Sydenham vs Taylors Lakes

Sydenham is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 45 in Taylors Lakes. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Sydenham, about half of households are couple families. In Taylors Lakes, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Taylors Lakes: a median of $992,000, against $738,000 in Sydenham, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Sydenham tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Taylors Lakes suits 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

Taylors Lakes

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (28 vs 12)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (90% vs 65%)
  • But Sydenham carries lower crime risk (50/100 vs 80/100)

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

First-home buyers

Sydenham

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($737,500 vs $991,500)
  • has cheaper land ($545,500 vs $710,000)
  • has cheaper units ($491,000 vs $550,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Sydenham

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (32% vs 10%)
  • has cheaper rent ($369/wk vs $411/wk)

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

  • Sydenham is more walkable (89/100 vs 77/100)
  • Taylors Lakes sits closer to the CBD (23.7 km vs 26.1 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Sydenham

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (35% vs 10%)
  • carries lower crime risk (50/100 vs 80/100)
  • is more walkable (89/100 vs 77/100)

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

Investors

Sydenham

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.2% vs 3.2%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Sydenham and Taylors Lakes drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
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.

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Walkability 89 / 77
Sydenham — Walkability: 89/100 Taylors Lakes — Walkability: 77/100
Safety 50 / 20
Sydenham — Safety: 50/100 Taylors Lakes — Safety: 20/100
Low fire risk 100 / 69
Sydenham — Low fire risk: 100/100 Taylors Lakes — Low fire risk: 69/100
Low flood risk 76 / 51
Sydenham — Low flood risk: 76/100 Taylors Lakes — Low flood risk: 51/100

Demographics

Taylors Lakes has more residents (15,174 vs 10,578); Taylors Lakes skews older (45 vs 37).

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Population 10,578 15,174
+43% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -2.4% -2.2%
Median age 37 45
Median household income $94,276/yr $112,528/yr
+19% vs other
Median weekly rent $369/wk $411/wk
+11% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
0-4 5.5% / 3.7%
Sydenham — 0-4: 5.5% Taylors Lakes — 0-4: 3.7%
5-14 11.0% / 10.3%
Sydenham — 5-14: 11.0% Taylors Lakes — 5-14: 10.3%
15-19 6.2% / 7.4%
Sydenham — 15-19: 6.2% Taylors Lakes — 15-19: 7.4%
20-24 7.8% / 7.3%
Sydenham — 20-24: 7.8% Taylors Lakes — 20-24: 7.3%
25-34 16.3% / 11.0%
Sydenham — 25-34: 16.3% Taylors Lakes — 25-34: 11.0%
35-44 13.1% / 9.7%
Sydenham — 35-44: 13.1% Taylors Lakes — 35-44: 9.7%
45-54 13.7% / 15.6%
Sydenham — 45-54: 13.7% Taylors Lakes — 45-54: 15.6%
55-64 12.4% / 17.9%
Sydenham — 55-64: 12.4% Taylors Lakes — 55-64: 17.9%
65-74 7.2% / 11.0%
Sydenham — 65-74: 7.2% Taylors Lakes — 65-74: 11.0%
75-84 4.2% / 4.6%
Sydenham — 75-84: 4.2% Taylors Lakes — 75-84: 4.6%
85+ 2.7% / 1.5%
Sydenham — 85+: 2.7% Taylors Lakes — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Sydenham 49.9% couple families
Sydenham — Couple Families: 49.9% Sydenham — Lone Person: 24.8% Sydenham — One Parent Families: 20.1% Sydenham — Group Household: 3.4% Sydenham — Other Families: 1.8%
Taylors Lakes 64.8% couple families
Taylors Lakes — Couple Families: 64.8% Taylors Lakes — Lone Person: 18.2% Taylors Lakes — One Parent Families: 14.6% Taylors Lakes — Group Household: 1.4% Taylors Lakes — Other Families: 1.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Sydenham 31.9% renting
Sydenham — Owned Outright: 29.1% Sydenham — Mortgage: 39.0% Sydenham — Renting: 31.9%
Taylors Lakes 10.1% renting
Taylors Lakes — Owned Outright: 52.5% Taylors Lakes — Mortgage: 37.4% Taylors Lakes — Renting: 10.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Bachelor Degree 13.4% / 14.0%
Sydenham — Bachelor Degree: 13.4% Taylors Lakes — Bachelor Degree: 14.0%
Certificate III & IV 11.9% / 12.2%
Sydenham — Certificate III & IV: 11.9% Taylors Lakes — Certificate III & IV: 12.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.5% / 8.1%
Sydenham — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5% Taylors Lakes — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 4.3% / 3.3%
Sydenham — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3% Taylors Lakes — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 1.7%
Sydenham — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Taylors Lakes — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.0%).

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.

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
India 9.9% / 3.2%
Sydenham — India: 9.9% Taylors Lakes — India: 3.2%
Philippines 3.4% / 1.2%
Sydenham — Philippines: 3.4% Taylors Lakes — Philippines: 1.2%
Italy 1.6% / 2.9%
Sydenham — Italy: 1.6% Taylors Lakes — Italy: 2.9%
Vietnam 2.1% / 2.0%
Sydenham — Vietnam: 2.1% Taylors Lakes — Vietnam: 2.0%
Sri Lanka 1.6% / 1.1%
Sydenham — Sri Lanka: 1.6% Taylors Lakes — Sri Lanka: 1.1%
England 1.1% / 1.2%
Sydenham — England: 1.1% Taylors Lakes — England: 1.2%
Greece — / 1.3%
Sydenham — Greece: not among its largest Taylors Lakes — Greece: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Sydenham 64.8% houses
Sydenham — Houses: 64.8% Sydenham — Townhouses: 33.4% Sydenham — Flats / Apartments: 1.7%
Taylors Lakes 89.9% houses
Taylors Lakes — Houses: 89.9% Taylors Lakes — Townhouses: 9.6% Taylors Lakes — Flats / Apartments: 0.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Median house price $737,500 $991,500
Median unit price $491,000 $550,500
Median land price $545,500 $710,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 23 days
from 68 sales
 25 days
from 103 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.

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
3 bed $675K / $865K
Sydenham — 3 bed: $675K (87 sales) Taylors Lakes — 3 bed: $865K (54 sales)

87 vs 54 sales

4 bed $820K / $1.04M
Sydenham — 4 bed: $820K (46 sales) Taylors Lakes — 4 bed: $1.04M (99 sales)

46 vs 99 sales

5 bed $850K / $1.22M
Sydenham — 5 bed: $850K (5 sales) Taylors Lakes — 5 bed: $1.22M (21 sales)

5 vs 21 sales

Zoning mix

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Residential 87% 72%
Infrastructure and transport 8% 10%
Other and special use 3% 9%
Parks and recreation 2% 8%
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

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
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.

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Houses 4.2%
$530/wk on $650K
 3.2%
$600/wk on $972K
Units 4.4%
$465/wk on $545K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
House price Higher than 43% of VIC Higher than 68% of VIC
Income Higher than 65% of VIC Higher than 85% of VIC
Schools Higher than 14% of VIC Higher than 76% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 96% of VIC Higher than 92% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 74% of VIC Higher than 59% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 69% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 92% of VIC
same for both
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 83% of VIC Higher than 23% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 28% of VIC —

Liveability

Sydenham is more walkable (89 vs 77).

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Grade B
same for both
Score 56/100 59/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Taylors Lakes carries more bushfire risk (31 vs 0); Taylors Lakes carries more flood risk (49 vs 24).

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
31/100
Crime Moderate
50/100
 High
80/100
Flood Low
24/100
 Moderate
49/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Moderate
50/100
 High
70/100
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Inside the suburb 4 3
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Sydenham

  • Emmaus Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Catholic Regional College Sydenham Catholic · Secondary
  • Copperfield College-Sydenham Junior Campus Government · Secondary
  • Sydenham - Hillside Primary School Government · Primary

Schools in Taylors Lakes

  • Taylors Lakes Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Taylors Lakes Secondary College Government · Secondary at peers
  • Overnewton Anglican Community College - Canowindra Campus Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Supermarkets 1 3
Cafes & restaurants 6 30
Parks & reserves 12 28
Childcare 10 7
GPs 4 5
Pharmacies 1 5
Banks & Bank@Post 0 6
Fuel stations 0 5
EV chargers 0 2
Waterways 0 24

Mobility

Sydenham sits further from the CBD (26.1 km vs 23.7 km).

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Walkability score 89/100 77/100
Distance to Melbourne 26.1 km
+9% vs other
 23.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 31 min 27 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 90/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 128.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 247.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.8%
postcode 3037
 0.8%
postcode 3038
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 39
postcode 3037
 36
postcode 3038

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.

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Car (driver) 63.0% / 66.7%
Sydenham — Car (driver): 63.0% Taylors Lakes — Car (driver): 66.7%
Worked from Home 23.7% / 25.9%
Sydenham — Worked from Home: 23.7% Taylors Lakes — Worked from Home: 25.9%
Train 6.8% / 2.4%
Sydenham — Train: 6.8% Taylors Lakes — Train: 2.4%
Car (passenger) 4.7% / 4.3%
Sydenham — Car (passenger): 4.7% Taylors Lakes — Car (passenger): 4.3%
Walked Only 1.1% / 0.5%
Sydenham — Walked Only: 1.1% Taylors Lakes — Walked Only: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (66.7%).

Setting

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Elevation 115 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 98 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 19.7 km 19.0 km

NBN connectivity

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Connectivity score 82/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 51%
4,163 premises
 45%
6,008 premises

Climate

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Annual rainfall 518 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.0°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 18.9 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Average residential rate $1,847/yr
same for both
Council Brimbank
same for both

Federal electorate

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Division Gorton
same for both
Member Alice Jordan-Baird
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Sydenham Taylors Lakes
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Sydenham

Multicultural Outer Parks Townhouses

Taylors Lakes

Multicultural Outer Parks River Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Sydenham

Sydenham vs Hillside Sydenham vs Taylors Hill Sydenham vs Keilor Downs Sydenham vs Delahey

Other comparisons with Taylors Lakes

Taylors Lakes vs Keilor Downs Taylors Lakes vs Delahey Taylors Lakes vs Keilor Taylors Lakes vs Keilor Lodge Taylors Lakes vs Keilor North
Full data on Sydenham Full data on Taylors Lakes
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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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