Waaia vs Nathalia

Waaia is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 47 in Nathalia. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Waaia, most households are couple families. In Nathalia, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Waaia tends to suit families with children and couples, while Nathalia suits people living alone and older residents.

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

Nathalia

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (8 vs 1)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 1)
  • But Waaia is already more of a family suburb (76% vs 46%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

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

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

They split

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

  • Waaia sits closer to the CBD (229.9 km vs 232.6 km)
  • Nathalia is more walkable (58/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Nathalia

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (58/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (26% vs 15%)

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

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

Waaia Nathalia
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.

Waaia Nathalia
Walkability 0 / 58
Waaia — Walkability: 0/100 Nathalia — Walkability: 58/100
Safety 48 / 51
Waaia — Safety: 48/100 Nathalia — Safety: 51/100
Low fire risk 100 / 88
Waaia — Low fire risk: 100/100 Nathalia — Low fire risk: 88/100
Low flood risk 22 / 5
Waaia — Low flood risk: 22/100 Nathalia — Low flood risk: 5/100

Demographics

Nathalia has more residents (1,982 vs 420); Nathalia skews older (47 vs 36).

Waaia Nathalia
Population 420 1,982
+372% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.7% +5.4%
Median age 36 47
Median household income $70,200/yr
+13% vs other
 $60,788/yr
Median weekly rent $195/wk $194/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Waaia Nathalia
0-4 8.1% / 4.7%
Waaia — 0-4: 8.1% Nathalia — 0-4: 4.7%
5-14 18.6% / 11.2%
Waaia — 5-14: 18.6% Nathalia — 5-14: 11.2%
15-19 5.0% / 6.8%
Waaia — 15-19: 5.0% Nathalia — 15-19: 6.8%
20-24 3.6% / 5.4%
Waaia — 20-24: 3.6% Nathalia — 20-24: 5.4%
25-34 11.9% / 9.6%
Waaia — 25-34: 11.9% Nathalia — 25-34: 9.6%
35-44 11.9% / 9.6%
Waaia — 35-44: 11.9% Nathalia — 35-44: 9.6%
45-54 12.4% / 11.2%
Waaia — 45-54: 12.4% Nathalia — 45-54: 11.2%
55-64 14.0% / 15.3%
Waaia — 55-64: 14.0% Nathalia — 55-64: 15.3%
65-74 10.2% / 13.9%
Waaia — 65-74: 10.2% Nathalia — 65-74: 13.9%
75-84 3.3% / 8.0%
Waaia — 75-84: 3.3% Nathalia — 75-84: 8.0%
85+ 1.7% / 4.0%
Waaia — 85+: 1.7% Nathalia — 85+: 4.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Waaia 61.4% couple families
Waaia — Couple Families: 61.4% Waaia — Lone Person: 23.9% Waaia — One Parent Families: 14.8% Waaia — Group Household: 0.0% Waaia — Other Families: 0.0%
Nathalia 31.0% couple families
Nathalia — Couple Families: 31.0% Nathalia — Lone Person: 49.1% Nathalia — One Parent Families: 14.9% Nathalia — Group Household: 3.7% Nathalia — Other Families: 1.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Waaia 10.6% renting
Waaia — Owned Outright: 47.2% Waaia — Mortgage: 42.3% Waaia — Renting: 10.6%
Nathalia 19.0% renting
Nathalia — Owned Outright: 47.7% Nathalia — Mortgage: 33.3% Nathalia — Renting: 19.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Waaia Nathalia
Certificate III & IV 21.9% / 18.1%
Waaia — Certificate III & IV: 21.9% Nathalia — Certificate III & IV: 18.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.0% / 6.5%
Waaia — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.0% Nathalia — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5%
Bachelor Degree 3.1% / 7.3%
Waaia — Bachelor Degree: 3.1% Nathalia — Bachelor Degree: 7.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 1.5%
Waaia — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Nathalia — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%
Postgraduate Degree 1.2% / 1.3%
Waaia — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2% Nathalia — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.9%).

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.

Waaia Nathalia
New Zealand 1.9% / 0.9%
Waaia — New Zealand: 1.9% Nathalia — New Zealand: 0.9%
Netherlands 2.1% / —
Waaia — Netherlands: 2.1% Nathalia — Netherlands: not among its largest
England — / 1.5%
Waaia — England: not among its largest Nathalia — England: 1.5%
Philippines — / 0.9%
Waaia — Philippines: not among its largest Nathalia — Philippines: 0.9%
Scotland — / 0.6%
Waaia — Scotland: not among its largest Nathalia — Scotland: 0.6%
South Africa — / 0.4%
Waaia — South Africa: not among its largest Nathalia — South Africa: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Waaia 94.2% houses
Waaia — Houses: 94.2% Waaia — Townhouses: 2.9% Waaia — Flats / Apartments: 2.9%
Nathalia 92.1% houses
Nathalia — Houses: 92.1% Nathalia — Townhouses: 4.6% Nathalia — Flats / Apartments: 3.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Waaia Nathalia
Median house price $422,000 $395,000
Median unit price — $315,000
Median land price — $200,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 117 days
from 16 sales

Zoning mix

Waaia Nathalia
Rural and farming 96% 93%
Parks and recreation 3% 4%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 1%
Residential 0% 1%
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

Waaia Nathalia
New dwellings approved 332
across Moira
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.

Waaia Nathalia
Houses — 4.9%
$440/wk on $470K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Waaia Nathalia
House price — Higher than 5% of VIC
Income Higher than 32% of VIC Higher than 21% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 9% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 21% of VIC Higher than 87% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 93% of VIC
EV adoption — Higher than 5% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 55% of VIC Higher than 88% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 97% of VIC

Liveability

Nathalia is more walkable (58 vs 0).

Waaia Nathalia
Grade — D
Score — 27/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
same for both

Risk profile

Nathalia carries more bushfire risk (12 vs 0); Nathalia carries more flood risk (95 vs 78).

Waaia Nathalia
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
12/100
Crime Moderate
52/100
 Moderate
49/100
Flood High
78/100
 High
95/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Waaia Nathalia
Inside the suburb 1 5
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 3

Schools in Waaia

  • Waaia Yalca South Primary School Government · Primary

Schools in Nathalia

  • St Francis' School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Nathalia Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Nathalia Secondary College Government · Secondary below peers
  • St Mary of the Angels College Catholic · Secondary below peers
  • OneSchool Global Vic - Nathalia Centre Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Waaia Nathalia
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 1 8
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 0 4

Mobility

Nathalia sits further from the CBD (232.6 km vs 229.9 km).

Waaia Nathalia
Walkability score 0/100 58/100
Distance to Melbourne 229.9 km 232.6 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 165 min 166 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 3637
 0.1%
postcode 3638
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 62
postcode 3637
 54
postcode 3638

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.

Waaia Nathalia
Car (driver) 72.7% / 72.2%
Waaia — Car (driver): 72.7% Nathalia — Car (driver): 72.2%
Worked from Home 20.0% / 13.3%
Waaia — Worked from Home: 20.0% Nathalia — Worked from Home: 13.3%
Walked Only 1.8% / 7.8%
Waaia — Walked Only: 1.8% Nathalia — Walked Only: 7.8%
Car (passenger) 5.5% / 3.5%
Waaia — Car (passenger): 5.5% Nathalia — Car (passenger): 3.5%
Bicycle — / 2.9%
Waaia — Bicycle: not among its largest Nathalia — Bicycle: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.7%).

Setting

Waaia Nathalia
Elevation 105 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 101 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Waaia Nathalia
Connectivity score 30/100 78/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
169 premises
 44%
1,095 premises

Climate

Waaia Nathalia
Annual rainfall 458 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Waaia Nathalia
Average residential rate $1,908/yr
same for both
Council Moira
same for both

Federal electorate

Waaia Nathalia
Division Nicholls
same for both
Member Sam Birrell
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Waaia Nathalia
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Waaia

Family Rural

Nathalia

Affordable Quiet Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Waaia

Waaia vs Numurkah Waaia vs Katunga Waaia vs Yalca Waaia vs Kaarimba

Other comparisons with Nathalia

Nathalia vs Yalca Nathalia vs Picola Nathalia vs Kotupna Nathalia vs Yielima Nathalia vs Kaarimba
Full data on Waaia Full data on Nathalia
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