Upper Plenty vs Wallan

Wallan is the younger of the two, with a median age of 33 against 43 in Upper Plenty. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Upper Plenty, about half of households are couple families. In Wallan, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Upper Plenty: a median of $1.37 million, against $610,000 in Wallan, though rent is higher in Wallan. On these figures, Upper Plenty tends to suit people living alone, while Wallan suits 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

Wallan

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (17 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (13 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • But Upper Plenty 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

Wallan

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($610,000 vs $1,370,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 30%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Upper Plenty has cheaper rent ($310/wk vs $360/wk)
  • Wallan has a bigger rental market to choose from (22% vs 4%)

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

Commuting to the city

Wallan

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (35/100 vs 20/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (62.1 km vs 66.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Upper Plenty has more residents already 65 and over (17% vs 9%)
  • Wallan has more GPs (4 vs 0)

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

Investors

Wallan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (35.5% vs 23.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Upper Plenty Wallan
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.

Upper Plenty Wallan
Walkability 20 / 35
Upper Plenty — Walkability: 20/100 Wallan — Walkability: 35/100
Safety 40 / 21
Upper Plenty — Safety: 40/100 Wallan — Safety: 21/100
Low fire risk 12 / 29
Upper Plenty — Low fire risk: 12/100 Wallan — Low fire risk: 29/100
Low flood risk 100 / 44
Upper Plenty — Low flood risk: 100/100 Wallan — Low flood risk: 44/100

Demographics

Wallan has more residents (15,004 vs 415); Upper Plenty skews older (43 vs 33).

Upper Plenty Wallan
Population 415 15,004
+3515% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +23.9% +35.5%
Median age 43 33
Median household income $87,724/yr $99,528/yr
+13% vs other
Median weekly rent $310/wk $360/wk
+16% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Upper Plenty Wallan
0-4 8.2% / 9.2%
Upper Plenty — 0-4: 8.2% Wallan — 0-4: 9.2%
5-14 15.2% / 15.3%
Upper Plenty — 5-14: 15.2% Wallan — 5-14: 15.3%
15-19 5.5% / 6.1%
Upper Plenty — 15-19: 5.5% Wallan — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 5.3% / 5.8%
Upper Plenty — 20-24: 5.3% Wallan — 20-24: 5.8%
25-34 6.5% / 16.9%
Upper Plenty — 25-34: 6.5% Wallan — 25-34: 16.9%
35-44 11.8% / 15.4%
Upper Plenty — 35-44: 11.8% Wallan — 35-44: 15.4%
45-54 13.7% / 12.1%
Upper Plenty — 45-54: 13.7% Wallan — 45-54: 12.1%
55-64 15.4% / 10.2%
Upper Plenty — 55-64: 15.4% Wallan — 55-64: 10.2%
65-74 10.4% / 6.3%
Upper Plenty — 65-74: 10.4% Wallan — 65-74: 6.3%
75-84 6.5% / 2.4%
Upper Plenty — 75-84: 6.5% Wallan — 75-84: 2.4%
85+ — / 0.5%
Upper Plenty — 85+: not among its largest Wallan — 85+: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Upper Plenty 51.7% couple families
Upper Plenty — Couple Families: 51.7% Upper Plenty — Lone Person: 33.3% Upper Plenty — One Parent Families: 14.9% Upper Plenty — Group Household: 0.0% Upper Plenty — Other Families: 0.0%
Wallan 56.7% couple families
Wallan — Couple Families: 56.7% Wallan — Lone Person: 20.8% Wallan — One Parent Families: 19.1% Wallan — Group Household: 2.3% Wallan — Other Families: 1.1%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Upper Plenty 3.9% renting
Upper Plenty — Owned Outright: 51.6% Upper Plenty — Mortgage: 44.5% Upper Plenty — Renting: 3.9%
Wallan 21.8% renting
Wallan — Owned Outright: 19.3% Wallan — Mortgage: 59.0% Wallan — Renting: 21.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Upper Plenty Wallan
Certificate III & IV 14.7% / 16.8%
Upper Plenty — Certificate III & IV: 14.7% Wallan — Certificate III & IV: 16.8%
Bachelor Degree 9.9% / 7.7%
Upper Plenty — Bachelor Degree: 9.9% Wallan — Bachelor Degree: 7.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.0% / 8.2%
Upper Plenty — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0% Wallan — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 0.7% / 2.7%
Upper Plenty — Postgraduate Degree: 0.7% Wallan — Postgraduate Degree: 2.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.0% / 1.4%
Upper Plenty — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0% Wallan — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

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.

Upper Plenty Wallan
England 4.6% / 2.3%
Upper Plenty — England: 4.6% Wallan — England: 2.3%
India — / 4.8%
Upper Plenty — India: not among its largest Wallan — India: 4.8%
South Africa 2.7% / 0.5%
Upper Plenty — South Africa: 2.7% Wallan — South Africa: 0.5%
New Zealand — / 1.8%
Upper Plenty — New Zealand: not among its largest Wallan — New Zealand: 1.8%
Italy 0.7% / 0.6%
Upper Plenty — Italy: 0.7% Wallan — Italy: 0.6%
Thailand 1.2% / —
Upper Plenty — Thailand: 1.2% Wallan — Thailand: not among its largest
Philippines — / 0.7%
Upper Plenty — Philippines: not among its largest Wallan — Philippines: 0.7%
Sri Lanka — / 0.6%
Upper Plenty — Sri Lanka: not among its largest Wallan — Sri Lanka: 0.6%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Upper Plenty 100.0% houses
Upper Plenty — Houses: 100.0% Upper Plenty — Townhouses: 0.0% Upper Plenty — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Wallan 92.7% houses
Wallan — Houses: 92.7% Wallan — Townhouses: 7.2% Wallan — Flats / Apartments: 0.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Upper Plenty Wallan
Median house price $1,370,000 $610,000
Median unit price — $465,000
Median land price — $582,555
Typical days to sell (houses) — 46 days
from 286 sales

Zoning mix

Upper Plenty has more rural and farming land (99% vs 64%).

Upper Plenty Wallan
Rural and farming 99% 64%
Residential 0% 16%
Other and special use 0% 14%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 4%
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

Upper Plenty Wallan
New dwellings approved 1,074
across Mitchell
same for both
Approvals change year on year +70%
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.

Upper Plenty Wallan
Houses — 4.1%
$500/wk on $640K
Units — 4.5%
$405/wk on $470K

Ranking within VIC

Upper Plenty Wallan
House price — Higher than 25% of VIC
Income Higher than 58% of VIC Higher than 72% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 1% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 79% of VIC Higher than 84% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 93% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 54% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 27% of VIC Higher than 94% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 71% of VIC
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 31% of VIC

Liveability

Wallan is more walkable (35 vs 20).

Upper Plenty Wallan
Grade — D
Score — 26/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Wallan carries more flood risk (56 vs 0); Wallan carries more crime risk (79 vs 60).

Upper Plenty Wallan
Bushfire High
88/100
 High
71/100
Crime Moderate
60/100
 High
79/100
Flood None
0/100
 Moderate
56/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Upper Plenty Wallan
Inside the suburb 1 3
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 3

Schools in Upper Plenty

  • Upper Plenty Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Wallan

  • Our Lady of the Way Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Wallan Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Wallan Secondary College Government · Secondary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Upper Plenty Wallan
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 0 12
Parks & reserves 0 13
Childcare 1 17
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 3
Fuel stations 0 7
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 7 2

Mobility

Upper Plenty sits further from the CBD (66.3 km vs 62.1 km).

Upper Plenty Wallan
Walkability score 20/100 35/100
Distance to Melbourne 66.3 km
+6% vs other
 62.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 58 min 55 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 3756
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 53
postcode 3756
same for both

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.

Upper Plenty Wallan
Car (driver) 59.6% / 73.6%
Upper Plenty — Car (driver): 59.6% Wallan — Car (driver): 73.6%
Worked from Home 30.7% / 17.9%
Upper Plenty — Worked from Home: 30.7% Wallan — Worked from Home: 17.9%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 5.1%
Upper Plenty — Car (passenger): 4.8% Wallan — Car (passenger): 5.1%
Walked Only 4.8% / 0.9%
Upper Plenty — Walked Only: 4.8% Wallan — Walked Only: 0.9%
Train — / 2.2%
Upper Plenty — Train: not among its largest Wallan — Train: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.6%).

Setting

Upper Plenty Wallan
Elevation 313 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 347 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 48.1 km 48.2 km

NBN connectivity

Upper Plenty Wallan
Connectivity score 26/100 87/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
92 premises
 76%
7,489 premises

Climate

Upper Plenty Wallan
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

Council rates

Upper Plenty Wallan
Average residential rate $1,947/yr
same for both
Council Mitchell
same for both

Federal electorate

Upper Plenty Wallan
Division Mcewen
same for both
Member Rob Mitchell
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Upper Plenty Wallan
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Upper Plenty

Family Outer River

Wallan

Acreage Family Outer Transport Hub Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Upper Plenty

Upper Plenty vs Whittlesea Upper Plenty vs Beveridge Upper Plenty vs Eden Park Upper Plenty vs Heathcote Junction Upper Plenty vs Clonbinane

Other comparisons with Wallan

Wallan vs Beveridge Wallan vs Wandong Wallan vs Heathcote Junction Wallan vs Darraweit Guim Wallan vs Bylands
Full data on Upper Plenty Full data on Wallan
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or