Get a property report and suburb profile for any property in Diggers Rest

Diggers Rest is a semi-rural outer north-west Melbourne suburb with a small country-town feel, centred on a modest village strip and surrounded by broad paddocks and native bush. It attracts families and people who want larger blocks, room for horses and a quieter pace while retaining commuter links via the Sunbury line and the nearby Calder Freeway. Housing ranges from older weatherboard cottages and farmhouses to newer residential lots, and the centre supplies everyday needs without being built up.

Home to 5,669 people with a median age of 33, the suburb is weighted towards families and mostly owner-occupied homes (roughly four in five). Recent transport upgrades included level crossing removals and station improvements with a larger car park and DDA compliance, and local projects include a substantial upgrade to the primary school plus new community and sporting facilities and plans for a future town centre and shared path. Whether Diggers Rest suits you comes down to whether you want country-style space combined with commuter access and growing local facilities.

On the figures for Diggers Rest, a house rent of $500 a week would take about 25.1% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census, while a unit rent of $450 a week would take about 22.6% of that income. Both sit in the moderate share range of a household's weekly income.

Buying looks more stretched: the median house price of $620,000 is about 6.0 times a typical local annual household income at the last Census (weekly income $1,991, annual roughly $103,532), which places buying well above local incomes. Whether that feels expensive depends on your own income and circumstances.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

Over the past 12 months in Diggers Rest, median house values rose 2.7%, a modest increase in what houses are worth. Over the same period, house rents fell 3.8%, a moderate decline in the rent those properties earn.

Put simply, the figures show modest capital growth for houses this year while rental income from houses moved the other way, so capital growth outpaced rents over the period. Whether that balance fits your investment goals depends on your own objectives and circumstances.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.