West Bendigo vs Golden Square

Golden Square is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 43 in West Bendigo. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses.

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

Golden Square

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (6 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 4)

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

They split

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

  • West Bendigo has cheaper rent ($235/wk vs $295/wk)
  • Golden Square has a bigger rental market to choose from (36% vs 25%)

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

Commuting to the city

Golden Square

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (67/100 vs 38/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (106 min vs 111 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (148.5 km vs 151.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Golden Square

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (67/100 vs 38/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (69/100 vs 86/100)

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

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

West Bendigo Golden Square
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.

West Bendigo Golden Square
Walkability 38 / 67
West Bendigo — Walkability: 38/100 Golden Square — Walkability: 67/100
Safety 14 / 31
West Bendigo — Safety: 14/100 Golden Square — Safety: 31/100
Low fire risk 37 / 80
West Bendigo — Low fire risk: 37/100 Golden Square — Low fire risk: 80/100
Low flood risk 69 / 56
West Bendigo — Low flood risk: 69/100 Golden Square — Low flood risk: 56/100

Demographics

Golden Square has more residents (9,220 vs 378); Golden Square rents higher ($295/wk vs $235/wk).

West Bendigo Golden Square
Population 378 9,220
+2339% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.8% +4.5%
Median age 43 39
Median household income $69,836/yr $69,888/yr
Median weekly rent $235/wk $295/wk
+26% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

West Bendigo Golden Square
0-4 5.6% / 5.8%
West Bendigo — 0-4: 5.6% Golden Square — 0-4: 5.8%
5-14 8.5% / 11.5%
West Bendigo — 5-14: 8.5% Golden Square — 5-14: 11.5%
15-19 5.6% / 5.2%
West Bendigo — 15-19: 5.6% Golden Square — 15-19: 5.2%
20-24 6.6% / 5.8%
West Bendigo — 20-24: 6.6% Golden Square — 20-24: 5.8%
25-34 14.8% / 15.2%
West Bendigo — 25-34: 14.8% Golden Square — 25-34: 15.2%
35-44 12.4% / 12.6%
West Bendigo — 35-44: 12.4% Golden Square — 35-44: 12.6%
45-54 10.8% / 11.3%
West Bendigo — 45-54: 10.8% Golden Square — 45-54: 11.3%
55-64 16.4% / 11.7%
West Bendigo — 55-64: 16.4% Golden Square — 55-64: 11.7%
65-74 11.1% / 10.4%
West Bendigo — 65-74: 11.1% Golden Square — 65-74: 10.4%
75-84 5.8% / 6.9%
West Bendigo — 75-84: 5.8% Golden Square — 75-84: 6.9%
85+ 2.1% / 3.5%
West Bendigo — 85+: 2.1% Golden Square — 85+: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

West Bendigo 44.9% lone person
West Bendigo — Lone Person: 44.9% West Bendigo — Couple Families: 29.7% West Bendigo — One Parent Families: 18.6% West Bendigo — Group Household: 3.4% West Bendigo — Other Families: 3.4%
Golden Square 43.6% lone person
Golden Square — Lone Person: 43.6% Golden Square — Couple Families: 30.7% Golden Square — One Parent Families: 19.1% Golden Square — Group Household: 5.1% Golden Square — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

West Bendigo 24.8% renting
West Bendigo — Owned Outright: 37.6% West Bendigo — Mortgage: 37.6% West Bendigo — Renting: 24.8%
Golden Square 35.6% renting
Golden Square — Owned Outright: 31.5% Golden Square — Mortgage: 32.9% Golden Square — Renting: 35.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

West Bendigo Golden Square
Certificate III & IV 20.4% / 16.6%
West Bendigo — Certificate III & IV: 20.4% Golden Square — Certificate III & IV: 16.6%
Bachelor Degree 6.6% / 10.3%
West Bendigo — Bachelor Degree: 6.6% Golden Square — Bachelor Degree: 10.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.3% / 7.4%
West Bendigo — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.3% Golden Square — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4%
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / 2.6%
West Bendigo — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% Golden Square — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 2.2%
West Bendigo — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Golden Square — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.4%).

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.

West Bendigo Golden Square
England 2.1% / 1.4%
West Bendigo — England: 2.1% Golden Square — England: 1.4%
Myanmar 1.3% / 0.7%
West Bendigo — Myanmar: 1.3% Golden Square — Myanmar: 0.7%
Scotland 1.1% / 0.3%
West Bendigo — Scotland: 1.1% Golden Square — Scotland: 0.3%
India — / 1.2%
West Bendigo — India: not among its largest Golden Square — India: 1.2%
Thailand — / 0.9%
West Bendigo — Thailand: not among its largest Golden Square — Thailand: 0.9%
Philippines — / 0.7%
West Bendigo — Philippines: not among its largest Golden Square — Philippines: 0.7%

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

West Bendigo 93.6% houses
West Bendigo — Houses: 93.6% West Bendigo — Townhouses: 3.8% West Bendigo — Flats / Apartments: 2.5%
Golden Square 91.4% houses
Golden Square — Houses: 91.4% Golden Square — Townhouses: 4.3% Golden Square — Flats / Apartments: 4.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

West Bendigo Golden Square
Median house price $611,888 $609,000
Median unit price — $472,125
Median land price — $305,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 25 days
from 102 sales

Zoning mix

West Bendigo has more rural and farming land (11% vs 0%).

West Bendigo Golden Square
Residential 27% 64%
Parks and recreation 54% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 8% 11%
Rural and farming 11% 0%
Commercial 0% 8%
Industrial 0% 7%
Other and special use 0% 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

West Bendigo Golden Square
New dwellings approved 885
across Greater Bendigo
same for both
Approvals change year on year +28%
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.

West Bendigo Golden Square
Houses — 4.1%
$530/wk on $674K
Units — 5.2%
$450/wk on $446K

Ranking within VIC

West Bendigo Golden Square
House price — Higher than 20% of VIC
Income Higher than 32% of VIC
same for both
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 89% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 68% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 67% of VIC Higher than 36% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 82% of VIC Higher than 78% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 74% of VIC
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 73% of VIC

Liveability

Golden Square is more walkable (67 vs 38).

West Bendigo Golden Square
Grade — C
Score — 40/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

West Bendigo carries more bushfire risk (63 vs 20); Golden Square carries more flood risk (44 vs 31).

West Bendigo Golden Square
Bushfire Moderate
63/100
 Low
20/100
Crime High
86/100
 Moderate
69/100
Flood Low
31/100
 Moderate
44/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 7
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

West Bendigo Golden Square
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 2
Universities within 10 km 1
Bendigo Campus, 5.3 km
 1
Bendigo Campus, 3.9 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.3% 1.1%

Schools in West Bendigo

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

Schools in Golden Square

  • Golden Square Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Specimen Hill Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

West Bendigo Golden Square
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 1 2
Parks & reserves 4 10
Childcare 0 6
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 5
Waterways 3
same for both

Mobility

West Bendigo sits further from the CBD (151.9 km vs 148.5 km).

West Bendigo Golden Square
Walkability score 38/100 67/100
Distance to Melbourne 151.9 km
+2% vs other
 148.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 111 min 106 min
Public transport score 26/100 75/100
Peak arrivals per hour 4.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 106.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 3550
 0.4%
postcode 3555
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 34
postcode 3550
 38
postcode 3555

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.

West Bendigo Golden Square
Car (driver) 84.9% / 75.1%
West Bendigo — Car (driver): 84.9% Golden Square — Car (driver): 75.1%
Worked from Home 9.9% / 15.1%
West Bendigo — Worked from Home: 9.9% Golden Square — Worked from Home: 15.1%
Car (passenger) 3.3% / 5.5%
West Bendigo — Car (passenger): 3.3% Golden Square — Car (passenger): 5.5%
Walked Only 2.0% / 1.9%
West Bendigo — Walked Only: 2.0% Golden Square — Walked Only: 1.9%
Bus — / 1.3%
West Bendigo — Bus: not among its largest Golden Square — Bus: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (84.9%).

Setting

West Bendigo Golden Square
Elevation 255 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 233 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

West Bendigo Golden Square
Connectivity score 74/100 68/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 53%
215 premises
 42%
4,934 premises

Climate

West Bendigo Golden Square
Annual rainfall 598 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.7°C
same for both

Council rates

West Bendigo Golden Square
Average residential rate $1,949/yr
same for both
Council Greater Bendigo
same for both

Federal electorate

West Bendigo Golden Square
Division Bendigo
same for both
Member Lisa Chesters
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

West Bendigo Golden Square
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

West Bendigo

Acreage Parks River

Golden Square

Large Blocks Regional Centre River

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Golden Square

Golden Square vs Kangaroo Flat Golden Square vs Bendigo Golden Square vs Maiden Gully Golden Square vs Quarry Hill Golden Square vs Ironbark Golden Square vs Golden Gully
Full data on West Bendigo Full data on Golden Square
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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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