Cape Schanck vs Fingal

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Fingal: a median of $1.76 million, against $1.14 million in Cape Schanck, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Cape Schanck 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

Cape Schanck

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (17/100 vs 42/100)

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

First-home buyers

Cape Schanck

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,140,000 vs $1,762,500)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 26%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Cape Schanck

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (16% vs 22%)
  • has cheaper rent ($359/wk vs $418/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

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

  • Cape Schanck is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)
  • Fingal sits closer to the CBD (99.4 km vs 102 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Cape Schanck

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (17/100 vs 42/100)

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

Investors

Cape Schanck

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (27.6% vs 20.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Cape Schanck Fingal
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.

Cape Schanck Fingal
Walkability 10 / 0
Cape Schanck — Walkability: 10/100 Fingal — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 83 / 58
Cape Schanck — Safety: 83/100 Fingal — Safety: 58/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Cape Schanck — Low fire risk: 100/100 Fingal — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 81 / 84
Cape Schanck — Low flood risk: 81/100 Fingal — Low flood risk: 84/100

Demographics

Fingal rents higher ($418/wk vs $359/wk); Cape Schanck has higher household incomes ($113,828 vs $100,256).

Cape Schanck Fingal
Population 569 637
+12% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +27.6% +20.4%
Median age 55 56
Median household income $113,828/yr
+12% vs other
 $100,256/yr
Median weekly rent $359/wk $418/wk
+16% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cape Schanck Fingal
0-4 4.7% / 2.4%
Cape Schanck — 0-4: 4.7% Fingal — 0-4: 2.4%
5-14 8.6% / 9.4%
Cape Schanck — 5-14: 8.6% Fingal — 5-14: 9.4%
15-19 4.4% / 4.4%
Cape Schanck — 15-19: 4.4% Fingal — 15-19: 4.4%
20-24 3.2% / 3.0%
Cape Schanck — 20-24: 3.2% Fingal — 20-24: 3.0%
25-34 7.2% / 4.6%
Cape Schanck — 25-34: 7.2% Fingal — 25-34: 4.6%
35-44 7.6% / 7.7%
Cape Schanck — 35-44: 7.6% Fingal — 35-44: 7.7%
45-54 12.7% / 15.9%
Cape Schanck — 45-54: 12.7% Fingal — 45-54: 15.9%
55-64 19.9% / 23.2%
Cape Schanck — 55-64: 19.9% Fingal — 55-64: 23.2%
65-74 22.0% / 24.6%
Cape Schanck — 65-74: 22.0% Fingal — 65-74: 24.6%
75-84 7.9% / 5.8%
Cape Schanck — 75-84: 7.9% Fingal — 75-84: 5.8%
85+ 1.2% / 0.9%
Cape Schanck — 85+: 1.2% Fingal — 85+: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Cape Schanck 50.9% couple families
Cape Schanck — Couple Families: 50.9% Cape Schanck — Lone Person: 38.4% Cape Schanck — One Parent Families: 10.7% Cape Schanck — Group Household: 0.0%
Fingal 50.5% couple families
Fingal — Couple Families: 50.5% Fingal — Lone Person: 31.5% Fingal — One Parent Families: 13.5% Fingal — Group Household: 4.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Cape Schanck 6.4% renting
Cape Schanck — Owned Outright: 57.4% Cape Schanck — Mortgage: 36.3% Cape Schanck — Renting: 6.4%
Fingal 10.6% renting
Fingal — Owned Outright: 50.2% Fingal — Mortgage: 39.2% Fingal — Renting: 10.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Cape Schanck Fingal
Bachelor Degree 16.5% / 13.3%
Cape Schanck — Bachelor Degree: 16.5% Fingal — Bachelor Degree: 13.3%
Certificate III & IV 14.4% / 14.0%
Cape Schanck — Certificate III & IV: 14.4% Fingal — Certificate III & IV: 14.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.5% / 8.5%
Cape Schanck — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.5% Fingal — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5%
Postgraduate Degree 6.0% / 5.7%
Cape Schanck — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0% Fingal — Postgraduate Degree: 5.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.0% / 1.6%
Cape Schanck — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.0% Fingal — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.5%).

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.

Cape Schanck Fingal
England 5.1% / 8.9%
Cape Schanck — England: 5.1% Fingal — England: 8.9%
New Zealand 2.6% / 1.3%
Cape Schanck — New Zealand: 2.6% Fingal — New Zealand: 1.3%
South Africa 1.8% / 0.9%
Cape Schanck — South Africa: 1.8% Fingal — South Africa: 0.9%
Scotland 0.7% / 1.3%
Cape Schanck — Scotland: 0.7% Fingal — Scotland: 1.3%
Sri Lanka 0.9% / —
Cape Schanck — Sri Lanka: 0.9% Fingal — Sri Lanka: not among its largest
Italy 0.9% / —
Cape Schanck — Italy: 0.9% Fingal — Italy: not among its largest
Netherlands — / 0.9%
Cape Schanck — Netherlands: not among its largest Fingal — Netherlands: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cape Schanck 98.6% houses
Cape Schanck — Houses: 98.6% Cape Schanck — Townhouses: 1.9% Cape Schanck — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Fingal 96.6% houses
Fingal — Houses: 96.6% Fingal — Townhouses: 2.1% Fingal — Flats / Apartments: 1.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Cape Schanck Fingal
Median house price $1,140,000 $1,762,500
Median unit price — $573,500
Median land price $735,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 64 days
from 6 sales
 75 days
from 4 sales

Zoning mix

Fingal has more rural and farming land (78% vs 68%).

Cape Schanck Fingal
Rural and farming 68% 78%
Parks and recreation 31% 6%
Other and special use 0% 11%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 5%
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

Cape Schanck Fingal
New dwellings approved 791
across Mornington Peninsula
same for both
Approvals change year on year +9%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Cape Schanck Fingal
House price Higher than 69% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC
Income Higher than 86% of VIC Higher than 73% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 70% of VIC Higher than 50% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 57% of VIC Higher than 3% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 75% of VIC Higher than 76% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 52% of VIC Higher than 73% of VIC

Liveability

Cape Schanck is more walkable (10 vs 0); Cape Schanck scores higher overall (68 vs 62).

Cape Schanck Fingal
Grade A B
Score 68/100 62/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Fingal carries more crime risk (42 vs 17).

Cape Schanck Fingal
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
17/100
 Moderate
42/100
Flood Low
19/100
 Low
16/100
Coastal erosion Moderate
42/100
 Low
32/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Cape Schanck Fingal
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

Amenities in the suburb

Cape Schanck Fingal
Parks & reserves 2
same for both
Beaches 1 0
Waterways 4 0

Mobility

Cape Schanck sits further from the CBD (102 km vs 99.4 km).

Cape Schanck Fingal
Walkability score 10/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 102 km
+3% vs other
 99.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 82 min 80 min
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 3939
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 31
postcode 3939
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.

Cape Schanck Fingal
Car (driver) 55.8% / 50.9%
Cape Schanck — Car (driver): 55.8% Fingal — Car (driver): 50.9%
Worked from Home 41.0% / 43.0%
Cape Schanck — Worked from Home: 41.0% Fingal — Worked from Home: 43.0%
Car (passenger) 1.8% / 3.5%
Cape Schanck — Car (passenger): 1.8% Fingal — Car (passenger): 3.5%
Walked Only 1.4% / 2.6%
Cape Schanck — Walked Only: 1.4% Fingal — Walked Only: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (55.8%).

Setting

Cape Schanck Fingal
Elevation 144 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.3 km
2.3 km to a named beach
 2.1 km
4.1 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Cape Schanck Fingal
Connectivity score 30/100 38/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
458 premises
 10%
420 premises

Climate

Cape Schanck Fingal
Annual rainfall 696 mm 700 mm
Summer max (Jan) 24.5°C —
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C —

Council rates

Cape Schanck Fingal
Average residential rate $1,659/yr
same for both
Council Mornington Peninsula
same for both

Federal electorate

Cape Schanck Fingal
Division Flinders
same for both
Member Zoe Mckenzie
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Cape Schanck Fingal
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Cape Schanck

Coastal Retirees Rural

Fingal

Acreage Coastal Premium Quiet Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Cape Schanck

Cape Schanck vs Flinders Cape Schanck vs Boneo

Other comparisons with Fingal

Fingal vs Rye Fingal vs Tootgarook Fingal vs St Andrews Beach Fingal vs Boneo
Full data on Cape Schanck Full data on Fingal
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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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