Malmsbury VIC 3446
Malmsbury sits 96 km from Melbourne CBD in Victoria, around 1 hour 10 minutes by car. Census data records 905 residents with a median age of 45 and a median household income of $85,072 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the top 40% nationally. The locality grew 8.9% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $350 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,324. Malmsbury is characterised by high flood risk. Of 2 schools within the locality boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is low.
Is Malmsbury a good place to live?
Malmsbury scores a C (40/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on community, weaker on transit.
Mixed results
2 schools · 1 above peer schools
Car-dependent
Walkability 22/100 · 95.9 km · 71 min drive to Melbourne
Around the state median
Median $750K
Moderate bushfire risk
Fire 41/100 · Crime 53/100 · Flood 67/100
Advantaged
SEIFA decile 7/10 · median age 45 · 905 residents
Liveability Rating
40 / 100 · Ranked #572 in VICEach bar is Malmsbury's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
How do you rate the liveability in Malmsbury?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
40 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataMalmsbury's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $750,000, roughly 16% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$750,000
Based on 25 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 35 days — median across 14 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 6 sales $607K
- 3 bed 12 sales $765K
- 4 bed 6 sales $895K
Land
$302,500
Based on 10 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 38 days — median across 5 sales that recorded a listing period
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Malmsbury are currently listed at around $785,000 on average. Based on 13 houses listed in the past six months.
$785K
13 houses listed in the last 6 months.
13 of the suburb's 350 dwellings (3.7%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Is Malmsbury safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Malmsbury sits in the moderate band, with 33 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 25% on the prior year.
33 offences
25.0% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20252 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the locality carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Two schools serve Malmsbury, and the cohort skews above peer-suburb performance. Malmsbury Primary School leads the pack.
- • 69 students in one school (avg 69)
- • Largest: Malmsbury Primary School (69 students)
Primary
Secondary
Walkability
Malmsbury is very car-dependent on foot — at 22/100, nearly all errands require a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Malmsbury.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 1.8 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 2.0 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 1.9 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 25 min
- Span of service
- 19.4 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 321.5 min wait
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Malmsbury.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 464
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Macedon Ranges: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this locality alone — this locality's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 4 small areas inside this locality and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 2 different deciles — a narrow range, so the average describes the locality closely.
Malmsbury is home to 905 residents, with a median age of 45, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $85,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.4%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
905
Median Age
45
Median Household Income
$85,072/yr
Census Median Rent
$350/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,324/mo
Avg Household Size
2.4
Median Personal Income
$39,988/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.4%
Unoccupied Dwellings
12.6%
Total Dwellings
350
Owner-Occupier Rate
88.9%
Houses
99.1%
Rental Stress
21.4%
Mortgage Stress
18.7%
Work From Home
32.6%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 79.8%
- English Spoken at Home
- 89.4%
- Employment Rate
- 58.8%
- Completed Year 12
- 44.6%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
6 residents (0.7%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
17.4% of residents (148) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (148).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 852 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
6% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (25 of 434).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $2,065 a year through Macedon Ranges based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 78%
- Infrastructure and transport 14%
- Parks and recreation 4%
- Residential 3%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the locality around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Macedon Ranges
In the year to August 2026, 331 new dwellings were approved across Macedon Ranges. That mix is 281 houses and 50 units. Approvals are up 79.5% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2008).
Registered Aboriginal Parties are appointed by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 as the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Aboriginal cultural heritage for their area. They are the body to contact about cultural heritage here.
Climate & Setting
from Castlemaine Prison, 17.7 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 462 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Annual rainfall
- 598 mm
- 83 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 27.9°C
- 11 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 3.7°C
- 19 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the locality centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
EV adoption
In postcode 3446, 12 of 1,127 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.5% (28 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.5%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3446, 302 rooftop-solar systems totalling 1.7 MW have been installed since 2001, against 490 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 12 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
The separate First Home Buyer Duty Reduction (stamp-duty concession) runs alongside this grant.
0 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3446 in 2025-26. The most was 10, in 2000-01.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
Land transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with State Revenue Office Victoria
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with State Revenue Office Victoria.
At $750,000 this is under the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with State Revenue Office Victoria.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Lisa Chesters Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lisa Chesters | 51.4% | 48.6% | +51.4 |
| 2022 | Lisa Chesters | 62.1% | 37.9% | -3.3 |
| 2019 | Lisa Chesters | 59.0% | 41.0% | -5.2 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact locality's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Mary-Anne Thomas Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Mary-Anne Thomas ALP | 59.5% | 59.5% | 40.5% |
| 2018 | Mary-Anne Thomas ALP | 50.6% | 63.2% | 36.8% |
| 2014 | Mary-Anne Thomas ALP | 53.8% | 53.8% | 46.2% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this locality's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Malmsbury?
Every figure above is a locality average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 905 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Nearby suburbs
Compare Malmsbury to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other VIC suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Malmsbury
Is Malmsbury a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Malmsbury is moderate (53/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Malmsbury?
Malmsbury has a moderate recorded bushfire history (41/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (67/100). These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Malmsbury a good place to live?
Malmsbury has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (40/100), ranked against other VIC suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Malmsbury?
Malmsbury, VIC had a population of 905 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Malmsbury, VIC?
The postcode for Malmsbury, VIC is 3446.
How far is Malmsbury from Melbourne?
Malmsbury is 96 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 71 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Malmsbury?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Malmsbury was $85,072 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Malmsbury?
There are too few current rental listings in Malmsbury for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $350, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Malmsbury?
The median age of residents in Malmsbury was 45 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Malmsbury at risk of bushfire?
Malmsbury has a moderate recorded bushfire history (41/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the locality relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Malmsbury?
There are 2 schools inside the Malmsbury boundary: 1 above similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Malmsbury walkable?
Malmsbury scores 22/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very car-dependent. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the weather like in Malmsbury?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Malmsbury, Castlemaine Prison (17.7 km away), summer days average 27.9°C, winter nights 3.7°C, 598 mm of rain a year over 83 rainy days, and 11 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Malmsbury?
First-home buyers in VIC may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by State Revenue Office Victoria; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Malmsbury belong to?
Malmsbury sits within the Macedon Ranges local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Malmsbury?
The average residential rates bill through Macedon Ranges is $2,065 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Malmsbury?
Across Macedon Ranges, 331 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 79.5% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Malmsbury in?
Malmsbury sits within the federal Division of Bendigo, currently held by Lisa Chesters (Australian Labor Party).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2022
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.