Woodstock vs Mernda

Mernda is the younger of the two, with a median age of 33 against 53 in Woodstock. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Woodstock, about half of households are couple families. In Mernda, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Mernda: a median of $736,000, against $645,000 in Woodstock. On these figures, Woodstock tends to suit share households and older residents, while Mernda suits families with children and couples.

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

Mernda

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (96 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (19 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (7 vs 0)
  • But Woodstock has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 89%)

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

First-home buyers

Woodstock

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($362,500 vs $701,500)
  • has cheaper houses ($645,000 vs $736,000)
  • But Mernda leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 59%)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Mernda

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (19% vs 28%)

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

Commuting to the city

Mernda

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (75/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Mernda

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (75/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (7 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (60/100 vs 85/100)
  • But Woodstock has more residents already 65 and over (31% vs 8%)

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

Investors

Mernda

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (42.0% vs 0.0%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Woodstock Mernda
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.

Woodstock Mernda
Walkability 0 / 75
Woodstock — Walkability: 0/100 Mernda — Walkability: 75/100
Safety 15 / 40
Woodstock — Safety: 15/100 Mernda — Safety: 40/100
Low fire risk 100 / 65
Woodstock — Low fire risk: 100/100 Mernda — Low fire risk: 65/100
Low flood risk 100 / 51
Woodstock — Low flood risk: 100/100 Mernda — Low flood risk: 51/100

Demographics

Mernda has more residents (23,369 vs 150); Woodstock skews older (53 vs 33).

Woodstock Mernda
Population 150 23,369
+15479% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.0% +42.0%
Median age 53 33
Median household income $71,500/yr $104,572/yr
+46% vs other
Median weekly rent $390/wk
+2% vs other
 $381/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Woodstock Mernda
0-4 6.0% / 9.6%
Woodstock — 0-4: 6.0% Mernda — 0-4: 9.6%
5-14 8.7% / 17.4%
Woodstock — 5-14: 8.7% Mernda — 5-14: 17.4%
15-19 6.0% / 5.3%
Woodstock — 15-19: 6.0% Mernda — 15-19: 5.3%
20-24 5.3% / 5.3%
Woodstock — 20-24: 5.3% Mernda — 20-24: 5.3%
25-34 6.7% / 16.5%
Woodstock — 25-34: 6.7% Mernda — 25-34: 16.5%
35-44 6.0% / 20.4%
Woodstock — 35-44: 6.0% Mernda — 35-44: 20.4%
45-54 13.3% / 11.2%
Woodstock — 45-54: 13.3% Mernda — 45-54: 11.2%
55-64 14.7% / 6.8%
Woodstock — 55-64: 14.7% Mernda — 55-64: 6.8%
65-74 22.0% / 5.1%
Woodstock — 65-74: 22.0% Mernda — 65-74: 5.1%
75-84 6.7% / 2.2%
Woodstock — 75-84: 6.7% Mernda — 75-84: 2.2%
85+ 2.0% / 0.3%
Woodstock — 85+: 2.0% Mernda — 85+: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Woodstock 48.5% couple families
Woodstock — Couple Families: 48.5% Woodstock — Lone Person: 27.3% Woodstock — One Parent Families: 9.1% Woodstock — Group Household: 15.2% Woodstock — Other Families: 0.0%
Mernda 60.4% couple families
Mernda — Couple Families: 60.4% Mernda — Lone Person: 18.6% Mernda — One Parent Families: 17.6% Mernda — Group Household: 2.2% Mernda — 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.

Woodstock 21.3% renting
Woodstock — Owned Outright: 55.3% Woodstock — Mortgage: 23.4% Woodstock — Renting: 21.3%
Mernda 28.3% renting
Mernda — Owned Outright: 14.8% Mernda — Mortgage: 57.0% Mernda — Renting: 28.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Woodstock Mernda
Certificate III & IV 12.0% / 11.8%
Woodstock — Certificate III & IV: 12.0% Mernda — Certificate III & IV: 11.8%
Bachelor Degree 8.7% / 13.2%
Woodstock — Bachelor Degree: 8.7% Mernda — Bachelor Degree: 13.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 8.9%
Woodstock — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Mernda — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.0% / 1.8%
Woodstock — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.0% Mernda — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%
Postgraduate Degree — / 5.8%
Woodstock — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Mernda — Postgraduate Degree: 5.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.2%).

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.

Woodstock Mernda
India — / 10.3%
Woodstock — India: not among its largest Mernda — India: 10.3%
Greece 2.7% / —
Woodstock — Greece: 2.7% Mernda — Greece: not among its largest
Sri Lanka — / 2.2%
Woodstock — Sri Lanka: not among its largest Mernda — Sri Lanka: 2.2%
Philippines — / 1.7%
Woodstock — Philippines: not among its largest Mernda — Philippines: 1.7%
New Zealand — / 1.6%
Woodstock — New Zealand: not among its largest Mernda — New Zealand: 1.6%
England — / 1.5%
Woodstock — England: not among its largest Mernda — England: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Woodstock 100.0% houses
Woodstock — Houses: 100.0% Woodstock — Townhouses: 0.0% Woodstock — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Mernda 89.4% houses
Mernda — Houses: 89.4% Mernda — Townhouses: 9.1% Mernda — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Woodstock Mernda
Median house price $645,000 $736,000
Median unit price — $396,000
Median land price $362,500 $701,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 50 days
from 28 sales
 24 days
from 355 sales

Zoning mix

Woodstock has more rural and farming land (65% vs 26%).

Woodstock Mernda
Rural and farming 65% 26%
Environmental 34% 32%
Residential 0% 32%
Parks and recreation 0% 4%
Other and special use 0% 3%
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

Woodstock Mernda
New dwellings approved 2,632
across Whittlesea
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.

Woodstock Mernda
Houses 4.0%
$490/wk on $645K
 4.0%
$560/wk on $735K
Units — 5.8%
$440/wk on $395K

Ranking within VIC

Woodstock Mernda
House price Higher than 32% of VIC Higher than 44% of VIC
Income Higher than 36% of VIC Higher than 77% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 44% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 38% of VIC Higher than 92% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 53% of VIC Higher than 83% of VIC
EV adoption — Higher than 82% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 72% of VIC Higher than 94% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 65% of VIC Higher than 66% of VIC
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 88% of VIC

Liveability

Mernda is more walkable (75 vs 0).

Woodstock Mernda
Grade — B
Score — 51/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Mernda carries more flood risk (49 vs 0); Mernda carries more bushfire risk (35 vs 0).

Woodstock Mernda
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
35/100
Crime High
85/100
 Moderate
60/100
Flood None
0/100
 Moderate
49/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Woodstock Mernda
Inside the suburb 0 7
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0 2

Schools in Woodstock

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

Schools in Mernda

  • Mernda Park Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Mernda Central P-12 College Government · Combined at peers
  • Mernda Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Mernda Hills Christian College Independent · Combined below peers
  • St Joseph's School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Gilson College - Mernda Campus Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Woodstock Mernda
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 14
Parks & reserves 0 96
Childcare 0 19
GPs 0 7
Pharmacies 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 3
Waterways 1 6

Mobility

Woodstock Mernda
Walkability score 0/100 75/100
Distance to Melbourne 46.6 km
+3% vs other
 45.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 48 min 52 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 3751
 1.2%
postcode 3754
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings — 45
postcode 3754

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.

Woodstock Mernda
Car (driver) 65.9% / 66.7%
Woodstock — Car (driver): 65.9% Mernda — Car (driver): 66.7%
Worked from Home 34.1% / 23.7%
Woodstock — Worked from Home: 34.1% Mernda — Worked from Home: 23.7%
Train — / 4.5%
Woodstock — Train: not among its largest Mernda — Train: 4.5%
Car (passenger) — / 3.9%
Woodstock — Car (passenger): not among its largest Mernda — Car (passenger): 3.9%
Walked Only — / 0.6%
Woodstock — Walked Only: not among its largest Mernda — Walked Only: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (66.7%).

Setting

Woodstock Mernda
Elevation 210 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 186 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 34.6 km 30.8 km

NBN connectivity

Woodstock Mernda
Connectivity score 31/100 87/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
79 premises
 76%
9,201 premises

Climate

Woodstock Mernda
Annual rainfall 518 mm 534 mm
Summer max (Jan) 26.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.0°C 6.5°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Woodstock Mernda
PM2.5 3.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Woodstock Mernda
Average residential rate $1,899/yr
same for both
Council Whittlesea
same for both

Federal electorate

Woodstock Mernda
Division Mcewen
same for both
Member Rob Mitchell
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Woodstock Mernda
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Woodstock

Outer Retirees

Mernda

Easy Commute Family Large Blocks Multicultural Outer Parks Transport Hub Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Woodstock

Woodstock vs Wollert Woodstock vs Whittlesea Woodstock vs Beveridge Woodstock vs Donnybrook Woodstock vs Eden Park Woodstock vs Yan Yean

Other comparisons with Mernda

Mernda vs Doreen Mernda vs South Morang Mernda vs Wollert Mernda vs Yan Yean
Full data on Woodstock Full data on Mernda
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.

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