Side by sideSuburb comparison

Castlemaine vs Chewton.

Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $720,000 and $1,075,000. Castlemaine edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.

Castlemaine (median $720,000) is roughly 33% cheaper to buy into than Chewton ($1,075,000).

Castlemaine scores higher on walkability (100/100 vs 0/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Castlemaine (1064) sits above Chewton (1062). Chewton skews owner-occupied (85%), Castlemaine runs more rental-dense (73% owner).

The takeWhich suburb suits which buyer

For buyers

Castlemaine is the lower entry point at $720,000 median, 33% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.

For investors

Castlemaine offers the higher gross rental yield (3.43% vs 1.48%), favouring cash-flow investors.

For families

Castlemaine edges out on average school ICSEA (1064 vs 1062).

Common questionsCastlemaine vs Chewton

Common questions

Is Castlemaine or Chewton cheaper to buy in?

Castlemaine has the lower median house price at $720,000, roughly 33% below Chewton ($1,075,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.

Does Castlemaine or Chewton have better schools?

On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Castlemaine scores 1064 vs 1062 in Chewton. ICSEA is a school-community indicator, not a quality rating, so always check NAPLAN results and catchment boundaries for the specific address you're considering.

Which is more walkable, Castlemaine or Chewton?

Castlemaine scores 100/100 on walkability vs 0/100. Above 70 is considered very walkable (most errands on foot), 50-69 is walkable for some errands, below 50 typically requires a car for daily life.

Which suburb has higher rental yield, Castlemaine or Chewton?

Gross rental yield on houses is 3.43% in Castlemaine vs 1.48% in Chewton. Gross yield equals annual rent divided by purchase price. Net yield (after strata, rates, insurance, agent fees and maintenance) typically runs 1.5-2 percentage points lower.

The numbers behind the take

Castlemaine
Metric
Chewton

Price & Market

$720,000
Median house
$1,075,000
$536,500
Median unit
$240,480
+0.0%
Annual growth (house)
+0.0%
Days on market

Rental

$475/wk
Rent (house / wk)
$305/wk
$300/wk
Rent (unit / wk)
$300/wk
73.0%
Owner occupied
85.0%
23.0%
Renter occupied
15.0%

Lifestyle & Demographics

100
Walk score
0
0
Transit score
0
85
Bike score
15
7,506
Population
763
52
Median age
51

Risk & Hazard

Flood class
Bushfire risk

Schools

9
Schools nearby
11
1064
Avg ICSEA
1062

Climate

422 mm
Annual rainfall
422 mm
29.8°C
Mean max (Jan)
29.8°C

Green dot = better on that metric (lower price, higher growth, higher walkability, lower risk).