Williamstown North vs Altona North

Altona North is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 42 in Williamstown North. In both, most households own their home. In Altona North, most homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Williamstown North: a median of $1.34 million, against $950,000 in Altona North. Altona North is closer to the city centre: 15.6 km, against 17.4 km. On these figures, Williamstown North tends to suit people living alone, while Altona North suits families with children and 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

Altona North

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (10 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (20 vs 4)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Williamstown North has cheaper units ($522,000 vs $692,500)
  • Altona North has cheaper houses ($950,000 vs $1,345,000)

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

Renters

Williamstown North

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (18% vs 24%)

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

Commuting to the city

Williamstown North

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (56/100 vs 39/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Williamstown North

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (61% vs 31%)
  • is more walkable (56/100 vs 39/100)
  • But Altona North has more GPs (6 vs 0)

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

Investors

Williamstown North

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.8% vs 4.2%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Williamstown North Altona North
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.

Williamstown North Altona North
Walkability 56 / 39
Williamstown North — Walkability: 56/100 Altona North — Walkability: 39/100
Safety 11 / 16
Williamstown North — Safety: 11/100 Altona North — Safety: 16/100
Low fire risk 100 / 75
Williamstown North — Low fire risk: 100/100 Altona North — Low fire risk: 75/100
Low flood risk 63 / 49
Williamstown North — Low flood risk: 63/100 Altona North — Low flood risk: 49/100

Demographics

Altona North has more residents (12,962 vs 1,622); Williamstown North has higher household incomes ($112,632 vs $88,140).

Williamstown North Altona North
Population 1,622 12,962
+699% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.8% +6.7%
Median age 42 37
Median household income $112,632/yr
+22% vs other
 $88,140/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Williamstown North Altona North
0-4 5.1% / 7.9%
Williamstown North — 0-4: 5.1% Altona North — 0-4: 7.9%
5-14 8.5% / 12.3%
Williamstown North — 5-14: 8.5% Altona North — 5-14: 12.3%
15-19 7.3% / 4.3%
Williamstown North — 15-19: 7.3% Altona North — 15-19: 4.3%
20-24 5.2% / 4.6%
Williamstown North — 20-24: 5.2% Altona North — 20-24: 4.6%
25-34 13.3% / 15.8%
Williamstown North — 25-34: 13.3% Altona North — 25-34: 15.8%
35-44 13.2% / 16.0%
Williamstown North — 35-44: 13.2% Altona North — 35-44: 16.0%
45-54 15.6% / 11.6%
Williamstown North — 45-54: 15.6% Altona North — 45-54: 11.6%
55-64 12.9% / 8.0%
Williamstown North — 55-64: 12.9% Altona North — 55-64: 8.0%
65-74 11.1% / 7.4%
Williamstown North — 65-74: 11.1% Altona North — 65-74: 7.4%
75-84 5.9% / 7.7%
Williamstown North — 75-84: 5.9% Altona North — 75-84: 7.7%
85+ 1.7% / 4.3%
Williamstown North — 85+: 1.7% Altona North — 85+: 4.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Williamstown North 38.8% couple families
Williamstown North — Couple Families: 38.8% Williamstown North — Lone Person: 43.6% Williamstown North — One Parent Families: 12.4% Williamstown North — Group Household: 3.8% Williamstown North — Other Families: 1.4%
Altona North 42.3% couple families
Altona North — Couple Families: 42.3% Altona North — Lone Person: 34.8% Altona North — One Parent Families: 17.1% Altona North — Group Household: 3.6% Altona North — Other Families: 2.1%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Williamstown North 37.6% renting
Williamstown North — Owned Outright: 24.9% Williamstown North — Mortgage: 37.5% Williamstown North — Renting: 37.6%
Altona North 31.7% renting
Altona North — Owned Outright: 36.8% Altona North — Mortgage: 31.4% Altona North — Renting: 31.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Williamstown North Altona North
Bachelor Degree 17.7% / 13.5%
Williamstown North — Bachelor Degree: 17.7% Altona North — Bachelor Degree: 13.5%
Certificate III & IV 11.3% / 9.7%
Williamstown North — Certificate III & IV: 11.3% Altona North — Certificate III & IV: 9.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.6% / 6.6%
Williamstown North — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.6% Altona North — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6%
Postgraduate Degree 7.5% / 4.1%
Williamstown North — Postgraduate Degree: 7.5% Altona North — Postgraduate Degree: 4.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / 2.1%
Williamstown North — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Altona North — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.7%).

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.

Williamstown North Altona North
England 5.1% / 1.8%
Williamstown North — England: 5.1% Altona North — England: 1.8%
New Zealand 2.6% / 1.6%
Williamstown North — New Zealand: 2.6% Altona North — New Zealand: 1.6%
Italy 0.6% / 3.6%
Williamstown North — Italy: 0.6% Altona North — Italy: 3.6%
Vietnam 0.7% / 3.4%
Williamstown North — Vietnam: 0.7% Altona North — Vietnam: 3.4%
India 2.2% / 1.6%
Williamstown North — India: 2.2% Altona North — India: 1.6%
Lebanon — / 3.8%
Williamstown North — Lebanon: not among its largest Altona North — Lebanon: 3.8%
Greece — / 2.9%
Williamstown North — Greece: not among its largest Altona North — Greece: 2.9%
Philippines 0.9% / 0.9%
Williamstown North — Philippines: 0.9% Altona North — Philippines: 0.9%
Scotland 0.8% / —
Williamstown North — Scotland: 0.8% Altona North — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Williamstown North 38.6% houses
Williamstown North — Houses: 38.6% Williamstown North — Townhouses: 41.9% Williamstown North — Flats / Apartments: 19.5%
Altona North 68.8% houses
Altona North — Houses: 68.8% Altona North — Townhouses: 27.3% Altona North — Flats / Apartments: 3.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Williamstown North Altona North
Median house price $1,345,000 $950,000
Median unit price $522,000 $692,500
Median land price $960,000 $1,032,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 8 sales
 34 days
from 168 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.

Williamstown North Altona North
2 bed $1.32M / $748K
Williamstown North — 2 bed: $1.32M (10 sales) Altona North — 2 bed: $748K (10 sales)

10 vs 10 sales

3 bed $1.25M / $918K
Williamstown North — 3 bed: $1.25M (17 sales) Altona North — 3 bed: $918K (172 sales)

17 vs 172 sales

4 bed $1.35M / $1.11M
Williamstown North — 4 bed: $1.35M (14 sales) Altona North — 4 bed: $1.11M (60 sales)

14 vs 60 sales

Zoning mix

Williamstown North has more industrially zoned land (46% vs 13%).

Williamstown North Altona North
Industrial 46% 13%
Other and special use 11% 37%
Residential 22% 24%
Infrastructure and transport 17% 12%
Parks and recreation 4% 12%
Commercial 0% 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

Williamstown North Altona North
New dwellings approved 1,028
across Hobsons Bay
same for both
Approvals change year on year +206%
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.

Williamstown North Altona North
Houses 4.8%
$940/wk on $1.02M
 4.2%
$750/wk on $920K
Units — 3.7%
$470/wk on $665K

Ranking within VIC

Williamstown North Altona North
House price Higher than 74% of VIC Higher than 67% of VIC
Income Higher than 85% of VIC Higher than 58% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 54% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 87% of VIC Higher than 84% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 42% of VIC Higher than 33% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 93% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 81% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 95% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 4% of VIC

Liveability

Williamstown North is more walkable (56 vs 39); Williamstown North scores higher overall (63 vs 48).

Williamstown North Altona North
Grade B C
Score 63/100 48/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Altona North carries more bushfire risk (25 vs 0); Altona North carries more flood risk (51 vs 37).

Williamstown North Altona North
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
25/100
Crime High
89/100
 High
84/100
Flood Low
37/100
 Moderate
51/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 29
within 5 km
 44
within 5 km

Schools

Williamstown North Altona North
Inside the suburb 0 4
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 3
Victoria University Footscray Park, 6.5 km
 1
Victoria University Footscray Park, 7.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.1% 1.7%

Schools in Williamstown North

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

Schools in Altona North

  • St Leo the Great Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Emmanuel College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • Altona North Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Bayside P-12 College-Altona North Campus Government · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Williamstown North Altona North
Supermarkets 0 4
Cafes & restaurants 0 10
Parks & reserves 4 20
Childcare 0 10
GPs 0 6
Pharmacies 0 6
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 5
Fuel stations 2 8
EV chargers 0 2
Waterways 0 8

Mobility

Williamstown North Altona North
Walkability score 56/100 39/100
Distance to Melbourne 17.4 km
+10% vs other
 15.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 25 min 26 min
Public transport score 42/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 11.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 429.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.9%
postcode 3016
 2.4%
postcode 3025
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 25
postcode 3016
 31
postcode 3025

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.

Williamstown North Altona North
Car (driver) 46.0% / 55.4%
Williamstown North — Car (driver): 46.0% Altona North — Car (driver): 55.4%
Worked from Home 42.1% / 35.0%
Williamstown North — Worked from Home: 42.1% Altona North — Worked from Home: 35.0%
Train 4.6% / 2.7%
Williamstown North — Train: 4.6% Altona North — Train: 2.7%
Car (passenger) 3.1% / 3.4%
Williamstown North — Car (passenger): 3.1% Altona North — Car (passenger): 3.4%
Walked Only 1.9% / 1.1%
Williamstown North — Walked Only: 1.9% Altona North — Walked Only: 1.1%
Bus 0.4% / 1.7%
Williamstown North — Bus: 0.4% Altona North — Bus: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (55.4%).

Setting

Williamstown North Altona North
Elevation 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
same for both
Distance to the ocean 649 m
2.0 km to a named beach
 3.3 km
3.3 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Williamstown North Altona North
Connectivity score 72/100 90/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 48%
1,579 premises
 54%
7,357 premises

Climate

Williamstown North Altona North
Annual rainfall 482 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.2°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Williamstown North Altona North
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 — 23.2 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.81 pphm —

Council rates

Williamstown North Altona North
Average residential rate $2,677/yr
same for both
Council Hobsons Bay
same for both

Federal electorate

Williamstown North Altona North
Division Gellibrand
same for both
Member Tim Watts
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Williamstown North Altona North
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Williamstown North

Coastal Middle-Ring Parks Premium Quiet Townhouses

Altona North

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks River Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Williamstown North

Williamstown North vs Williamstown Williamstown North vs Newport Williamstown North vs Altona

Other comparisons with Altona North

Altona North vs Yarraville Altona North vs Williamstown Altona North vs Newport Altona North vs Altona Altona North vs Laverton Altona North vs Spotswood
Full data on Williamstown North Full data on Altona North
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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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