Breakwater vs St Albans Park

Breakwater is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 46 in St Albans Park. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Breakwater, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in St Albans Park: a median of $691,000, against $565,000 in Breakwater, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Breakwater tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

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

St Albans Park

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 2)
  • carries lower crime risk (31/100 vs 90/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (51% vs 40%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Breakwater has cheaper houses ($565,000 vs $691,250)
  • St Albans Park has cheaper units ($447,500 vs $705,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Breakwater

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (39% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $330/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Breakwater

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (48/100 vs 32/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

St Albans Park

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (31/100 vs 90/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 19%)
  • But Breakwater is more walkable (48/100 vs 32/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Breakwater St Albans Park
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.

Breakwater St Albans Park
Walkability 48 / 32
Breakwater — Walkability: 48/100 St Albans Park — Walkability: 32/100
Safety 10 / 69
Breakwater — Safety: 10/100 St Albans Park — Safety: 69/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Breakwater — Low fire risk: 100/100 St Albans Park — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 15 / 21
Breakwater — Low flood risk: 15/100 St Albans Park — Low flood risk: 21/100

Demographics

St Albans Park has more residents (4,942 vs 1,060); St Albans Park has higher household incomes ($68,484 vs $56,004).

Breakwater St Albans Park
Population 1,060 4,942
+366% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.5% +2.0%
Median age 40 46
Median household income $56,004/yr $68,484/yr
+22% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk $330/wk
+10% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Breakwater St Albans Park
0-4 4.1% / 4.5%
Breakwater — 0-4: 4.1% St Albans Park — 0-4: 4.5%
5-14 10.5% / 9.7%
Breakwater — 5-14: 10.5% St Albans Park — 5-14: 9.7%
15-19 3.3% / 6.1%
Breakwater — 15-19: 3.3% St Albans Park — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 8.4% / 5.9%
Breakwater — 20-24: 8.4% St Albans Park — 20-24: 5.9%
25-34 17.4% / 12.5%
Breakwater — 25-34: 17.4% St Albans Park — 25-34: 12.5%
35-44 14.0% / 9.7%
Breakwater — 35-44: 14.0% St Albans Park — 35-44: 9.7%
45-54 11.1% / 13.7%
Breakwater — 45-54: 11.1% St Albans Park — 45-54: 13.7%
55-64 12.6% / 13.9%
Breakwater — 55-64: 12.6% St Albans Park — 55-64: 13.9%
65-74 9.7% / 12.7%
Breakwater — 65-74: 9.7% St Albans Park — 65-74: 12.7%
75-84 7.3% / 7.9%
Breakwater — 75-84: 7.3% St Albans Park — 75-84: 7.9%
85+ 2.1% / 3.5%
Breakwater — 85+: 2.1% St Albans Park — 85+: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Breakwater 49.7% lone person
Breakwater — Lone Person: 49.7% Breakwater — Couple Families: 20.6% Breakwater — One Parent Families: 19.4% Breakwater — Group Household: 7.7% Breakwater — Other Families: 2.6%
St Albans Park 42.6% lone person
St Albans Park — Lone Person: 42.6% St Albans Park — Couple Families: 35.1% St Albans Park — One Parent Families: 16.3% St Albans Park — Group Household: 4.5% St Albans Park — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Breakwater 39.1% renting
Breakwater — Owned Outright: 30.1% Breakwater — Mortgage: 30.8% Breakwater — Renting: 39.1%
St Albans Park 23.9% renting
St Albans Park — Owned Outright: 36.6% St Albans Park — Mortgage: 39.5% St Albans Park — Renting: 23.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Breakwater St Albans Park
Certificate III & IV 20.5% / 20.5%
Breakwater — Certificate III & IV: 20.5% St Albans Park — Certificate III & IV: 20.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.9% / 7.5%
Breakwater — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9% St Albans Park — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5%
Bachelor Degree 7.1% / 6.8%
Breakwater — Bachelor Degree: 7.1% St Albans Park — Bachelor Degree: 6.8%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / 1.3%
Breakwater — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% St Albans Park — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 1.2%
Breakwater — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% St Albans Park — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.5%).

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.

Breakwater St Albans Park
England 2.2% / 3.3%
Breakwater — England: 2.2% St Albans Park — England: 3.3%
India 1.3% / 0.9%
Breakwater — India: 1.3% St Albans Park — India: 0.9%
New Zealand 0.9% / 0.7%
Breakwater — New Zealand: 0.9% St Albans Park — New Zealand: 0.7%
Philippines 0.8% / 0.6%
Breakwater — Philippines: 0.8% St Albans Park — Philippines: 0.6%
Pakistan 0.8% / —
Breakwater — Pakistan: 0.8% St Albans Park — Pakistan: not among its largest
Scotland — / 0.6%
Breakwater — Scotland: not among its largest St Albans Park — Scotland: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Breakwater 76.4% houses
Breakwater — Houses: 76.4% Breakwater — Townhouses: 8.8% Breakwater — Flats / Apartments: 14.8%
St Albans Park 85.6% houses
St Albans Park — Houses: 85.6% St Albans Park — Townhouses: 14.3% St Albans Park — Flats / Apartments: 0.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Breakwater St Albans Park
Median house price $565,000 $691,250
Median unit price $705,000 $447,500
Median land price — $625,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 3 sales
 24 days
from 26 sales

Zoning mix

Breakwater has more industrially zoned land (33% vs 0%); St Albans Park has more rural and farming land (30% vs 1%).

Breakwater St Albans Park
Residential 13% 63%
Industrial 33% 0%
Rural and farming 1% 30%
Parks and recreation 26% 4%
Other and special use 22% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 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. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Breakwater St Albans Park
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.

Breakwater St Albans Park
Houses 4.0%
$478/wk on $622K
 4.0%
$540/wk on $698K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Breakwater St Albans Park
House price Higher than 19% of VIC Higher than 32% of VIC
Income Higher than 14% of VIC Higher than 30% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 86% of VIC Higher than 83% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 45% of VIC Higher than 49% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 43% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of VIC Higher than 91% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 68% of VIC Higher than 69% of VIC

Liveability

St Albans Park scores higher overall (43 vs 24); Breakwater is more walkable (48 vs 32).

Breakwater St Albans Park
Grade D C
Score 24/100 43/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Breakwater carries more crime risk (90 vs 31).

Breakwater St Albans Park
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
90/100
 Low
31/100
Flood High
85/100
 High
79/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 8
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Breakwater St Albans Park
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, 3.8 km
 2
Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, 5.5 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 0.9% 1.0%

Amenities in the suburb

Breakwater St Albans Park
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 2 6
Childcare 0 1

Mobility

Breakwater St Albans Park
Walkability score 48/100 32/100
Distance to Melbourne 80.3 km 81.2 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 72 min 74 min
Public transport score 54/100 75/100
Peak arrivals per hour 19.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 84.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 3219
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 28
postcode 3219
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.

Breakwater St Albans Park
Car (driver) 79.3% / 78.5%
Breakwater — Car (driver): 79.3% St Albans Park — Car (driver): 78.5%
Worked from Home 10.8% / 12.2%
Breakwater — Worked from Home: 10.8% St Albans Park — Worked from Home: 12.2%
Car (passenger) 4.6% / 6.2%
Breakwater — Car (passenger): 4.6% St Albans Park — Car (passenger): 6.2%
Bus 2.4% / 0.9%
Breakwater — Bus: 2.4% St Albans Park — Bus: 0.9%
Walked Only 2.2% / 0.9%
Breakwater — Walked Only: 2.2% St Albans Park — Walked Only: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.3%).

Setting

Breakwater St Albans Park
Elevation 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
same for both
Distance to the ocean 3.9 km
4.0 km to a named beach
 4.8 km

NBN connectivity

Breakwater St Albans Park
Connectivity score 71/100 81/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 46%
1,052 premises
 56%
2,383 premises

Climate

Breakwater St Albans Park
Annual rainfall —
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 22.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.8°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Breakwater St Albans Park
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Breakwater St Albans Park
Average residential rate $1,802/yr
same for both
Council Greater Geelong
same for both

Federal electorate

Breakwater St Albans Park
Division Corio
same for both
Member Richard Marles
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Breakwater St Albans Park
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Breakwater

Affordable Quiet

St Albans Park

Large Blocks Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Breakwater

Breakwater vs Belmont Breakwater vs East Geelong Breakwater vs Whittington Breakwater vs Charlemont Breakwater vs Thomson Breakwater vs South Geelong

Other comparisons with St Albans Park

St Albans Park vs Whittington St Albans Park vs Charlemont St Albans Park vs Moolap St Albans Park vs Thomson
Full data on Breakwater Full data on St Albans Park
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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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