Thornton vs Alexandra

Alexandra is the younger of the two, with a median age of 51 against 55 in Thornton. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Thornton, most households are people living alone. In Alexandra, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Thornton: a median of $742,000, against $538,000 in Alexandra, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Alexandra 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

Alexandra

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (8 vs 2)
  • has more childcare (3 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 2 things we measure here

  • Thornton leaves households under less mortgage stress (19% vs 28%)
  • Alexandra has cheaper houses ($537,500 vs $742,500)

Weighs house 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

Thornton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (129 km vs 134 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Alexandra

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Thornton Alexandra
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.

Thornton Alexandra
Walkability 0 / 4
Thornton — Walkability: 0/100 Alexandra — Walkability: 4/100
Safety 52 / 43
Thornton — Safety: 52/100 Alexandra — Safety: 43/100
Low fire risk 3 / 3
Thornton — Low fire risk: 3/100 Alexandra — Low fire risk: 3/100
Low flood risk 11 / 29
Thornton — Low flood risk: 11/100 Alexandra — Low flood risk: 29/100

Demographics

Alexandra has more residents (2,801 vs 311); Thornton skews older (55 vs 51).

Thornton Alexandra
Population 311 2,801
+801% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.0% +3.9%
Median age 55 51
Median household income $54,496/yr $56,472/yr
+4% vs other
Median weekly rent $258/wk
+7% vs other
 $240/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Thornton Alexandra
0-4 4.5% / 4.5%
Thornton — 0-4: 4.5% Alexandra — 0-4: 4.5%
5-14 6.8% / 10.2%
Thornton — 5-14: 6.8% Alexandra — 5-14: 10.2%
15-19 3.2% / 4.9%
Thornton — 15-19: 3.2% Alexandra — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 4.2% / 4.0%
Thornton — 20-24: 4.2% Alexandra — 20-24: 4.0%
25-34 5.1% / 8.2%
Thornton — 25-34: 5.1% Alexandra — 25-34: 8.2%
35-44 11.3% / 10.0%
Thornton — 35-44: 11.3% Alexandra — 35-44: 10.0%
45-54 11.3% / 12.0%
Thornton — 45-54: 11.3% Alexandra — 45-54: 12.0%
55-64 19.6% / 14.9%
Thornton — 55-64: 19.6% Alexandra — 55-64: 14.9%
65-74 19.0% / 17.4%
Thornton — 65-74: 19.0% Alexandra — 65-74: 17.4%
75-84 9.0% / 10.0%
Thornton — 75-84: 9.0% Alexandra — 75-84: 10.0%
85+ 2.9% / 3.4%
Thornton — 85+: 2.9% Alexandra — 85+: 3.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Thornton 58.3% lone person
Thornton — Lone Person: 58.3% Thornton — Couple Families: 23.3% Thornton — One Parent Families: 11.7% Thornton — Group Household: 6.8% Thornton — Other Families: 0.0%
Alexandra 53.8% lone person
Alexandra — Lone Person: 53.8% Alexandra — Couple Families: 29.4% Alexandra — One Parent Families: 13.3% Alexandra — Group Household: 2.8% Alexandra — Other Families: 0.7%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Thornton 16.0% renting
Thornton — Owned Outright: 58.0% Thornton — Mortgage: 26.0% Thornton — Renting: 16.0%
Alexandra 21.5% renting
Alexandra — Owned Outright: 50.5% Alexandra — Mortgage: 28.0% Alexandra — Renting: 21.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Thornton Alexandra
Certificate III & IV 20.6% / 17.1%
Thornton — Certificate III & IV: 20.6% Alexandra — Certificate III & IV: 17.1%
Bachelor Degree 8.0% / 8.6%
Thornton — Bachelor Degree: 8.0% Alexandra — Bachelor Degree: 8.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.7% / 8.4%
Thornton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7% Alexandra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.0% / 2.2%
Thornton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0% Alexandra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%
Postgraduate Degree — / 1.9%
Thornton — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Alexandra — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.6%).

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.

Thornton Alexandra
England 4.8% / 3.5%
Thornton — England: 4.8% Alexandra — England: 3.5%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.1%
Thornton — New Zealand: 1.0% Alexandra — New Zealand: 1.1%
Netherlands 1.0% / 0.9%
Thornton — Netherlands: 1.0% Alexandra — Netherlands: 0.9%
Philippines 1.3% / 0.3%
Thornton — Philippines: 1.3% Alexandra — Philippines: 0.3%
Germany 1.0% / 0.6%
Thornton — Germany: 1.0% Alexandra — Germany: 0.6%
India — / 0.9%
Thornton — India: not among its largest Alexandra — India: 0.9%
Scotland — / 0.6%
Thornton — Scotland: not among its largest Alexandra — Scotland: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Thornton 84.2% houses
Thornton — Houses: 84.2% Thornton — Flats / Apartments: 15.8% Thornton — Townhouses: 0.0%
Alexandra 89.1% houses
Alexandra — Houses: 89.1% Alexandra — Flats / Apartments: 4.3% Alexandra — Townhouses: 6.6%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Thornton Alexandra
Median house price $742,500 $537,500
Median unit price — $410,000
Median land price — $365,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 76 days
from 27 sales

Zoning mix

Thornton Alexandra
Rural and farming 94% 85%
Residential 0% 7%
Parks and recreation 4% 5%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 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

Thornton Alexandra
New dwellings approved 82
across Murrindindi
same for both
Approvals change year on year +83%
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.

Thornton Alexandra
Houses — 3.2%
$500/wk on $810K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Thornton Alexandra
House price — Higher than 13% of VIC
Income Higher than 13% of VIC Higher than 15% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 75% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 3% of VIC Higher than 66% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 59% of VIC
EV adoption — Higher than 18% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 48% of VIC Higher than 76% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 23% of VIC

Liveability

Thornton Alexandra
Grade — D
Score — 29/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
same for both

Risk profile

Thornton carries more flood risk (89 vs 71).

Thornton Alexandra
Bushfire High
97/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
48/100
 Moderate
57/100
Flood High
89/100
 High
71/100
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

Thornton Alexandra
Inside the suburb 0 3
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Thornton

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Alexandra

  • Alexandra Secondary College Government · Secondary above peers
  • Alexandra Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Mary's School Catholic · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Thornton Alexandra
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 1 3
Parks & reserves 2 8
Childcare 0 3
GPs 0 3
Pharmacies 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 0 1
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 29 75

Mobility

Alexandra sits further from the CBD (134 km vs 129 km).

Thornton Alexandra
Walkability score 0/100 4/100
Distance to Melbourne 129 km 134 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 124 min 128 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 3712
 0.3%
postcode 3714
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 39
postcode 3712
 48
postcode 3714

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.

Thornton Alexandra
Car (driver) 66.7% / 71.7%
Thornton — Car (driver): 66.7% Alexandra — Car (driver): 71.7%
Worked from Home 22.5% / 14.1%
Thornton — Worked from Home: 22.5% Alexandra — Worked from Home: 14.1%
Walked Only 8.3% / 9.1%
Thornton — Walked Only: 8.3% Alexandra — Walked Only: 9.1%
Car (passenger) 2.5% / 3.6%
Thornton — Car (passenger): 2.5% Alexandra — Car (passenger): 3.6%
Bicycle — / 0.9%
Thornton — Bicycle: not among its largest Alexandra — Bicycle: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.7%).

Setting

Thornton Alexandra
Elevation 207 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 245 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Thornton Alexandra
Connectivity score 30/100 62/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
211 premises
 38%
1,688 premises

Climate

Thornton Alexandra
Annual rainfall 810 mm 648 mm
Summer max (Jan) 29.3°C —
Winter min (Jul) 4.1°C —

Council rates

Thornton Alexandra
Average residential rate $1,973/yr
same for both
Council Murrindindi
same for both

Federal electorate

Thornton Alexandra
Division Indi
same for both
Member Helen Haines
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Thornton Alexandra
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Thornton

Retirees Rural

Alexandra

Acreage Affordable Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Thornton

Thornton vs Eildon Thornton vs Taggerty Thornton vs Acheron Thornton vs Taylor Bay

Other comparisons with Alexandra

Alexandra vs Acheron Alexandra vs Whanregarwen Alexandra vs Fawcett Alexandra vs Maintongoon Alexandra vs Koriella
Full data on Thornton Full data on Alexandra
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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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