Sunshine West vs Derrimut

Derrimut is the younger of the two, with a median age of 32 against 38 in Sunshine West. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Derrimut, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Derrimut: a median of $846,000, against $755,000 in Sunshine West, and rent is higher there too. Sunshine West is closer to the city centre: 14.6 km, against 24.7 km. On these figures, Derrimut tends to suit families with children and couples.

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 West

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (10 vs 2)
  • has more childcare (14 vs 5)
  • has more parks and reserves (27 vs 13)
  • But Derrimut is already more of a family suburb (86% vs 65%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Sunshine West has cheaper houses ($755,000 vs $846,000)
  • Derrimut leaves households under less mortgage stress (20% vs 28%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Sunshine West has cheaper rent ($346/wk vs $400/wk)
  • Derrimut leaves renters under less rental stress (18% vs 24%)

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

Commuting to the city

Sunshine West

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (81/100 vs 26/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (14.6 km vs 24.7 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Sunshine West

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (17% vs 3%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (18% vs 5%)
  • is more walkable (81/100 vs 26/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Sunshine West and Derrimut 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 West Derrimut
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 West Derrimut
Walkability 81 / 26
Sunshine West — Walkability: 81/100 Derrimut — Walkability: 26/100
Safety 34 / 21
Sunshine West — Safety: 34/100 Derrimut — Safety: 21/100
Low fire risk 100 / 12
Sunshine West — Low fire risk: 100/100 Derrimut — Low fire risk: 12/100
Low flood risk 58 / 89
Sunshine West — Low flood risk: 58/100 Derrimut — Low flood risk: 89/100

Demographics

Sunshine West has more residents (18,552 vs 8,651); Derrimut has higher household incomes ($118,144 vs $73,632).

Sunshine West Derrimut
Population 18,552
+53% vs other
 8,651
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.2% +4.6%
Median age 38 32
Median household income $73,632/yr $118,144/yr
+60% vs other
Median weekly rent $346/wk $400/wk
+16% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Sunshine West Derrimut
0-4 5.6% / 8.1%
Sunshine West — 0-4: 5.6% Derrimut — 0-4: 8.1%
5-14 11.1% / 19.9%
Sunshine West — 5-14: 11.1% Derrimut — 5-14: 19.9%
15-19 5.3% / 6.6%
Sunshine West — 15-19: 5.3% Derrimut — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 6.5% / 5.6%
Sunshine West — 20-24: 6.5% Derrimut — 20-24: 5.6%
25-34 16.5% / 13.5%
Sunshine West — 25-34: 16.5% Derrimut — 25-34: 13.5%
35-44 14.0% / 20.8%
Sunshine West — 35-44: 14.0% Derrimut — 35-44: 20.8%
45-54 12.2% / 12.9%
Sunshine West — 45-54: 12.2% Derrimut — 45-54: 12.9%
55-64 10.6% / 7.4%
Sunshine West — 55-64: 10.6% Derrimut — 55-64: 7.4%
65-74 9.3% / 3.6%
Sunshine West — 65-74: 9.3% Derrimut — 65-74: 3.6%
75-84 6.7% / 1.3%
Sunshine West — 75-84: 6.7% Derrimut — 75-84: 1.3%
85+ 2.2% / 0.2%
Sunshine West — 85+: 2.2% Derrimut — 85+: 0.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Sunshine West 42.6% couple families
Sunshine West — Couple Families: 42.6% Sunshine West — One Parent Families: 22.3% Sunshine West — Lone Person: 27.0% Sunshine West — Group Household: 5.6% Sunshine West — Other Families: 2.5%
Derrimut 69.9% couple families
Derrimut — Couple Families: 69.9% Derrimut — One Parent Families: 16.1% Derrimut — Lone Person: 10.3% Derrimut — Group Household: 2.8% Derrimut — Other Families: 1.0%
Couple Families One Parent Families Lone Person Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Sunshine West 28.9% renting
Sunshine West — Owned Outright: 40.5% Sunshine West — Mortgage: 30.6% Sunshine West — Renting: 28.9%
Derrimut 22.3% renting
Derrimut — Owned Outright: 16.5% Derrimut — Mortgage: 61.2% Derrimut — Renting: 22.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Sunshine West Derrimut
Bachelor Degree 11.1% / 14.2%
Sunshine West — Bachelor Degree: 11.1% Derrimut — Bachelor Degree: 14.2%
Certificate III & IV 9.1% / 8.3%
Sunshine West — Certificate III & IV: 9.1% Derrimut — Certificate III & IV: 8.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.1% / 7.3%
Sunshine West — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1% Derrimut — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3%
Postgraduate Degree 3.4% / 3.8%
Sunshine West — Postgraduate Degree: 3.4% Derrimut — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 1.3%
Sunshine West — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Derrimut — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.2%).

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 West Derrimut
Vietnam 13.8% / 10.0%
Sunshine West — Vietnam: 13.8% Derrimut — Vietnam: 10.0%
Philippines 2.4% / 7.3%
Sunshine West — Philippines: 2.4% Derrimut — Philippines: 7.3%
India 2.9% / 5.9%
Sunshine West — India: 2.9% Derrimut — India: 5.9%
New Zealand 1.4% / 2.5%
Sunshine West — New Zealand: 1.4% Derrimut — New Zealand: 2.5%
China 1.4% / 1.1%
Sunshine West — China: 1.4% Derrimut — China: 1.1%
Greece 2.4% / —
Sunshine West — Greece: 2.4% Derrimut — Greece: not among its largest
Pakistan — / 1.3%
Sunshine West — Pakistan: not among its largest Derrimut — Pakistan: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Sunshine West 82.6% houses
Sunshine West — Houses: 82.6% Sunshine West — Townhouses: 14.2% Sunshine West — Flats / Apartments: 3.2%
Derrimut 96.8% houses
Derrimut — Houses: 96.8% Derrimut — Townhouses: 2.9% Derrimut — Flats / Apartments: 0.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Sunshine West Derrimut
Median house price $755,000 $846,000
Median unit price $585,000 —
Median land price $660,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 27 days
from 181 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Derrimut has more industrially zoned land (47% vs 26%).

Sunshine West Derrimut
Residential 57% 15%
Industrial 26% 47%
Parks and recreation 6% 18%
Infrastructure and transport 9% 13%
Other and special use 0% 5%
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 West Derrimut
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 West Derrimut
Houses 3.7%
$550/wk on $772K
 3.6%
$600/wk on $860K
Units 5.5%
$500/wk on $471K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Sunshine West Derrimut
House price Higher than 45% of VIC Higher than 55% of VIC
Income — Higher than 90% of VIC
Schools Higher than 63% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 93% of VIC Higher than 81% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 84% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 73% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 83% of VIC Higher than 88% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 47% of VIC Higher than 43% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 84% of VIC —

Liveability

Sunshine West is more walkable (81 vs 26); Sunshine West scores higher overall (57 vs 39).

Sunshine West Derrimut
Grade B C
Score 57/100 39/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Derrimut carries more bushfire risk (88 vs 0); Sunshine West carries more flood risk (42 vs 11).

Sunshine West Derrimut
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
88/100
Crime Moderate
66/100
 High
79/100
Flood Moderate
42/100
 Low
11/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 48
within 5 km
 41
within 5 km

Schools

Sunshine West Derrimut
Inside the suburb 10 2
Rated above peers 3 0
Rated at peers 3 2
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 1
Victoria University Footscray Park, 7.6 km
 None

Schools in Sunshine West

  • Ardeer South Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Marian College Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • St Paul's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • St Peter's School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Sunshine College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Sunshine Heights Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Derrimut

  • Derrimut Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Lawrence Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Sunshine West Derrimut
Supermarkets 4 2
Cafes & restaurants 4 6
Parks & reserves 27 13
Childcare 14 5
GPs 3 2
Pharmacies 3 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 2 7
EV chargers 1
same for both
Waterways 1 21

Mobility

Derrimut sits further from the CBD (24.7 km vs 14.6 km).

Sunshine West Derrimut
Walkability score 81/100 26/100
Distance to Melbourne 14.6 km 24.7 km
+69% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 26 min 27 min
Public transport score 89/100
Rail · Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 275.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 60.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 3020
 1.2%
postcode 3026
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 28
postcode 3020
 40
postcode 3026

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 West Derrimut
Car (driver) 65.9% / 66.2%
Sunshine West — Car (driver): 65.9% Derrimut — Car (driver): 66.2%
Worked from Home 20.7% / 22.9%
Sunshine West — Worked from Home: 20.7% Derrimut — Worked from Home: 22.9%
Car (passenger) 5.8% / 5.4%
Sunshine West — Car (passenger): 5.8% Derrimut — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Train 4.8% / 3.8%
Sunshine West — Train: 4.8% Derrimut — Train: 3.8%
Bus 1.4% / 0.6%
Sunshine West — Bus: 1.4% Derrimut — Bus: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (66.2%).

Setting

Sunshine West Derrimut
Elevation 39 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 46 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.2 km 9.0 km

NBN connectivity

Sunshine West Derrimut
Connectivity score 75/100 78/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 15%
7,989 premises
 58%
3,598 premises

Climate

Sunshine West Derrimut
Annual rainfall 482 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.2°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Sunshine West

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Transport Hub

Derrimut

Family Large Blocks Middle-Ring Multicultural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Sunshine West

Sunshine West vs Deer Park Sunshine West vs Sunshine Sunshine West vs Albion Sunshine West vs Ardeer Sunshine West vs Brooklyn Sunshine West vs Laverton North

Other comparisons with Derrimut

Derrimut vs Truganina Derrimut vs Deer Park Derrimut vs Ravenhall Derrimut vs Laverton North
Full data on Sunshine West Full data on Derrimut
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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