheaper units ($415,000 vs $527,500)
  • Ardeer has cheaper houses ($700,000 vs $835,000)

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

Sunshine

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (13.1 km vs 23.3 km)
  • is more walkable (99/100 vs 58/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Sunshine

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (15 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (99/100 vs 58/100)
  • But Ardeer carries lower crime risk (81/100 vs 96/100)

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

Investors

Ardeer

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (2.2% vs -3.3%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.2% vs 3.6%)
  • But Sunshine returns a higher gross yield on units (5.5% vs 4.3%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

Sunshine and Ardeer 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 Ardeer
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 Ardeer
Walkability 99 / 58
Sunshine — Walkability: 99/100 Ardeer — Walkability: 58/100
Safety 4 / 19
Sunshine — Safety: 4/100 Ardeer — Safety: 19/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Sunshine — Low fire risk: 100/100 Ardeer — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 49 / 45
Sunshine — Low flood risk: 49/100 Ardeer — Low flood risk: 45/100

Demographics

Sunshine has more residents (9,445 vs 3,170); Ardeer skews older (37 vs 35).

Sunshine Ardeer
Population 9,445
+66% vs other
 3,170
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.3% +2.2%
Median age 35 37
Median household income $81,432/yr
+7% vs other
 $75,504/yr
Median weekly rent $340/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Sunshine Ardeer
0-4 6.2% / 7.0%
Sunshine — 0-4: 6.2% Ardeer — 0-4: 7.0%
5-14 10.0% / 10.2%
Sunshine — 5-14: 10.0% Ardeer — 5-14: 10.2%
15-19 4.1% / 3.9%
Sunshine — 15-19: 4.1% Ardeer — 15-19: 3.9%
20-24 7.5% / 4.9%
Sunshine — 20-24: 7.5% Ardeer — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 21.0% / 19.1%
Sunshine — 25-34: 21.0% Ardeer — 25-34: 19.1%
35-44 15.9% / 17.2%
Sunshine — 35-44: 15.9% Ardeer — 35-44: 17.2%
45-54 12.1% / 12.6%
Sunshine — 45-54: 12.1% Ardeer — 45-54: 12.6%
55-64 9.8% / 8.7%
Sunshine — 55-64: 9.8% Ardeer — 55-64: 8.7%
65-74 6.8% / 8.1%
Sunshine — 65-74: 6.8% Ardeer — 65-74: 8.1%
75-84 4.0% / 4.7%
Sunshine — 75-84: 4.0% Ardeer — 75-84: 4.7%
85+ 2.4% / 3.4%
Sunshine — 85+: 2.4% Ardeer — 85+: 3.4%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Sunshine 32.2% lone person
Sunshine — Lone Person: 32.2% Sunshine — Couple Families: 37.0% Sunshine — One Parent Families: 17.7% Sunshine — Group Household: 9.7% Sunshine — Other Families: 3.5%
Ardeer 39.5% lone person
Ardeer — Lone Person: 39.5% Ardeer — Couple Families: 33.2% Ardeer — One Parent Families: 18.1% Ardeer — Group Household: 6.2% Ardeer — Other Families: 3.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Sunshine 42.1% renting
Sunshine — Owned Outright: 28.2% Sunshine — Mortgage: 29.7% Sunshine — Renting: 42.1%
Ardeer 35.5% renting
Ardeer — Owned Outright: 30.9% Ardeer — Mortgage: 33.6% Ardeer — Renting: 35.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Sunshine Ardeer
Bachelor Degree 15.9% / 11.9%
Sunshine — Bachelor Degree: 15.9% Ardeer — Bachelor Degree: 11.9%
Certificate III & IV 8.8% / 10.5%
Sunshine — Certificate III & IV: 8.8% Ardeer — Certificate III & IV: 10.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.6% / 6.8%
Sunshine — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6% Ardeer — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8%
Postgraduate Degree 6.9% / 4.7%
Sunshine — Postgraduate Degree: 6.9% Ardeer — Postgraduate Degree: 4.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 1.6%
Sunshine — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Ardeer — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

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

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.

Sunshine Ardeer
Vietnam 13.5% / 9.2%
Sunshine — Vietnam: 13.5% Ardeer — Vietnam: 9.2%
India 4.7% / 3.8%
Sunshine — India: 4.7% Ardeer — India: 3.8%
Philippines 2.4% / 1.8%
Sunshine — Philippines: 2.4% Ardeer — Philippines: 1.8%
Nepal 3.7% / —
Sunshine — Nepal: 3.7% Ardeer — Nepal: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.4% / 2.3%
Sunshine — New Zealand: 1.4% Ardeer — New Zealand: 2.3%
China 1.8% / 1.2%
Sunshine — China: 1.8% Ardeer — China: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Sunshine 69.2% houses
Sunshine — Houses: 69.2% Sunshine — Townhouses: 22.1% Sunshine — Flats / Apartments: 8.7%
Ardeer 76.6% houses
Ardeer — Houses: 76.6% Ardeer — Townhouses: 20.0% Ardeer — Flats / Apartments: 3.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Sunshine Ardeer
Median house price $835,000 $700,000
Median unit price $415,000 $527,500
Median land price — $647,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 29 days
from 115 sales
 22 days
from 38 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 Ardeer
2 bed $431K / $480K
Sunshine — 2 bed: $431K (40 sales) Ardeer — 2 bed: $480K (12 sales)

40 vs 12 sales

3 bed $720K / $600K
Sunshine — 3 bed: $720K (7 sales) Ardeer — 3 bed: $600K (15 sales)

7 vs 15 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 Ardeer
2 bed $720K / $670K
Sunshine — 2 bed: $720K (30 sales) Ardeer — 2 bed: $670K (16 sales)

30 vs 16 sales

3 bed $824K / $712K
Sunshine — 3 bed: $824K (109 sales) Ardeer — 3 bed: $712K (53 sales)

109 vs 53 sales

4 bed $1.03M / $850K
Sunshine — 4 bed: $1.03M (26 sales) Ardeer — 4 bed: $850K (9 sales)

26 vs 9 sales

Zoning mix

Sunshine has more commercially zoned land (15% vs 0%).

Sunshine Ardeer
Residential 50% 46%
Infrastructure and transport 14% 18%
Industrial 13% 18%
Parks and recreation 8% 17%
Commercial 15% 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

Sunshine Ardeer
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 Ardeer
Houses 3.6%
$580/wk on $848K
 4.2%
$550/wk on $675K
Units 5.5%
$400/wk on $375K
 4.3%
$520/wk on $624K

Ranking within VIC

Sunshine Ardeer
House price Higher than 56% of VIC Higher than 37% of VIC
Income Higher than 49% of VIC Higher than 42% of VIC
Schools Higher than 21% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 100% of VIC Higher than 87% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 41% of VIC Higher than 55% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 73% of VIC Higher than 45% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 87% of VIC Higher than 84% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 39% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 85% of VIC Higher than 23% of VIC

Liveability

Sunshine is more walkable (99 vs 58).

Sunshine Ardeer
Grade C
same for both
Score 44/100 42/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Sunshine carries more crime risk (96 vs 81).

Sunshine Ardeer
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
96/100
 High
81/100
Flood Moderate
51/100
 Moderate
55/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 37
within 5 km
 21
within 5 km

Schools

Sunshine Ardeer
Inside the suburb 7 2
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 1
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Victoria University Footscray Park, 5.6 km
 1
Victoria University Footscray Park, 8.8 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.4% 1.5%

Schools in Sunshine

  • Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Sunshine Harvester Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Sunshine Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • SEDA College (Victoria) - AFL - Sunshine Independent · Secondary
  • Sunshine College-Sunshine Work Education Training Unit Government · Secondary
  • Hester Hornbrook Academy - Sunshine Campus Independent · Secondary · Special school

Schools in Ardeer

  • Mother of God School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Ardeer Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Sunshine Ardeer
Supermarkets 15 0
Cafes & restaurants 32 0
Parks & reserves 14 3
Childcare 11 4
GPs 15 0
Pharmacies 7 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 6 0
Fuel stations 5 1
Waterways 4 3

Mobility

Ardeer sits further from the CBD (23.3 km vs 13.1 km).

Sunshine Ardeer
Walkability score 99/100 58/100
Distance to Melbourne 13.1 km 23.3 km
+78% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 24 min 26 min
Public transport score 94/100
Rail · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 578.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 76.5
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 3022
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 28
postcode 3020
 24
postcode 3022

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 Ardeer
Car (driver) 52.6% / 62.8%
Sunshine — Car (driver): 52.6% Ardeer — Car (driver): 62.8%
Worked from Home 28.3% / 25.3%
Sunshine — Worked from Home: 28.3% Ardeer — Worked from Home: 25.3%
Train 9.3% / 4.8%
Sunshine — Train: 9.3% Ardeer — Train: 4.8%
Car (passenger) 4.2% / 3.9%
Sunshine — Car (passenger): 4.2% Ardeer — Car (passenger): 3.9%
Bus 3.2% / 1.2%
Sunshine — Bus: 3.2% Ardeer — Bus: 1.2%
Walked Only 1.8% / 1.4%
Sunshine — Walked Only: 1.8% Ardeer — Walked Only: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.8%).

Setting

Sunshine Ardeer
Elevation 40 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 44 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.2 km 10.7 km

NBN connectivity

Sunshine Ardeer
Connectivity score 77/100 76/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 15%
5,519 premises
 4%
1,429 premises

Climate

Sunshine Ardeer
Annual rainfall 534 mm 482 mm
Summer max (Jan) 26.7°C 25.9°C
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C 6.2°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Sunshine Ardeer
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 23.2 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Sunshine Ardeer
Average residential rate $1,847/yr
same for both
Council Brimbank
same for both

Federal electorate

Sunshine Ardeer
Division Fraser
same for both
Member Daniel Mulino
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Sunshine

Easy Commute Gentrifying Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks River Townhouses Transport Hub

Ardeer

Middle-Ring Multicultural River Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Sunshine

Sunshine vs Sunshine West Sunshine vs Sunshine North Sunshine vs Braybrook Sunshine vs Albion Sunshine vs Brooklyn

Other comparisons with Ardeer

Ardeer vs St Albans Ardeer vs Sunshine West Ardeer vs Deer Park Ardeer vs Cairnlea Ardeer vs Albion
Full data on Sunshine Full data on Ardeer
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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