Avalon vs Lara

Lara is the younger of the two, with a median age of 37 against 41 in Avalon. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Avalon, most households are couple families. In Lara, about half of households are couple families.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Lara

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (13 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)
  • But Avalon has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 90%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Lara

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (20% vs 27%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Lara

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (22% vs 10%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Lara

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (23/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (61.5 km vs 64.7 km)
  • But Avalon has a shorter drive in (59 min vs 64 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Lara

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (23/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (6 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (60/100 vs 97/100)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Lara

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (16.3% vs -13.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Avalon and Lara drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Avalon Lara
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Avalon Lara
Walkability 0 / 23
Avalon — Walkability: 0/100 Lara — Walkability: 23/100
Safety 3 / 40
Avalon — Safety: 3/100 Lara — Safety: 40/100
Low fire risk 100 / 41
Avalon — Low fire risk: 100/100 Lara — Low fire risk: 41/100
Low flood risk 29 / 39
Avalon — Low flood risk: 29/100 Lara — Low flood risk: 39/100

Demographics

Lara has more residents (19,014 vs 255); Lara has higher household incomes ($102,388 vs $92,300).

Avalon Lara
Population 255 19,014
+7356% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -13.0% +16.3%
Median age 41 37
Median household income $92,300/yr $102,388/yr
+11% vs other
Median weekly rent $398/wk
+7% vs other
 $370/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Avalon Lara
0-4 5.1% / 6.3%
Avalon — 0-4: 5.1% Lara — 0-4: 6.3%
5-14 13.3% / 12.9%
Avalon — 5-14: 13.3% Lara — 5-14: 12.9%
15-19 11.0% / 5.6%
Avalon — 15-19: 11.0% Lara — 15-19: 5.6%
20-24 3.9% / 5.5%
Avalon — 20-24: 3.9% Lara — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 8.2% / 15.8%
Avalon — 25-34: 8.2% Lara — 25-34: 15.8%
35-44 13.3% / 15.0%
Avalon — 35-44: 13.3% Lara — 35-44: 15.0%
45-54 13.7% / 13.4%
Avalon — 45-54: 13.7% Lara — 45-54: 13.4%
55-64 13.3% / 10.5%
Avalon — 55-64: 13.3% Lara — 55-64: 10.5%
65-74 12.2% / 9.0%
Avalon — 65-74: 12.2% Lara — 65-74: 9.0%
75-84 5.9% / 4.2%
Avalon — 75-84: 5.9% Lara — 75-84: 4.2%
85+ — / 1.5%
Avalon — 85+: not among its largest Lara — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Avalon 57.1% couple families
Avalon — Couple Families: 57.1% Avalon — Lone Person: 30.4% Avalon — One Parent Families: 12.5% Avalon — Group Household: 0.0% Avalon — Other Families: 0.0%
Lara 51.1% couple families
Lara — Couple Families: 51.1% Lara — Lone Person: 28.2% Lara — One Parent Families: 16.4% Lara — Group Household: 3.1% Lara — Other Families: 1.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Avalon 10.1% renting
Avalon — Owned Outright: 55.1% Avalon — Mortgage: 34.8% Avalon — Renting: 10.1%
Lara 22.1% renting
Lara — Owned Outright: 31.2% Lara — Mortgage: 46.7% Lara — Renting: 22.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Avalon Lara
Certificate III & IV 20.0% / 16.6%
Avalon — Certificate III & IV: 20.0% Lara — Certificate III & IV: 16.6%
Bachelor Degree 7.8% / 9.7%
Avalon — Bachelor Degree: 7.8% Lara — Bachelor Degree: 9.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.7% / 8.2%
Avalon — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7% Lara — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 2.0% / 2.5%
Avalon — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0% Lara — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 1.8%
Avalon — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Lara — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Avalon Lara
England 4.3% / 3.6%
Avalon — England: 4.3% Lara — England: 3.6%
Vietnam 4.3% / 0.5%
Avalon — Vietnam: 4.3% Lara — Vietnam: 0.5%
India 2.4% / 1.9%
Avalon — India: 2.4% Lara — India: 1.9%
China 3.1% / —
Avalon — China: 3.1% Lara — China: not among its largest
Germany 2.0% / 0.5%
Avalon — Germany: 2.0% Lara — Germany: 0.5%
Philippines — / 1.7%
Avalon — Philippines: not among its largest Lara — Philippines: 1.7%
New Zealand — / 1.2%
Avalon — New Zealand: not among its largest Lara — New Zealand: 1.2%
Scotland — / 0.7%
Avalon — Scotland: not among its largest Lara — Scotland: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Avalon 100.0% houses
Avalon — Houses: 100.0% Avalon — Townhouses: 0.0% Avalon — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Lara 89.5% houses
Lara — Houses: 89.5% Lara — Townhouses: 9.4% Lara — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Avalon Lara
Median house price — $695,000
Median unit price — $515,000
Median land price — $387,900
Typical days to sell (houses) — 31 days
from 278 sales

Zoning mix

Lara has more rural and farming land (73% vs 27%).

Avalon Lara
Rural and farming 27% 73%
Other and special use 56% 2%
Residential 0% 12%
Parks and recreation 9% 5%
Industrial 5% 3%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 4%
Environmental 2% 0%
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. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Avalon Lara
New dwellings approved 3,468
across Greater Geelong
same for both
Approvals change year on year +56%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Avalon Lara
Houses — 4.1%
$595/wk on $750K
Units — 4.4%
$450/wk on $528K

Ranking within VIC

Avalon Lara
House price — Higher than 36% of VIC
Income Higher than 61% of VIC Higher than 75% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 61% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 22% of VIC Higher than 81% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 88% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 63% of VIC Higher than 64% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 85% of VIC Higher than 89% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 75% of VIC
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 28% of VIC

Liveability

Lara is more walkable (23 vs 0).

Avalon Lara
Grade — C
Score — 40/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Lara carries more bushfire risk (59 vs 0); Avalon carries more crime risk (97 vs 60).

Avalon Lara
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
59/100
Crime High
97/100
 Moderate
60/100
Flood High
71/100
 Moderate
61/100
Coastal erosion Moderate
55/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise High
91/100
 High
83/100
Industrial facilities nearby 5
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Avalon Lara
Inside the suburb 0 4
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 2

Schools in Avalon

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Lara

  • St Anthony's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Lara Lake Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Lara Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Lara Secondary College Government · Secondary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Avalon Lara
Supermarkets 1 3
Cafes & restaurants 2 10
Parks & reserves 1 16
Childcare 0 13
GPs 0 6
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 3
Fuel stations 1 2
Waterways 2 13

Mobility

Avalon sits further from the CBD (64.7 km vs 61.5 km).

Avalon Lara
Walkability score 0/100 23/100
Distance to Melbourne 64.7 km
+5% vs other
 61.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 59 min 64 min
Public transport score 30/100
Bus
 90/100
Rail
Peak arrivals per hour 2.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 158.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 5 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 3212
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 3212
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Avalon Lara
Car (driver) 62.3% / 70.6%
Avalon — Car (driver): 62.3% Lara — Car (driver): 70.6%
Worked from Home 25.5% / 20.8%
Avalon — Worked from Home: 25.5% Lara — Worked from Home: 20.8%
Walked Only 8.5% / 1.0%
Avalon — Walked Only: 8.5% Lara — Walked Only: 1.0%
Car (passenger) 3.8% / 4.7%
Avalon — Car (passenger): 3.8% Lara — Car (passenger): 4.7%
Train — / 2.5%
Avalon — Train: not among its largest Lara — Train: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.6%).

Setting

Avalon Lara
Elevation 12 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.9 km
4.8 km to a named beach
 6.5 km

NBN connectivity

Avalon Lara
Connectivity score 76/100 78/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 51%
146 premises
 55%
7,737 premises

Climate

Avalon Lara
Annual rainfall 454 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 5.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Avalon Lara
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Avalon Lara
Average residential rate $1,802/yr
same for both
Council Greater Geelong
same for both

Federal electorate

Avalon Lara
Division Corio
same for both
Member Richard Marles
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Avalon Lara
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Avalon

Coastal Rural

Lara

Regional Centre Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Avalon

Avalon vs Corio Avalon vs Little River

Other comparisons with Lara

Lara vs Corio Lara vs Lovely Banks Lara vs Little River Lara vs Anakie
Full data on Avalon Full data on Lara
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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.

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