Merbein vs Stonyford
Property investment comparison - Merbein, VIC 3505 vs Stonyford, VIC 3260
Head-to-head across core investment metrics: Merbein wins 0, Stonyford wins 2. The better choice depends on whether you're optimising for cash flow, growth, affordability, or liquidity, the table below highlights the winner on each metric.
| Metric | Merbein | Stonyford |
|---|---|---|
| Median house price | $435K | $435K |
| Median unit price | - | - |
| Gross rental yield (houses) | 5.10% | 6.48% |
| Gross rental yield (units) | 10.37% | - |
| 1-year house growth | +7.6%estimate | - |
| 3-year house growth | - | - |
| Vacancy rate | 1.8% | 0.4% |
| Population | 2,770 | 65 |
Merbein vs Stonyford: what the numbers say
Houses cost about the same in both suburbs: the median house price is $435K in Merbein and $435K in Stonyford.
On cash flow, Stonyford leads: houses there return a gross rental yield of 6.48%, compared with 5.10% in Merbein, a gap of 1.38 percentage points.
Rental vacancy is 0.4% in Stonyford and 1.8% in Merbein, so landlords in Stonyford face less competition for tenants. Anything under 2% is generally read as a tight market where tenants compete for homes.
Merbein is the bigger suburb, with a population of 2,770 against 65, roughly 43 times the size of Stonyford; a larger suburb usually means a deeper pool of buyers and tenants.
In short: Stonyford for rental income, Stonyford for the tighter rental market. Which matters more depends on whether the investor is buying for cash flow, capital growth or affordability.
Keep exploring
- National investment guide - top suburbs across every metric
- Take the suburb finder quiz - 5 questions to match your goals
- How our investment score works
- Property investment glossary - every term defined
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