Toolern Vale sits 46 km from Melbourne CBD in Victoria, around 44 minutes by car. Census data records 818 residents with a median age of 44 and a median household income of $99,216 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the middle range nationally. The suburb grew 13.0% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $385 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,167. Toolern Vale is characterised by high crime risk and high bushfire risk. 3 schools sit within the suburb boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Toolern Vale a good suburb?
Toolern Vale scores a C (36/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — weaker on schools and safety.
Below the state average
3 schools
Some car dependence
Walkability 30/100 · 46.5 km · 44 min drive to Melbourne
High bushfire risk
Fire 75/100 · Crime 81/100 · Flood 0/100
Mid-range socio-economic
SEIFA decile 6/10 · median age 44 · 818 residents
Liveability Rating
36 / 100 · Ranked #634 in VICEach bar is Toolern Vale's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Toolern Vale?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
36 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Rental Market
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025158 Affordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 19% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3337.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Short-Stay Rentals
2 active Airbnb listings: 2 whole homes and 0 rooms. Whole homes are about 0.7% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Toolern Vale safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Toolern Vale sits in the high band, with 81 incidents recorded in 2026 — up roughly 33% on the prior year.
81 offences
32.8% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202519 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 of them fatal
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Three schools serve Toolern Vale, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 155 students in one school (avg 155)
- • Sectors: 2 Independent, 1 Government
- • Largest: Toolern Vale and District Primary School (155 students)
Primary
Combined
Walkability
Toolern Vale is car-dependent on foot — at 30/100, most errands require a car.
We hold no public transport timetable data for this area, so public transport is not rated here and the score is spread across the remaining components. It is not counted as zero.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Toolern Vale.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 283
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
Melton: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
Toolern Vale is home to 818 residents, with a median age of 44, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $99,000 a year, with unemployment at 3.7%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
818
Median Age
44
Median Household Income
$99,216/yr
Census Median Rent
$385/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg Household Size
2.9
Median Personal Income
$39,884/yr
Unemployment Rate
3.7%
Unoccupied Dwellings
10.9%
Total Dwellings
265
Owner-Occupier Rate
91.9%
Houses
97.7%
Rental Stress
20.2%
Mortgage Stress
26.2%
Work From Home
26.6%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 80.8%
- English Spoken at Home
- 86.3%
- Employment Rate
- 58.2%
- Completed Year 12
- 37.8%
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.
3 residents (0.4%) 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.
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 778 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
5% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (20 of 395).
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.
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 228 people work here; 395 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.6 jobs per working resident. At least 37% of employed residents must work outside the suburb.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,779 a year through Melton based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 56%
- Environmental 30%
- Parks and recreation 8%
- Infrastructure and transport 4%
- Other and special use 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 — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Melton
In the year to August 2026, 4,602 new dwellings were approved across Melton. That mix is 3,953 houses and 649 units. Approvals are up 5.1% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage 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.
Air Quality
CLEANPM2.5 averaged 4.4 µg/m³ in 2025 — below the WHO 2021 annual guideline (5 µg/m³).
Days over the limit in 2025: ozone 0.
From the Melton monitoring station, 11.5 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Macedon Forestry, 21.2 kmModerate rainfall.
- Elevation
- 233 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 36.0 km
- Annual rainfall
- 778 mm
- 74 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- —
- Winter min (Jul)
- —
Elevation is the ground at the suburb 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.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
1 facility within 5 km- 5.0 kmGravel and Sand QuarryingTop reported: Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10) · Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide
EV adoption
In postcode 3337, 146 of 31,231 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.7% (830 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.1%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3337, 6,097 rooftop-solar systems totalling 35.9 MW have been installed since 2001, against 14,369 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 258 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.
13 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3337 in 2025-26, rank 72 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 585, in 2009-10.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Sam Rae Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Sam Rae | 57.6% | 42.4% | +0.0 |
| 2022 | Sam Rae | 57.6% | 42.4% | +2.6 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Steve McGhie Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Steve McGhie ALP | 54.6% | 54.6% | 45.4% |
| 2018 | Stephen John McGhie ALP | 54.3% | 54.3% | 45.7% |
| 2014 | Don Nardella ALP | 50.5% | 61.2% | 38.8% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Toolern Vale?
Every figure above is a suburb 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 818 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.
Checking the whole city?
Suburbs to avoid in Melbourne There is no list of bad suburbs, but there are hazards the state measures and publishes — recorded crime, bushfire exposure, flood overlays and aircraft noise. Melbourne suburbs ranked on them, with what the numbers do and don't mean.Nearby suburbs
Harkness VIC 3337
Kurunjang VIC 3337
Gisborne VIC 3437
Melton VIC 3337
Diggers Rest VIC 3427
Gisborne South VIC 3437
Compare Toolern Vale 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 Toolern Vale
Is Toolern Vale a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Toolern Vale is high (81/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Toolern Vale?
Toolern Vale has a high recorded bushfire history (75/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). No mapped flood overlay applies. These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Toolern Vale a good place to live?
Toolern Vale has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (36/100), 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 Toolern Vale?
Toolern Vale, VIC had a population of 818 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Toolern Vale, VIC?
The postcode for Toolern Vale, VIC is 3337.
How far is Toolern Vale from Melbourne?
Toolern Vale is 46 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 44 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Toolern Vale?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Toolern Vale was $99,216 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 Toolern Vale?
There are too few current rental listings in Toolern Vale for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $385, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Toolern Vale?
The median age of residents in Toolern Vale was 44 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Toolern Vale at risk of bushfire?
Toolern Vale has a high recorded bushfire history (75/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the suburb 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 Toolern Vale?
There are 3 schools inside the Toolern Vale boundary: 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Toolern Vale walkable?
Toolern Vale scores 30/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it 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 air quality in Toolern Vale?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Toolern Vale (Melton) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 4.4 µg/m³. That puts Toolern Vale below the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Toolern Vale?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Toolern Vale, Macedon Forestry (21.2 km away), 778 mm of rain a year over 74 rainy days over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Toolern Vale?
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 Toolern Vale belong to?
Toolern Vale sits within the Melton local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Toolern Vale?
The average residential rates bill through Melton is $1,779 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Toolern Vale?
Across Melton, 4,602 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 5.1% 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 Toolern Vale in?
Toolern Vale sits within the federal Division of Hawke, currently held by Sam Rae (Australian Labor Party).
Search another suburb or address
Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- 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.
Was the information on this page useful to you?
Thanks! Anything we could improve?
We hate spam as much as you do — we'll never use your email for marketing, and we might not be able to reply to everyone.
Thanks for your feedback! 🙏
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.