Capel Sound vs Tootgarook

Tootgarook is the younger of the two, with a median age of 46 against 59 in Capel Sound. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Capel Sound, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Tootgarook: a median of $845,000, against $740,000 in Capel Sound. On these figures, Capel Sound tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Tootgarook suits families with children.

Capel Sound is larger with 5,246 residents and skews older at a median age of 59, while Tootgarook has 3,178 residents with a median age of 46. Tootgarook residents earn notably more—a median household income of $67,288 versus $49,400 in Capel Sound—and the suburb scores higher on liveability (55 versus 39). House prices are considerably higher in Tootgarook at $862,500 compared to $737,000, though Capel Sound offers a slightly better rental yield on houses at 3.9 percent. The main trade-off is between Capel Sound's lower property costs and Tootgarook's stronger income levels and liveability metrics.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

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

Tootgarook

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (4 vs 1)
  • is already more of a family suburb (53% vs 36%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (96% vs 71%)

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

  • Capel Sound has cheaper houses ($740,000 vs $845,000)
  • Tootgarook leaves households under less mortgage stress (32% vs 39%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Tootgarook

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (28% vs 37%)

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

Commuting to the city

Capel Sound

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (75 min vs 80 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (93.7 km vs 96.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Capel Sound

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (29% vs 4%)
  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (44% vs 24%)

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

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

Capel Sound Tootgarook
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.

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Walkability 54 / 50
Capel Sound — Walkability: 54/100 Tootgarook — Walkability: 50/100
Safety 36 / 39
Capel Sound — Safety: 36/100 Tootgarook — Safety: 39/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Capel Sound — Low fire risk: 100/100 Tootgarook — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 38 / 100
Capel Sound — Low flood risk: 38/100 Tootgarook — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Capel Sound has more residents (5,246 vs 3,178); Tootgarook has higher household incomes ($67,288 vs $49,400).

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Population 5,246
+39% vs other
 3,178
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.4% +10.8%
Median age 59 46
Median household income $49,400/yr $67,288/yr
+36% vs other
Median weekly rent $350/wk $360/wk
+3% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Capel Sound Tootgarook
0-4 3.6% / 6.2%
Capel Sound — 0-4: 3.6% Tootgarook — 0-4: 6.2%
5-14 8.9% / 12.0%
Capel Sound — 5-14: 8.9% Tootgarook — 5-14: 12.0%
15-19 3.5% / 5.3%
Capel Sound — 15-19: 3.5% Tootgarook — 15-19: 5.3%
20-24 3.3% / 3.9%
Capel Sound — 20-24: 3.3% Tootgarook — 20-24: 3.9%
25-34 8.9% / 10.4%
Capel Sound — 25-34: 8.9% Tootgarook — 25-34: 10.4%
35-44 8.3% / 11.1%
Capel Sound — 35-44: 8.3% Tootgarook — 35-44: 11.1%
45-54 9.6% / 13.8%
Capel Sound — 45-54: 9.6% Tootgarook — 45-54: 13.8%
55-64 10.4% / 14.1%
Capel Sound — 55-64: 10.4% Tootgarook — 55-64: 14.1%
65-74 15.2% / 13.7%
Capel Sound — 65-74: 15.2% Tootgarook — 65-74: 13.7%
75-84 15.6% / 7.3%
Capel Sound — 75-84: 15.6% Tootgarook — 75-84: 7.3%
85+ 12.7% / 2.5%
Capel Sound — 85+: 12.7% Tootgarook — 85+: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Capel Sound 59.6% lone person
Capel Sound — Lone Person: 59.6% Capel Sound — Couple Families: 18.7% Capel Sound — One Parent Families: 17.2% Capel Sound — Group Household: 3.4% Capel Sound — Other Families: 1.2%
Tootgarook 42.9% lone person
Tootgarook — Lone Person: 42.9% Tootgarook — Couple Families: 33.3% Tootgarook — One Parent Families: 19.6% Tootgarook — Group Household: 3.4% Tootgarook — Other Families: 0.8%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Capel Sound 32.8% renting
Capel Sound — Owned Outright: 43.5% Capel Sound — Mortgage: 23.8% Capel Sound — Renting: 32.8%
Tootgarook 29.3% renting
Tootgarook — Owned Outright: 37.9% Tootgarook — Mortgage: 32.8% Tootgarook — Renting: 29.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Certificate III & IV 15.4% / 18.6%
Capel Sound — Certificate III & IV: 15.4% Tootgarook — Certificate III & IV: 18.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 8.4%
Capel Sound — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Tootgarook — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Bachelor Degree 7.5% / 8.6%
Capel Sound — Bachelor Degree: 7.5% Tootgarook — Bachelor Degree: 8.6%
Postgraduate Degree 1.3% / 1.6%
Capel Sound — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3% Tootgarook — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 1.4%
Capel Sound — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Tootgarook — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.6%).

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.

Capel Sound Tootgarook
England 5.9% / 3.7%
Capel Sound — England: 5.9% Tootgarook — England: 3.7%
Italy 1.6% / 2.3%
Capel Sound — Italy: 1.6% Tootgarook — Italy: 2.3%
New Zealand 0.9% / 1.3%
Capel Sound — New Zealand: 0.9% Tootgarook — New Zealand: 1.3%
Scotland 0.9% / 0.5%
Capel Sound — Scotland: 0.9% Tootgarook — Scotland: 0.5%
Greece 0.6% / 0.7%
Capel Sound — Greece: 0.6% Tootgarook — Greece: 0.7%
Netherlands 0.7% / —
Capel Sound — Netherlands: 0.7% Tootgarook — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Capel Sound 70.7% houses
Capel Sound — Houses: 70.7% Capel Sound — Townhouses: 24.0% Capel Sound — Flats / Apartments: 5.3%
Tootgarook 96.5% houses
Tootgarook — Houses: 96.5% Tootgarook — Townhouses: 3.0% Tootgarook — Flats / Apartments: 0.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Median house price $740,000 $845,000
Median unit price $592,500 $575,000
Median land price — $581,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 29 days
from 109 sales
 35 days
from 81 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Capel Sound Tootgarook
2 bed $662K / $695K
Capel Sound — 2 bed: $662K (23 sales) Tootgarook — 2 bed: $695K (17 sales)

23 vs 17 sales

3 bed $725K / $780K
Capel Sound — 3 bed: $725K (93 sales) Tootgarook — 3 bed: $780K (75 sales)

93 vs 75 sales

4 bed $888K / $1.06M
Capel Sound — 4 bed: $888K (34 sales) Tootgarook — 4 bed: $1.06M (55 sales)

34 vs 55 sales

Zoning mix

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Residential 62% 90%
Parks and recreation 28% 5%
Infrastructure and transport 9% 4%
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

Capel Sound Tootgarook
New dwellings approved 791
across Mornington Peninsula
same for both
Approvals change year on year +9%
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.

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Houses 4.0%
$595/wk on $782K
 3.9%
$630/wk on $840K
Units 4.5%
$575/wk on $658K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Capel Sound Tootgarook
House price Higher than 50% of VIC Higher than 61% of VIC
Income Higher than 9% of VIC Higher than 28% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 86% of VIC
same for both
Affordability Higher than 9% of VIC Higher than 18% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 35% of VIC Higher than 78% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 79% of VIC Higher than 88% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 65% of VIC Higher than 61% of VIC
Rental yield (units) Higher than 35% of VIC —

Liveability

Tootgarook scores higher overall (56 vs 39).

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Grade C B
Score 39/100 56/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Capel Sound carries more flood risk (62 vs 0).

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
64/100
 Moderate
61/100
Flood Moderate
62/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion Moderate
47/100
 Low
39/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Capel Sound

  • Eastbourne Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Tootgarook

  • Tootgarook Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Cafes & restaurants 5 1
Parks & reserves 6 5
Childcare 1 4
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 8 0

Mobility

Tootgarook sits further from the CBD (96.4 km vs 93.7 km).

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Walkability score 54/100 50/100
Distance to Melbourne 93.7 km 96.4 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 75 min 80 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 32.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 30.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 3940
 1.0%
postcode 3941
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 17
postcode 3940
 23
postcode 3941

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.

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Car (driver) 76.3% / 71.5%
Capel Sound — Car (driver): 76.3% Tootgarook — Car (driver): 71.5%
Worked from Home 15.0% / 21.8%
Capel Sound — Worked from Home: 15.0% Tootgarook — Worked from Home: 21.8%
Car (passenger) 5.5% / 4.6%
Capel Sound — Car (passenger): 5.5% Tootgarook — Car (passenger): 4.6%
Walked Only 2.2% / 1.2%
Capel Sound — Walked Only: 2.2% Tootgarook — Walked Only: 1.2%
Bicycle 0.7% / 0.4%
Capel Sound — Bicycle: 0.7% Tootgarook — Bicycle: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.3%).

Setting

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 979 m
3.2 km to a named beach
 938 m

NBN connectivity

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Connectivity score 69/100 78/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 44%
4,079 premises
 61%
2,814 premises

Climate

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Annual rainfall 700 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Average residential rate $1,659/yr
same for both
Council Mornington Peninsula
same for both

Federal electorate

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Division Flinders
same for both
Member Zoe Mckenzie
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Capel Sound Tootgarook
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Capel Sound

Coastal Retirees River Townhouses

Tootgarook

Coastal Large Blocks Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Capel Sound

Capel Sound vs Rosebud Capel Sound vs Boneo

Other comparisons with Tootgarook

Tootgarook vs Rye Tootgarook vs Fingal Tootgarook vs Boneo
Full data on Capel Sound Full data on Tootgarook
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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