Templestowe vs Doncaster

Doncaster is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 46 in Templestowe. In both, most households own their home. In Templestowe, the large majority of homes are detached houses and most households are couple families. Doncaster is closer to the city centre: 17.7 km, against 21.5 km. On these figures, Templestowe tends to suit couples, while Doncaster suits people living alone.

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

Templestowe

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 76/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (78% vs 53%)
  • has more parks and reserves (49 vs 36)
  • But Doncaster has more schools rated above their peers (3 vs 2)

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

First-home buyers

Doncaster

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($551,125 vs $655,400)

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

Renters

Doncaster

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (32% vs 15%)
  • has cheaper rent ($450/wk vs $513/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Doncaster

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 50/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (24 min vs 31 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (17.7 km vs 21.5 km)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Doncaster

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (47% vs 22%)
  • is more walkable (92/100 vs 50/100)
  • has more GPs (7 vs 5)
  • But Templestowe carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 76/100)

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

Investors

Doncaster

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (19.5% vs 2.1%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on units (6.3% vs 4.7%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Templestowe Doncaster
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.

Templestowe Doncaster
Walkability 50 / 92
Templestowe — Walkability: 50/100 Doncaster — Walkability: 92/100
Safety 66 / 24
Templestowe — Safety: 66/100 Doncaster — Safety: 24/100
Low fire risk 26 / 100
Templestowe — Low fire risk: 26/100 Doncaster — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 42 / 65
Templestowe — Low flood risk: 42/100 Doncaster — Low flood risk: 65/100

Demographics

Doncaster has more residents (25,020 vs 16,966); Templestowe has higher household incomes ($112,476 vs $82,784).

Templestowe Doncaster
Population 16,966 25,020
+47% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.1% +19.5%
Median age 46 40
Median household income $112,476/yr
+26% vs other
 $82,784/yr
Median weekly rent $513/wk
+12% vs other
 $450/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Templestowe Doncaster
0-4 4.2% / 4.6%
Templestowe — 0-4: 4.2% Doncaster — 0-4: 4.6%
5-14 11.2% / 9.4%
Templestowe — 5-14: 11.2% Doncaster — 5-14: 9.4%
15-19 5.9% / 4.9%
Templestowe — 15-19: 5.9% Doncaster — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 5.5% / 6.5%
Templestowe — 20-24: 5.5% Doncaster — 20-24: 6.5%
25-34 9.3% / 15.5%
Templestowe — 25-34: 9.3% Doncaster — 25-34: 15.5%
35-44 11.8% / 13.9%
Templestowe — 35-44: 11.8% Doncaster — 35-44: 13.9%
45-54 12.4% / 11.8%
Templestowe — 45-54: 12.4% Doncaster — 45-54: 11.8%
55-64 14.5% / 11.4%
Templestowe — 55-64: 14.5% Doncaster — 55-64: 11.4%
65-74 12.5% / 9.8%
Templestowe — 65-74: 12.5% Doncaster — 65-74: 9.8%
75-84 8.5% / 8.3%
Templestowe — 75-84: 8.5% Doncaster — 75-84: 8.3%
85+ 4.1% / 4.0%
Templestowe — 85+: 4.1% Doncaster — 85+: 4.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Templestowe 60.1% couple families
Templestowe — Couple Families: 60.1% Templestowe — Lone Person: 23.6% Templestowe — One Parent Families: 13.4% Templestowe — Group Household: 1.8% Templestowe — Other Families: 1.2%
Doncaster 41.2% couple families
Doncaster — Couple Families: 41.2% Doncaster — Lone Person: 36.3% Doncaster — One Parent Families: 15.6% Doncaster — Group Household: 4.6% Doncaster — Other Families: 2.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Templestowe 14.6% renting
Templestowe — Owned Outright: 48.8% Templestowe — Mortgage: 36.6% Templestowe — Renting: 14.6%
Doncaster 32.1% renting
Doncaster — Owned Outright: 39.5% Doncaster — Mortgage: 28.5% Doncaster — Renting: 32.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Templestowe Doncaster
Bachelor Degree 21.5% / 22.3%
Templestowe — Bachelor Degree: 21.5% Doncaster — Bachelor Degree: 22.3%
Postgraduate Degree 8.5% / 10.4%
Templestowe — Postgraduate Degree: 8.5% Doncaster — Postgraduate Degree: 10.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.1% / 8.8%
Templestowe — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1% Doncaster — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8%
Certificate III & IV 7.2% / 6.4%
Templestowe — Certificate III & IV: 7.2% Doncaster — Certificate III & IV: 6.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.4% / 2.4%
Templestowe — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4% Doncaster — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.3%).

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.

Templestowe Doncaster
China 10.6% / 17.1%
Templestowe — China: 10.6% Doncaster — China: 17.1%
Malaysia 2.9% / 5.5%
Templestowe — Malaysia: 2.9% Doncaster — Malaysia: 5.5%
Iran 2.6% / 3.2%
Templestowe — Iran: 2.6% Doncaster — Iran: 3.2%
Greece 2.6% / 3.0%
Templestowe — Greece: 2.6% Doncaster — Greece: 3.0%
Italy 2.7% / 2.1%
Templestowe — Italy: 2.7% Doncaster — Italy: 2.1%
India 1.8% / 2.3%
Templestowe — India: 1.8% Doncaster — India: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Templestowe 77.6% houses
Templestowe — Houses: 77.6% Templestowe — Townhouses: 18.6% Templestowe — Flats / Apartments: 3.8%
Doncaster 53.1% houses
Doncaster — Houses: 53.1% Doncaster — Townhouses: 19.6% Doncaster — Flats / Apartments: 27.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Templestowe Doncaster
Median house price $1,606,000 $1,500,000
Median unit price $655,400 $551,125
Median land price $1,650,000 $1,702,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 183 sales
 25 days
from 206 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.

Templestowe Doncaster
2 bed $628K / $550K
Templestowe — 2 bed: $628K (22 sales) Doncaster — 2 bed: $550K (184 sales)

22 vs 184 sales

3 bed $958K / $820K
Templestowe — 3 bed: $958K (12 sales) Doncaster — 3 bed: $820K (51 sales)

12 vs 51 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.

Templestowe Doncaster
3 bed $1.25M / $1.38M
Templestowe — 3 bed: $1.25M (27 sales) Doncaster — 3 bed: $1.38M (90 sales)

27 vs 90 sales

4 bed $1.55M / $1.5M
Templestowe — 4 bed: $1.55M (169 sales) Doncaster — 4 bed: $1.5M (162 sales)

169 vs 162 sales

5 bed $1.8M / $1.81M
Templestowe — 5 bed: $1.8M (65 sales) Doncaster — 5 bed: $1.81M (56 sales)

65 vs 56 sales

6 bed $2.38M / $1.51M
Templestowe — 6 bed: $2.38M (10 sales) Doncaster — 6 bed: $1.51M (9 sales)

10 vs 9 sales

Zoning mix

Templestowe Doncaster
Residential 59% 75%
Parks and recreation 32% 8%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 9%
Commercial 0% 8%
Environmental 3% 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

Templestowe Doncaster
New dwellings approved 486
across Manningham
same for both
Approvals change year on year -2%
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.

Templestowe Doncaster
Houses 3.0%
$935/wk on $1.6M
 3.2%
$900/wk on $1.45M
Units 4.7%
$595/wk on $665K
 6.3%
$695/wk on $575K

Ranking within VIC

Templestowe Doncaster
House price Higher than 88% of VIC Higher than 89% of VIC
Income Higher than 85% of VIC Higher than 50% of VIC
Schools Higher than 92% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 86% of VIC Higher than 97% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 16% of VIC Higher than 4% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 97% of VIC Higher than 100% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 87% of VIC Higher than 90% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 15% of VIC Higher than 24% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 43% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC

Liveability

Doncaster is more walkable (92 vs 50); Doncaster scores higher overall (81 vs 67).

Templestowe Doncaster
Grade B A
Score 67/100 81/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Templestowe carries more bushfire risk (74 vs 0); Doncaster carries more crime risk (76 vs 34).

Templestowe Doncaster
Bushfire High
74/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
34/100
 High
76/100
Flood Moderate
58/100
 Low
35/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Templestowe Doncaster
Inside the suburb 3 4
Rated above peers 2 3
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus, 10.0 km
 2
Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, 7.3 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.6% 3.7%

Schools in Templestowe

  • Serpell Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Templestowe Park Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Charles Borromeo School Catholic · Primary

Schools in Doncaster

  • Birralee Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Doncaster Secondary College Government · Secondary above peers
  • St Gregory the Great School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Doncaster Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Templestowe Doncaster
Supermarkets 2 4
Cafes & restaurants 16 27
Parks & reserves 49 36
Childcare 10 14
GPs 5 7
Pharmacies 1 3
Banks & Bank@Post 2 7
Fuel stations 2 1
Waterways 19 9

Mobility

Templestowe sits further from the CBD (21.5 km vs 17.7 km).

Templestowe Doncaster
Walkability score 50/100 92/100
Distance to Melbourne 21.5 km
+18% vs other
 17.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 31 min 24 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 592.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 782.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.6%
postcode 3106
 3.4%
postcode 3108
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 34
postcode 3106
 19
postcode 3108

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.

Templestowe Doncaster
Car (driver) 54.7% / 51.8%
Templestowe — Car (driver): 54.7% Doncaster — Car (driver): 51.8%
Worked from Home 37.8% / 35.8%
Templestowe — Worked from Home: 37.8% Doncaster — Worked from Home: 35.8%
Car (passenger) 3.5% / 4.1%
Templestowe — Car (passenger): 3.5% Doncaster — Car (passenger): 4.1%
Bus 2.8% / 4.8%
Templestowe — Bus: 2.8% Doncaster — Bus: 4.8%
Walked Only 0.6% / 2.1%
Templestowe — Walked Only: 0.6% Doncaster — Walked Only: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (54.7%).

Setting

Templestowe Doncaster
Elevation 80 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 115 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 19.7 km 16.0 km

NBN connectivity

Templestowe Doncaster
Connectivity score 77/100 80/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 11%
7,063 premises
 24%
13,123 premises

Climate

Templestowe Doncaster
Annual rainfall 777 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.3°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Templestowe Doncaster
PM2.5 4.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Templestowe Doncaster
Average residential rate $2,000/yr
same for both
Council Manningham
same for both

Federal electorate

Templestowe Doncaster
Division Menzies
same for both
Member Gabriel Ng
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Templestowe Doncaster
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Templestowe

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Premium Quiet Retirees

Doncaster

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Premium Professionals

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Templestowe

Templestowe vs Doncaster East Templestowe vs Eltham Templestowe vs Templestowe Lower Templestowe vs Warrandyte Templestowe vs Lower Plenty

Other comparisons with Doncaster

Doncaster vs Doncaster East Doncaster vs Balwyn North Doncaster vs Templestowe Lower Doncaster vs Box Hill North Doncaster vs Bulleen Doncaster vs Blackburn North
Full data on Templestowe Full data on Doncaster
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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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